At just 25 years old, Emily Cardosa has achieved what many entrepreneurs spend decades working toward: she’s a business owner with an equal partnership stake in a million-dollar salon. Even more impressive? She accomplished this in just one year through Glo’s innovative employee-to-owner program.
Finding Her Entrepreneurial Spirit
Emily’s journey began in San Diego, where she ran a mobile spray tanning business. While she enjoyed the freedom of entrepreneurship, she quickly recognized the limitations of being a solo operator.
“As one single person doing all of the work, there’s only so much growth that can really happen,” Emily explains. “I was looking for how I could scale.”
That search for growth led her to Texas, where she discovered Glo and its unique approach to developing entrepreneurs through its franchisee program.
Taking a Leap of Faith
Making the decision to join Glo wasn’t easy. Emily had to set aside her independent business and start from the beginning as a Spa Consultant earning $12 per hour.
“I took a huge pay cut,” she admits. “But you have to see the end goal. That’s where a lot of people miss opportunities.”
What separated Emily from others was her entrepreneurial mindset and commitment to the process. While many people express interest in the owner’s program, Emily’s consistent dedication to learning and improving set her apart.
“She came in from day one without an opportunity but determined to get an opportunity,” explains Quinn Cooper, part of Glo’s franchising team. “Most people come in hot for a week, a month, or two months, but it’s that consistency to come in every day, always doing what you’re supposed to do, always seeking to learn, always seeking to grow that put her on the fast track.”
Learning the Glo Way
For Emily, the journey through the ranks at Glo provided invaluable experience that couldn’t be gained any other way.
“I’m forever grateful that I went this route through the owner’s program, and I didn’t just show up with an investor saying ‘I’m ready to open my own Glo,'” she says. “What you learn in the everyday life of the salon is a lot different than what you think you can learn in three weeks of training.”
The experience not only taught her the technical aspects of running a salon but also crucial leadership skills. Without formal business training or mentors in her previous venture, Emily had been learning through trial and error.
“I didn’t have the guidance because I never had anybody to look up to. So my guidance was just looking stuff up online,” she recalls. “Glo has actually given me a business, but also has set me up with the fundamental training that I need to confidently run the business. I’ve learned things that I didn’t know that I needed to run a business effectively.”
Creating Leaders Who Create Leaders
Now, as an equal partner in Glo’s newest location in Tyler, TX, Emily has ambitious plans that go beyond her own success. She’s aiming to be the first graduate of the employee program to help someone else become an owner.
“I’ve already had two or three girls reach out about it,” she says with excitement. “When I’m interviewing for my own store, it’s one of the first things I bring up. Just because you’re starting out as a spa consultant doesn’t mean that you have to stay there.”
This philosophy of creating “mini-mes” – being able to replace yourself by developing leaders – has been a transformative part of Emily’s leadership journey.
“A lot of times people think that they have to do it all themselves for things to run smoothly. I had that mindset before where I had to be in control,” she explains. “Being able to delegate has been a huge part of my leadership journey. That also teaches somebody else how to have responsibilities.”
Bringing Accessible Luxury to Tyler
Emily’s vision for her Tyler location extends beyond business success. She’s passionate about bringing the Glo experience to a new community and creating opportunities for her team members.
“We’re bringing accessible luxury to Tyler,” she explains. “It’s not just a tanning salon. We really care about the skin, the wellness, and everyone’s confidence. Confidence radiates from feeling good and looking good, and we want everyone to have that.”
Her approach to running the salon reflects her own journey – she’s creating a culture where team members can envision their own path to growth, whether that leads to ownership or other leadership roles within the company.
The Glo Difference
When asked why she chose Glo over other franchise opportunities, Emily points to the unique employee program and growth pathways.
“Glo offers a lot of growth opportunities that you don’t see, not only within the tanning industry, but with any industry,” she says. “As a young woman, being able to put the work in and then the outcome being that I have my own store and being the owner is something I’ve never seen before.”
Without the employee program, Emily acknowledges she wouldn’t have been able to achieve ownership at this point in her life. The program provided not just the pathway to ownership but the essential skills and confidence needed to succeed.
Looking to the Future
While many might be satisfied with achieving ownership of one location, Emily has her sights set on continued growth.
“I will open as many stores as I can as long as I have the right team under me, because that’s really how I’m going to be able to scale,” she says with determination.
Her goal? To become a top franchisee within the Glo system, not just through sales metrics but by developing more leaders and creating opportunities for others to follow in her footsteps.
Advice for Future Entrepreneurs
For those inspired by her journey, Emily offers straightforward advice: trust the process and keep your eyes on the long-term goal.
“You’re not going to see success right away, and that’s where a lot of people fall off,” she says. “The systems and processes are in place for a reason. They don’t just teach you this stuff just to teach you it – it actually works.”
Her story serves as powerful proof of what’s possible when determination meets opportunity within a system designed for entrepreneur development.
Interested in learning more about franchise opportunities with Glo or careers that could lead to ownership? Visit glotanning.com/franchise or check out current openings at glotanning.com/careers.
