May 12, 2020

Meet Ariel Strickler

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ariel Strickler.

Ariel, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I grew up in Summit County, Colorado in a very business savvy family. After receiving a degree in business in 2012 I decided to pursue my passion for the beauty industry. I attended College of International Esthetics (CIE) in 2013 and received my esthetician license in 2014. During my courses at CIE, I obtained by eyelash extension certification. I fell in love with the challenge of eyelash extensions. Right out of CIE I pursued lashes, I did lashes in random spas, and out of my house for about a year until I decided to use my business degree and open my own lash studio.

I searched high and low for a location. I knew I needed a central location so clients from all over the county and surrounding counties could get to me easily. I also was looking for the smallest and the cheapest location. I only had seven returning clients so I wasn’t looking for a huge, expensive place. Low and behold I found a very reasonably priced office space in Frisco, Colorado coming in at nice 25o square feet. The room can be difficult to find in the large commercial building and it has no windows. However, I did not want walk ins (appointment only) and my client’s eyes are closed. It was perfect!!

I open doors May 2017 with seven clients. With heavy advertising and a lot of word-of-mouth, within a month, I had over 52 clients. Within three months I hired my first employee. Today we have four lash artists, two lash beds, and over 150 clients coming to our small lash studio, every two weeks. At times it gets a little tight but we love the local vibe we have created. We are currently expanding to Denver, but COVID-19 has stopped all progress. Once life returns to “normal” we strive to open multiple “small” locations in Denver and surrounding areas.

Has it been a smooth road?
Luckily, the process overall has been pretty smooth. I feel I was blessed with opportunity and it is working out just like it is supposed to. However, that doesn’t mean there has been struggle here and there. Starting a business is never easy. Starting a lash business is definitely not easy. The art of lashing takes years to perfect- If you do not have good work, people won’t come back. I had many clients come and go in the beginning. It was discouraging to not take on ANY clients for months at a time; however, I stuck with it. I worked two other jobs while running my business. I worked early mornings, between jobs, and late evenings to get clients in. I gave away discounted fills, and worked on almost every one of my days off. It was a lot of work but well worth it- I have some of the most loyal clients and I am beyond grateful for them. Expanding to multiple locations is the main goal, and with that, will come a lot of challenges and obstacles. I love what I do, and I love a good challenge!

Tell us more about the business.
We specialize in high quality professional eyelash extensions. We are known for providing top of the line eyelash extensions. We strive to provide the highest quality. We aim to put a lash extension on every single natural lash- no half ass work is allowed in our studio. We want our clients to feel BOLD and Bitchin’

Sadly, there are numerous eyelash artists that have little to no lash training. It takes years to perfect the art of lashing. Poor application can result in loss/damage of natural lashes. There have been numerous times a new client has received a lash fill from us and immediately said “My lashes don’t hurt,” “My eyes don’t burn.” You should not feel your lash extensions and they should NEVER hurt or burn! Unfortunately, a lot of our clients are unaware of this. We strive to provide knowledge so our clients can avoid these problems.

Importantly, each of our clients has their lash artist’s direct number to contact them at any time with concerns, questions, or simply to chit chat. I do not want a corporate type business- I want a place of work that our clients are our family. We treat them as family and provide service as if they were family. We make sure everyone that walks through our doors feels comfortable and safe in our hands.

How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
The beauty industry is a multi-billion-dollar industry. There is always a desire to look and feel beautiful. According to a recent ABC news report, the eyelash industry alone is reaching $1.5 billion. I only image it continues to grow. Getting your eyelashes done will be like getting your hair and nails done. You can’t live without them! The industry moves quick and you have to constantly take courses to stay on top of the trends. I honestly can’t image where the industry will be in 5-10 years. Maybe lash robots? or Lash implants? ha the possibilities are endless.

Pricing:

Initial Set $200-$300
2 Week Fill $70- $80
3 Week Fill $85-$100

Contact Info:

Address: 1807 S Pearl street. Opening June 1!
Website: boldnbitchin.com
Phone: 9704090625
Email: info@boldnbitchin.com
Instagram: @boldlashextensions
Facebook: @boldlashextensions
Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/bold-n-bitchin-frisco?osq=bold+n+bitchin
Other: https://boldnbitchin.com/blog

Image Credit:
Photo by Memry – Memry Anne

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