judd miller - body waxing revolution
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It takes true talent to transform potential into profitability, and Judd Miller has accomplished that feat not once, not twice, but three times now. The experienced businessman has previously owned multiple franchises of both Money Mailer and Massage Envy, and most recently he's acquired the Texas Area Development rights for European Wax Center. In addition to granting 19 franchises last year, he's opened two new European Wax Center franchises of his own in the Houston area .
He believes European Wax Center offers a winning formula: painless, affordable, luxurious Parisian waxing that's perfect for busy people who can't afford downtime. “You can wax during lunch and go back to work without any redness, residue or pain,” says Miller.
But it's not just the quality of the offerings, it's also the affordability of the business model that makes European Wax Center stand out among its competitors. “Our normal, everyday prices are lower than anything else on the market.”
Thanks to Miller's extensive franchise experience, he's able to recognize the key features that make a successful franchise opportunity. He looks for businesses that combine unique, marketable products or services with good locations and a strong advertising plan.
“When you buy a franchise, it is critical to make sure that you are joining a company that shares your values. You need to make sure that the franchisor has a winning ‘playbook' so that you don't have to learn by making your own mistakes. Most importantly, a good franchise company has multiple levels of support for its franchisees.”
Miller offers us a more intimate look at his experience with European Wax Center and the world of franchising.
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Why and how did you become involved with European Wax Center? My Wife, Kristina, and I have been franchisees and regional developers for Massage Envy since 2005. Massage Envy has been one of the fastest growing franchise companies in the USA for a couple of years. As a result, we sold out of franchise opportunities in the State of Texas last year. Our 2 Massage Envy locations in Pearland and Missouri City are running smoothly and are very profitable. We were presented with an opportunity to take a look at European Wax Center in June 2008. At that time, it was a local Florida based company but they had big plans to start franchising nationwide by the 4th Quarter of 2008. We decided to purchase the Texas Region and began to contact our network of entrepreneurs about the opportunity to own and operate their own European Wax Center locations. It has been a huge success. Since we joined the European Wax Center(EWC) team late last year, we have been fortunate enough to grant 19 franchises to some fantastic people that are so excited to be a part of the EWC family.
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Do you work for European Wax Center or do you also own one of the franchises? We own 2 EWC franchises and are also the Texas Area Developer for EWC. We recently opened our first Houston location which is located in River Oaks at 1564 West Gray. Our next location will be in the Galleria area located at 5000 Westheimer, Suite 116. It is at the corner of Westheimer and Post Oak. We expect this location to be open the early September.
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What makes European Wax Centers different from the competition? Many things make EWC different then the competition. First of all, it's all about the wax and the waxing process. We use a unique, stripless wax that is much less painful then other waxes. You have to try it out to believe it. Everyone can get a FREE WAXING service on their initial visit so that they can try us out and see what we mean. Second, we do not have any serious competition that focuses only on body waxing. We believe in taking one thing and focusing on being the best at it. We will have 30 Houston area locations and 85 Texas area locations open within the next 4 years. Our membership program will allow members of any EWC location to use their memberships at any other EWC locations, nationwide. We also believe in providing convenient locations and hours of operations for our customers.
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Tell us about the special wax you use from Paris. European Wax Center uses a revolutionary all natural beeswax formulated in Paris, made from 100% natural beeswax and the finest polymers and creates a hard, stripless wax, meaning quicker application time and significantly less pain and irritation, with better results.
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Describe how the waxing at European Wax Center is pain-less. Why does this method give the best results? European Wax Center is the only company that uses this type of wax. Its four-step process is also unique – cleanse, protect, wax and rejuvenate – to ensure a purifying, fast, virtually painless experience. The process includes depilatory oil prep which makes a big difference in painlessness as it is applied prior to the wax to ensure it attaches only to the hair, not the skin. Afterwards the skin is treated with an ingrown hair serum, an all-natural product with lavender and chamomile to calm the area and prevent irritation.
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How affordable are your services? Brazilian wax services usual start at over $50 at spas or other businesses, however, our non-member price is only $35. We have a number of membership programs that can save you even more money. For example, our new “Super Pass” membership will cost only $28 per month for a Brazilian Wax Service. We also have “Super Pass” memberships that can save you lots of money on Bikini, Underarm and Eye Brow Waxing services.
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Can you list some of the waxing services at European Wax Center? We wax most body parts on women and men including Nose, Lip, Eye Brow, Full Face, Arms, Legs, Under Arms, Bikini and Brazilians.
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Is it possible for European Wax Center franchise owners to just invest the money but not having to invest the time? In other words, can one just own a EWC franchise and not having to be there to supervise the place? At EWC, we do not believe in “passive” ownership. We have found that the owner needs to be involved, on a daily basis, in the operations of the franchise to make sure that each location reaches its full potential. That does not mean that the owner needs to be working behind the counter the whole time. They just need to be actively involved with the employees to make sure that the employees are getting the support and direction that they need to make the best decisions and provide the best customer service.
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What advice could you give someone interested in owning a franchise? Once you find a great franchise opportunity to get involved with, make sure that you find the absolute best location and market your business aggressively. No amount of advertising can overcome a poor location. However, having a great location COMBINED with a strong Marketing and Advertising plan can significantly increase your odds of being successful.
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Where do you see EWC in the next 5 years? We will have 85 open locations in the state of Texas. 30 of those will be in the Greater Houston area. We will also have over 500 open locations, Nationwide.
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a fashionable time in the big easy |
By: Mimi Dinh
When I visited New Orleans with my husband last year, we met Robert Le Blanc, Managing Partner and Founder of LRG (Lifestyle Revolution Group, www.lrgnola.com), a conglomerate that holds several chic properties, including International House Hotel, Loft 524, Loa Bar, Le Phare Lounge and Republic New Orleans (which happens to be one of New Orleans hottest night clubs).
Hurricane Katrina left New Orleans with both emotional and physical scars, but if any city in the world has the soul to stand up to tragedy, it's the feel-good vibes of the Big Easy. In this spirit, Robert formed LRG to help New Orleans pick itself up, dust itself off and get back to good times rolling by creating opportunities for residents to develop strong professional and social networks through entertainment. That's why Robert was deservedly included in Gambit Weekly's “40Under40,” a list of remarkable young adults.
He impressed me from the beginning: we share a similar work style, creativity and thirst for quality in everything we do. After that encounter, we talked about one day working together on a creative project. That desire recently came to fruition when a group of friends, my husband and I decided to make New Orleans our next get-away destination. At the same time, I also decided to make this an opportunity to use “America's most unique city” the stage for a fabulous runway show.
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With a few phone calls, Robert and I sealed the deal to produce a fashion show for celebrated designer Chloe Dao, winner of Bravo's Season 2 Project Runway, at Robert's Republic New Orleans. From there the project snowballed into an extravaganza worthy only of New Orleans. In fact, before I knew it, we had two major press sponsors (New Orleans and St. Charles Magazines), Mariposa Salon & Spa to do the models' hair and make-up, 25 big names from the Big Easy to host the event, and a beneficiary charity (TheACY.org).
empowerment
TheACY.org (Arnold C. Yoder Survivors Foundation) assists survivors of tragedy not only to cope but also uncover any silver lining they can, by using peer support groups, art therapy and education. My friend Mary Elizabeth Yoder, founder of The ACY, flew in from Los Angeles with a camera crew in tow to interview and videotape the victims of Katrina. Yoder is gathering uplifting stories from many different cities, offering real people across the nation a forum to share real stories of hope, inspiration and personal empowerment by turning negative experiences into positive ones. You can see why we chose the ACY as the fashion show's beneficiary. Our goal is to give it exposure as it's a young organization still in the stage of development, so brand awareness is vital in bringing it maximum attention.
method behind the madness
Producing a fashion show looks deceptively easy, but in reality, it's a time-consuming beast of an undertaking with legions of important details. It doesn't matter that I have had over twenty years of experience, I just couldn't escape the raw time and effort required to produce a fashion show, because any single detail could derail the whole production without proper attention.
To help keep order in the chaos, I began before ever setting foot in the city by pre-recording music. It took countless hours of listening to song after song, along with a full afternoon of mixing and recording with a DJ, but it paid off. I believe that having the right music is one of the key elements to a great fashion show.
Once in New Orleans, we started with a Go-See to check out models from NO's two top agencies: Dan and Fame. Having worked in the modeling industry as a director for many years, I knew exactly what to look for and how to conduct this Go-See seamlessly.
We rehearsed the models on the choreography and their walk, followed by a dry run through with lighting operator Erik and DJ Damian to ensure all these elements coordinated well together. Thank Goodness Chloe's sister Sydney handled the fitting to make sure the right outfits fit the right models with the right accessories. She performed this task with such flair and vigor that I never had to worry about it.
showtime!
The excitement and anticipation was electrifying as over a thousand guests who filled their night with fashion, style and glamour at the extravagant Chloe Dao fashion show on May 16th. In fact, a crowd of well-heeled patrons began standing in line long before Republic opened its doors.
DJ Damian commenced the evening's festivities with the house music so hot he put NO's famous sultry summers to shame. Sassy models strutting their stuff mesmerized guests with Chloe Dao's summer '09 collection, full of sharp-tailored separates, flirty cocktail dresses and sexy, flowing evening gowns in brightly-colored hues.
Meanwhile our hosts - a group of New Orleans luminaries, leaders and philanthropists - kept the energy flowing as silkily as the fashion. Everyone's hard work paid off as the exuberant crowd really got into the show. Some of the outfits even got unexpectedly sold right off the racks after the show.
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Chloe was especially proud of this collection because she always strives to “create clothes that are classy and sensual.” That's what made New Orleans the perfect destination for her to showcase her summer '09 collection. “New Orleans has class and history but it is also very sexy. It is like a lady who likes her martini a little dirty. Those are the kind of ladies I love to dress," explains Dao.
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With her Project Runway win under her stylish belt, Chloe continues to develop and grow her Houston boutique, Lot 8. She also debuted her wholesale line DAO Chloe DAO in March 2008 at the Dallas Market Center. Her collection is now available through online shopping at www.lot8online.com.
As you can imagine, we shut the place down at 3 AM while celebrating the show's success with flowing Grey Goose in our VIP booth. But you don't have to take my word about the incredible evening. According to Selena Donovan, Director of Marketing for Republic: “The Chloe Dao show was a huge first step in the right direction for New Orleans in terms of being recognized as a major metropolitan city that enjoys progressive culture and fashion. And we are so grateful to Mikel Marketing for bringing us that opportunity.”
Matt Alleman, C.O.O. of Lifestyle Revolution Group, adds: “Our customers have been buzzing about the Lot 8 line and the fashion show itself ever since the event. Our customers have not stopped asking when we will be doing another event with the Mikel Marketing Team.”
playtime!
The fantastic conclusion to the fashion show segued sweetly into the rest of my trip to New Orleans. After a few intense days of pure work, we were ready for some serious fun.
We returned to our hotel after the show around 4 AM and crashed until almost noon the next day. The Internationl House hotel, an LRG property, offered the perfect retreat. Friendly, pampering staff melded with the refined decor -- timeless personalized style and intriguing design -- in the city's first boutique hotel. Centrally located (only 2 blocks from the French Quarter) and originally built in 1906 as the Louisiana Bank & Trust Co. LRG restored the property around the idea of time and space to leave an “urban artifact” in the city of New Orleans.
Once recharged from our sleep and exhilarated by our successful show, we were ready to hit the city. Unfortunately, the start of my playtime in New Orleans meant the end of it for my husband and our friends, as they all had to return on Sunday to resume work the next day.
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Instead, I spent the next couple of days with my friend Mary from the ACY and our two assistants. We did the usual touristy faves: French Quarter, Jackson Square, Bourbon Street, Café Du Monde, the art galleries… and, of course, the shops.
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I bought a super-hot corset top that made my waist look itsy-bitsy at Trashy Diva, known for impeccable, Victorian-inspired accoutrements and a selection of luminous, vamp-glam lingerie. I also fell madly in love with a Dolce & Gabbana pencil skirt at UAL (United Apparel Liquidation), which specializes in one-of-a-kind designer clothes leftover from fashion shows around the world; we're talking high couture quality at a fraction of the price. But even with its discounted price, it still cost close to a grand. I reluctantly put it back on the hanger and settled on some cool jewelry instead.
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delish dishes |
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As frequent New Orleans visitors, we'd already exhausted our usual preferred joints, like the Gumbo Shop, Mother's, Emeril's, Commander's, Two Sister's Courtyard, even the city's new eating gem Cochon. This time we decided to explore new ground, and we made some real discoveries that I want to share with you.
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luke's café |
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Like the city itself, Luke's (www.lukeneworleans.com) is disarmingly deceptive. The name and décor are casual, with the warm and brassy glow of a neighborhood bistro, but its menu is top-shelf classy with a Cajun twist.
We started with an exotic cheese tray and three kinds of páté. After that, we chose to share a fried oyster salad with a creamy dressing, so rich and delicious (and doubtless fattening) it had to be worth at least one deadly sin. We followed that with our waiter's recommendation: shrimp grits. He was spot on, but by the time we got to it, we were already so stuffed we couldn't fully appreciate it. In fact, we had two more dishes which I can't remember what they were. We were so full and giddy from the steady stream of mimosas that by the time we'd finished our lunch, we could barely amble back to our hotel, although it was just around the corner.
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cuvée |
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Cuvée (www.restaurantcuvee.com) represents fine fusion dining at its best: contemporary Creole-continental with noticeable French and Spanish influences, savored in a regal but unpretentious atmosphere. As a foodie, I can appreciate the culinary experience of fine dining, and this place managed to impress me. We had to-die-for Basil-Fed Escargot, Seared American Kobe Ribeye which went beautifully with our Cabernet, and out-of-this-world Duck (confit-style served with walnut-bleu risotto and Hudson valley foie gras with pear glacé), Being a big fan of fois gras, we also had the Deux Fois Gras a separate dish, perfectly seared and delicately seasoned, it melted beautifully in my mouth. Of course, we had to have a little Creole flavor, so we ordered the Crawfish & Lobster Etoufée that came with poppy-seed pasta. Although the place was super busy, the staff proved to be extremely friendly, and the manager even came to our table to chat with us for a while.
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crawfish |
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I couldn't believe none of the people from my group had ever tried crawfish before. Besides, after the sumptuous flavors of Luke's and Cuvée, we were ready for some truly down home Nawlins' food, enhanced by the fantastic scenery and atmosphere. We chose a touristy restaurant along the RiverWalk (because we couldn't resist the water view this place offered) and ordered a huge bucket of spicy crawfish, a mountain of shoestring onion rings, gumbo, some yummy corn hush puppies, and lots of local beer. Hardly healthy eating, but the Big Easy isn't about restraint or disciplined diets, is it?
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it's all about the music! |
The next several days fell into a relaxing, enjoyable rhythm: a full day of eating and sightseeing followed by a night on the town. After dinner, we would each return to our hotel room for a nap, only to be awoken by a midnight wake-up call, when the nightlife just begins.
No wonder Anne Rice sets her stories in this town! The witching hour brings out a glittering city of drinks, dancing and delightful music. We'd start at either at our hotel bar Loa or Le Phare Lounge, which Maxim Magazine calls “New Orleans' hippest bar.” Then we'd join the locals in their favorite haunts along Frenchmen's Street, lined with bars and dives that offer up some of the best underground blues and jazz bands I've ever heard. It was a true wonder to find so many great bands in such close proximity to each other. We hopped from bar to bar, trying to blend in with the locals. The vibe there was so laid back and energetic at the same time. We found ourselves jamming along with everybody, not necessarily dancing, but not standing still either - just letting our bodies swaying to the music, heads bopping, toes tapping, lips syncing to familiar songs.
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That's what a great bar atmosphere does to people: strip away those pesky inhibitions and worries about what others think, and just let go and groove in the moment. Being with great company (and OK, a few cocktails) made the experience even more fun.
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the pampering |
All that time working hard and playing harder took its toll, so we decided to conclude our trip with a restful full body massage at the Ofadean Spa. Recommended by locals and located only blocks from our hotel, it seemed a smart choice. But we knew we'd found the perfect oasis after we checked out the website and learned the story behind the spa.
My friend Mary and founder of Ofadean Spa both experienced a similar tragic event in their lives – the death of a parent in a car accident. As a result, both have sought to use their lives to transform tragedy into something beautiful, and both learned the key to peace comes from forgiveness and sharing kindness with others. Like the ACY, the Ofadean Spa relishes in nurturing its patrons and in leaving them with an uplifting experience that will linger for a lifetime.
The moment we set foot inside the spa, we were conducted from the nonstop hustle and bustle of a busy city into a tranquil island of quiet and stillness. The calming fragrances in the air, clean decor and soothing music gently guided each of our senses on a journey of rest and relaxation.
Attendants led us to our separate rooms upstairs. In my plush white robe and slippers, sipping a glass of red wine, I felt like my spirit had lightened enough to float to another world. Well, up into heaven, at least! A few minutes later, I submitted to one of the most satisfying, pleasurable massages of my life. In fact, the masseuse's delicate hands transported me into a trance while she slowly and gently worked every achy joint into mush.
Mary and I met in the lobby later, rosy and relaxed. It was the perfect ending to a perfect getaway.
the magic of new orleans
I feel lucky that I was able to incorporate work and play into this trip, and even more thrilled that I could share the experience with my friend Mary. We've been friends for almost two decades now, but we've only just started traveling together in the past recent years. I'm delighted that with each new trip, our bond just grows stronger, and affirms our enduring friendship after all these years.
Being good friends does not necessarily make you good travel companions. You either end up wanting to strangle each other or enjoy each other's company so much that you want to include them in every trip. Mary and I, fortunately, fall into the latter. We are considerate of, and patient with, each other; we look out for, and take care of, each other when we travel together. Plus, we share similar taste so deciding what to do and where to go never poses a problem. We are completely ourselves around each other, without judgment, conflict or ego. It's just easy and fun traveling together. We feel blessed by our friendship and we don't take it for granted for one second.
Neither do I take this city of for granted. After all, New Orleans was where my family and I resided for the first five years after we came to the U.S. Because we could only speak French at the time, we thought it would be easier for us to start a new life here, with less of a language barrier. Little did we know the Cajun French spoken here was nothing like the universal French we all knew. I still don't understand the locals when they speak French here, but they must have cast a voodoo spell on me, because I am forever enamored of this city for its unique cuisine, character, and people. This trip was such a fabulous experience, personally and professionally, that I can't wait to return to the Big Easy again and again. Laissez les bon temps rouler! (Let the good times roll!).
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skin is in as european wax center opens its first houston location with a skin bash
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It's hard enough to find Parisian luxury at affordable prices even in the best of times. During the economic downturn, even Paris Hilton is found rummaging through the bargain bins. But coming this month a morsel of French indulgence is coming to Houston in an extraordinarily budget-friendly form.
European Wax Center, which strives to offer ouch-less hair removal at a very ouch-less price, is opening its first Houston location in the River Oaks Plaza in mid-June. The Center emphasizes a high return-for-value business model, which underlies its phenomenal success nationwide. Its most popular service, the Brazilian bikini wax, is just $35.
European Wax Center uses a revolutionary all natural beeswax formulated in Paris, made from 100% natural beeswax and the finest polymers and creates a hard, stripless wax, meaning quicker application time and significantly less pain and irritation, with better results. European Wax Center is the only company that uses this type of wax. Its four-step process is also unique – cleanse, protect, wax and rejuvenate – to ensure a purifying, fast, virtually painless experience. The process includes depilatory oil prep which makes a big difference in painlessness as it is applied prior to the wax to ensure it attaches only to the hair, not the skin. Afterwards the skin is treated with an ingrown hair serum, an all-natural product with lavender and chamomile to calm the area and prevent irritation.
The River Oaks Plaza location is just the first of many. Forty more locations slated to open in Houston (and 85 in Texas) will make the pleasing, affordable experience convenient for all Houstonians. A second center is scheduled to open late-June in the West University area, with still more franchises opening soon in the Memorial, Woodway/Voss and The Galleria areas.
Judd Miller, Area Developer for European Wax Center in Texas, doesn't consider expanding into the waxing business in this economy a risk because of its quality service at affordable prices. “People are still spending money as long as they are receiving a value for their money,” explains Miller.
To celebrate its arrival in Houston, European Wax Center is throwing a sexy French-themed bash, called Skin, on June 26th, 2009 – from 6 to 9 PM. This event is FREE and open to the public. Guests can groove to the languid beats of Parisian lounge music while indulging in delectable French hors d'oeuvres, desserts and champagne – all while models show off their freshly waxed, smooth skin in the hottest swimwear by Zingara. A wax expert will even demonstrate the proprietary wax and waxing process with volunteer guests. A drawing will also be held every half-hour during the party to win “Club 30” memberships, which offer 30% off all services and 20% of all retail purchases.
The celebration will continue into the weekend with an Open House all day Saturday and Sunday, June 27th and 28th, with more drawings to win “Club 30” memberships as well as free unlimited waxing services. (No need to be present to win.) European Wax Center will donate 10 percent of all sales from pre-paid services, gift certificates, and retail products during the party throughout the Open House weekend to benefit the Women's Fund, whose mission is to educate Houston area women and girls to be advocates for their health (www.thewomensfund.org).
As Houston's first painless and affordable waxing concept, European Wax Center is so confident about the quality of their proprietary gentle wax, it is offering a completely free initial waxing to everyone at any time. Women may opt for a free initial bikini line, eyebrow or underarm waxing; men for a free initial eyebrow, ear or nose waxing. In fact, men will love the service as much as women, because the wax used is perfect for those small and sensitive facial areas, which conventional waxing cannot help. European Wax Center River Oaks Plaza is now open at 1564 West Gray, Houston 77019. For more information or to make an appointment, call 713-550-1089 or visit www.waxcenter.com/
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