Some may call Filsufa Shah a supermom because of her continuous hard work both at home and at her Blo Blow Dry Bar franchise. As the mother of a four and six-year-old, she fully realizes the importance of a healthy work-life balance. This mom prioritizes herself and her family while simultaneously being a part of a $39.5 billion industry.
When Filsufa isn’t tending to her children, she’s working three days a week at an accounting firm as an Assistant Director in Experience Management, overseeing schedules and assignments for roughly 300 people across Canada, the U.S. and globally.
While working as an Assistant Director for 13 years, she was eager to branch out into entrepreneurship.
Thanks to Blo’s ongoing support for our franchise owners, adding franchising to her portfolio while continuing her career in accounting wasn’t a hassle. Filsufa still manages to be a boss, mom and business owner.
Finding A Customer Service-Based Franchise
Although Filsufa knows when to slow down and focus on self-care, she also knows when it’s time to get down to business. Working at an accounting firm taught her many things, the most important being: customer service. With a customer-service mindset, Filsufa was looking for the perfect franchise to invest in. After lots of searching, she discovered our blow dry bar franchise, and there was no question that it was the right investment for her.
“I was drawn to Blo because it’s a recognizable brand with a strong marketing team and a great business model,” Filsufa said.
In October 2019, Filsufa signed a franchise agreement to take over a previously owned location in the Port Credit area of Mississauga, ON.
Operating a Blow Dry Bar
After becoming a franchise owner, Filsufa was ready to hit the ground running. She prioritized excellent level of customer service to provide a one-of-a-kind pink carpet experience to Guests in her community.
“Personality, the right attitude and mindset are all very important to me because it translates to how you manage a team, the type of clients you have and how you interact with them. This drive and ambition to push me and my staff are how my blow dry bar has become so successful,” says Filsufa.
In addition to encouraging her staff and stylists to have a “people-first” mindset, she also prioritizes spending time with them to remind them how essential they are in operating a successful business.
“On the weekends, I enjoy ordering food for my staff because I know they have very busy schedules. I believe if you treat employees well, they will treat our Guests well,” Filsufa said.
Overcoming Challenges & Finding Solutions
Filsufa and her team have overcome a few obstacles over the last few years.
Throughout 2020 and 2021, lockdown restrictions related to the pandemic forced her to close her doors for 10 months. During this time, Filsufa spent her days brainstorming solutions and marketing tactics to get her business back on track.
“I had to learn not to feel sorry for myself and instead find resolutions,” Filsufa said.
She began marketing on social media by posting on Instagram daily and staying connected with her Mane Squeeze members.
Thanks to her marketing efforts, she reopened her doors and plans to open another location this spring.
“We are true survivors,” she said.
Great Leadership Leads to Great Success
Filsufa has become very successful because she prioritizes her staff.
She took the time to educate her staff on all things Blo Blow Dry Bar, including the benefits of the Mane Squeeze membership program. She taught them to push memberships because it leads to busier schedules for stylists and promotes trust with Guests.
She also gives employees incentives based on how many memberships they sell.
“I expect my staff to sell at least one membership a day, and they’ve had no problem delivering,” says Filsufa.
With the highest number of members across the system (in Canada), her Blo franchise reached 200 memberships at the beginning of December. Her record month included 37 members who joined in October alone and 11 who joined within the first week of November.
This is a significant achievement for Filsufa and her team because there were zero members when she took over the franchise back in 2019.
As the staff meets goals, Filsufa shares system-wide reports with her team to recognize and celebrate everyone’s successes.
“I believe staff needs to feel reassurance from the owner,” says Filsufa.
Filsufa’s leadership, determination and assistance from our support team has taken her Blo franchise to new heights and she doesn’t plan on stopping any time soon.
Are you looking to join a rapidly growing beauty franchise that’s customer service-driven? Contact us today to learn more about Blo Blow Dry Bar franchise opportunities.