It may not have been the most reliable phone connection they’d ever had, but Sandy Nelles had big news to share with her husband, Scott. And despite all the static and faint voices, she was determined that he hear every last word.
It was 2008, and Scott was stationed in Iraq while Sandy worked as a property manager at an apartment complex in Lewisville. It had been another stressful workday for Sandy, who hadn’t spoken to her husband in a few days and was practically in tears as she went to a facial appointment she’d scheduled a week or so before.
But something amazing happened at that salon — something that would quickly change their lives for the better.
“I’d never had a facial before,” Sandy said. “I just remember that day being rough, but when I went in, they had essential oils, the calming music, the warm beds … I was like, ‘What is this?’ I didn’t even know what the word esthetician meant, but I couldn’t stop asking questions — ‘What are you putting on my face? … How did you get into this line of work?’”
She added, “It was a whole new world to me, and I had to tell Scott. It was a spotty call with him being in Iraq, but he heard the excitement in my voice about this magical facial. I told him that I wanted to make a career change.”
Fast forward to today, and Scott and Sandy are the proud owners of the wildly-popular mod society facial + maskbar in Flower Mound. Focused on what they call “the mod way,” mod society is the perfect blend between the results-driven mentality of a med spa and the uncompromisingly relaxing nature of day spas. All of their facials are 50 minutes and allow clients to mix and match a variety of techniques and technology to create a customized facial experience. Also unique to their business model is their One Society Skincare, a natural and organic line of products that address everything from acne and anti-aging needs to treating clients with darker skin tones and more.
Whether you’re a veteran facial customer or a first-timer, mod society’s team of professionals have your back.
“We bust our tail to do a good job and do right by our customers. Our Google reviews prove that,” Sandy said. The facility has a staggering 231 reviews on Google alone. “I don’t know of many spas out there that can claim that.”
Scott agreed, adding that taking their leap of faith was the best decision they could have made.
“When we started, we didn’t even know if we’d be successful,” he said. “We kept thinking, ‘What if no one comes through the door?’ But at the same time, it sounded like such a great change. It’s been impressive to see the growth.”
That growth is even more impressive given that mod society facial + maskbar has only been open for five years. In that time, they’ve not only hired a fanatical team of relationship-minded employees and started their own skincare line, but they also moved into their new location at 5801 Long Prairie Rd., Ste. 860. The new facility is twice the size of the previous one and is the beginning of a major shift as Scott and Sandy have decided to franchise their dream business.
“This new larger space will allow us to provide a better experience for our customers,” Sandy said. “And by franchising this year, we will be able to share our one-of-a-kind facial experience with more people. We’ve already received so much interest. We’ll have people come in for the holidays and say, ‘Oh, I’m from San Francisco … are you considering opening one there?’ You hear that a few times and think, ‘Man, I guess we are really onto something here.’ It’s a great feeling, and we’re excited to see where this goes.”
The aforementioned Google reviews certainly help create some buzz. Here are just a few:
“You cannot go wrong with mod society or their skincare line. The services are professional in a clean and friendly environment. The staff works hard to analyze your needs and provide the services that will work best to let you put your best face forward!” — G. Marks
“Always an amazing experience! I’ve had really bad acne for the past 10 years, and nothing helped more than the sorcery the staff here works on my face. Thank you all for helping me on my skincare journey.” — A. Siddiqui
Circling back to that 2008 phone call, the thought of leaping into something new wasn’t a foreign conversation. After 10 years of working in Corporate America, Sandy was burned out. She wanted a career that was nurturing and would help other people, and they’d tinkered with a few ideas here and there throughout the years.
But nothing jumped off the page until that fateful day when she got her first facial. So like any loving and supportive husband would do from over 7,000 miles away, Scott said go for it.
Sandy jumped in with both feet, immediately touring several local esthetics schools to find the right fit. After finishing school, Sandy began working in a medspa and eventually dipped her toes into entrepreneurship by renting a salon suite in Plano. It was then that she had a vision for a facial bar with community-style spa treatments for the entire family. They began brainstorming spa ideas, but the vision just seemed too unattainable and out of reach.
“At that point, we were living in Double Oak and had twin toddlers. Who in their right mind would start a brick and mortar business with twin toddlers?” Sandy said with a laugh. “But we felt the urgency that if we didn’t start the business right then, then we probably never would. I recall us driving past the vacant retail space for about six months, terrified to commit to a brick and mortar store with a five-year lease. But against the odds, we decided to take the plunge and start the first facial bar in the DFW area.”
“It’s been fun, stressful, rewarding — it’s been all the emotions you can think of,” Sandy said. “We hope that you may be on vacation someday outside DFW and see a mod society spa and feel good to know that this franchise started in your hometown of Flower Mound!”
To learn more about mod society facial + maskbar, schedule an appointment, or look into franchising opportunities, visit modfacial.com or call 972-876-9527. You can also email them at [email protected].
(Sponsored content)
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