The essence of being a beauty professional is providing people with an experience that allows them to leave your salon feeling better about themselves. With this in mind, Liz McKay launched Bare A Skincare Experience in Fairfield County, Connecticut, in April 2021, with two interconnected goals: Lift clients out of their personal pandemic fog and provide a safe haven for them to talk openly, receive advice, and feel beautiful.

“I always wanted to have my own business and with the right experience, education, and attitude, I knew I had it in me.”

Previously a retail manager, Liz attended beauty school in 2015 and soon joined Benefit Cosmetics, a makeup company that operates in major department stores and at freestanding boutiques, where she specialized in eyebrow waxing, threading, and shaping. She continued her education while working – and raising her two daughters – earning a Bachelor's in Business and Human Resources Management and graduating on the dean's list for her Master's in Management.

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“Coming out of a bad relationship with nothing to my name, beauty was my answer to 'How can I provide a better life for my kids?'” says Liz. “I always wanted to have my own business and with the right experience, education, and attitude, I knew I had it in me. The pandemic hit everyone hard – many people were lost mentally and emotionally and had let their personal needs fall by the wayside. But by the time I graduated, I had a plan in place and was ready to give my clients the experience and pampering they deserved.”

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From 0 to 100 to 1,000 Clients to 1,000 Appointments

When Liz opened Bare in a Sola salon suite, they recommended GlossGenius and she instantly knew it was the salon software for her. Liz added 100 clients to the app in her first month and GlossGenius quickly became an integral part of their experience.

GlossGenius helps Liz set boundaries that make managing her esthetics business a breeze. She has pre-written text messages that direct clients to her GlossGenius booking site where they can find all her services, prices, portfolio pics, and cancellation policy clearly stated. And the notes function helps Liz keep track of important client details, which allows her to provide a professional, personalized service every time.

“Thanks to GlossGenius, here I am now and a single automated text campaign can bring in $2,000-$5,000 in appointments...”

More than 95% of Liz's clients book services online, nearly everyone keeps a card on file, and GlossGenius' built-in checkout makes it easy for them to leave a tip and rebook for their next appointment. Using GlossGenius, Liz hit her first 1,000 appointments in just eight months, which she then beat with over 1,500 appointments in the following eight months.

“With Sola and GlossGenius, I pay flat fees and know everything is covered,” says Liz. “I had previously looked at Vagaro but GlossGenius is so streamlined and simple to use, the decision was pretty much cut and dry. My clients love it, too – from their first appointment, their card's on file and they don't have to do anything ever again. They literally just say 'add 20%... I'll see you next week.' When I opened, I wanted to be fully booked and I didn't care what it took to get me there – I was open Monday through Saturday, 9:30-5pm every day with no lunch break. Thanks to GlossGenius, here I am now and a single automated text campaign can bring in $2,000-$5,000 in appointments and I've gone from no clients to regularly having eight people on a digital waitlist, my new favorite feature.”

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5-Star Reviews, Awards, and Community

Liz processes every single payment through GlossGenius, which combined with the built-in analytics and reports features allows her to track service and product sales, as well as her most-valuable clients list. Receipts are sent automatically via text and include a prompt to leave a review, which has helped Liz attract nearly 200 five-star reviews.

“I love running my numbers week, month, and year-to-date with GlossGenius to see where I'm at – it helps me gauge my progress and reach my goals.”

Bare has received industry recognition, too, winning the Westport Lifestyle Reader's Choice Award for Best Brow and Lash Bar 2021, and the Best of the Gold Coast 2022 for Eyebrow and Eyelash Services. And as a GlossGenius Ambassador, Liz's experience goes beyond the app, allowing her to benefit from and share wisdom with a growing community of beauty professionals.

“I love running my numbers week, month, and year-to-date with GlossGenius to see where I'm at – it helps me gauge my progress and reach my goals,” says Liz. “I've never asked a client for a review in-person and all the reviews on my website are legit, which is so special. Receiving recognition from beauty bibles has been huge and makes it even easier to fill appointments, including people who've never come in before. It's so nice to be a part of the GlossGenius community – everyone's super helpful and I love the roundtables on topics like setting boundaries. It's really important, because there's so many things, especially as an independent beauty parlor, that you worry only you are experiencing, and being a part of the community, you know you're not alone. I would definitely recommend GlossGenius to anybody going out on their own – it has everything you need to support your business and streamline your life.”

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