GLOW: another exciting Birmingham startup that saves consumers precious time

Jim and Yazmin Cavale. Founders of GLOW. Via FB.

Some of the most successful startups and those often earning record profits and eventually selling for many millions are based on apps that facilitate. Apps that connect the consumer or user with a service provider, ones that save the consumer time…and simply make life easier.

Think Uber, Lyft or Birmingham’s own Shipt. They all provide a connection. In today’s hectic world we all could use a little more time. Time to spend with family, time to enjoy life, or time to develop a great start-up business idea ourselves!

Just last month GLOW, launched by husband and wife team Yazmin Cavale and Jim Cavale, in 2015, was recognized as one of the 9 best start-ups in Birmingham by Tech Tribune.

In 2017 GLOW acquired $250,000 in seed investment, building on connections made through Innovation Depot and Velocity Accelerator. Since that time, another $250,000 investment has been realized.

YazminCavale Glow GLOW: another exciting Birmingham startup that saves consumers precious time
Via: Yazmin Cavale.

GLOW is essentially an on-demand beauty app. The app connects clients with vetted beauty professionals and provides them with hairstyling, makeup artistry and spray tanning in the convenience of their own homes, hotels or offices.

GLOW logo.

Yazmin Cavale has always been interested and involved in the personal care industry. As a professional hairdresser, makeup artists and stylist, Cavale knew what treatments women wanted, and as a busy mom, she knew that time was often the issue when trying to schedule and enjoy beauty services.

GLOW connects vetted industry professionals with consumers to schedule services at convenient times and in convenient locations.

“Our goal is to empower as many women as we can, to achieve excellence through beauty services, and what better way to do that then with an app?” Yazmin Cavale.

I asked Cavale what the biggest benefit a woman using your app will realize.

“Convenience! Women are busy, they do not have time to go from salon to beauty counter to get these services. And women want to sit in the comfort of their own home with a bathrobe on and watch their kids play while they get pampered right before going out to that special event.

Not to mention, most of the time women are so busy they are thinking about themselves last, so being able to book someone one to three hours before you need it, is a plus.” Yazmin Cavale

Yazmin made her way to Birmingham 13 years ago. She is originally from Boston. In her early years of college, her mother moved south to Birmingham. After many visits here, she decided to stay.

“Birmingham gave me the love of my life Jim Cavale (husband) and family: Savanah, Sofia and James, my faith and my business. Birmingham has been so good to me and I couldn’t be a bigger fan. I love the people, weather, the restaurants and it’s easy to get around.” Cavale shared.

 

The Cavale family. Via: Facebook.

Interested in becoming a GlowPro?  There is a very selective five step vetting process in place to ensure the clients are connecting with the best professionals in the local beauty industry.

The process includes:

  •  Application, resume and social media checks
  •  Personality survey
  •  Phone interviews
  •  One-on-one interviews
  •  Demonstration interviews
Professionals connect with customers. Via: GLOW FB

Yazmin Cavale credits her creative energy, the amazing support of her family, her husband, Jim Cavale’s partnership and the start-up accelerators in Birmingham that mentor, train and connect entrepreneurs.

Keep an eye out for news of GLOW. The expansion to Nashville is underway, where over 1000 customers will be serviced with the GLOW app.

“We are very excited about our $500,000 Post-Revenue Seed Round, as it will allow us to accomplish some big next steps for our young, continuously growing startup.” Cavale.
GLOW’s plans for 2018; continue growing cash flow from the Birmingham market, provide corporate support with a new franchising revenue stream and scale the GLOW app into 20+ markets. 

What other time saving, facilitating startups can you imagine?

Cameron Balentine
Cameron Balentine
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