Flourishing Woman: JODI BIBRA

Owner, Tanology
Creator, tanGO™ tan removal cloth
Mother of two
Entrepreneur

My Story:

When I was a little girl my family spent many hours at the beach fishing and swimming. We were oblivious to the dangers of the sun and what damage we were doing to our skin. On my eighth birthday I was dealt a very hard lesson about the dangers of the Australian sun; my mother missed my birthday party as she was in hospital having a melanoma removed from her side. At this young age I was told it was caused from the sun, however I did not understand how fatal melanoma could be.

From that time, my family were more careful. I entered the beauty industry at 17 and worked hard to get my international diploma, before working in a pharmacy in the beauty department. I loved everything about makeup, tanning and hair - I was in heaven. It was here that I meet Kaylene Anderson, who ended up being my business partner years later in the tanning industry.

When I was nineteen my mother became ill again. The melanoma had returned but this time in the lining of her lung. This time they couldn’t operate. After intense sessions of chemo and radiation she lost the battle just eight months later. This was the hardest time of my life. I watched powerless as the most important person in my life slipped away.

I continued in the beauty industry, as a representative and trainer for a cosmetics company. After I had my second child in 2002, Kaylene introduced me to the world of spray tanning. She had just purchased the rights to a company to distribute their product. I immediately agreed to join her in the business.

I had vowed to keep myself out of the sun, however I loved being bronzed and had struggled with self-tanning creams, gels, and mousses for years. I also loved the thought that I could be keeping others out of the harmful UV rays but still allowing them to have flawless tans.

On the first day on the road to sell this great product, we stumbled across a cute little shop in George Street, East Fremantle. By the end of the day we had signed the lease, and Tanning HQ was born. We had great success and were named best tanners in Perth, by Perth Woman, STM and even Cleo. 

In the five years we had this business I learnt an awful lot about tanning. I saw many clients like my mother who had melanomas removed and were not allowed in the sun again. I was so happy to be providing a service to keep all of these people out of the sun.

However even with this safe tanning we had a common complaint – “I can’t get my tan off to have a new one!” I would see clients with so much build up from over-tanning, including brides ringing in a frenzy that had applied their own tan and had made mistakes. Clients used anything to remove build-up and errors. Toothpaste, Napisan, even Jiff!! There needed to be a safer, less harsh or harmful solution.

After three years of market research, tanGO™ was born.

Tanning HQ closed its doors in 2008, and I have lived and breathed tanGO™ ever since.

tanGO™ has recently gained distrubitors in New Zealand, Europe, Indonesia and the United States.

In the coming months, we will be launching a new product into the line, and our tanning essentials range which we are very excited about. We are working tirelessly to have it ready for mid-year.

I have put many days and nights into creating my dream. My biggest obstacle has been time. My family have been amazing and very hands-on in helping me get the business to where it is today.

I keep myself fit with going to the gym and my mind clear and positive with Bikram Yoga.

tanGO™ allows everyone to achieve a perfect tan without stepping into the sun. If I can keep young girls out of the UV rays and possibly save a life, I will know that all my hard work has been worth it!

To lead a flourishing life I would recommend your readers to:

• Follow your dreams
• Don't listen to negative feed back (or if you do, take it and turn it into a positive)
• Believe in yourself. 

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