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Michele Henry turned an $8,000 investment into a $25 million clothing business, then walked away and started over with skincare. Her second company shows what scaling a business really looks like when you build it franchise by franchise, growing from a single facial bar in Edina to nearly 80 locations nationwide. On this episode of Dear FoundHer, host Lindsay Pinchuk talks with Michele Henry, founder and CEO of FACE FOUNDRIÉ, about the decisions that got her there.
Michele explains how a five minute decision led her to sign a lease for her first facial bar just five minutes after selling her shares in her previous company. She breaks down the real estate approach that drove her expansion, and why she believes your first ten franchisees will define your brand.
Michele and Lindsay get into managing rapid growth during COVID, why patience matters more than most founders expect, and the years it took Michele to find the right CFO, bookkeepers, and financial team. She speaks candidly about her goal of reaching 100 locations by the end of the year, and joining what she says is a small percentage of female founders who have reached that milestone.
Press play to hear how Michele Henry built two businesses from the ground up and what she wishes she knew about scaling a business the first time around.
Episode Breakdown:
00:00 Meet Michele Henry, FACE FOUNDRIÉ Founder
00:40 From Fashion Boutique to a $25 Million Business
02:55 The Five Minute Leap to Face Foundrié
05:23 Inside the Face Foundrié Facial Bar Concept
07:44 Building Brand Awareness for a New Concept
09:54 Real Estate Strategy Behind Rapid Expansion
11:06 Deciding to Franchise the Business Model
13:14 Pivoting Face Foundrié Through COVID Shutdowns
19:32 Scaling a Business Toward 100 Stores
23:10 Hurdles Behind the Business Growth Stories
25:16 Three Actionable Steps for New Founders
26:22 Why Your Numbers Matter More Than Ideas
Connect with Michele Henry:
Follow Michele on Instagram
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