NEWSThe Journey From Managing a Chain of Beauty Salons to Owning a Sugaring Paste Manufacturing Empire
Oct. 5 2023, Published 5:17 a.m. ET
Vera Pigaleva is a chemical engineering graduate, former operations manager of an entire chain of beauty salons, and is now the present co-founder and co-owner of Sugaring Factory, the largest sugar paste manufacturer in the U.S. market for the past 20 years. Sugaring Factory has been able to provide and is enthusiastically committed to its continuation of offering revolutionary sales strategies to all its business partners. From the budding new industry young entrepreneurs to existing established and successful brands, this powerhouse manufacturer has facilitated the launch pad for their collaborating partners to over-achieve beyond their expectations. Navigating Sugaring Factory from its meager beginnings to now at the forefront of the cosmetic industry, Vera Pigaleva humbly shares some of her battle-tested secrets of running a manufacturing empire in today's unpredictable economic climate.
You own Sugaring Factory, a sugaring company. Why sugaring and not any other types of hair removal?
My partner Eva Moss and I pondered long and hard about the hair removal industry in general. We became engrossed with the idea of building something uniquely our own. We racked our brains together and carefully analyzed the market. We jointly concluded that sugaring was under-researched. The then-current slate of products offered was in dire need of much-needed improvements. Remember, this was two decades ago.
At this time, all such new-fangled cosmetics were just now emerging. We decided to create a better quality product that would satisfy the needs of each client without unnecessary pain and at a reasonable price. The fact that sugaring is a renewable need further fueled us in the direction of the sugaring and the hair removal industry. Hair is always growing, sometimes in places we do not desire. (laughter) And where there will always be a demand, Sugaring Factory will always strive to provide a superior supply.
Share what you are responsible for in the company.
My duties span the full operating spectrum. Becoming an entrepreneur demands that you learn to wear a plethora of different hats along the fluctuating journey of building your company and brand. Developing and nurturing a business snatches you out of your comfort zone and thrusts you into acquiring the skill sets required for the task before you or partnering with others that possess the skills you immediately require. Entrepreneurship is not for the faint of heart. Honest assessments of the skills you possess and the team around you are key. It's truly a team effort. From operating HR duties, administering licensing, managing budgets, assisting in cultivating synergistic collaborations with partners and clients, engaging creatively with designers and vendors, to staying current and plugged in with beauty bloggers and influencers, my responsibilities are truly interwoven into every aspect of the company’s day-to-day operations.
Do you have any competitors?
Regarding competitors, we have one main competing company located in Canada. However, this particular company follows a slightly different sales protocol. Our Canadian competitor sells its products only to beauty salons. We at Sugaring Factory, on the other hand, promote a completely different sales model. We foster and encourage the development of newcomers in the beauty market. We are attracted to those who are interested in the sugaring business and pledge to give them a platform to grow and build their brand. In addition to differing sales models with our international competitor, Sugaring Factory prides itself on being based in America. While many beauty product manufacturers may outsource their labor, we are committed to keeping the jobs right here in the land of infinite opportunities, in the United States of America.
Following in our footsteps, these smaller companies have begun to offer some limited Private Label options. However, Sugaring Factory remains the largest sugaring leader in the market today.
What does Sugaring Factory have to offer that your competitors find difficult to offer? What sets your company apart?
First and foremost, it's our relentless pledge to ascribe to noble distinction in quality. Quality is key and is what sets any company desiring to succeed into a higher stratosphere of excellence. Our operating system is set up in such a way that every ingredient that is supplied to us undergoes comprehensive laboratory testing. Even though we have reliable suppliers, this does not exclude the need for routine detailed quality assurance checks on our raw materials.
Secondly and equally important, is our impressive ability to produce volume, volume, and even more volume. Our production capacity is capable of generating literally tons of unit products a day. No other company in the U.S. can boast that. Our clientele understands that they will get the desired large quantity of unit products, and they can find comfort in not having to settle for the modest 100 units a day that our competitors can only offer at best.
And thirdly, sugaring pastes first appeared in the cosmetic industry only as a single classic formula. Sugaring Factory hails itself in creating lines with various additives to provide a variety of styles and products to the ever-expanding market of hair removal. Black paste with activated charcoal, white paste with clay, an aroma series of pastes, a colored line of pastes, an organic line, and a hypoallergenic line to name just a few of our variety of stock. Carefully taking into consideration of the vast array of request types of our consumers, no other manufacturer can offer such a wide range in the American market as Sugaring Factory.
Sugaring Factory is the only major player in the market. Why don't other companies strive for a larger piece of the market share? Do you think it is a lack of proper funding, the strength of company infrastructure, or the absence of desire?
Why do our competitors not seek to expand or explore market share growth? This is a paramount question I have considered often. Growth requires rolling up your sleeves and challenging yourself as a company. Growth implies large investments in equipment, quality raw materials, advertising, production staffing, facilitating quality assurance laboratories, and managing a portfolio of industrial manufacturing properties. Many manufacturers shy away from taking risks and simply opt to operate with what they currently possess in their assets. Sadly most of our competition hinder their sales by requiring a certificate of training specifically with their company or requiring a company-specific license. In addition, most companies do not sell directly to the individual consumer. Instead, competing companies elect to complicate the process themselves by selling to estheticians and salons only and thus consequently limiting themselves in expansion and revenue growth. From the valued individual consumer in Boise, ID to the luxury chain of salons in Manhattan, Sugaring Factory is and always will be happy to accommodate all who desire smoother feeling bodies. Your body. Your rules. No exceptions here.
What are some of the big customers that come to you for your products?
We supply pastes to other brands, that for whatever reason, cannot or have stopped producing pastes on their own. These are existing valued brands that have already made a name for themselves but who do not have the infrastructure in place to produce in mass quantities in-house. We also cater to entrepreneurs who are ready to develop their brand but are in search of a product that can yield high-profit margins.
By purchasing and producing your products with our company, you automatically enhance the opportunities to widen your presence in this exciting and emerging cosmetic field.
Sugaring Factory is a place where you can see an immediate return on your investment. Sugaring Factory in turn expedites both large and small volume quantity requests, daily administers strict routine quality assurance guidelines and tests, all while gift-wrapping your requests with the guarantee of on-time deliveries.
