PHOTOS BY DEVIN MACK
Local female entrepreneur, Mary Elizabeth Nesser is the brains behind the latest example of social media marketing Gone Wild!!!
You may have caught her video that has gone viral all over social media promoting her salon Wax It All. It currently has over 6 million views showcasing her claim to fame of doing the 10 minute Brazilian at the “Home of the Happy Hoo-Ha”.
The video shows what a woman goes through from driving to the appointment for the first time, to the entire experience of receing the service, and all of the comical and entertianing moments that can happen while you are there, exposed. It’s the raw and very real deal! It’ the Brazilian wax 101 video diary.
The video was a risky strategy, as the person in the video is honestly portraying what it feels like to have your most intimate areas waxed.
Mary Elizabeth can attest that her technique is widely sought after and women come in from all over to obtain her services. So she is trulymore than just locally known for her “10 minute” claim to fame.
She tells us that “Mark & M.E. is known as the home of the “ten-minute Brazilian” because I developed a technique twenty years ago, allowing me to safely and efficiently perform the service in 10 minutes or less. My sense of humor is included as a bonus. I believe this is what makes women come in from Rochester and beyond! Clients come in from surrounding areas and it’s humbling to have such a wide service-base”.
Mary Elizabeth came to Rochester in 1984, where she attended the University of Rochester. She obtained a BA in Sociology. She then continued for a Master’s at Nazareth. She met Mark, her soul mate and they married in her senior year of college. She took a nail class and began doing artificial nails at the family business (Mark’s), Style-O-Rama while attending grad school. Mark purchased the business from his parents. It is now re-named (Mark & M.E.). The M.E. for Mary Elizabeth. Mary Elizabeth then attended beauty school. The couple comes from families who were entrepreneur’s and they followed in their parents’ footsteps. Mary Elizabeth reports she always loved to wax, and she indicates she was the first to do Brazilians in the Rochester area in the early nineties. She was self-taught as this wasn’t n option in school when she attended. This became her niche.
She indicates:“I love making women feel sexy. There is something very empowering about getting a Brazilian. I love giving women that sense of power and confidence. I’ve also enjoyed getting to know thousands of women intimately over the years. As Brazilians have become more mainstream, I am waxing women of all sizes, shapes and ages. People assume bigger clients are more difficult, but that isn’t the case. The only part of waxing that bothers me is when I come across unclean body parts. But I treat it like I am a nurse and just try to look past unhygienic customers and treat each person the same.”
In January 2018, Mary Elizabeth opened the second location of the business; Wax it All, in Pittsford, NY. She’s always wanted a waxing salon and it was fun to bring her specialized technique to the East Side. Mark & M.E. is located in Henrietta. While in college, Mary Elizabeth, in addition to doing nails, taught school in East Rochester where she also owns rental properties.
She remembers some words of wisdom from a lecture she gave stating, “Find a job you’re passionate about and embrace the things that make you happy. I was a good teacher, but I didn’t love it. I did both jobs for three years until I felt secure enough to be busy at the salon. I believe if you love your job, the rest of your life will be more fulfilling because we spend so much time at work”.
Mary Elizabeth says waxing is not friendly on the body. Ten years ago, she herniated a disc in her neck waxing a client with stubborn hair. Since then, her neck is severely degenerated. Additionally, other areas of her body developed arthritis and tendonitis. She doesn’t let this deter her from what she loves. She additionally, has suffered from the condition Fibromyalgia since a teen.
Mary Elizabeth indicated her husband Mark is a source of inspiration to her and being married for 31 years is definitely a solid foundation for her success. She also has three grown children who are all “college educated and awesome people”.
She shares with us that, “Our children are our greatest accomplishments in life. We are busy, but both my husband and I like to be productive, so we budget our time. We exercise, eat well, travel and work hard. I love the concept that we work hard, play hard and love even harder!”
Mary Elizabeth was also a writer for Rochester Woman Online, where she shared her wealth of knowledge with our readers for a two-year period. She had a cheeky twist to her columns that would make readers laugh out loud. She is also the author of a “humorous non-fiction trilogy” The Happy Hoo-Ha and a “sexy fictional series” A Promise of Passion, available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.
After developing her unique branding concept and logo, Mary Elizabeth sees a future with “The Happy Hoo-Ha” and envisions a product-line or theatrical production.
She is grateful her husband is supportive of her and believes in her ideas, “even the crazy ones” including her two stand-up routines. Her latest endeavor is a memoir, “F” You Fibro”. This is an inspirational memoir about living a productive and happy life, in spite of suffering from this condition. Mary Elizabeth is confident she can help others suffering from chronic pain by sharing her story. She is currently looking for an agent. Her future will entail continuing to write. She looks forward to sharing her love and knowledge of waxing!
Now, her viral video definitely demonstrates her philosophy:
“I am really proud of the name and logo “The Happy Hoo-Ha”. I think it’s impossible not to look at the logo and its name and not smile”.
She continued discussing the video saying, “Currently, our video has well over 6 million views. Some people really do scream like that, but it isn’t common for most people to act that crazy. We are aspiring to have Ellen pick up the video and have us on her show!”.
Let’s all visit her on social media, view her video, and help her get on Ellen! Trust me, you don’t want to miss it because it is hysterical.
RWO leaves you with the question of the day: “ Is your Hoo-Ha happy? If not, go see Mary Elizabeth at Wax it All!
Waxing is one of the most popular services performed each week at Mark & M.E., and they offer all types of body waxing for both women and men. Legs, arms, brows, backs, and all types of bikinis are done by our talented and experienced wax specialists. They have a very large and loyal clientele who love their waxing style, and we’re sure you’ll love it too!
Wax It All
3300 Monroe Ave Suite 201, Loehmanns Plaza, NY 14618
www.markandme.com
