How Entrepreneur Kristen Gale Gave the Beauty Business a Makeover

In 2006, 20-something Kristen Gale hatched a plan to fill the gap between unaffordable high-end spas and budget nail salons that compromise on service. Where some might view the beauty industry as a saturated marketplace, Gale saw an opportunity to create a niche for herself in a highly competitive environment. She opened The Ten Spot, specializing in nail, waxing, and facial services, on Queen Street West in Toronto.

Eighteen years later, Gale’s hunch that consumers want an affordable, high-quality beauty bar experience continues to pay off. The Ten Spot has now franchised into 45 locations throughout Canada and in parts of the United States. “Our success has always been about listening to our guests and adapting to meet their needs, so they consistently feel like a ‘10’.”

Here are some of Gale’s top strategies for incubating, maintaining, and growing a thriving brand.

1.      Identify your niche

For anyone looking to start their own business, follow Gale's lead of identifying what's missing in your target market and how you might fill the gap. "Find an area where there's an unmet need or an opportunity to provide something unique and valuable to customers," Gale says. "Ask yourself, how is what you are bringing to the table different or better from what already exists?"

2.      Determine your core brand values

Wanting to further differentiate The Ten Spot, Gale established consistent internal and external brand values. For customers, this means using high-quality products, following strict hygiene standards, and setting fair prices. Customers know they can access a range of services that fit their schedules at a price meant to encourage regular bookings. "We combined accessibility with a high-quality experience, providing massive value in the market," Gale says.

Internally, she committed to paying her staff a living wage with commissions and benefits and offering them training and professional education. This helped Gale develop a positive, social beauty bar experience and recruit top talent.

3.      Keep a laser focus on your brand as it scales

As The Ten Spot franchised into multiple locations, she ensured its distinct brand voice remained strong. She created a manual for maintaining the company culture, no matter the location, while building a management team to support its expanding footprint. For additional buy-in, The Ten Spot solicited input on key brand decisions from franchise partner committees or advisory boards, helping nurture partnerships and drive engagement.

"We systemized every protocol and guest touch point," she says. "I created the esthetics manual and operations specialists helped us ensure the protocols were understood and executed on-brand. Every role within the business was outlined, so that new franchise partners in new markets could easily re-create The Ten Spot experience — anywhere."

4.      Realign your business strategy as needed

During this period of rapid growth, The Ten Spot's core business evolved from being a beauty salon with guests as its core audience, to a franchising company with franchise owners as its main customers.

“I had to guide franchisees through every aspect of the business—real estate, construction, training, and store opening—and accommodate new contract obligations and legal requirements," Gale says.

As part of this shift to a growth mindset, Gale opted to franchise established, company-owned locations. This move allowed her to dedicate her time to cultivating the brand, boosting resources for franchise partners, and investing further in the business.

5.      Seek out advice and expertise

For Gale, identifying what she didn't know — and leveraging the knowledge of experts in her field — has proven key to The Ten Spot's endurance. "It's critical to stay up to speed with industry trends, economic conditions, and consumer behaviors," she says. "I knew that in order for my business to be successful, I had to have the best in the business on my team. I still take this approach."

Early on, she joined the Canadian Franchise Association (CFA), receiving not just encouragement but also invaluable insights. She recently had a chance to give back to the CFA, by hosting a webinar for women on the franchising model. "It's a full circle moment to look back at where we started and be able to provide our expertise and insights," she says.

6.      Enjoy the entrepreneur's journey

Whatever challenges Gale faces as an entrepreneur, she always strives to enjoy the ride. It's essential, she says, to find the joy in the everyday tasks that are essential to scaling any business. "Remember, this is your dream, and you're making it happen."

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