How I Run the BLO/OUT Conglomerate from My iPhone

BLO/OUT Blow Dry Bar is growing fast! So fast that I have to be everywhere at once and need access to every piece of information at my fingertips in order to make the right decision at a moment's notice. Whether as simple as an email or as serious as an employment contract, last month's numbers, or how many stylists / clients are at any given location at the moment, when I need it, I need it instantly!

Over the past year we've managed to build an unbelievable team of stylists, administrative staff and management to operate our locations, manage our corporate needs and work around the clock to foster our growth. I've grown up believing that you must lead by example and I truly believe I'm doing that every minute of every day with BLO/OUT.

I spend my days between locations, at meetings with management, stylists, investors, partners, working our social media, working our public relations, working with our human relations team, our trainers, our construction managers and anything else that requires my attention. I jump into front desk shifts whenever I can to continuously have my fingers on the pulse of the business and while organizing various events and promotions.

At the same time I'm working on our franchise operation which is about to go live, our upcoming sites which are currently under construction, and our new manufacturing operations through which we will distribute our very own brand of BLO/OUT products and tools. Given that I can't do all of that from a stationary office, my iPhone is my savior!

(my forehead is not that big!)

Let's take a random day as an example.

The day starts with a group text message from our Rittenhouse location's morning front desk staff informing everyone that she is running a bit late. Being that I'm a punctuality freak, this does not go over well. Since we use a group text app that includes all the staff at each particular location (GroupMe), I'm sure many people who were not expecting to wake up at 6:45am had a rude awakening!

GroupMe allows an entire location's team to communicate and coordinate without the need for a middle man. Need additional staff to come in and cover a sudden influx of clients? No problem. Want to switch a shift? No problem. Have a public service announcement for all? No problem!

After a few phone calls I check my email. I split my email between the default "Mail" app on the iPhone and the Gmail app. Priority emails go to my Mail app which I constantly check, while emails of less importance go to my Gmail app which I check periodically, based on my schedule.

I will then proceed to check in on our social networking portals which include Facebook, Twitter, Instagram...

I follow this up by taking a look at what's going on in our locations in real time through the use of my Samsung iPolis app through which I access our camera systems.

Once I'm comfortable with everything going on and have responded to all emails, social media notifications, and texts, I proceed to check in with my construction team via text for an update.

I receive an email requesting my review and approval of the graphic design for our new product line which I complete via email and save to my dropbox. I check in with our event coordinator and review the events calendar through the default Calendar app which I've synced with our BLO/OUT Events calendar. This allows me to stay on top of each and every wedding, group event, and on-location service which we've been booked to provide. 

I get a letter of intent from a realtor of ours for a new location I've been scouting. I review it, compare it with a recent LOI I've previously approved, save it in my Dropbox and confirm.

I access the app for BLO/OUT's booking and POS system and review the day's appointments, the previous day's financials, and our month-to-date operating results.

Another app which I often use is the Coin Flip app. Some decisions are just a coin flip away.

I open an email containing a franchise application from New Jersey, quickly review it and save it to the Google Drive folder we share with our franchise attorney for his review. 

Throughout the day I use the reminders app, the notes app and the Springpad app to prioritize through the digital memory tools which keep me focused on the tasks that need to be accomplished in the next few minutes or the next few months. 

And of course I always spend some time every few days to make sure that our proprietary BLO/OUT app is in good working order and is as user-friendly as possible. 

I've considered moving to an iPad but with my memory I'll just forget it somewhere. My phone is an extension of me and without it I'm naked! Just ask my fiance, she will tell you I can't go a minute without doing something on my iPhone!

So if you need me...

Yours,

Avi Shenkar

What a Year It's Been! BLO/OUT Turned One, I have Become a Grownup.

Earlier this month we celebrated our one year anniversary (actually March 4th)! This past year has been unreal, so much has been accomplished, learned, taught, and built. This past year has been both the best and worst year of my life. I'm still here, smiling.

A Saturday like today exactly a year ago I ran into BLO/OUT Huntingdon Valley and asked the stylists to run the shop. That morning I unexpectedly lost my best friend, my biggest fan, my biggest motivator, my toughest client, my mother. My mother was the coolest person I knew and the reason I am who I am today.

The following weeks were the most difficult times of my life and the BLO/OUT staff helped save me. People that only knew me for a few weeks took care of my business while I was unable to do so, they showed up to the funeral, they ran the shop and they forced me to deal with my personal life while they took care of BLO/OUT. I am forever grateful for their help, support and care.

Three days short of a month after that morning I met the love of my life and the person that helped save me from becoming a complete mess. She is the best in "best year of my life". If it wasn't for her, BLO/OUT, my father, my sisters and my close friends I have no idea who I would be today.

Over the past year I was lucky enough to immerse myself in my business, my relationship and my social life and thankfully all have been beautiful. My business with the support of my love, my team, my investors, supporters, clients, and my family has grown and prospered beyond any expectations.

Where are we today?

Today we have two locations with our flagship Rittenhouse location servicing thousands of Philadelphia's beautiful ladies every month while our Huntingdon Valley location has grown, evolved and matured. We have three locations in development and opening within the next 60 - 90 days. We have accepted hundreds of franchise applications from all over the country and are preparing to open the franchise operation of BLO/OUT to the public. This past week we received approval for a deal with one of the largest real estate developers in the country that will help take us nationwide and make us a household name.

We have gotten local and national attention from the likes of CNN, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Examiner and many more. We have built a strong team that will lead us into the future and a client fan base that can't go without their weekly BLO/OUTs. We have brought on great investors that are as concerned with the business and it's development as I am.

We have made great friends, developed awesome partnerships and built a business and a team with a solid foundation. We've booked weddings near and far and have hosted events for the likes of Univesity of Pennsylvania's Women's Law Association.

This past week I turned down an offer that would have solidified our seven figure valuation, yeah that was a tough one. I think its too early, Im not ready to make drastic changes to our foundation. We've secured two locations that are going to be huge for the company and we've begun manufacturing our own products, tools and custom brushes that will be available to the public very soon. We've secured awesome investors to be a part of our future growth and awesome clients to motivate that growth.

This past year was just the beginning. I can't wait to get another year, two or ten under our belt and show the world what BLO/OUT is about.

Thank you everyone that has given us a chance, continues to frequent our establishments, supports us, invests in us both financialy and emotionally, my team, my family, our friends, and my best friend and love.

Yours,

Avi

NYC 2013 Fashion Week or Prom Night, Don’t 'Do the Updo!

The formal definition of an Updo is “a hairstyle that is swept up and fastened away from the face and neck.” I bet there’s an image of an Updo flashing through your mind. More than likely it’s a typical one; a bun with a few ringlets of hair placed softly around the face. But this bun you’re picturing is exactly what’s wrong with our everyday image of an Updo; IT’S BORING! We should just trademark it as “the boring bun with ringlets.” In its hay day everyone wore the traditional Updo, a.k.a. the Boring Bun, and some traditional occasions still call for the classic ‘do. However, today’s youth and hot young ladies require a style that not their mothers. Think of the classic Updo… Now get the picture of your Mom in a puffy-sleeved prom dress with the boring bun out of your mind and instead picture this: you, at your prom, in the dress of your dreams, your makeup chic and elegant; the perfect compliment to your modern and sexy new ‘do.  Maybe it’s placed high on your head and pulled back tightly, like the Dennis Basso creation for NYC Fashion Week 2013, which won him the award for Best Runway Hair. Basso managed to take the boring bun and turn it into a sophisticated and edgy style.

The Spring 2013 NYC Fashion Week proved that you could take outdated hairstyles and modernize them, making them hot, trendy and sexy. The same can be said for BLO/OUT Blow dry Bar, a sleek salon that offers trendy styling; no cuts, no color, just blow outs. Women of all ages from prom queens to savvy & successful businesswomen are no longer looking for the classic Updo their mothers wore. The majority of our clientele at BLO/OUT Blow Dry Bar are looking for big sexy loose curls “the Kim Kardashian look” as they refer to it.

Try a double Waterfall braid, maybe an awesome faux Mohawk for you next runway show or prom. Wearing your hair down these days is not “classless” it’s hot, trendy, and sexy. NYC Fashion Week stylists & prom queens alike prove that it’s okay to do a modern Farrah Faucett ‘do for whatever the occasion (Wedding, Prom, Night Out, etc.). High school girls going to prom this year please note: the boring bun does not have to be your last resort! 

Kristin F. 
BLO/OUT Blow Dry Bar BLO/Lita
Kristin is a BLO/Lita with BLO/OUT Blow Dry Bar and a formal hair specialist.

Our Annual BLO/N Away for Valentine's Day Event with Uber Private Drivers!

BLO/OUT Blow Dry Bar Rittenhouse Provides Professional Help Updating Your Online Dating Profile Picture Just in Time for You to Score a Valentines Day Date!

Valentine’s Day is around the corner and you’re still spending all your free time online browsing dating profiles! It’s time to update your online dating profile and wow the hordes of eligible bachelors out there ready to be your Valentine!

BLO/OUT Blow Dry Bar is here to help! On Sunday February 3^rd, in association with Uber,
BLO/OUT is holding our 
Annual BLO/n Away for Valentines Day Event!

BLO/OUT Blow Dry Bar Rittenhouse will have photographers on hand to take beautiful headshots of the updated you with your beautiful Do for your online dating profile!

Come in between 9am and 5pm on Sunday February 3^rd for a BLO/OUT and a Delicious Make Up Application by BLO/OUTs experienced BLO/Litas and your headshots are free of charge! Your photos will be emailed to you upon completion. Use your photo for your online dating profile, Facebook profile or LinkedIn!

BLO/OUT also partnered up with Uber, Everyone's Private Driver providing complimentary rides to and from BLO/OUT Blow Dry Bar Rittenhouse and raffling off complimentary Uber rides for your Valentine's Day Date.

Uber, "everyone's private driver", would like to offer all attendees who are new users a complimentary ride up to $20 to or from the event with promo code PHILLYBLOOUT  Promo can be entered in app by tapping the icon in the upper left hand corner or visiting the promotions page when you sign into Uber.com.

1. Sign Up: Download the UBER app on your iPhone or Android device, or visit www.uber.com/go/PHILLYBLOOUT

2. Enter the Promo Code: PHILLYBLOOUT

3. Request & Ride: Select your pick up location & tap Request Now

Sans cut, sans color, BLO/OUT offers a wash, blow dry and hot style in a beautiful, chic, inviting atmosphere. From straight sleek to bouffant curl, BLO/OUT Blow Dry Bar offers numerous styles, including up-do’s and glamorous braids. Their signature BLO/OUTs can be had at a low flat price of $35, making it an affordable luxury, and leaving women with no excuse for a bad hair day. 

Located at 1804 Chestnut Street across from Continental Mid-Town, BLO/OUT offers 3 floors of beautifying services along with champagne, margaritas, iPads, jewelry, spray tanning, private rooms, a roof top deck and Philadelphia’s best stylists! Open 7 days a week as early as 7am and as late as 9pm, you can throw away that shampoo at treat yourself to a wash/BLO/style anytime you like!

Also offering amazing scalp massages, BLO/licious Make-up and fabulous custom hair styles BLO/OUT is the perfect place to start a girls night out, weddings, showers and other events. Their BLO/Em’ Away services bring talented stylists to you!

No scissors, no chemicals, just heat-sculpted Head-turning style. The perfect finished look.   

The Most Exciting & Busiest Day in BLO/OUT Blow Dry Bar History!

Last Monday was New Years Eve. 2012 was disappearing and 2013 was about to hit. All the preperation, the anxiety, the fear was coming to a head, a beautifully BLO/n head!

BLO/OUT Huntingdon Valley was completely booked from morning to closing. BLO/OUT Rittenhouse was completely booked between noon and closing. Approximately 25 BLO/Litas were preparing for the craziest day they have ever experienced. 

That's exactly what they got!

Both location served hundreds of BLO/OUTs in one day... and everything went smoothly!

No technical difficulties, barely any crazy waits (a few clients waited more than I would ever like anyone to wait, but they totally understood and still loved their BLO/OUTs). Tons of BLO/Me Mosas were drunk, much of it ending up on the floor as well. Beautiful excited ladies all over the place getting ready to party the night away.

It was honestly one of the most awesome days I have ever experienced. So much great feedback, so many smiles, so much beautiful hair. We made it!

We could not have asked for a better welcoming party to Rittenhouse! Our team was awesome! Everyone worked their butts off pulling 12 hour shifts without a break! I could not be more proud of the BLO/OUT BLO/Litas and what we've built! 

It's a new year, let's make this a BLO/OUT year full of beautiful hair, happy clients and top notch customer service! 

Yours,

Avi & The BLO/OUT Family