Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Stacey Fike. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Alright, Stacey thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to start by getting your thoughts on what you are seeing as some the biggest trends emerging in your industry
Savvy customers is what is trending in the sunless industry. Clients are informed and knowledgeable about products and ingredients, which is why GloGirl is very conscious about every product we use and sell. Having organic products is no longer enough; products need to be gluten free – yes, even gluten free for skincare products! Customers are requiring products to be non-toxic, coral-reef safe, sustainable, and in some cases, re-usable. Combine these needs with products that are user-friendly and convenient and GloGirl should be your 1st choice for all things sunless. GloGirl prides ourselves with using quality products, innovative application techniques administered by trained technicians, and top-of-the-line equipment to deliver a flawless spray tanning experience. All in a safe, relaxing, and professional environment. We make Houston GLO, Girl!
Stacey, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I have been providing spray tanning services to the Houston metropolis for well over a decade; 19 years to be exact! I was literally doing spray tans back when they were absolutely ORANGE, sticky, and stinky! Thankfully, the sunless industry has come a long way. Orange is no longer a color option. Sunless equipment along with resources and training has advanced the sunless industry. As well as sunless products that are safer and cleaner than ever! Having been around long enough to see the sunless industry evolve, in addition to being a professional pioneer related to spray tanning, there is no better time than now to be a GLO, Girl!
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
The pandemic has required small businesses to “bob n weave” like a skilled boxer dodging punches. GloGirl moved into our current location in Feb of 2019 during a season when we should be at our peak. Covid shut our doors for 2weeks with no real “plan” to recover. My service based business was forced to swiftly pivot to online retail sales of sunless products. Thankfully GloGirl carries a variety of boutique sun n fun items. We also have software that made the transition from service to online sales quite seamless. In addition, GloGirl has also built a loyal social media following which made marketing during the shut down a little less isolated. By the grace of God, GloGirl survived and is now thriving! Even during times of adversity and uncertainly, people still need to GLO, Girl!
What else should we know about how you took your side hustle and scaled it up into what it is today?
Spray tanning has been part of my life for almost two decades. Even though I knew the earning potential of being a full-time spray tan provider I couldn’t muster up the courage to go all-in. Being a single-mom with a mortgage hindered me from taking the risk. I spent 15yrs working in medspas, then as a middle school teacher, all while doing spray tans in my home for extra income. I relied on client referrals to drive my spray tanning business. Soon the referrals were referrals from other referrals. Because I was having people come to my home for spray tans, I decided one day to count how many consent forms for new clients I had on file. To my awe, over 700 gals had come to my home for a GloGirl spray tan! I decided at that moment I needed GloGirl out of my home. I was able to sublease a small room at a local hair salon for a modest fee. I spent my days as a teacher and my evenings doing spray tans. I still relied on client referrals while slowly building my social media presence. I joined professional networks and attended spray tanning conferences. It. Was. Exhausting….yet EXHILARATING! It wasn’t long before my evenings spent tanning was earning more than my days spent teaching. The security of my steadily growing spray tan earnings allowed me to finally fulfill my passions and throw caution to the wind! I quit teaching and started tanning full time …and haven’t looked back! Fast forward to today and GloGirl is Houston’s Premier Sunless Tanning boutique with multiple technicians. We make Houston GLO, Girl!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.VAGARO.com/glogirlspraytanning
- Instagram: @glogirlspraytan