We're Backing Brave - AIB meets Andrea Horan of Tropical Popical

As part of our programme of initiatives specifically for Small Businesses, we chatted to Andrea Horan, the founder of Tropical Popical, about how the business started, where she got the idea and what makes Tropical Popical unique.

The idea for Tropical Popical came to Andrea while travelling in the United States with her sister. As a way to relax, they had been getting their nails done every few days and before returning to Dublin, she spotted a gap in the market for a ‘no-fuss nail bar’.

Tropical Popical faced steep competition from Dublin’s other great nail bars, particularly in their chosen location of Dublin’s ‘beauty street’, South William Street. Prior to opening, Andrea was very clear in how she envisaged the company being and attributes the successful creation of the brand to the time spent ensuring all the finer details of the businesswere ‘just so’. She came to a career crossroads three months in ultimately making the really brave decision to quit her job and move full-time into her new business venture.

The company sets itself apart through its unique brand identity which is maintained through the staff they hire with their own image and personality. These staff manage the very relaxed, fun but vitally important relationship that Tropical Popical has with their customers. This strong brand is used to stand out from their competition and to be seen as much more than just another nail bar. Their objective is to give people something to talk about through their use of Social Media and branding, which Andrea believes is the primary thing companies get their business from.

For Andrea, the most positive aspect of owning her own business is the flexibility it allows her to work when and where it’s most convenient. Tropical Popical’s plans for the future include continuing to build the brand and diversifying into areas such as B&B.

To see the full story of Tropical Popical, just watch our video here.

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