Susanna Quinn’s on-demand beauty app sells to national market leader.
Veluxe founder Susanna Quinn. Photo by Tony Powell.
In a combined cash and stock deal, local entrepreneur Susanna Quinn has sold her on-demand beauty service Veluxe, which she founded out of her Wesley Heights home in 2015, to national market leader Glamsquad.
Veluxe, the first of its kind app in Washington, allows customers to book blowouts, makeup applications and manicures via their smartphones, and experience the services in the privacy of their own homes or offices. The business earned a loyal following among busy, high-profile Washington women, including members of Congress, attorneys, news reporters, business leaders and philanthropists.
New York-based Glamsquad, which was founded in 2014 and has raised more $30 million dollars in funding to date, also offers beauty services in Los Angeles, Miami, Boston and San Francisco.
The company launched in the D.C. market in early 2017 and immediately gained the attention of Quinn, not only because they would be direct competitors, but because she had heard good things from clients who had used the service on trips to New York.
“When Glamsquad launched in Washington, I realized that there was a potential opportunity to work together with them to develop the DMV market into something so much better than we could each do on our own,” says Quinn.
“One of my investors, Sean Glass (CEO of Advantia Health), suggested that I meet with the Glamsquad team and it was set up quickly through his network. So began the conversation!”
“We heard so many great things about Veluxe and Susanna during our due diligence process leading into the DC launch,” says Glamsquad CEO Amy Shecter. “The partnership was a natural alignment for us as we share the same philosophy when it comes to both our clients and our beauty professionals.”
As part of the deal, Quinn will stay on as a senior advisor to Glamsquad for two years, hosting and attending events on behalf of the brand.
What do existing Veluxe clients do next?
“We are personally reaching out to all of our customers to bring them into that Glamsquad family,” says Quinn.
“Our goal is to make the transition as seamless as possible,” says Shecter.
“All Veluxe clients will be directed to create accounts on the Glamsquad app or online at Glamsquad.
com and begin booking.”
And what’s next for Quinn, who is also a renowned Washington hostess and connector? Before venturing into entrepreneurship she worked as a legislative aide on Capitol Hill, a real estate broker and a writer. She is married to lawyer Jack Quinn, former White House counsel to President Bill Clinton, and together they are staples on the D.C. social scene.
Will she build a new business?
“Right now, I am excited about being a part of Glamsquad,” she says. “I am looking forward to introducing our Veluxe clients to Glamsquad and merging our amazing work families.”
“But never say never,” adds Quinn. “I tell young people all the time: ‘wake up every morning with the goal of solving problems and think about whether the solutions are scalable business ideas.’ That is what I do.”
