As a former long-time registered nurse turned stay-at-home mom of four, Heather Stankard looked forward to her “me-time,” when she could focus on self-care.
When she first learned Blo Blow Dry Bar was opening in Jacksonville, FL, she couldn’t wait to check it out.
“I drove by it every day as it was being built, eagerly awaiting its opening, and became hooked after my very first blow out,” she said.
Each time, she walked out feeling polished and confident. She soon became a loyal Guest and formed a connection with the stylists and employees.
In fact, she loved our pink carpet experience so much that she decided to become a Blo Blow Dry Bar franchise owner to provide that same transcendent experience to others in her community.
It’s Never Too Late to Switch Paths
Once her fourth child started high school, Heather was itching to get back into a people-centric career and achieve her dream of running her own local business. She wanted to switch trajectories but having a background in nursing, she knew she still wanted to care for others somehow.
Once she realized the impact our feel-good business had on her own life, Heather wanted to help others feel the same, and she started looking into the Blo franchise opportunity.
“I saw the potential, and I started researching everything I could,” she said.
As someone who didn’t have a business background, Heather was intrigued by our franchise model and level of support and felt this route was the way to go.
It wasn’t long before Heather offered to buy the Jacksonville location she frequented, and in December of 2018, she took over ownership.
“I knew I needed to make a big change in my life, and the Blo Blow Dry Bar opportunity couldn’t have come at a more perfect time,” Heather said.
With the help of the Blo corporate team and CEO Vanessa Yakobson, she seamlessly took over the Jacksonville location, and business was booming.
“Vanessa is an amazing CEO,” Heather added. “Vanessa and the team really helped us improve on the business side, and our numbers have grown a lot with her help.”
Proud to Bring Pink to the Community
As a Blo Blow Dry Bar franchisee, Heather gets to help others in more ways than one. She lives by a simple mantra: happy team, happy guests, happy community.
“I’m all about developing a happy, cohesive team,” she said. “I invest a lot into my team– they’re my priority. I make it a point to only hire people with the same values as me, and my goal is to help them reach their goals.”
Together, Heather and her team of stylists put their guests first to ensure they don’t feel like they’re just clients.
“When we invest in our guests, our guests invest in us,” Heather explained.
Heather’s dedication to providing the pink carpet service to her guests is seen in her membership numbers, as her locations currently have the most Mane Squeeze memberships throughout the entire franchise. In addition to memberships, makeup services account for 20% of Heather’s overall business.
“Our guests see the value we offer beyond blow outs and makeup. They look forward to having a place to go to unwind,” Heather said.
Growing With Blo
Even while COVID restrictions were in place last year, Heather’s Jacksonville blow dry bar continued to grow, which led her to sign on for five additional locations set to open within the next few years.
“I felt supported every step of the way by the Blo Blow Dry Bar corporate team. I never would’ve signed on for more locations if it wasn’t for them,” she said. “We’re doing better now than we were pre-pandemic.”
The new agreement will bring another location to Jacksonville, which is slated to open later this year. Heather also plans to expand into northern Florida, Gainesville and Tallahassee, opening one bar every year.
As a huge fan and advocate of Blo, Heather hopes to open even more locations in the future.
Ready to join a rapidly growing blow dry bar franchise?
In the market to join a franchise that allows you to expand while helping others feel valued and empowered? From the minute you sign the franchise agreement, our corporate team will guide and assist you every step of the way.