Cupellini Studio: From
Venezuela to entrepreneur
in Madrid's beauty
world
In a sector as competitive as aesthetics and beauty in Madrid, the birth of Cupellini Studio in 2023 represents the determination and vision of Gabriella Cupellini, a young Venezuelan woman who transformed her passion for beauty into a thriving business. This article explores Cupellini Studio’s beginnings, the challenges of entrepreneurship in aesthetics, and the lessons learned in creating a unique beauty center.
In this article...
The beginnings of Cupellini Studio
At 17, Gabriella left Venezuela in search of new opportunities in Spain. “I'm from Venezuela, a country with significant security and economic problems. I wanted to seek new opportunities abroad,” Gabriella recalls. Her parents, at first, feared her undertaking this adventure at such a young age, but she did it anyway and had their full support. Additionally, she had family in Spain who provided the necessary support to take this important step, and to this day, she still has their backing.
She started working as a waitress until she met a beautician who offered her a job. This opportunity marked a turning point in her life. “I trained, started working with her, and grew to love brows, lashes, and beauty” explains Gabriella.
However, Gabriella's aspirations went beyond working for someone else. Raised in a family of entrepreneurs, she had the values of work independence instilled in her from a young age. “I wanted to be in charge of my time and know how to manage it. If I want to increase my income, I can do it by dedicating more hours, without having to ask anyone for permission,” she states.
“I wanted control over my time and income, working freely without needing permission ”
In this article...
The experience of bringing a personal project to life
The path to independence was gradual and calculated. Gabriella first rented a small booth in a beauty center before venturing out on her own. “I preferred to progress gradually, without investing too much at once in case things didn’t go well. I wanted to grow step by step,” she explains.
Once she built a loyal clientele, she took the leap to her own location. “We’ve now been open for two years, which I’m celebrating this month,” she says proudly. The initial investment required all her savings and much personal effort. She highlights the importance of managing resources wisely and starting with the basics.
Every corner of her studio bears her personal touch. “I painted the place myself with my grandmother and family. Everything was very handmade; I didn’t hire people to do it,” she shares. This hands-on approach created a warm, welcoming space. It also strengthened her emotional connection with the business, a feeling she passes on to her clients.
Beyond aesthetics, Gabriella focuses on creating an experience. She believes a beauty studio should be more than just a service provider; it should feel like a sanctuary. “People come here not only to enhance their beauty but to relax and disconnect,” she says. This philosophy has helped her build lasting relationships with her clients.
About Cupellini Studio
Currently Cupellini Studio specializes in facial care, focusing on boosting clients' self-esteem. “We aim to beautify the face and help clients feel better about themselves,” says Gabriella.
She believes in mastering specific services like eyelash extensions, eyebrow lamination, and micropigmentation. “It’s better to specialize than to offer too much. You’ll trust someone who does the same thing every day more than someone who does a lot,” she explains.
Gabriella values the personal connections she forms with clients, saying, “We become like psychologists, creating bonds that often turn into friendships.”
For her, the most rewarding part of the job is not the money, but the ability to improve someone's self-esteem:
“Improving someone's self-esteem and seeing their happiness means more to me than money ”
Challenges and lessons along the way
Gabriella’s first challenge was differentiating herself in a saturated market. “In Madrid, there are many beauty salons that do the same thing I do. What can I do to stand out?” she often asked. Her answer was to focus on creating a complete experience, not just offering aesthetic treatments.
Financial management also posed a significant challenge. “At a financial level, it was tough because nobody explains many things to you. If you don’t organize your finances well, it’s hard to stay afloat,” she says. Gabriella learned to allocate her income into reinvestment, operating expenses, and growth.
The biggest challenge came after her first year when personal issues affected her business. Gabriella suffered two traffic accidents, injuring her elbow and wrist, which impacted her work. “If you’re emotionally unwell, your business will also go poorly,” she reflects. This led to months of medical leave and financial losses.
Gabriella learned one of her most valuable lessons during this time: “Knowing how to manage personal struggles so they don’t affect my work.”
“Entrepreneurship it's like an emotional roller coaster, with moments when you're up and others when you find yourself at the lowest point ”
Marketing and promotion
Gabriella has developed various strategies to promote her business. One of the most effective has been creating a physically attractive environment that invites her clients to share it on social media. “Creating a visually attractive space makes the client not only want to return but also advertise you on Instagram and other social networks,” she explains.
She uses techniques such as offering discounts to clients who leave reviews on Google or tag her on social media, always seeking a return for the promotions she offers. “I don't recommend making promotions just for the sake of it. There should always be something in return that rewards you for that discount,” she advises.
Gabriella personally manages her social networks, including Instagram, TikTok, and recently YouTube, where she shares tips and her experience as an entrepreneur. However, she agrees with many experts that the most effective form of marketing remains word of mouth: “What really made my business take a leap was word of mouth. It's the oldest form of marketing, but it's still the most efficient in this sector."
She has also implemented a referral program where her most loyal clients receive compensation for recommending new clients, although with specific criteria: “I only offer this referral program to people who have been my clients for more than two years.”
Vev as an ally in business management
After experimenting with other booking platforms that were costly and not very customizable, Gabriella discovered Vev, which has become a fundamental tool for managing her business. Gabriella highlights several key advantages:
- Complete customization: “What I like most is that Vev is very customizable. Not everything looks the same; you can change even the font if you want.”
- Efficient appointment management: “The ease and comfort of day-to-day operations is incredible. Clients themselves can schedule appointments, which saves me from losing time responding to messages.”
- Team functionality: “Now I can add people within the same calendar, and clients can select who they want to book with.”
- Promotional tools: “I love that discount codes can be added; it's a plus for my marketing campaigns.”
- Schedule flexibility: “I like that I can block hours when needed, which allows me to better manage my time."
“What I like most is that Vev is very customizable. Not everything looks the same”
The future of Cupellini Studio
Gabriella has an ambitious vision for her business, aiming to expand to more locations while focusing on specialization. “I want to specialize in certain areas and not spread myself too thin just for profit,” she explains.
A key part of her vision is involving her team in this growth: “I don’t want to be the typical boss with employees earning the same salary. I prefer to offer opportunities for growth and build new centers together.”
She also plans to create an academy to train new professionals, both in-person and online. “I want to create an academy where people can train based on their needs and circumstances,” she says.
For Gabriella, success is about more than financial growth; it’s about helping others achieve independence. “I’d love to help people become their own bosses and not depend on a job for someone else,” she shares.
Advice for future entrepreneurs in the beauty world
Based on her experience, Gabriella offers three valuable pieces of advice for those who wish to become entrepreneurs in the beauty sector:
- Separate the personal from the professional: “I've learned that it's essential to keep personal problems away from the business. If you are the only person in charge and you're feeling bad, your business will also suffer. You have to learn to manage emotions so they don't affect daily work.”
- Persevere despite difficulties: “On the path of entrepreneurship, there will always be obstacles that will make you doubt. It's normal to have difficult moments, but if you persist and overcome those stones in the road, in the end, you will achieve the reward you're seeking, whether it's professional recognition or economic stability.”
- Differentiate yourself and constantly evolve: “In a sector as competitive as beauty, it's essential to offer something that makes you unique. Additionally, you should never stop training and evolving, because if you stagnate, you fall behind. Trends change constantly, and you need to stay up to date to not lose relevance in the market.”
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