As a female entrepreneur, Statler has always had a passion for empowering other women. Now, she’s leveraging that passion to open her second unit with the fast-growing eyelash extension brand.
Tracy Statler has led a successful career in both the technology and real estate industries, but she has always had an eye on business ownership. She says she wanted to build a culture where she could not only employ young women, but also inspire them to pursue their dreams. Today, she has accomplished that dream as a franchise owner with Amazing Lash Studio® the 260-plus unit eyelash extension brand.
Statler and her husband Patrick will open their second Amazing Lash Studio®, located at 13954 Promenade Commons Street in Gainesville, Virginia, on June 29th, 2021.
1851 Franchise: Tell us your story – what did you do before franchising?
Tracy Statler: I worked in Silicon Valley after graduating from Ball State University. I worked in sales operations to support technology startups in San Francisco, and that’s where I met my husband and business partner, Patrick. After Patrick was transferred to northern Virginia for work, I left the technology industry and switched to a career in real estate. I sold new construction all over Northern Virginia in my 15-plus year real estate career. My construction knowledge helped tremendously in finding the right locations, working with architects and general contractors while opening our businesses.
1851: How did you decide you wanted to be a franchisee?
Statler: We knew that franchising was the right decision because of the framework and support the corporate team would provide. Having never owned a business before with two children and two dogs, our plates are pretty full. The blueprint is already laid out when signing on to become a franchisee, and the corporate team is interested in seeing you succeed.
1851: How did you perform your research?
Statler: We did most of the research on our own after working with a franchise coach. He helped to bring different concepts to our attention. After that, we conducted research on our own by exploring Entrepreneur Magazine and other franchise rating sources. We also had friends in the franchise industry, and even though their expertise lies in different sectors, they were able to provide general information and advice.
1851: Why did you pick Amazing Lash Studio®? What excited you most about the potential?
Statler: We definitely wanted to pursue business ownership in the Health beauty or wellness industry. We began looking for needs in local markets and saw that the eyelash extension industry was quickly gaining popularity. I personally love eyelash extensions and was extremely impressed by Amazing Lash Studio®. Out of all the different franchises we talked to, Amazing Lash Studio® had the best structure in place and provided the highest quality of support from the corporate team.
Once we decided to pursue business ownership in the eyelash extension sector, we knew that we wanted to be associated with the best name in the business. Amazing Lash Studio® isn’t only the largest in the industry, but the brand provides the highest quality of service to its customers. This will be our second location, and we’re opening amid a pandemic, which brought many unforeseen challenges. Our first location survived, and we even managed to grow due to the success of Amazing Lash Studio®.
I love that the business helps make women feel and look good, which allows them to put their best foot forward. I enjoy helping other women learn about entrepreneurship. I speak about ownership opportunities with my team a lot. By sharing my journey and information, I can help show local women the possibilities of business ownership. My passion is helping facilitate women supporting other women, and I’m thankful my business allows me this opportunity.
1851: What are your dreams with the business? What does the future look like?
Statler: This will be our second location. We’d possibly like to expand in the future, but right now I’m focused on the success of the Gainesville location. The business is something we can pass to our children.
My daughter has already shown an interest in working at Amazing Lash Studio® and while my son isn’t interested in the service part of the business, he’s excited to learn about the operations and finance side. We get to show our kids how to run a successful business and while it is hard work, the opportunity for growth is endless if you’re passionate about it.
1851: What advice would you have for others looking at buying a franchise?
Statler: My biggest piece of advice is to do your research. 2020 was a hard year to be a new business owner and was extremely challenging, but we did our research and were well prepared to overcome any obstacle. While we couldn’t have planned for a global pandemic, we capitalized well and are thankful to be a part of a franchise system. WellBiz Brands, Inc. provided excellent support and advice. Align yourself with a good company and talk to other franchisees to see their experiences with the corporate team. It’s important to look at different models to see which one best works for you.
1851: What do you do in your personal time?
Statler: We have an 18-year-old son and a 13-year-old daughter, who we’re extremely involved with. Although we haven’t been able to travel very much recently, it’s one of our favorite activities as a family.
We’re also big foodies. We love cooking and trying new restaurants in our local community. Our daughter has also been homeschooled for the past three years, and I was her teacher for the first two years of that.
