Happily married for 37 years to a woman he adores, Rick Austin is certainly a family man. He and his wife Donna Austin have proudly raised their three children in the town of Lubbock, Texas, originally co-founded by his grandfather. But their life together has blossomed beyond their home life; closer examination reveals the passion and intensity that have led the couple to notable success in business.

The story of Always Tan begins with Donna. Eager to begin a venture of her own, she happened into a well-timed opportunity at the tanning salon she frequented. The previous owner was ready to sell, and although the space had only very basic and a mere 13 clients in the databased, Donna was excited to take on the challenge. Under Donna and Rick’s joint ownership, the salon opened in 1990.

Meanwhile, Rick was a dedicated employee at Proctor & Gamble. As national sales manager he honed his many marketing, negotiating and sales skills while traveling for work and pleasure. After an impressive 34 years at the company, he retired from the position to devote more time to his wife and the tanning salon.

Click here to read the entire article in the latest issue of Smart Tan Magazine online.