When Heather Elrod first found Uni Ok Wax, she wasn’t simply impressed — she was satisfied. After a profession main manufacturers like Superb Lash Studio, the place she grew the corporate from 70 places to greater than 200, Elrod sought her subsequent large problem. Her intensive franchising expertise, ardour for pure merchandise and skill to scale companies made her a great match for Uni Ok Wax, a Florida-based waxing franchise identified for its proprietary elastic wax.
Elrod did not simply see potential — she noticed a possibility she could not move up. By her funding agency, Aware Capital Development (CCG), she bought the corporate and now serves as its govt chairwoman, specializing in the model’s strategic course. “What initially drew me to Uni Ok was its revolutionary strategy to waxing,” Elrod says. “It is the one all-natural wax available on the market, and its distinctive elastic properties make the method sooner, much less painful and extra hygienic.”
Uni Ok Wax
Based in 1993 by Noemi Grupenmager, Uni Ok Wax emerged from a private want. Grupenmager developed the model’s proprietary wax in Miami to deal with her daughters’ skincare considerations. Not like conventional waxes utilized in brief strips, Uni Ok’s elastic wax stretches throughout giant areas of pores and skin and is utilized at physique temperature, decreasing discomfort. Visitors additionally obtain a person wax pot, enhancing hygiene — a serious draw within the post-Covid period.
This mixture of innovation and market alternative sealed the deal for Elrod. “We noticed great potential in Uni Ok’s enterprise mannequin and its whitespace for progress, notably in untapped markets,” Elrod says.
The following degree
Since buying Uni Ok, CCG has shifted its function to extra of an funding accomplice, offering assets and strategic steerage relatively than direct oversight (Heather Harris, who lately grew to become CEO, now leads day-to-day operations).
However Elrod’s influence remains to be felt — considered one of her first strikes was implementing KPI dashboards and tailor-made efficiency stories to present franchisees actionable insights into their companies. “Our objective was to present franchisees the instruments to succeed, no matter their background,” Elrod says.
Elrod additionally launched guest-focused initiatives, together with the Ok-Membership membership program, which provides limitless waxing for the value of a single session every month, and Ok-Packs, discounted service bundles. These improvements enhance recurring income for franchisees and make waxing companies extra accessible for patrons.
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A franchisee’s perspective
Ed Miranda, a Uni Ok Wax franchisee, first encountered the model as a buyer. “I heard about this waxing place close to the place I stay in Miami. The expertise was seamless — from reserving on-line to checking in with an iPad,” Miranda says. “I liked the product, the inexperienced, the scent of the place and, in fact, the aesthetics. It regarded wholesome total. That is once I knew this was one thing particular.”
Miranda’s advertising experience helped him see Uni Ok Wax’s progress potential. “We purchased our first location in 2020, and inside a short while, we grew its income from $600,000 to just about $1 million yearly,” he explains. By investing in focused digital advertising and the model’s new membership program, Miranda has constructed a powerful base of repeat prospects. “Over 63% of our prospects that come every month have come throughout the previous 90 days,” he provides. “The membership mannequin has been a game-changer as a result of it brings consistency to what’s usually a seasonal and weather-dependent enterprise.”
A scalable, easy mannequin
With 34 studios in Florida and New York, Uni Ok Wax is now gearing up for nationwide progress, with plans to divulge heart’s contents to 50 new places yearly. Enlargement efforts are concentrating on markets in Arizona, the Carolinas, New Jersey and Connecticut.
What makes Uni Ok so enticing to franchisees is its simplicity. The enterprise mannequin depends on low labor turnover, robust recurring income and brief service occasions. Waxing appointments usually take 15 to twenty minutes, enabling excessive visitor volumes. In reality, Uni Ok’s flagship studio serviced 200 prospects per day inside simply six months of opening.
“We’re seeing vital curiosity from franchisees in different programs, notably meals and beverage, trying to diversify into a less complicated, extra scalable mannequin,” Elrod says.
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Constructing for the long run
Elrod’s choice to spend money on Uni Ok wasn’t nearly backing a enterprise — it was about supporting a model she believes in. As govt chairwoman of CCG, she stays engaged within the model’s strategic progress from an investor’s perspective whereas entrusting operational management to Harris. “I wished to get my palms across the enterprise fairly intensely within the early days earlier than passing the reins,” Elrod says. “The crew has been extremely supportive, and we’re centered on making good selections that profit each company and franchisees.”
As Uni Ok Wax expands, its dedication to innovation, hygiene and buyer expertise stays the inspiration for achievement. “What excites me most is the chance to carry this unbelievable product and enterprise mannequin to extra markets, each domestically and internationally,” Elrod says. “Uni Ok has all of the components for long-term success, and I am thrilled to be a part of its journey.”
