Hidden Gems: Meet Prasad Naik of The Look Salon Suites & StrikingTrend Event Designs

Today we’d like to introduce you to Prasad Naik

Hi Prasad, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Empowering Entrepreneurs: How One Visionary is Transforming the Salon Industry

Prasad’s Journey from Finance to Salon Suite Success

For many, the American Dream is about opportunity—the chance to build a better future through hard work, resilience, and innovation. For Prasad, an immigrant who came to the United States on a work visa, this dream became a reality. With a successful career in finance, he led the financial operations of a software company in North Carolina’s Research Triangle Park (RTP). However, his true passion lay in real estate investment.

Over the years, Prasad built a solid portfolio of long-term and short-term rental properties, recognizing real estate as a path to predictable, long-term growth. However, as housing prices skyrocketed, traditional real estate investing became less viable. Then, an unexpected event changed everything—he lost his job.

“I had always believed that hard work and dedication would ensure job security,” he recalls. “Losing my job was a wake-up call. It made me realize the importance of building a sustainable, passive income stream that would allow me to maintain financial stability, spend time with my family, and work on something truly meaningful.”

Determined to find a scalable and profitable business model, Prasad explored various investment opportunities. That search led him to the salon suite concept—a model that combined real estate with entrepreneurship while requiring minimal time commitment.

“I was drawn to the concept because it allowed salon professionals—hairstylists, barbers, estheticians, nail technicians, tattoo artists—to become their own bosses, control their earnings, and escape the limitations of traditional commission-based salons,” he explains.

The Birth of The Look Salon Suites

Prasad, along with his wife Kate Naik and longtime friend Hardik Raval, saw an opportunity to elevate the salon suite experience. While researching existing salon suite franchises, they noticed a glaring gap in the market—most franchises were underserving beauty professionals, offering basic rental spaces without a premium, high-touch experience.

“We knew we could do better,” Prasad says. “Our goal was to create a luxury salon suite brand that not only provided state-of-the-art workspaces but also empowered beauty professionals to thrive as entrepreneurs.”

With this vision, The Look Salon Suites was born.

Their first location, featuring 18 luxury suites in Raleigh, NC, was an instant success—fully leased within 30 days of opening. This validation led to rapid expansion, and soon, they launched a second corporate location in Cary, NC—a 31-suite facility spanning 5,744 sq. ft.

“The response was overwhelming,” says Prasad. “We opened the Cary location at 60% occupancy and reached 90% within two months. By March 2025, we expect it to be fully booked. We are now working on developing real estate in Apex with the focus on creating a 30-suite salon location and renting out the remaining unused space to other businesses.”

Has It Been a Smooth Road?

Building The Look Salon Suites was not without challenges. As first-time entrepreneurs in the salon suite industry, ensuring everything came together seamlessly required immense dedication and careful planning. The initial conceptualization phase alone took three to four months, as the team worked tirelessly to bring their vision to life.

Finding credible service providers who could meet their high standards proved to be another hurdle. Additionally, securing a business loan was difficult since they lacked prior experience in the salon suite industry. To move forward, they developed a thorough business plan and took personal loans to fund their project instead of relying on traditional business financing.

Further obstacles arose during construction, with unexpected delays and snags pushing the opening date back by three months. This created significant stress and uncertainty. However, in the end, seeing the salon suites fully occupied and witnessing entrepreneurs thrive made every challenge worthwhile.

Scaling Through Franchising

With a proven model and strong demand, Prasad and his team saw an opportunity to franchise The Look Salon Suites, allowing others to invest in the concept and bring the brand to new markets.

In just a year and a half, they sold four franchise territories—two in North Carolina, one in Florida, and one in New Jersey. Their first franchise location in Hillsborough, NC, which opened in 2024, reached full occupancy within four months.

“We are building something much bigger than just a business,” Prasad says. “We are creating a movement—a shift in the salon industry that empowers professionals to own their businesses rather than work for someone else’s dream.”

The Vision: 4,000 Entrepreneurs in 10 Years

Looking ahead, Prasad envisions The Look Salon Suites becoming a national brand, empowering over 4,000 beauty professionals to become business owners in the next decade.

“Our mission is simple,” he says. “To provide salon professionals with a premium, high-touch environment where they can thrive as entrepreneurs—without the overhead, risks, and limitations of a traditional salon.”

From finance to real estate, and now leading a fast-growing salon suite brand, Prasad’s journey is a testament to resilience, innovation, and the power of entrepreneurship.

As The Look Salon Suites continues to expand, one thing remains clear: this is just the beginning. For more information, visit www.thelooksalonsuites.com or email [email protected]

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Building The Look Salon Suites was not without challenges. As first-time entrepreneurs in the salon suite industry, ensuring everything came together seamlessly required immense dedication and careful planning. The initial conceptualization phase alone took three to four months, as the team worked tirelessly to bring their vision to life.

Finding credible service providers who could meet their high standards proved to be another hurdle. Additionally, securing a business loan was difficult since they lacked prior experience in the salon suite industry. To move forward, they developed a thorough business plan and took personal loans to fund their project instead of relying on traditional business financing.
Further obstacles arose during construction, with unexpected delays and snags pushing the opening date back by three months.

With combined experience of over 60 years in different field between the cofounders, we were able to navigate these hurdles. Prasad’s extensive experience in finance and operations helped with navigating through the initial hurdles of making sure we had a robust business plan and systems and processes set up for an smooth operations. Hardik’s experience in Real Estate helped us evaluate proper vendors for construction at a competitive prices. Kate’s background in cosmetology helped us immensely to understand challenges faced by Salon Owners in a typical Salon Suite.

This created significant stress and uncertainty. However, in the end, seeing the salon suites fully occupied and witnessing entrepreneurs thrive made every challenge worthwhile.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Prasad Naik is a seasoned finance and operations expert with extensive experience in business strategy, financial planning, and operational management. As a co-founder of The Look Salon Suites, he played a pivotal role in building a strong business foundation, ensuring seamless operations, and navigating financial challenges. With a keen eye for detail and a data-driven approach, Prasad has been instrumental in establishing efficient systems and processes that contribute to the long-term success of the business. His expertise in financial structuring and strategic planning has helped overcome obstacles and drive sustainable growth.

Beyond the salon suite industry, Prasad, along with Kate, is also the owner of StrikingTrend Event Design and Decor, a family-owned and operated business specializing in luxury event experiences. StrikingTrend provides premium event décor and design services, transforming venues into elegant, customized spaces for weddings, corporate events, and special occasions. Over the past four years, StrikingTrend has successfully executed over 300 events, earning a reputation as a preferred luxury designer in North Carolina. Their dedication to creativity, attention to detail, and commitment to excellence have made StrikingTrend a trusted name in the event industry.

Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
BDO Seidman and Grant Thornton played a pivotal role in refining Prasad’ financial acumen during the early stages of my career. After spending over a decade in public accounting, Prasad decided to pivot to corporate finance, applying the practical knowledge gained from working with hundreds of companies across diverse industries.

Throughout his corporate career, he held several finance leadership roles and currently serve as Head of Finance at a software company. During this time, He was fortunate to receive invaluable mentorship from bosses and peers, which significantly shaped his professional growth. Their guidance not only enhanced his financial expertise but also influenced his approach to leadership and strategic decision-making.

The coaching and insights he received during this period played a crucial role in shaping my vision and goals when he eventually decided to start his own business. Their mentorship continues to inspire his entrepreneurial journey, reinforcing the importance of resilience, adaptability, and a strong financial foundation in building successful ventures.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.thelooksalonsuites.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thelooksalonsuitescary/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-J7CQoI69cA
• Other: https://www.instagram.com/thelooksalonsuites