Today we’d like to introduce you to Valentina Forero.
Hi Valentina, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I never set out thinking I’d own a spray tan business.
I was born in Colombia and raised in Los Angeles before eventually moving to Maryland. Entrepreneurship has always been part of my life, but like many business owners, my path has been anything but linear. I owned a different business before COVID, and when the pandemic hit, I had to completely pivot.
What started as a side hustle doing spray tans quickly turned into something much bigger than I ever imagined. I fell in love with the confidence it gave people. It wasn’t just about looking tan. It was about watching someone stand a little taller when they looked in the mirror. I realized I wasn’t just spray tanning people; I was helping them feel their best for weddings, vacations, competitions, photoshoots, and everyday life.
Over the past five years, Bronzed Beauty Bar has grown from just me into an award-winning studio with an incredible team. We’ve served thousands of clients, earned over 500 five-star Google reviews, been featured in Brides Magazine, won Best Spray Tan in Bethesda, and continue to expand our services and education within the beauty industry.
Today, I’m focused on more than just building a successful business. I’m passionate about creating opportunities for my team, mentoring new artists, and showing other entrepreneurs that it’s okay if your business doesn’t start out perfect. Mine certainly didn’t. Every setback taught me something, and every challenge pushed me to build something stronger.
I’m incredibly grateful that what began as a backup plan has become a career I truly love. And honestly, I feel like we’re just getting started.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Definitely not. If entrepreneurship has taught me anything, it’s that there is no such thing as a smooth road.
Like many small business owners, I started with very limited resources and had to wear every hat imaginable. I was the owner, marketer, receptionist, social media manager, bookkeeper, cleaner, and spray tan artist all at once. There were plenty of long days, late nights, and moments where I questioned whether I was making the right decisions.
One of the biggest challenges was rebuilding after COVID. I had to pivot my career, learn an entirely new industry, and earn people’s trust from the ground up. Every client, every review, and every referral had to be earned.
As the business grew, the challenges changed. Instead of wondering how to get clients, I had to learn how to hire, train, lead a team, create systems, and balance growth while maintaining the level of service people expected from Bronzed Beauty Bar. Letting go of control and trusting others with something I’d built from scratch wasn’t easy, but it was necessary.
There have also been the normal ups and downs that every entrepreneur faces: slow seasons, financial risks, difficult decisions, and moments where the next step felt uncertain. But I’ve learned that growth usually happens on the other side of those uncomfortable moments.
Looking back, I’m actually grateful for the challenges. They’ve made me more resilient, more resourceful, and a better business owner. Every obstacle has taught me something that helped shape the business into what it is today.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I’m the owner of Bronzed Beauty Bar, an award-winning beauty studio specializing in custom airbrush spray tanning. While spray tanning is our foundation, we’ve expanded to offer complementary beauty services like teeth whitening, permanent jewelry, and piercings, all centered around helping our clients look and feel their absolute best.
What sets us apart is that we don’t believe in “one shade fits all.” Every spray tan is completely customized based on a client’s skin tone, undertones, lifestyle, upcoming events, and personal preferences. Whether someone wants a subtle glow or a deep vacation tan, we create a color that’s uniquely theirs. We also place a huge emphasis on education, taking the time to teach clients how to properly prepare for and care for their tan so they get the best possible results.
Beyond serving clients, I’m passionate about educating and mentoring other spray tan artists. I love helping elevate the industry by sharing knowledge, creating opportunities for collaboration, and showing that spray tanning is so much more than applying color. It’s about building confidence and creating an exceptional client experience.
What I’m most proud of isn’t any single award or milestone. It’s the community we’ve built. Seeing clients trust us for their weddings, vacations, maternity shoots, competitions, and life’s biggest moments is something I’ll never take for granted. Reaching over 500 five-star Google reviews and becoming an award-winning studio are incredible accomplishments, but to me, they’re a reflection of the relationships we’ve built and the experience we strive to create every single day.
At the end of the day, our mission is simple: help people feel like the most confident version of themselves. If someone walks out of our studio standing a little taller and smiling a little bigger than when they walked in, we’ve done our job.
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
My favorite childhood memories are the ones I shared with my late brother. Whether we were laughing over something silly, spending time with family, or just being kids together, those are the moments I hold closest to my heart.
Losing him changed my perspective on life in many ways, but it also gave me a deeper appreciation for making every moment count. He continues to be one of my biggest motivations. Every milestone I reach, every goal I accomplish, and every challenge I overcome, I think about him. I hope I’m making him proud.
Building my business has become about so much more than professional success. It’s about honoring the people who believed in me, carrying their love with me, and creating a life that reflects the values they helped instill in me. I know he would be cheering me on every step of the way, and that thought continues to inspire me to keep pushing forward.
Those memories remind me that success isn’t just measured by awards or achievements, it’s measured by the impact we make and the legacy we leave behind.
Pricing:
- $75 for a Signature Spray Tan
- $85 for a Hydration Luxe Spray Tan
- $149 for the Bronzed + Bright Combo
- $149 for 40 Minute Smile Brightening
- $75 for Curated Ear + Nose Piercings
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.bronzedbeautybar.net
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bronzed.beautybar
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100088800255644
