Falicia Fracassi pours her heart and soul into helping women and girls embrace their inner beauty. For more than a decade, Fracassi has worked to enhance the self-esteem of thousands of females through business, philanthropy and volunteerism. From local high school girls to women in business across the country to celebrities from New York to Los Angeles, the Fracassi brand is well respected.
As the owner and chief esthetician of Fracassi Lashes, a chain of eyelash extension boutiques with 6 different locations between New York and Florida, and online retail for wholesale lash and beauty supplies, Fracassi is no stranger to turning ideas into reality. She is the visionary of the signature “Dash Lash,” “Vegas Lash” and the “Million Dollar Lash,” eyelash styles that are used in specialty boutiques across America and often requested by media personalities, reality television stars and prominent celebrities.
Fracassi has become a creative entrepreneur who consistently aims to identify new opportunities to augment the beauty, social and professional advancement of women. In 2019, Fracassi expanded her brand when she invested in The Blow Dry Lounge, a natural hair styling boutique in New York state. She made local headlines when she announced a partnership with a nonprofit organization that would offer underprivileged teenage girls with complimentary hairdos once per month.
Strategic about strengthening women in a shifting economy, the Fracassi brand has employed more than 100 women with full-time careers, part-time jobs and contractual arrangements for health and wellness services at Fracassi signature workshops, training classes and beauty conferences. For a consistent decade, the Fracassi brand has steadily grown.
However, when the COVID-19 pandemic made its way to Rochester, New York, claiming the lives of hundreds of people locally and hundreds of thousands worldwide, Fracassi determined what role she would play to help keep the community safe. She also knew that she needed to redefine her business strategy and services.
“The unimaginable happened but I was thankful for my consistent relationship with God, and talking to God about my businesses is a regular prayer,” said Fracassi. “Before the pandemic hit the U.S. I had invested in thousands of N95 masks and face coverings. As a humanitarian I was inspired to figure out ways to help the communities I served. I organized several mask distribution days where a group of committed volunteers helped me pass out masks to health care workers, nursing homes, essential works, and marginalized community members.”
For Fracassi, supporting the community has always been synonymous with business. While she gave away thousands of masks and face coverings for free, she knew she still had responsibilities as a business owner to stay relevant and to continue generating revenue. Her stores in New York were closed (not Florida) so she began to think of ways to still keep the Fracassi brand active. Once New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo mandated all New Yorkers to wear masks and face coverings, Fracassi said she knew she was back in business.
“Governor Cuomo informed the world that New Yorkers must wear masks in public, I knew I was back in business. Family, friends, customers, and random people would call me all times of the day asking for masks and referring to me as “the mask lady,” Fracassi said. “Within two months, I distributed over 2,000 masks between Rochester, Buffalo and Syracuse.”
This type of quick thinking as a business woman is likely why major corporations, entertainment companies and media organizations often rely on Fracassi for thought-leadership and consumer engagement. Mercedes Benz once requested the Fracassi brand to work with models at Fashion Week in New York City where Fracassi staffed 25 beauty professionals to manage behind the scenes work. The Wendy Williams Show once featured Fracassi on the “Get the Look for Less” segment to inspire viewers to take on hot celeb fashion trends for everyday attire. Fracassi has also been featured in Cosmopolitan Magazine, Black Enterprise, XO Necole, MADAMENOIRE, Essence Magazine and other popular health, wellness and culture mediums, as well as dozens of radio shows across the country.
Most recently, Fracassi was hired by one of New York state’s oldest Black radio stations. She hosts “The Quiet Storm” with Falacia Fracassi on Monday through Thursday from 10 p.m. to midnight on WDKX in Rochester. Fracassi shares her experience and perspective about a variety of topics from relationships to love to family to best business practices.
“I’m certainly passionate about being a business owner but my first passion has always been radio. My first radio show at the age of 17 was called ‘Young Disciples’ on 102.7 FM The Light,” Fracassi said. “ In college I spent years learning and falling in love with radio production and the power of radio. My professor Nancy Mallory once told me that I’d be a fool not to pursue television or radio. When I graduated college my professor was upset to find out that I accepted a job at a cellular phone company.”
But for Fracassi, life wasn’t about the immediate successes. She knew her career path would be similar to a voyage– sometimes smooth sailing and sometimes rocky, but she said she was willing to ride the wave.
“People sometimes assume that life has been handed to me on a silver platter because of my current success,” she said. “What they don’t know is that I developed my empire by taking risks, igniting passion, having faith, and putting in countless hours of work and sometimes not even knowing what I was doing at all.”
Fracassi says she’s proud of her growth and grateful for the women and girls who have followed and supported her journey.
Fracassi is a wife and mother of two children. She is a spiritual being and a consistent giver. She financially supports girl groups, churches, community organizations and mission trips. She’s an advocate for higher education and trade programs. With a degree in communications, an esthetician license and life coach certification, Fracassi’s message to all people, specifically women and girls, resembles her personal journey toward success: Don’t be afraid of the process that will make you a boss and always understand the impact of having a big heart.
