Beautified
closedNew way to book last minute beauty & wellness appointments download the ios app and book treatments in minutes.
| Date | Investors | Amount | Round |
|---|---|---|---|
$1.2m | Seed | ||
| Total Funding | 000k | ||
Beautified was a mobile application designed to simplify the process of booking last-minute beauty and fitness services. The company was founded in 2012 by Hannah Bronfman, Annie Evans, and Peter Hananel. The idea originated from a personal frustration experienced by Evans and a friend while trying to book same-day hair appointments for an event in New York City. Recognizing a gap in the market for a service similar to OpenTable or Uber but for the beauty industry, they set out to create a solution.
Hannah Bronfman, a social media influencer, DJ, and entrepreneur, brought her public profile and network to the founding team. Annie Evans had a background in marketing and events for major media brands like Esquire and O, The Oprah Magazine, providing expertise in enterprise strategy and business development. The app acted as a curated, geo-located marketplace, connecting users with a select group of high-quality salons, spas, and fitness studios, allowing them to book available appointments on the same day. The platform initially launched in New York City and featured well-regarded establishments. For businesses, Beautified offered a way to fill empty, last-minute slots, optimizing their schedules and revenue. The business model involved taking a commission from the services booked through the app.
In August 2014, Beautified announced it had raised $1.2 million in seed funding to support its expansion into Los Angeles and San Francisco. However, the company's trajectory was impacted by internal conflict. In late 2014, Bronfman filed a lawsuit against co-founder Peter Hananel, alleging he had locked her and Evans out of the company's systems and bank accounts. Following a falling out between the business partners, the app eventually ceased operations and became defunct. The experience of raising capital as a young, Black, female entrepreneur proved challenging for Bronfman, who reported facing racism, sexism, and ageism from investors. This journey later informed her focus as an angel investor, concentrating on supporting minority and women-led startups.
Keywords: beauty booking app, on-demand beauty, salon booking, spa appointments, last-minute bookings, fitness class booking, mobile beauty service, Hannah Bronfman, Annie Evans, NYC startup, beauty tech, wellness app, marketplace, seed funding, defunct startup, getbeautified