Today we’d like to introduce you to Polly Galvao.
Polly, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
My first contact with the beauty industry was in Brazil. I was 17 and was obligated by my father to take a waxing course following high-school. I remember thinking to myself “Why would he do this, I would never work in this industry. I’m a technology person!”. My father was an entrepreneur, and so was my mother.
I moved to the United States and was offered a job at a known waxing studio. I didn’t have much experience, and quite frankly took the job because I needed the money. That was when things took a turn. I completely fell in love with waxing, in every way! The customer service aspect really intrigued me, and with the entrepreneurial influence of my parents, I decided to build my own business. I then switched jobs to work for Relax & Wax in Marietta. From then on, I worked very hard, saved my money, and in 2014 at 24 years old I purchased my first franchise in Decatur, GA.
The journey has been long and very enriching. Every day is a new challenge and I always try to put my “game face” on!
Has it been a smooth road?
Not at all. Things were very hard in the beginning. The biggest struggle I had was like a “postpartum depression”.
I had all these expectations and ideas of how things would be and was not prepared for when the reality of the work that involves building a business hit me.
I wanted to give up on everything at one point, but I knew I just needed to keep working hard and managing with goal-oriented strategies and with an uplifting attitude.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
With the experience I have in this industry, right now the main thing I see is the introduction of “new” services that have become very popular over the last couple of years such as sugaring, eyebrow tinging, eyelash extensions, etc. People have definitely shown a lot of interest as well as satisfaction towards sugaring. In skin care, there has been a big shift in terms of products as well as services thanks to new research. My goal is to always stay up to date with the market with continuous learning and education.
What has been the primary challenge you’ve faced?
My biggest challenge was finding qualified employees who understood my vision and represented our brand well.
Giving employees the proper training is definitely one of the most important things in launching a successful business.
What advice do you wish to give to those thinking about pursuing a path similar to yours?
Definitely, focus on building a strong team of employees who understand your vision and who want to grow with you.
Prioritize customer service, and service quality.
Pricing:
- First Time Brazilian Wax For Her $25
- First Time Brazilian Wax For Him $45
- Full Body Special For Her $65 (full legs, Brazilian, underarms)
- First Time Brazilian Wax Sugaring For Her $35
- First Time Brazilian Wax Sugaring For Him $55
Contact Info:
- Website: www.relaxandwax.com
- Phone: Decatur: 404-464-5843, Snellville: 678-580-0022
- Email: decatur@relaxandwax.com – snellville@relaxandwax.com
- Instagram: @relaxandwaxdecatur @relaxadwaxsnellville
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/relaxandwaxdecatur, www.facebook.com/relaxandwaxsnellville
- Other: 14 Locations found on our website
