Issue link: https://nebusinessmedia.uberflip.com/i/477247
22 Hartford Business Journal • July 21, 2014 www.HartfordBusiness.com Martin Gugliotti Age: 36 Title at work/what I do: Artistic director at Gugliotti Salon and Spa and dean of students at Inter- national Institute of Cosmetology. I wear many hats in my day-to-day schedule. While my heart and passion rests in the beauty industry, which has helped me and my family achieve great things and a rewarding career, there are many aspects of this field that I am a part of. My day is not only comprised of doing hair, although doing hair has acted as a gateway to all the arms of our businesses. I do hair at our salons in Rocky Hill and Hartford's South End as an artistic director, where I love helping people look and feel their best all the while providing friendly ear. As the dean of students at our cosmetology schools, with campuses in Wethersfield and Plainville, I provide guidance to students and ensure that they are properly prepared for all aspects of the beauty industry that I have come to love so much. I have also co-founded Le'marca products, a haircare line that has grown to include styling tools for consumer and professional use. If that all wasn't enough, somehow I make time to spend with my lovely wife Teena and my beautiful daughters Stella and Hailey, who have been the most supportive of my career and growth. I am also blessed to work with my brothers and parents, without whom none of these things would be possible. Town where I work: Hartford/Rocky Hill, Wethers- field/Plainville Town where I live: Plainville College I attended: UConn My passion, hobby or special talent: My hobby and passion is my drive to leave my kids a chance for a great future. Twitter handle: @bochos2 No. of LinkedIn connections: About 150; not too into LinkedIn Favorite place to network: At work. I meet the most interesting people while behind the chair at the salons. Favorite drink at a networking event: Club soda with lime because it looks like a vodka tonic. How do I create connections in my profes- sional life? Creating connections in my industry is easy. Need a plumber? Doctor? Counselor? I know someone. With an ever-growing cli- entele at our salons, I am sure I know some- one that knows someone who is reading this article. It is the beauty of this industry; it's a people-oriented and involved business. Seri- ously, if you need a recommendation for any- thing, I know someone. What's been my biggest challenge professionally? Balancing the time. Ohh, time how you slip through my hands so quickly… I cannot believe that I have the same hours in a day as great minds and entrepreneurs like Ford, Einstein, and my father. But I do have to say that between MS Outlook and my wife, I am kept on track. What is the best advice I received? My brother Leonardo told me "No matter what you decide to do, do it right or not at all." We were kids shoveling snow in Hart- ford, trying to make a few extra bucks. We told one lady that we would do her driveway for $15, but we didn't realize how long this thing was. I said, "Well Leo, it's good enough." He then responded with the quote that has stayed with me for decades. We finished the job properly, and she gave us an extra $5 tip. What do I want my legacy to be? I can't be sure if I will be liked or hated, but I hope that I am respected. 40 Under Forty 2014 Martin speaks Spanish. FUN FACT Betsey Castle Gainey Age: 39 Title at work/what I do: I am the vice president, director of client services, at Cronin and Company, largest full-service independent marketing communications agency in Connecticut as well as the state's "Top Shop" as declared by Adweek Magazine. As one of the agency's senior leaders, I oversee the Account Service group in all capacities, ultimately ensuring the agency consistently delivers a high quality/high value product for our clients. I feel spoiled that I get to come to work every day always learning something new, knowing each day is going to be different than the one before and collaborating with an amazingly creative and talented group of people. The pace we work at is often somewhat superhuman, but also part of what drives us agency folk. That, and wanting to deliver creative marketing and communications ideas that really do what they're meant to for our clients. Town where I work: Glastonbury Town where I live: West Hartford College I attended: University of Connecticut My passion, hobby or special talent: Creating stuff for the home using an eclectic mix of old and new items. Turning old furniture and other objects into beauti- ful, fun and useful pieces of art. Twitter handle: @bcastlegainey No. of LinkedIn connections: 177 Favorite place to network: Industry events Favorite drink at a networking event: Red or white wine How do I create connections in my profes- sional life? My job is all about fostering relation- ships and connecting with the people I work with – clients, coworkers, and others. At the core, the thing I feel works to establish the strongest connections is authenticity. Being able to have open and honest conversations (especially when it comes to the most sensi- tive and toughest topics) is the ultimate mea- sure of a solid relationship. What's been my biggest challenge professionally? Maintaining a successful work-life bal- ance that makes me feel like I'm doing as great a job at home, as I am at work. As my life has been blessed with a growing family (first a husband and a step-daughter, then a dog, another dog, and two boys), the amount of things that get packed into my daily sched- ule has also grown. I've learned feeling suc- cessful at home is critical for me to also feel successful in the workplace. What is the best advice I received? My mother instilled in me at a young age a strong work ethic and by witnessing her in action, she taught me to lead by example. Working in a strong team environment, and one where I'm in a leadership role, means leading by example is paramount. Particular- ly as the company I work at has seen a 25 per- cent increase in staff in the last year alone, and the number of staff I oversee continues to grow. Someone I formerly supervised once told me that every good work habit she had, she learned from me. It was the ultimate compliment! What do I want my legacy to be? I hope that I touch the lives of the people that matter most to me in a positive and meaningful manner, and hopefully inspire them in some way that is important to them. 40 Under Forty 2014 Betsey's most recent blog post on Cronin's website discusses how businesses can break the boring B2B marketing mold. FUN FACT