What It Really Takes to Become an Entrepreneur
September 3, 2026
Andrea Lombardi shares her path from seven-year Blo customer to multi-unit franchise operator, detailing what it takes to build a thriving location. She breaks down team mindset, hiring for culture over technical skill, daily payroll percentage tracking, and setting Wildly Important Goals (WIGs). Andrea offers an honest look at managing a Blo Blow Dry Bar franchise alongside a corporate career and family life.
Andrea Lombardi began her Blo journey as a customer at Blo Bloor West for seven years before stepping into ownership. When her family business was sold, Andrea bought her Blo franchise in 2017 and opened her doors in 2019, while unexpectedly remaining employed under the new family business owners.
Her journey proved that entrepreneurship is less about knowing every answer and more about staying humble enough to keep learning. Andrea discusses running "spaghetti experiments," taking feedback, learning from operational stumbles, and developing the grit required when things do not go to plan.
She reflects candidly on early hiring mistakes at her Blo Etobicoke location. Andrea explains why hiring for mindset, values, and coachability matters more than technical skill when building a service team, and how intentionally protecting company culture transformed her business performance.
From celebrating small wins to using daily sales data to control payroll percentages, Andrea shares practical frameworks for success. She reveals how disciplined operational systems allow her to grow as an entrepreneur while balancing business ownership, a full-time career, and family.
What You'll Learn
- How Andrea transitioned from a 7-year Blo customer to a successful franchise operator.
- Why humility and a positive mindset are critical for navigating business stumbles.
- How to run "spaghetti experiments" and embrace feedback to refine operations.
- Why hiring for mindset and values yields better long-term performance than technical skill alone.
- How to protect team culture using the "rotten orange" rule.
- The exact method Andrea uses to set and track Wildly Important Goals (WIGs).
- How tracking daily sales, add-on services, and payroll percentages removes business anxiety.
- How to balance owning a franchise while maintaining a full-time corporate role and family life.
- Why participating in franchisee peer networks eliminates entrepreneurial isolation.
- Lessons learned after winning Blo Franchisee of the Year and setting new growth targets.
Episode Resources
- Andrea Lombardi on LinkedIn
- Vanessa Yakobson on LinkedIn
- Blo Blow Dry Bar Official Website
- Blo Franchise Opportunities
Interested in becoming a Blo franchise owner? Explore franchise opportunities and discover what’s possible at franchise.blomedry.com
Built to Shine Podcast in handcrafted by out friends over at: fame.so
Built to Shine Podcast in handcrafted by out friends over at: fame.so