In her college days, you could find Jami Sousa lounging leisurely in the sun, soaking up the warm rays. As life got busier over the years, she started saving time by tanning at the local salon. When she got engaged or began preparations for vacation, the tanning salon is the first place she would go, ensuring that all of her happiest memories were enhanced with a warm tan.

But tanning didn’t become her career right away. For years, Jamie was employed as a dental hygienist while her husband worked for Shell Oil. They both became tired of working so hard for the good of companies they didn’t own, marking the inception of their entrepreneurial dreams.

Over cocktails, Jami’s sister pointed out that their town was missing a professional tanning salon, an observation that would change Jami’s entire trajectory. She quickly reached out for educational resources and started hunting for a location. Real estate battles would prove tricky as she negotiated against unsavory locations, eventually finding a new, well-located strip mall that was happy yo have a tanning salon on their roster. The build-out began soon after with the help of her friends, who also happened to include an electrician and contractor. In February of 2000, Sunkiss’d Tanning was open for business.

Once the skeleton was in place, Jami made the salon her own. The oversized couches, soothing lavender palette and a touch of fun in the form of feathers and a chandelier contributed to a homey atmosphere where Sunkiss’d clients can unwind. Sunkiss’d Tanning is the kind of place where people chat for a half hour after their tanning session, nearby workers visit during their lunch hour, and kids sit in the lobby watching cartoons while mom has a little “me time.”

A short two years after opening, the space next to Sunkiss’d became vacant. Jami expanded the salon, and with it, her passion for the business. “Every morning I wake up, I am happy to be at the salon,” she says. “I never feel like I don’t want to be there.”

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