This Facial Shop Focused on Helping People Instead of Pushing Products -- and Raised $8 Million in the Process Heyday founders Adam Ross and Michael Pollak are on a mission to "take the facial out of the spa."
By Dan Bova
In this ongoing series, we are sharing advice, tips and insights from real entrepreneurs who are out there doing business battle on a daily basis. (Answers have been edited and condensed for clarity.)
Who are you and what's your business?
AR: I'm Adam Ross and I am the co-founder and CEO of Heyday. We're a facial shop that is looking to take the facial out of the spa and into people's lives. We provide personalized facial services in three different treatment times (30, 50- and 75-minute treatments for $65, $95 and $140, respectively), and also sell a curated range of skincare products in our shops and via heydayskincare.com.
MP: I'm Michael Pollak, and I'm a co-founder and Chief Experience Officer of Heyday. Beyond the facial, we've created a place where skincare experts -- licensed estheticians -- can channel their passion, knowledge, and human touch into personalizing skincare for a whole world of clients that are craving guidance and solutions.
What inspired you to create Heyday?
AR: In my prior life in investment banking, I was doing a lot of work for beauty companies that focused on pushing products rather than helping consumers do what's right for their skin. And personally, looking after my skin was increasingly confusing, expensive and time-consuming. In speaking with my friends, everyone was equally frustrated, so I became convinced there had to be a better way. Heyday was something that should exist.
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What advice would you give entrepreneurs looking for funding?
MP: Have a solution to a real problem. Be self-aware of your gaps and seek ways to fill them, in a co-founder and/or your team. Be passionate about what you're creating. And communicate it in the way that feels most inspired, natural and unique to you. Sell a story, not a slide deck.
What does the word "entrepreneur" mean to you?
AR: To me, it's a path and relentless mindset to overcome obstacles by constantly finding better solutions. It goes well beyond your initial business idea. You need to turn up daily to do this for your business and to unlock your team.
You are two guys in a traditionally women-centric space. How has that impacted your business? Did it create any obstacles?
MP: This is a good question, and I understand why it's something that gets asked. Founders get a lot of attention, but it takes a village to build a business. I am incredibly proud to have a more than 95 percent female company with diversity that rivals the United Nations -- especially proud in this moment of history. Ultimately, we shared the belief of our team of skin therapists -- that skin is skin. That's why we created a brand agnostic of gender and removed some of the spa stereotypes of beauty, pampering, and rarified luxury that we knew were intimidating or off-putting to a good number of people.
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Describe your company culture and how you helped shape it.
MP: I believe in a culture of possibility and positivity. That's what we give clients, so it has to start from within. My favorite part of my role is sprinkling that positivity when I see our team and sharing our vision. In our fast growth, I have to be honest and say it that that sometimes gets obfuscated. But it's our responsibility as leaders and culture shapers to be present, listen loudly, and share our vision far and wide in the organization.
Is there a particular quote or saying that you use as personal motivation?
AR: I change favorite quotes based on where I am in my own journey and development. Right now it is from Marcus Aurelius: "Waste no more time arguing about what a good man should be. Be one." This reinforces the focus on my own principles, what's important and meaningful for me in how I want to act, lead, communicate and inspire every day.
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MP: "Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can." That was said by the legendary and barrier-breaking tennis player Arthur Ashe. It's a framed quote on the wall at our very first shop. I put it up because I thought it was nice and cute – didn't think twice about it. A few months in, at a team meeting, a skin therapist who was fairly new to the industry said that the quote inspired her every time she walked in the doors and represented how we took a chance on someone and let them blossom. Happy tears ensued.
