Entrepreneur University graduate Joelle Lynn once thought her job at the large mortgage-lending firm for which she works was secure.
When the housing bubble burst a few years ago, though, the ensuing waves of layoffs within Lynn’s company made her anxious. She decided to cut her hours and indulge her latent passion for entrepreneurship by founding Beautiful Waxing Boutique, a Plainsboro, N.J. waxing salon that opened this month.
Though Lynn had never started a business before, she saw an unmet need in the area.
When she moved to New Jersey from Atlanta in 2009, she noticed her adoptive state lacked adequate options for body waxing. Lynn said most establishments offering waxing here are spas, which she said sell expensive but low quality waxing, or nail salons, which she said often conduct waxing in neglected back rooms that are somewhat less than spic-and-span.
At left, the sign outside Joelle’s salon
Lynn said even salons in the region that specialize in waxing often use harsh chemicals in the process and fail to leave coarser-haired customers with satisfactory results. Lynn said she sought to fill a gap in the market. “I wanted to open a waxing salon that not only offers organic waxing but that leaves a smooth finish,” she said.
With that, Beautiful Waxing Boutique, Lynn’s new venture, was born.
In fall 2010, Lynn enrolled in the Intersect Fund’s Entrepreneur University business-training course. When she graduated, she received a loan from the Trenton-based Isles, Inc. to help secure and outfit a venue for her salon.
After searching for months, Lynn found a suitable space. She got to work outfitting the salon and hosted a grand-opening celebration on Saturday, January 14th, 2012.
When I asked Lynn whether she considers her new venture risky, she answered emphatically in the affirmative. “Yeeessss! Very much so,” she said in an e-mail. She added, though, that the industry research she conducted convinced her that the venture would pay off in the long run.
While it remains to be seen whether Beautiful Waxing Boutique will succeed, Lynn’s preference for the entrepreneurial lifestyle seems clear. “I don’t think things are how they used to be, where you can just work for someone your whole life, then retire and have your 401(k),” Lynn said.
Beautiful Waxing Boutique is located at 11 Schalks Crossing Road, Suite 624, in Plainsboro, N.J.
