Young Ones To Watch: Shama Patel of AIR® and Clean Your Dirty Face®

At only 37, Shama Patel has already developed two popular concepts within the wellness segment: AIR® aerial fitness studio and Clean Your Dirty Face® skincare company and  facial spa. Collectively, both AIR® aerial fitness studio and Clean Your Dirty Face® now boast 15 locations open with more in the pipeline and opportunities for expansion nationwide. 1851 spoke with Patel on how she got her start in the industry, the role women will play in the future of franchising and advice she has for other young entrepreneurs in the space. 

1851: What initially drew you to franchising?  

Patel: I was a young attorney in Chicago and left my firm to pursue entrepreneurship. I loved fitness and wellness, so I opened an R&D lab in Charlotte, North Carolina with an SBA loan. There, I developed and explored different fitness concepts, and balanced that with a cooking kitchen where I hired local culinary students and chefs from popular Charlotte restaurants to lead healthy cooking classes. 

The idea was that in order to see results in fitness, you had to learn how to consume a clean diet too. Why not introduce that education in a fun, hands-on way? At that R&D lab, AIR® Aerial Fitness was born.  

My dad was a structural engineer by trade, so he helped me design a one-point rigging system that would support up to 2,000 lbs. of dynamic weight load. We were able to develop athletic classes where we used the hammock as both a resistance training band and a tool to support body weight at virtually any angle. Thereafter, in September 2013, I took a chance and moved back to Chicago to open my first freestanding AIR® in Chicago’s Lincoln Park.  

The studios began multiplying and we were the first branded aerial fitness studio to hit the market. In 2015, a natural next step for me was to open a clean beauty facial bar since facials and fitness sit under the same wellness umbrella.  You’re not going to see skincare results unless you analyze your life from a 360 perspective. Seeing results doesn’t just mean getting facials or using clean beauty skincare products, it also means consuming a clean diet and holding yourself responsible in other aspects of your life outside of our wellness businesses. That is how my Clean Your Dirty Face® skincare company and facial bar came about. 

I started franchising because it allows you to partner with individuals who care about the business just as much as you do.  That passion, care, and vested interest in making sure the business is successful is so crucial when looking for the right partner to represent and grow your brands. 

1851: Where do you see the most opportunity in franchising and why are you excited about the future of the industry?  

Patel: I think that at some point or another, a lot of people—especially women—consider leaving their corporate careers and starting their own business. The reality is that most first-time businesses fail, and you could lose all of your life savings relatively quickly.  

Franchising is a safe alternative to dive into entrepreneurship, and get the flexibility of owning your own business because it allows you to partner with individuals who have walked your path and will keep you from making mistakes. With a company like ours, it also allows our franchisees to find mentorship within our other owners for additional support. For us, we believe in selecting the right franchise partner from the outset so that we can grow our brands quickly, but with quality.  

1851: What advice do you have for other young entrepreneurs in the space? 

Patel: Don’t just come up with a concept and hope that it’s going to work. To build something out of nothing, you have to understand your clients’ habits, likes, dislikes—and basically everything—from a 360 perspective so that you can design your concept around that person. There are business concepts that are smoke and mirrors, and then there are ones that will last. Designing around your client usually leads to concepts that will last. 

1851: What advice would you give your younger self?  

Patel: Listen more, talk less. 

1851: Who is someone you look to for inspiration? 

Patel: Carrie Dorr, the founder of Pure Barre. In my book, she’s the woman who pioneered boutique fitness and actually inspired me to start my own journey in 2011.