Today we’d like to introduce you to Laura Orr
Hi Laura, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I’m an Aussie girl from Sydney, Australia. I’m a very stereotypical Australian who loves the sun, sand and beach and craves that natural, sun-kissed look. Unfortunately I have incredibly fair skin and a family history of skin cancer so tanning in the sun has just never been an option for me.
Cue the start of my exploration into sunless tan back when I was a teenager. Over the years I have tried endless brands and types of tans, mousse, moisturizers, gels both professionally applied and at home. I’ve been orange, I’ve missed spots and I’ve certainly overdone those pesky knees and wrists! Through all of this over the last 20 years I have perfected my tan to make me feel sexy, and give me a boost of confidence to be my best self, and this led me to want to do the same for others. I want to help people feel confident, empowered, and like the best version of themselves.
This is why I launched aussie glows, bringing mobile spray tanning to Dallas. The products we use are made in Australia and are all natural, organic and free of the nasties. Not only will they give you a natural, sun-kissed glow, they are also beneficial for your skin with ingredients such as argan oil and aloe vera. And there’s no need to worry about being orange, the products I use have advanced technology that will react with the outermost layer of your skin giving you a unique and natural looking color.
I have been open for a few months now and it has been an incredible journey! I have met so many amazing people and I love hearing their stories of who they are, what they are up to, and why they are getting a tan. Speaking with clients after their tan has developed and how it makes them feel reinforces why I started the business and why I want to continue to expand.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It has definitely not been a smooth road. Starting a new business has come with many challenges that I have had to navigate, from technology to lead generation and revenue.
I used Squarespace for my website, and I am sure like most new business owners, used all the recommended plugins to get started. I have found that the booking system really isn’t ideal for a mobile business as it will not calculate the geographical distance and travel time required between appointments meaning I am having to do a lot of manual manipulation. It also has little issues like it cannot add tax on top of a price, so I have to add this into the displayed price which isn’t ideal, or promotional codes can’t apply to both once off appointments and memberships.
Another challenge is getting a consistent flow of clients. I have been experimenting with advertising on different platforms and making contacts within adjacent industries to build referrals. But starting from scratch means building a client base from scratch and results in some weeks with full bookings and others with only a few. Working through those slower weeks and finding ways to get new clients and expand can be challenging but it pushes me to expand.
We’ve been impressed with aussie glows, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
aussie glows is a mobile spray tan business. We use high end, luxury products that are organic, all natural, and made in Australia. We are differentiated by the quality of our product, being an Australian business, and being mobile. Especially in a place like Dallas, having a spray tan artist come to you in the comfort of your own home is a game changer. You don’t have to brave the weather, worry about getting into a hot car, take the time to go to and from a salon, or worry about what clothes you might wear home from a salon so you don’t ruin your tan. All you have to do is book an appointment, your spray tan artist will come to you, customize the tan to your skin, and be in and out within 20-30 minutes! Then you can dry and relax in your own home before you shower and not worry about weather or what you have to wear.
Another important thing that sets aussie glows apart is that we do spray parties! Get everyone together in one place and make a party out of getting a spray tan. It makes the cost more affordable, and it is also a lot more fun tanning with friends.
Finally, we have a super rapid product which I have not seen from any other salon or company which can be showered off in as little as 20 minutes. This is a game changer for those that are on the go and need a quick pick-me-up with a tan that allows them to get on with other things, fast.
Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
I love working with people and businesses and really believe we should all work together to support each other! I am a small business, so would love to collaborate with other businesses who may have clientele that would be interested in getting a spray tan. I do ‘spray parties’ which is where you can get a group of people together in one place and all get a spray tan at the same time which is perfect before events or vacations. I love the idea of doing collaborative events or parties to network and share clients.
Pricing:
- Regular 2 hour dry spray tan $100
- Rapid 20 minute dry spray tan $115
- Spray party $85 – $100 per person
- Prep and post spray $5/each
- Other additives $10/each
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.aussieglows.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aussieglows
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aussieglows
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/aussie-glows-dallas
Image Credits
Kate Marie Gardner
