Since 2014, Glamsquad, the mobile on-demand beauty company, has offered hair, makeup and nails to consumers in the comfort of their own home in select cities across the U.S. Over the past four years, they’ve booked more than 600,000 appointments in New York, Los Angeles, Miami, D.C., Boston and San Francisco’s Bay Area. Sixty percent have been hair services, the most requested service. So, it’s not surprising that the company recently launched a line of hair products, its foray into consumer packaged goods. That’s just one of the new initiatives Amy Shecter, the brand’s CEO since June 2016, has helped spearhead. “From Glamsquad’s inception, we’ve approached the business with the goal of being a beauty and lifestyle brand powered by technology, with the mission of empowering women to look and feel their best,” she said. “Consumers are currently seeking out luxury experiences that are curated specifically to fit their lifestyle.” Prior to joining the company, the married mother of a teenage daughter, served as CEO of CorePower Yoga—a chain of boutique yoga studios owned by Catterton Partners. She also held key roles roles at Elie Tahari, C. Wonder, Cole Haan and DKNY. Somehow, Amy found time to talk to with CEW’s Beauty Insider for the 5 Minutes With… feature.

Beauty Insider: Since joining the brand, what have been your transformation/ strategy goals?


AS: My key initiatives coming into the company were to reposition the brand, advance our technology, create products for in-home selling and develop a brick and mortar partnership.

BI: What forthcoming changes can the consumer expect?


AS:We’re launching makeup early this year, and we’ll continue to roll out products based on the direct feedback we’re hearing from our clients and beauty pros. Consumers can also expect continuous improvements in our technology making the booking process and overall Glamsquad experience increasingly more personalized and customized to their individual needs.

BI: What’s your approach to developing a successful company?


AS: You have to put the customer first and then develop a multi-faceted business strategy, vision and execution plan to grow the business and engage the team. I’m very lucky to bring different points of view to each role I’ve taken and I truly believe this is my strength as a leader.


BI: Since the company doesn’t advertise, how will you continue to create brand recognition and grow your client base?


AS: We use a multi-tiered marketing strategy to generate buzz and awareness and elevate our brand equity. We utilize influencers, top customers and beauty pros through social media, events and innovative marketing initiatives to tell the story of our brand.

BI: What have you learned over the past few years?


AS: As seen through the evolution of the beauty industry, women now prefer to try products before buying them. We’ve found that what’s missing in the market today is the concept of having an expert involved in the process to help you understand what works best for your specific needs, and Glamsquad is the answer. We are the ultimate testing environment. Every day we get invited into the homes of our clients, which has given us the opportunity to learn what they really want through genuine conversation and connection, which is so unique and something we never take for granted. What we learn in these spaces, in collaboration with our clients, is the core of the Glamsquad beauty product creation. This is truly an industry breakthrough in customizing the experience of product shopping to meet the individual consumers’ needs.

BI: What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned?


AS: Early on in my career, I was taught to think about your brand through the eyes of the consumer and always represent the consumer in every meeting. In each role I’ve had, I’ve always used that knowledge to help drive the ongoing vision of the company. At Glamsquad, we always leave a seat at the table for the consumer (which we consider to be both the client and the beauty pro) to ensure that we’re thinking about her needs and desires and building the business around that.

BI: Greatest accomplishment so far?


AS: The first is launching our hair care line and innovating a new channel of commerce. The second is our partnership with CVS, where we can bring this whole elevated beauty experience to life in a dedicated space, called BeautyIRL, within select CVS stores. These areas offer on-site express services, such as blowouts and makeup refreshers, all ranging from $30 to $45. This partnership instantly extends the Glamsquad community and creates a connected beauty experience that transcends everything that exists in the market today, allowing more women across the country to experience our services.

BI: Biggest mistake you’ve made?


AS: One of the biggest mistakes I’ve made was staying in a position where I wasn’t passionate about the brand or the vision.

BI: What product (not your own) is your favorite and why?


AS: My product of the moment is Charlotte Tilbury’s Wonderglow Face Primer. One of my beauty pros tried it on me a week ago and I ran out and got it the next day.

BI: What’s something no one tells you when starting a business?


AS: It has its ups and downs and having a strong network and mentors is critical to helping you navigate the obstacles. Also, it’s very important to celebrate the wins.


BI: If you were to write the note found in a fortune cookie, what would it say?


AS: If you don’t take a risk, you’ll never get to fly.