Behind the Scenes with BeautyNow

Kathleen Jennings is a self confessed beauty product junkie, a stylish mama to three wild boys and the founder of the BeautyNow app. A must download instantly nugget of goodness that helps you find open appointments at salons and spas across the country. It’s genius and so too is this business savvy style expert. She’s sharing can’t live without products, making a business out of what you love and lessons learned along the way. Plus her bevi of choice should she be stuck on a desert island.

SMP: Tell us a little about your business.
BeautyNow (www.beautynowapp.com) is a free app that is like OpenTable or Expedia for booking beauty appointments across the U.S. With over 5,000 spas and salons to choose from (and hundreds more on the waitlist), BeautyNow is the only app of its kind that works in every major city in the U.S.

SMP: Some words you live by?
If you don’t ask, the answer is always no.

SMP: Any guilty pleasures?
I frequently buy myself two cupcakes and eat just the icing off. My husband says I “behead” my cupcakes.

SMP: What did you think your dream job was before your dream job found you?
I always wanted to be a makeup artist, but my parents encouraged me to become an attorney. I’m glad I have my law degree and the experience of practicing at a big law firm, but my passion has always been for the beauty industry! It is true what they say about do what you love, and the success will follow.

SMP: What’s your favorite quote that describes your creative process?
I don’t have a quote, but I always say one should research, research, and then research some more. You need to completely immerse yourself in a subject before you can truly add value.

SMP: If you had the opportunity to get a message across to a large group of people, what would
your message be?
Book an appointment on the BeautyNow app! That, and try your best to be a good person.

SMP: If you could do it all over again, would you change anything?
I think everything has worked out for the best, so I can’t say that I would.

SMP: What is your favorite item in your home?
I really like these Tara Shaw reproduction Swedish arm chairs that I have in our living room. They are covered in a luxe Rogers & Goffingdon striped silk, which is totally impractical considering my wild toddler boys. But they really elevate the style of the room.

SMP: What’s your best tip for balancing work and personal life?
When you are an entrepreneur it is difficult to “turn it off,” but I try to be present with my kids and not check email.

SMP: What was the tipping point in your business that made you feel like it was going to thrive?
Definitely my big break was getting John Paul DeJoria (billionaire founder of Paul Mitchell Products and Patron Tequila) to make a substantial investment in BeautyNow. It is super exciting from a funding standpoint, but also in terms of his influence in the beauty industry and access to existing distribution channels.

SMP: What is the hardest lesson in business you’ve ever learned?
You can’t count on anything until the contract is signed.

SMP: Stranded on a desert island question… what’s the one cocktail you would take with you?
A skinny margarita.

SMP: What color do you think will stand the test of trend time?
A light, Dior-inspired Grey.

SMP: One thing every style savvy homeowner should have?
I think a piece of lucite, like a coffee table or console, is a hip addition to any room and works with any style of decor. Plus lucite pieces are great for small rooms because they don’t take up any visual space.

SMP: If you could buy yourself a single gift of any cost, what would it be?
A vacation home in Colorado or hand-painted DeGournay wallpaper for my dining room.

SMP: Three things every home should have?
A kitchen that people can hang out in, at least one room that is completely safe for kids to run amok in, and carrera marble.

SMP: One thing you can’t live without?
Lip balm.

SMP: Your secret to success?
Confidence and believing in myself.

SMP: Your favorite instagrammer?
@jawdaandjawda. These sisters are so chic it hurts.

SMP: One small design change that can make a big impact?
We lightened up our Tudor-style house by removing the plantation shutters that covered all our windows. Removing the shutters and adding a fresh coat of light gray paint immediately transformed our house from dated and dark to modern and youthful.

SMP: The best job you ever had?
Founder & CEO of BeautyNow, of course. I particularly enjoy the blogging aspect– until I started BeautyNow I didn’t realize that I spend a LOT more time evaluating beauty products than other people do and I have valuable knowledge to impart!

SMP: Best moment of your career so far?
Getting John Paul DeJoria’s investment– see above! It was my own personal ‘Shark Tank’ moment.

SMP: Advice you’d give to your younger self?
I have no idea why I was so self-conscious and insecure in high school. I would tell my 1997 self: “You are hot shit. What’s wrong with you?!?”

SMP: The best advice you’ve ever received?
Ask for forgiveness, not permission.

SMP: What was the first job you ever landed?
I worked in the gift shop of the Bass Performance Hall in Fort Worth circa 1998. Imagine, being a shop girl with no smartphone to entertain yourself!

SMP: What’s a typical work day for you like?
I get my kids off to school, and then spend the next six hours glued to my computer answering emails, having conference calls, and blogging.

SMP: If you could dine with anyone, dead or alive, who would it be?
Steve Jobs and Madonna. Table for three, please!

SMP: Where do you see yourself in five years?
Killing it as the CEO of BeautyNow.

Photography: Traci Ling | Design And Styling: BeautyNow

Style Me Pretty

Behind the Scenes with BeautyNow