How This CEO Expanded A Lash Empire
One of the Amazing Lash Studio locations
A version of this story first appeared on Forbes.com
It’s one thing to start a new business venture; it’s quite another to expand that business to hundreds of locations across the country. But Heather Elrod, the CEO of Amazing Lash Studio, is a pro at scaling businesses, and in just five years she’s helped Amazing Lash Studio go from 53 to 250 locations.
See our below interview with Heather to get more insight on how she accomplished this feat and her vision for the future of Amazing Lash Studio.
SIMPLY: How have you facilitated the expansion of Amazing Lash Studio from 53 to 250 locations across the United States in the last 5 years?
HEATHER ELROD: My philosophy for the Amazing Lash Studio brand is that we want ‘healthy growth’ and not growth for growth sake. The leadership team is focused on applying resources to the right areas of the business to optimize individual studio and network-wide performance. As a brand, we invest heavily in business intelligence resources so studios may evaluate every key performance indicator in their business and understand the intrinsic aspects of their operation.
Additionally, the brand has made significant investments in Learning and Development for the adult learner. The brand is in the service-based industry and people are its most important resource. We are focused on helping keep them engaged, motivated and inspired. Last year, we launched a sophisticated Learning Management System, we’re calling Amazing Lash Studio Online University. This will provide brand standard training and best practices to studio employees at all levels of the brand, from franchisee to Lash Stylist. We kicked off this new platform with 25 new training modules for Lash Stylists. We want to keep them motivated and show them that working at an Amazing Lash Studio location can be more than a job, it can be a career.
The brand also launched a new Leadership Academy for franchisees and their managers. This academy is focused on helping them understand the drivers of their business, including what it takes to build and maintain a great culture in their studio. We know that in order to maintain our position as a category leader we must look at the entire ecosystem of the business, which includes supporting franchisees and their studios.
What sets Amazing Lash apart from other lash extension companies?
What sets us apart is the amazing Lash Stylists and their ability to customize your look and give you what you want. First, let me talk about the Lash Stylists. Lash stylists within the brand are licensed estheticians and cosmetologists because those credentials are important. Lash stylists must go through training to perfect their craft, as well as understand the importance of a proper care and sterilization protocols. For example, lash stylists undergo an extensive two-week training course; so lash services are truly a form of artistry for which they take pride.
Additionally, we focus on finding the right look for you the first time. The brand has four proprietary eyelash extension styles used to customize the guest’s look: Natural, Cute, Sexy and Gorgeous. Each style helps achieve a different look, based on your eye shape, lifestyle and preference.
During your first visit, before your appointment, lash stylists will conduct a full consultation to customize a look you will love based on your goals – our specially developed extensions are extremely lightweight for a natural-looking lash. Or, if you crave a more voluminous, dramatic look, the brand also offers Amazing Volume lash extensions—multiple strands of lightweight extensions bound together at the base and gently placed on a single natural lash for a fluffier, denser lash line. Amazing Volume is offered in a range of lengths and comes in Amazing Volume Classic (3D) and Amazing Volume Glam (6D).
Amazing Volume Classic (3D) lashes are perfect for anyone who wants fullness, while still achieving a more natural, wispy, everyday look. Amazing Volume Glam (6D) lashes can appear more dramatic and are recommended for those who love a more made-up look—perfect for anyone who wants the look of thick mascara without having to apply mascara.
How have you utilized digital and social media to grow the business?
Utilizing digital and social media is a key component to growing studios. We utilize digital tactics to drive new client awareness and consideration, capture demand and win back members who have left the brand. Additionally, we use paid search to ensure the brand shows up in search results for relevant keywords. While the eyelash extension category is new, there is a decent amount of search demand. So, we want to be present as an option for those already looking for us.
As a brand, we leverage paid social to build brand awareness by getting in front of consumers who are likely to become customers. This channel helps us gain exposure from consumers who might not be directly looking for us. We also use social media tools like YouTube to increase awareness and consideration. Through catchy and informative assets, we are able to tell an engaged, targeted audience who we are and what we do. Recent tests have shown measurable increases in both awareness and consideration.
We also leverage these channels to win back guests who have left the brand. It’s not uncommon in beauty to have members/guests who leave and come back. We leverage Facebook campaigns to remind them, that we miss them, and we want them to come back! Sometimes we share information about a new product or service or give them the chance to try out the introductory rate again. Woven into our overall strategy is a/b testing for messaging, creative, targeting, etc. and constantly optimizing our campaigns.
This year we’ve also selected two lash stylists, Amy Krueger and Anna Pro, from studios in San Antonio and Chicago to serve as brand ambassadors for the Amazing Lash Studio system. We’ve leveraged their expertise in lash extensions, make-up, and beauty to speak to our Instagram and Facebook communities. Their Instagram takeovers have had some of the highest engagement for the brand!
What are Amazing Lash's plans for expanding this year? Any plans to launch new services?
Innovation is a key ingredient to the success of our brand. As the category leader, in a new beauty segment, there’s not a significant depository of beauty research at our fingertips. Therefore, we have invested significantly in customer research learning about what current and prospective guests prefer. This research also gave us significant information about what is taking place in the eyelash industry, as well as the beauty industry as a whole.
As a result of this research, the brand has launched proprietary pre-fanned Amazing Volume Lashes, Featherweight Lashes, five new lash adhesives, and five new lash curls. These advancements enable lash artists to customize the exact look, volume, and length that our guests’ desire. This spring we will also be launching a new service called Amazing Brows which includes wax and tinting services and a new extensive line of brow retail products. We’re also super excited to be launching GlamCam powered by Amazing Lash Studio, which is an augmented reality beauty simulator. GlamCam is the first of its kind in the eyelash extension category and the brand’s first Augmented Reality beauty simulator.
What advice do you give to women looking to get the perfect lashes?
Take the time to do your homework – don’t automatically go for the lowest priced studio. A good first step is to look at before-and-after photos a studio may have posted online, read reviews and ensure the studio looks clean upon arrival.
Safety should be your priority, so find someone who is certified to apply your lashes. Depending on the state, the stylist also needs to be licensed, not just certified. Lash stylists within the brand are licensed estheticians and cosmetologists because those credentials are important. As shared before, Lash stylists must go through training to perfect their craft, as well as understand the importance of a proper care and sterilization protocols. Lash Stylists, undergo an extensive two-week training course; so lash services are truly a form of artistry for which they take pride.
Another good idea is to bring pictures of lashionistas, or women with fantastic lashes, that you envy. It’s always helpful for Lash Stylists to see what look you are going for! The brand is so excited to be launching the GlamCam this spring, which will help alleviate some of the uncertainty for first-time guests!