IMAGE STUDIOS - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- IMAGE Owner
- IMAGE Owner / Location: Charlotte, NC
Meet Alnessa "Niecey" Goodwin, wife, mother, and entrepreneur. She is a proud native of Saluda, S.C, where she credits receiving her traditional family
values. This southern belle isn't afraid of the outdoors or getting her hands dirty, and yet, she can still whip up a finger-lickin' meal in the kitchen with just five ingredients.
Niecey attended the University of South Carolina (Go Gamecocks!), where she obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology and African American Studies. She has served as both a charitable philanthropist and a dedicated community volunteer. She continues to help fund programs for pediatric cancer patients and has supported efforts to feed the homeless, gifted youth programs with athletic equipment, supplied essential items to battered women, and hosted various drives to provide school supplies for both teachers and students.
Niecey serves as the Director of Operations at the Goodwin Household, where she and her family have settled in Waxhaw, N.C. (right outside of Charlotte). No two days are alike in her home, so managing the ever-changing schedules of four active children and a spouse keeps Niecey on her toes. There is such a unique range in ages among her children (15, 12, 7, and 2). Imagine having to keep up with the proclaimed ‘teenager independence,' the awkward pre-teen blues, crazy adolescent antics, and those delightful toddler tantrums. Yet, she enjoys all of the adventures that come with being the mother of a very diverse household.
When Niecey is not volunteering or spending time with her family, she enjoys reading, traveling, decorating, crafting, DIY projects, and cooking. One personal project that she is most looking forward to, is the unveiling of a new Community Center in her hometown, which is currently under construction.
Andres & Ivonne have been business owners for most of their professional lives, starting with boutique tax consulting firms and leading up to their current real estate business in which they own and operate multifamily communities in the front range of Colorado. Ivonne has worked in multinational companies and now owns and directs the real estate investment firm she owns with Andres. Andres has served as a high-level executive in different capacities at multinational firms, especially in the corporate finance and strategic planning space. As a family, they are very involved in their community, serving in different community programs sponsored by the Rotary Club of Centennial, of which Andres is a member and past president; as well as with other service organizations like Denver Metro Caring, Hope StartsHere Food Bank, and The Children\\\'s Foundation. They live in Centennial, Colorado with their two teenage sons and enjoy the outdoors, running, biking and baseball. IMAGE Studios has a very solid business plan, a very knowledgeable team, and extensive processes that are designed to ensure the success of its franchisees. Andres & Ivonne loved the idea of working with a group of creative, passionate professionals, all the while ensuring a solid business support for the day-to-day operations and empowering small business owners to be successful.
A life-long learner, coach, and leader. Andrew started his career as a teacher before leaving to join GE Healthcare. A varied professional career included employment at GE Healthcare, NBC, and WebMD. He also served as the President of The Wellness Network and grew the business tenfold before it was sold in 2021. He currently serves as the Chief Revenue Officer of MyCareText, a powerful messaging tool for connecting patients and their family members with their healthcare providers throughout the entire cycle of care.
Job Titles:
- IMAGE Owner
- IMAGE Owner / Location: Littleton, CO
Anne Marie has been in Colorado since she was three years old, and in the Denver area her entire adult life. She attended Regis University, and has spent her career in and around the finance world from banking to broker/dealer. She spent the past 19 years at Western Union. On the entrepreneurial side, she has been part of building and operating a car wash from the ground up, and several projects in residential real estate from fix & flips to income properties. She has spent a lot of time with Special Olympics and other programs that serve the population with developmental disabilities as her adult son is part of that community. She looked at several different franchising models before deciding that IMAGE Studios was the one for her. She liked the business model, the opportunity to grow a business that would allow some personal freedom, and the way the IMAGE management team put together such an exciting and thorough model to follow. Most of all, she was drawn to the opportunity to help other individuals realize their entrepreneurial dream of independent business ownership.
Aryn is originally from Lansing, Michigan and moved with her family to Greenville as a child. She has watched Greenville grow by leaps and bounds and loves living in such a vibrant city for artists. Aryn's mother was in the salon industry, which fueled her love and passion for working with stylists. After graduating from high school she attended school for interior design. Aryn identifies with the core values that define Image Studios 360- Creativity, Freedom and Success. Working at Image Studios allows her to combine her love of fashion and design with a real passion for empowering women in a vibrant and creative setting. Serving as Salon Director is a dream come true for Aryn and she is very excited about the opportunity to help others realize their entrepreneurial dreams. When Aryn isn't working with stylist she spends time with her husband and two sweet little ones. They love exploring and experiencing all that Greenville has to offer.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Corporate Team
- Director of Franchise Development
- Franchise Development Director
Brandon is a Franchise Development Director who works with qualified candidates who are exploring the IMAGE Studios concept as a way to meet their goals of business ownership. Brandon has been in a variety of franchise development and franchise consultant positions for nearly 20 years, working with new, emerging, and established brands in the United States and Canada. The majority of Brandon's career has been focused on beauty and wellness franchises, which brings him full-circle to the mission of our salon suite brand. Using a genuine and direct approach, Brandon aligns candidate's values with the values and culture of IMAGE Studios®. He previously participated in the Certified Franchise Executive program through the International Franchise Association and has attended numerous franchise educational events including the Franchise Management Courses at Georgetown University. For 13 years, Brandon was a mentor for Big Brothers Lone Star, the largest Big Brothers Big Sisters organization in the world. He also served as the Mentor Program Director for 3 years with Major League Soccer's Dynamo Youth Academy. He lives in downtown Houston with his partner Erin, 9 year old son William, and two crazy rescue dogs Zoey and Ruthie.
I've been a film and entertainment professional for over 30 years, and have had the privilege of working on some of the biggest franchises in the business. Working on projects such as Star Wars, The Matrix films, Shrek and Fortnite, it's been the partnership with creative artists and production teams thats made my career so rewarding. Managing artistic teams and helping elevate their careers has been a hallmark of what drives me on a day to day basis. Adding on to my film career, I now get to team up with my greatest partner, my wife Heidi. Over the years, watching her excel as a stylist and seeing her professional skills reach new heights, I'm thrilled to be stepping off our IMAGE Studios journey together.
Job Titles:
- IMAGE Owner
- IMAGE Owner / Owner, Image Studios - the Sparrow Group of Durham, NC
After 15 years in the Arts & Entertainment industry working in various roles from Public Relations, Concert Production, and Music Promotion, Brittany Yeary joins IMAGE Studios as a new owner in Lexington and Louisville. She is excited to turn her focus on creating a community for creative business professionals to flourish in their own businesses. Image Studios inspired her. She looks forward to creating an inclusive environment that empowers creative professionals to take control of their business and create in their way, on their time.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Corporate Team
- Commercial Real Estate Broker
Carlie brings over a decade of experience in tenant representation with specific expertise in national expansion for both established and emerging brands. She has represented clients in more than 500 transactions across 40 states and comes highly recommended by individuals in the industry. She is known for her integrity, passion, positive attitude, and creative dealmaking strategies. Carlie's relentless drive to advocate for tenants and secure lucrative terms has earned her the trust and respect of her clients and colleagues. Today, she brings that respect, her impressive network, and years of industry experience to Reimagine CRE. Carlie is originally from Fort Worth, TX and holds a bachelor's degree in Sociology with a minor in Business from the University of North Texas. She began her career with Morrow Hill where she acted as Executive Tenant Representative before moving to Fischer & Company, where she was quickly promoted from Vice President to Senior Vice President. Carlie is a member of the North Texas Commercial Association of Real Estate Professionals, Junior League, and was recognized as a D CEO Magazine Power Broker in 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022. Carlie currently lives in Louisiana where she enjoys gardening, walks with her dogs, and painting.
Job Titles:
- IMAGE Owner
- IMAGE Owner / Location: McKinney, TX
- Management Expert
Catherine L. Wheeler is a change management expert and organization fixer, think Olivia Pope without the scandals. She's spent over a decade coaching leaders of Fortune 500 companies and non-profit organizations through significant transformations, including a $19.5B acquisition; challenging and equipping them to successfully navigate the terrains of people systems and organizational design for mission-driven impact. She joins IMAGE alongside her husband as an avid consumer and admirer of the beauty industry and its creative and talented professionals! When she's not transforming leaders and organizations you can find her cuddled in blankets watching TV with her husband and two daughters, scrolling Pinterest for five-ingredient recipes.
Christina has always had a passion for fitness and spent her professional career focused on healthcare and wellness. She is owner and instructor of I Am Limitless and Limitless Lancaster, 24 Hour Fitness, and owned two trampoline parks, where she put wellness into action! While she loves being a part of a business where you feel your best, she knew she wanted to bring that same kind of joy and the feeling you get when you extend your best self forward through self-care. She is proud to be part of the IMAGE Studios family where professionals and their clients can curate beauty, wellness and self expression.
Throughout her career Christine has excelled at building teams. Along the way, her entrepreneurial interests have led her to start several businesses. Education has been a passion and she recently launched a Tutor Doctor franchise. (An online and in-home personalized one-on-one tutoring company) Christine has also had a career in IT for over 20 years as a dedicated, analytical, and highly organized Manager with experience supporting Fortune 500 businesses in areas of Project Management, Agile, Scrum, Corporate Training, and management of dedicated On-Site Support.
Courtney Banton are looking to expand the IMAGE Studios brand in the Las Vegas market. Bill brings 25+ years of experience as a human resources executive to the table while Courtney compliments his skill set with 6+ years in marketing. Bill and Courtney have 4 children - 2 daughters and 2 sons. During their spare time, Bill and Courtney enjoy outdoor activities like water skiing, house boating and exploring the desert on ATVs - anything to put them on the water or in the sun. Other hobbies they enjoy include staying current on the latest movies, traveling and reading.
Courtney is a CPA, currently working in the tech industry. Courtney is married to Josh Harper and they are excited to be opening the first IMAGE Studios location in Arizona! Courtney and Josh are high school sweethearts and have one daughter, who is attending Colorado State University to obtain a PhD in Animal Sciences with a focus in dairy calf health. When not crunching numbers, Courtney enjoys travel (especially if it involves a beach), reading, a good cup of hot chocolate, college football, anything that involves alpacas, and volunteer work. Courtney and Josh share a passion for volunteering with organizations focused on homeless outreach, at-risk children, and animal rescue. Courtney and Josh love that IMAGE Studios gives beauty professionals the freedom to be their own boss with no limit on their creative possibilities or the level of success that can be achieved. They were drawn to IMAGE Studios when they realized how deeply the team cares about the development and success of the beauty professionals that join the IMAGE family.
Courtney is a Project Manager here at IMAGE Studios®. She works with our general contractors, architects, and engineers to design and build beautiful IMAGE locations across the country.
Courtney has many years of experience as a dedicated, professional Account Manager. While working in the franchised salon industry, Courtney was instrumental in the development and implementation of Store in a Box (SIAB), a reliable and customizable salon fixture and procurement program. She has a background in managing complex construction rollouts, large remodels, and individual store buildouts. Courtney brings a wealth of project knowledge and a passion for design.
Job Titles:
- IMAGE Owner
- IMAGE Owner / Location: Franklin, TN
- Information Technology Executive
Craig Utley is an Information Technology Executive in the Nashville area. Previously, he ran his own consulting business for fifteen years, after being the President of a software development firm. Craig enjoys mixing his people and business management skills to help businesses grow and succeed. IMAGE Studios provides a great way for him to help others work independently and improve their lives.
Job Titles:
- IMAGE Owner
- IMAGE Owner / Location: San Clemente, CA
Denise Gorlick has an expansive career in project management, development, real estate, and operations in the retail, beauty, and restaurant industries working with corporate, franchise, and private enterprises. A large portion of her career has concentrated on the beauty industry serving in both development and operational roles from single one-unit ownership to multi-unit international franchise systems. Her experience has covered site selection, designing store layouts, vendor management, new store development, remodels, construction, and project management in addition to the many hats she has worn operationally to include category management, procurement, marketing, and education/training. Denise earned her certificate in Commercial Real Estate from Cornell University and has been a speaker at the International Franchise Association's annual conference.
Denise resides in Buffalo, NY with her husband. After raising their five grown children and coaching them through multiple sports, she began several businesses with her children and enjoys coaching them through their entrepreneurial endeavors. When not enjoying the company of their children, Denise, and her husband also enjoy spending time with their dogs or on the water.
Job Titles:
- Construction Project Manager
- Project Manager
Donna is an experienced construction project manager with over 25 years of experience in commercial construction project management and is skilled in franchise relations. She has managed multiple brands and clients at various stages of construction throughout her career. On a larger scale, Donna successfully managed a remodel/conversion project for a franchise ownership group which included converting and remodeling 190 corporate to franchise locations within a nine-month period in multiple states. Prior to this for the same client, she oversaw a 65-store remodel/conversion in a six-month period.
Donna and her husband, John, enjoy spending time taking their lab, Rico, on adventures including hiking and swimming. They also enjoy live music, fine restaurants, and traveling in their free time.
Emily and her team at BookSmarts manage accounting and bookkeeping for the corporate office and royalty invoicing for IMAGE Studios' franchisees. BookSmarts has had the privilege to partner with IMAGE since its inception from the first five corporate stores to its many franchise locations now nationwide. Her BookSmarts team is comprised of women educated as CPAs, MA Accounting, Masters in Taxation, Business Management, and many other degrees, and has combined accounting experience of over 50 years. This experience and education is a powerful resource and support for IMAGE Studios®. "Our main goal is to provide our IMAGE clients with the highest level of accounting expertise and training so they can focus on growing their salon. Our team of accountants strive to make accounting more transparent, less overwhelming, more useful, and more engaging for IMAGE owners so they can understand their business. We thoroughly enjoy our partnership with IMAGE, and being a part of this incredible support network." Emily and her husband have three amazing daughters, and two sons-in-law. She lives a short drive north of Salt Lake City, and enjoys mountain biking, audio books, water and snow skiing, and time with family and friends.
I have been a stylist for 30 years. I attended Pivot Point Hair Professionals for my formal education. From there I gained my advance certifications with Vidal Sassoon, Inspiring Champions, and many other avenues in Color, Cutting, and Hair extensions. I am a seasoned stylist who is always looking for ways to advance artistically as well as embark on new innovative products and services I can offer my guests.
Brian and I have been looking for an elevated studio experience to match our ideals for salon professionals. When we came across IMAGE Studios, the aesthetic immediately caught our eye. Seeing the passion reflected in the IMAGE brand as well as hearing from current IMAGE Pros made us excited. We knew immediately we had to be part of it!
Job Titles:
- IMAGE Owner
- IMAGE Owner / Location: Dunedin, FL
Hilton has been involved in the Hair and Beauty profession for 0ver 45 years. During that time he owned and operated 5 different salons as well as consulted others in the Beauty industry, in Australia. He moved the USA in 1998. He opened another salon in Florida as well International Hair and Beauty Systems, which brought Organic hair products to the Hairdressing profession in 2000. The company was sold in 2010 and is still one of the leaders in this arena. Career Highlights Won Wella High fashion Design awards Nominated 3 times - Australian Hairdresser of the Year Appeared in Australia\'s Top Hairdressers Book Developed L\'oreal\'s true colors system Served as a board member HBIA in Australia (Hairdressing & Beauty Industry Association) Owner of International Hair & Beauty Systems acting as President & Creative Director Hair Color Education Director & Presenter for International Hair & Beauty Systems
Job Titles:
- CEO
- Founder
- Member of the Corporate Team
Jason Olsen is the Founder & CEO of IMAGE Studios®. Jason started his first business at the age of 16, launching a specialty automotive parts and accessories website under the name www.street-looks.com. As the company grew he began selling products all over the world, eventually importing and private labeling his own line of automotive lighting under the name "VisualFX". He sold the company seven years later in 2004, and made the move from his hometown in Atlanta, Georgia to Salt Lake City, Utah to attend Brigham Young University. He then got involved in the automotive retail business and built and scaled an independent dealership to multiple locations and 90M in revenue. During the recession in 2009, Jason discovered the strength and resiliency that the beauty industry holds, and ventured into the salon suite sector. He launched a modern and luxurious salon suite business model, and in June 2010 IMAGE Studios® was born. In 2016, he launched the franchise arm of the business and today there are IMAGE Studios® salons open all across the United States. Eventually, he will take the company into international markets that are ready for the IMAGE business model. Jason was a finalist for the 2017 Ernst & Young's, "Entrepreneur of The Year" Award and a graduate from the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business Program. He also serves as a board member for Skin Works School of Esthetics, board chair of Equality Utah, and is an advisory board member for the Westminster College Social Impact Business Incubator. IMAGE Studios® has been recognized for its outstanding growth as an INC 5000 company, as well as the Mountain West Fastest 100 growing companies and the Utah 50 Fastest growing companies. IMAGE Studios® has also been recognized as INC Magazine's "Best Workplaces" in 2022. In his spare time, Jason is a private pilot, drone enthusiast, trail runner, and avid skier.
Job Titles:
- Commercial Real Estate Broker
Jeremy's experience in the commercial real estate industry spans national and local markets with deep expertise in negotiating retail leases on behalf of franchisees. Jeremy prides himself on his transparency with clients, unmatched work ethic, and extremely quick response time. Jeremy is originally from St. Louis, MO where his family has been in the commercial real estate business for over 75 years. He attended The University of Texas at Austin and then later moved to Dallas, TX where he began his real estate career at Fischer & Company. While at Fischer & Company, Jeremy worked his way up to becoming Vice President and was instrumental at bringing in new business and working hundreds of transactions on behalf of various brands and franchisees. In 2022, Jeremy co-founded Reimagine CRE, with the vision to create a real estate company solely focused on providing franchisees with the level of care and support they deserve as they navigate the real estate process. Jeremy is passionate about partnering with brands where he himself is their primary customer. This allows Jeremy to fully understand the brand having had firsthand experience as a customer. In his free time, Jeremy enjoys trying new restaurants, walking his dog Frankie, skiing, painting, cooking, and family vacations.
Jessica was born and raised in Edmond, Oklahoma where she graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Communications from The University of Central Oklahoma. She and her husband, Chris, relocated to North Dallas in 2013 when they began their journey in real estate investments. Jessica has a passion for home renovating and design and enjoys raising her daughters and two future boss babes, Palmer and Monroe. Her experience in entrepreneurship, servant-hearted leadership, and empowering women in business all align with the core values of IMAGE Studios®: CREATIVITY + FREEDOM + SUCCESS®.
Job Titles:
- IMAGE Owner
- IMAGE Owner / Location: Columbus, OH
- Project Management and Creative Executive
Jim Ressa is a project management and creative executive with +30-year career that includes leadership and entrepreneurial roles in business and in government. Jim worked in creating major events for the City of Columbus as well as established companies such as The Dispatch Printing Company and L Brands. During Jim's tenure at The Dispatch Printing Company, he managed celebrity appearances, focusing specifically on HGTV and TLC.
Jim founded his own event and project management company called Ressa Creative Group. Jim helps to create and manage large corporate events. He also uses these same skills to contract and remodel luxury properties.
Previously, Jim worked for The City of Columbus in The Mayor's Office. Jim produced large scale signature events for the city as well as private events.
Jim launched his career upon obtaining his Bachelor of Journalism degree from The Ohio State University.
Job Titles:
- IMAGE Owner
- IMAGE Owner / Location: Holladay, UT
Jodie has been a licensed cosmetologist since 2003. Jodie has over 16 years of experience in the beauty industry, she has worked in professional salons from Utah, California and Las Vegas. Her background also includes insurance sales and strategy as well as real estate sales and property management. Jodie has always found passion and joy within the beauty industry. Starting beauty school while a junior in high school allowed her to jump start career right after graduating. While in school, Jodie found herself competing in various beauty competitions including Chicago's Midwest beauty show and in Las Vegas, Nevada. These competitions and trade shows quickly showed how diverse and expandable this industry was and allowed her to expand her knowledge of the beauty industry. Soon after graduating she returned to the same beauty school roots and worked as an instructor while working for commission type salon as well. From there she continued with an Aveda salon building a solid clientele for another 8 years before going out on her own for the first time at a booth rental salon. She knows how scary it can be taking the leap to work for yourself and all the hats you wear as a new business owner. She knows the fear of clients not following you. Moving from many different salons and in different states has given her insight as to starting from scratch with your clientele as well as the importance of your personal brand and environment. Jodie has found that the most amazing difference from building a clientele 16 years ago and today is social media! "You have the ability to build a brand and a following no matter where you live which makes you limitless in this industry! You no longer need a big busy salon building you up. You can do it anywhere and completely on your own." Jodie is very passionate about working as an artist on your terms that it is what drove her to open up her own studio space. Here at Image Studios, we offer turn key mini-salons with low cost of entry, shorter leases than that of a traditional brick and mortar commercial lease. Jodie loves being able to support other beauty professionals in reaching their goals no matter how big or small they may be.
Joe Infantino is a Financial Services professional with 30+ years of industry experience working for banks and brokers/dealers currently residing in Staten Island, NY. Joe has a BS in Economics and Business Administration and an MBA in Finance from Wagner College in Staten Island, NY. He is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and holds several regulatory licenses for the investment industry. Joe is inspired daily by his wife and two daughters aged 20 and 17. In his free time, Joe likes to spend time with family and friends, play golf, and travel.
Joe loves the management team and support services the franchise offers and really thinks the concept is effective.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Corporate Team
- Director of Franchise Development
Job Titles:
- Member of the Corporate Team
- Lead Project Manager
Job Titles:
- Member of the Corporate Team
- Vice President of Operations
Job Titles:
- Member of the Corporate Team
- Vice President of Real Estate & Construction
Job Titles:
- Member of the Corporate Team
- Industry Expert
Job Titles:
- Member of the Corporate Team
- Sales Coordinator
Miriam is a Sales Coordinator at IMAGE Studios®, supporting our Franchise Development team in ensuring successful communication and achieving goals. Miriam has 10+ years experience in sales, education, customer service and people management. They graduated from the University of Utah with a double major.
Miriam has a strong passion for volunteering and working with folks who are socioeconomically disenfranchised. Through their passion for volunteering, they have worked with many individuals from diverse backgrounds helping to develop their interpersonal skills. Miriam is a true old soul. They love spending their free time with their loved ones and researching new topics of interest. You can always catch them listening to music at any time of the day...or night!
Job Titles:
- IMAGE Owner
- Retail Executive
Steve Zawada is an accomplished Retail Executive with +24-year career that includes advancement into increasingly demanding leadership roles based on major successes. With a solid history of leading startup and established brands for some of the world's leading retailers, he is as much at home managing all departments as he is in leading omni-business channels. His successes include unprecedented revenue and profit growth for brands like ELOQUII, The Limited and Abercrombie & Fitch. Most recently with ELOQUII Design Inc., Steve co-founded this plus-size women's fashion brand upon purchase of The Limited Stores' intellectual property and e-commerce platform. As their Chief Operating Officer, he has made key contributions, building the brand from the ground up and growing a team to +150 associates with offices in Ohio and New York. Previously, Steve progressed steadily through the ranks with the Limited Stores to serve as their VP of Merchandising for Women's Wear lines. This role challenged him to lead all Women's Wear departments with responsibility for the stores and e-commerce businesses. Earlier in his career, Steve joined Abercrombie & Fitch, Hollister, Abercrombie and Ruehl, as the Merchandise Manager of male categories. Prior to that, he built and launched the Men's division of Ruehl from the ground up. Steve launched his career upon obtaining his Bachelor of Science degree in Business, Marketing from Miami University.
Job Titles:
- Chief Operating Officer
- Member of the Corporate Team
Job Titles:
- Marketing Manager
- Member of the Corporate Team
Job Titles:
- Architect
- Member of the Corporate Team
Job Titles:
- IMAGE Owner
- IMAGE Owner / Location: Laguna Hills, CA
Barry and Wendi Fast met in college while attending San Diego State University (SDSU). Barry works in Real Estate Investments/Development and Wendi works as an Organizational Development and Learning Consultant. Barry is an avid golfer and also enjoys doing projects around the house. Wendi has just finished her Doctorate (EdD) in Organizational Leadership (2021) and in her free time, she hikes and loves spending time at the beach. During the winter, they always try to get in at least one ski trip! Barry and Wendi have been married since 1990 and currently live in beautiful San Clemente, CA. They have 3 adult children: Joseph (30), Jacob (27), and Rebecca (23). IMAGE Studios was the perfect mix of both Barry and Wendi's expertise. They could utilize Barry's real estate and construction knowledge with Wendi's knowledge of developing culture and working with people. They were drawn to the beautiful brand and the support the IMAGE team gives to all of its owners.