Today we’d like to introduce you to Stephanie Wolfley.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Having been obsessed with all things makeup, hair, beauty, design, etc. growing up, I decided to pursue a cosmetology degree when I was 17 and just out of high school. From there I had worked a couple different jobs in hair salons when an old classmate reached out and asked if I’d be interested in taking a certification course on eyelash extensions. I wasn’t, but my mom was interested in getting lash extensions so I took the course, ha! Training and knowledge on lashes was extremely limited in 2010 so I can’t say I was doing excellent work after the course, but I didn’t know anyone else that offered lashes so I used that to my advantage wherever I lived and worked. Doing lashes was always a part-time side gig for me in the beginning while I did hair and makeup in salons and waited tables.
Cut to 2014, where I found a job in a Lash Salon (I had no idea eyelash extension salons even existed) and my whole life changed. I received detailed, hands-on training at that job and became obsessed with perfecting my skills. I learned so much and was able to take my skillset with me to other salons in places like Las Vegas and Seattle.
When I moved back to my hometown in Redding California in 2017, I decided it was finally time to start my own lash business and work for myself. That’s when I opened the doors of “Lash’d”. People told me that my small town didn’t have the clientele for what I was offering, but I quickly proved them wrong and completely filled my books within 6 months of opening without one paid advertisement! I became more booked and busy than I ever imagined possible. The following year I was offered a job as an Educator with a major lash product brand and started traveling with them every other weekend to teach aspiring lash artists the art of extensions all over the country. I did this while still running my salon full-time.
It was the end of 2019 and I had been operating Lash’d for almost 3 years, with an impossibly-packed schedule for 2, when my husband and I decided we wanted to move back to Salt Lake City, where most of our family members had migrated to. I ran the numbers on my business and decided I was going to try and sell it before I moved away instead of closing the doors. I soon found a girl who was excited to acquire it- the name, the studio lease, the online search relevancy, the client list, and the equipment- and I mentored her for several months before fully handing it over and moving to Utah. It was so bittersweet leaving my first business, my baby, behind and moving on, but I was excited to build something new in a new area while furthering my career in education.
In February of 2020 in Salt Lake City, “Ruby Lash” was born, my new salon. And we all know what happened in March of 2020 so I’ll skip the awful details, but needless to say, it ended my said teaching career and derailed my plans to build a bountiful lash business like the one I had in California.
Since the pandemic and the mandatory shutdown of the Beauty Industry, business at Ruby Lash has definitely picked up. But I won’t lie, I had to work twice as hard as I ever did in California for the clients that I have today. I also trained and received certifications in Lash Lifts & Tints and Brow Lamination as soon as I realized that some women weren’t going to leave their houses as often anymore to keep up with the maintenance of eyelash extensions. These new services are only needed every 6+ weeks instead of every 2-3.
Today, Ruby Lash is a professional, peaceful studio in Millcreek, Utah where lash extensions, lash lifts, and brow laminations of the highest quality are offered to anyone wanting to cut down their beauty routine and Get out the door faster while looking their best 24/7. And it is currently still accepting new clients. On the horizon for Ruby Lash, is an online course for beauty professionals who want to grow their business with lash services, so stay tuned!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Not a smooth ride at all! I look back at my career pre-pandemic and think of it as smooth sailing compared to now. But oh so many long hours were poured into that little business back in California and so much “figuring it out as I go”. There really is no playbook for this stuff and very few people to turn to when you need advice in this specific industry. Currently, there are still hours being poured into my business, Ruby Lash, as I navigate how to stand out in a highly saturated market!
As you know, we’re big fans of Ruby Lash. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Ruby Lash is a place where women come to look their best, which in turn helps them feel their best! It’s also where you get to take a timeout from life and lay down with your eyes closed in a cozy recliner.
I pride myself in providing a professional, relaxing atmosphere so that women can fall asleep if they want to or put their headphones in and listen to a podcast or audiobook.
The benefits of Eyelash Extensions are that you do not need mascara, and most of the time not even eyeliner or shadow. This service can seriously cut down the time it takes you to get ready and out the door in the morning. You can swim and shower with them on, and you’re able to wake up every morning already looking great. Many women who start out getting lashes for a vacation or a special event end up continuing the maintenance of them because they feel “ready” all of the time and love the way they look in pictures with their lashes on.
Lash Lifts and Tints are perfect for anyone who doesn’t want to keep up with the 2–3-week appointments of lash extensions and have great natural lashes already. This service involves one’s natural lashes being curled up and then tinted darker, eliminating the need for an eyelash curler, and it lasts 6 weeks.
A Brow Lamination is a perm for your brows that straightens the hairs and makes them extremely moldable. Your natural brows will appear much fuller overall with this service and they’ll be easy to brush in any direction to cover any sparse areas you might have. A tint and shaping is included with a lamination and it lasts up to 6 weeks.
All 3 of these services make your busy life so much easier and get you out the door faster since you’re messing with makeup less.
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
While I firmly believe in working hard and getting out of your comfort zone, I also know that luck absolutely plays a role in success! I was in my hometown- a small city in California, where I had almost zero competition regarding the services I offered, and my business rose to the top and thrived quickly. That couldn’t have happened without being in the right place at the right time, and I attribute some of that to pure luck!
Pricing:
- Full Set of Lash Extensions $190-$250
- Lash Lift & Tint – $95
- Brow Lamination -$85
Contact Info:
- Email: rubylash.slc@gmail.com
- Website: www.RubyLash-SLC.com
- Instagram: @rubylash_slc
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/rubylash.slc
- SoundCloud: https://www.abc4.com/gtu/gtu-featured-guest/change-your-lash-game-with-a-lash-lift/-GoodThingsUtahsegment
- Other: https://g.page/r/CQ7CvrvV65vkEAo-
Image Credits
Tiffany Jaynes
