“Charlotte is booming with millennials moving here daily. They want to look and feel their best” Macie Mata
As a woman with tons of goals and aspirations, I’m always inspired and motivated by women that create their own lane. I always want to know about their journey and how they got to where they are. Of course being the beauty junkie that I am-I want to know any of their beauty secrets as well! A few months ago, I heard about a beauty app being launched in Charlotte, NC called Maze Services. The app’s tagline is, “Mobilizing Your Salon Experience” and will bring nail and hair services right into your home.
I reached out to the company to set up a one-on-one with founder, Macie Mata. They agreed and I sat down with Macie within a few weeks. Check out my recap below!
When I knocked on the door to the studio where our interview would take place, I was greeted by Macie herself. I thought to myself, wow she’s freaking gorgeous! With beauty and brains, I was even more intrigued. Macie showed me the way into the photography studio with her long flowing hair and fit physique leading the way. She just wrapped up a branding photoshoot with personal photographer, Sam Vargas.
After some girl talk and briefly getting to know one another we sat down and started the interview.
RECAP
Macie’s Top 3 Beauty Products
Lancome Hypnose Custom Volume Mascara
CAREER
With over 5 years as a consultant in the finance and business industry, Macie travelled a lot in her former career. Typically, every two to three years Macie moved to a new city. Throughout her travels, she constantly tried to find the best nail and hair services no matter which city she was in. She thought to herself how convenient would it be to have a one stop shop app to find the best of the best beauty technicians in your area. Not just for a salon, but actual stylists. Two words- “convenience” and “quality”. Macie didn’t let her idea go stagnate. She began to develop and create the Maze Services app in January 2018.
MAZE SERVICES & STYLIST BENEFITS
The name Maze is a catchy phrase stemming from Ms. Mata’s first name, Macie. The goal of the app is for clients to find a top-quality beauty service professional based on ratings and have services performed in the convenience of your home. A huge bonus of Maze Services, is that each stylist is thoroughly vetted and conveniently done through the app. When a stylist applies they will first have to enter their driver’s license number. Once their license number is cleared, they will undergo a background check and are required to send specific work credentials through the app for review. Once the stylist is fully approved, they will be able to list their services on the app. Macie said not only is Maze solving a problem for consumers but, also for stylists. Many of the stylists she has personally interviewed for the app’s pilot is so excited to have this service available. Most salon owners dictate wages and hours which can lead to poor work-life balance. Stylists feel more power over their income and time with tools such as Maze.
CONSUMER BENEFITS
Clients will be able to search the app for a variety of beauty services, see reviews, then schedule a date and time to meet with their chosen stylist. Consumers will create a profile and link it to their social media for verification purposes.
TIMELINE
A proposed five year scale where the app will launch in three North Carolina cities within the first year; Charlotte, Raleigh and Greensboro. The goal is for Maze to hit other cities including; Washington, D.C., Memphis and Nashville, Tennessee within the first five years of launching. The app’s pilot is set for February 2019 with an official launch in the spring.
DAY IN THE LIFE
7am-Macie meditates every morning when she wakes up. Macie is a huge believer in protecting your energy and putting out positive vibes daily. Then, she’ll have a healthy breakfast to start the day.
9am-Heads into the office for her morning pre-day call with the Maze team. Macie is calender obsessed like me! She alternates between three to-do list. The first one is for major priorities that need to get done that day. The second is for tasks that can be delegated out to her team. The third list is for lower level tasks that need to get done, but aren’t priority for that day.
2:30pm-Face-to-face meetings usually with PR companies, investors, or vetting/scouting stylists for the app’s pilot.
6pm-Daily IT call with Maze’s tech team.
8pm-Headed out the office to the gym.
SELF-CARE
Macie is big on self-care especially as a young entrepreneur. She’s a firm believer in being physically and mentally strong by working out daily and setting intentions for the day through meditation. She also sticks to a consistent skincare regimen and doesn’t believe in using a ton of products.
ADVICE TO FEMALE ENTREPRENEURS
Take risks and just start! Macie had several business ventures before starting Maze Services. It’s ok to try different things. But, if you don’t try you will never know the outcome.
Align yourself with people that will help keep you on track. These people will be your cheerleaders and help keep your momentum going especially during tough times.
You don’t have to know how to do every single thing. Find groups or people to connect with that you can learn from. Don’t be scared to ask for help!
Find a mentor to bounce ideas off of.
Don’t spend! Especially in the the beginning phase of your business. Be extremely tight with your business budget when first starting out.
Delegating is your best friend. You can’t do everything. Let go of some control and let others help out.
If you would like to be a part of Maze’s pilot, check out their website, www.mazeservices.com. Thanks to Sam Vargas for our behind the scenes photos! Follow him on Instagram @samvargas_images.
