Susanna Quinn is not one to waste time. An entrepreneur, mom and major social player in the D.C. scene, she knows how valuable time is, and she knows how important it is to look your best.
“It is incredibly challenging to be a professional woman,” says Quinn. “If you are a professional woman, whatever field you are in—whether you are a lawyer, doctor, politician or reporter—you don’t want to go into a meeting with chipped fingernails and frizzy hair. Everybody wants to look good and there are studies that have been done that more put together women are automatically assumed to be more successful.”
So in true entrepreneur spirit, she saw a problem and started a business to solve it: Veluxe, an on-demand lifestyle service app that provides at-home services. Formerly a real estate agent, Quinn was tired of all the time it took to get to an appointment, deal with traffic, parking and then traveling home, not to mention the time spent at the appointment. “I thought I was really busy then, which I laugh at before I decided to launch and build a business from the ground up, but I thought I was super busy.”
Just like calling up an Uber for a ride, Veluxe users can pull up their app and schedule hair (blow dry, dry styling and updo), makeup, personal training, yoga, massage and nail services. Clients can book for a specific time or a specific service provider, all of whom have gone through a thorough four-step vetting process, including a background check, and most of whom also work in the area’s most popular spas and salons.
“Most important thing is that I won’t hire anybody I wouldn’t use myself. I am my customer and I am extremely particular,” says Quinn.
Currently, Veluxe has over 90 service providers that travel across the Metro-D.C. area. And the best part about the service, besides not having to leave your home, is that the services are all a flat rate. “I thought about having different tiers of pricing, but I have found in Washington, people just want good service,” says Quinn. “So by saying we have this senior provider for $120, what is the difference between them and $95? If I am willing to use somebody, then I think they are good enough.”
Once an appointment is booked, the service provider comes to your home with all of the equipment needed. And once the service is rendered, the card you have on file when you signed up for the app is charged with gratuity included so no money needs to change hands; however, you can tip more if you’d like.
Clients of the app range from professional athletes, politicians and news reporters to the everyday woman. And Quinn says that clients tend to use the app over three times a month. “This is a life changing app, giving people back hours out of their day. We give women time back. You take a professional woman and she is our client,” says Quinn. “You take a professional woman who is a mom and she is our power user.” // veluxe.com
