In Her Late 30s, She Pursued Another Creative Side Hustle — Then Turned It Into a Multimillion-Dollar Business Gara Post had built one successful celebrity-magnet business before, so she decided to do it again.
By Amanda Breen Edited by Jessica Thomas
What was your day job or primary occupation when you started your first side hustle, Gara Danielle Jewelry?
After graduating from Arizona State University, I moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in entertainment. I was lucky enough to land a job as the executive assistant to the president of Universal Television Group, where I spent the majority of my days working in reality programming. While my time at Universal sharpened my executive functioning skills and opened doors to invaluable networking opportunities, I found myself drawn to a different passion — jewelry design. I would often bead jewelry at my desk, and in the evenings, I'd visit shops in Los Angeles's jewelry district to stock up on supplies. My creative drive, marketing skills and the connections I built in entertainment helped me launch my first side hustle, Gara Danielle Jewelry.
Image Credit: Courtesy of The Now Massage. Gara Post.
This Side Hustle Spotlight Q&A features Gara Post, co-founder and chief creative officer of The NOW Massage Boutique, which offers "affordable but elevated" massage experiences. Learn how the serial BIZ Experiences got her start with a different creative side hustle — then seized the opportunity to build a multimillion-dollar franchise. Responses have been edited for length and clarity.
When did you start your side hustle, and where did you find the inspiration for it?
Design has always been a part of my DNA, having grown up in New York with parents in the fashion, interior design and skincare spaces. Exposure to fashion and beauty at a young age sparked a passion within me that would become key throughout all of my side hustles.
I launched Gara Danielle Jewelry in 2000 while working at Universal and sold to friends, family and stylists. It wasn't until I left my entertainment career that the brand truly took off. At its peak, we sold Gara Danielle Jewelry in over 500 locations worldwide, and celebrities like Reese Witherspoon, Beyoncé and Gwyneth Paltrow wore it.
What were some of the first steps you took to get your side hustles off the ground?
My husband Jason and I have always been serial BIZ Experiencess. We formed Post Investment Group in 2007 and invest in up-and-coming BIZ Experiencess and business opportunities through our company. As a vertically integrated operating platform, Post Investment Group allows us to scale all of our businesses with a strong operational foundation. We focus on four sectors: real estate, health and wellness and consumer products.
With Gara Danielle Jewelry, I was fortunate to have the support of investments from friends and family to help me scale the business. I invested heavily in PR, conducted deskside meetings with editors in New York and secured product placements to grow the brand internationally. I relied heavily on my networking skills and grassroots marketing to build the brand, met with key players in the fashion and design spaces, gifted products and visited showrooms around the world.
In my late thirties, the idea for my second side hustle, The NOW, was first pitched to us. My husband and I saw the potential for The NOW to revolutionize the massage industry with its elevated design aesthetic and accessible price point, and we invested immediately.
What were some of the biggest challenges you faced while building your side hustles, and how did you navigate them?
Initially, I took on more of an investor and collaborator role with The NOW, contributing to design, real estate identification and working with the architectural team. As we approached the opening of our first boutique, it became clear that our vision for the company's strategy and future differed from that of our original business partners. My husband Jason and I decided to buy out our partners and grow The NOW as part of Post Investment Group. Success followed, and we scaled from one to four boutiques in 18 months.
As we began ramping up franchising for The NOW in 2019, we quickly learned that we needed an internal team with extensive franchising backgrounds to be successful. At that time, we brought on The NOW's President, Jeff Platt, and a team of franchise executives with 150-plus combined years of experience to help scale the brand. Since then, we've worked together to reach monumental milestones, including opening nearly 70 boutiques nationwide, with more than 170 franchise licenses sold to date.
How long did it take you to see consistent monthly revenue with The NOW?
We were cash flow positive and built demand immediately after opening our first NOW boutique in 2015. At that time, we focused heavily on influencer marketing and social media as our main marketing strategies, just as Instagram was starting to gain momentum. Early on, we understood the importance of social media as one of The NOW's first touchpoints for prospective guests and team members, which remains true today.
A pivotal moment for the brand was when we hosted celebrities like Kendall Jenner, Leonardo DiCaprio, Lucy Hale and more soon after opening. Vogue and other major media outlets covered these visits, which attracted the attention of globe-trotting influencers, VIPs and more. The buzz had become so widespread that fans were arriving at LAX and coming straight to The NOW for a massage. Beyond providing an exceptional five-star guest experience, we succeeded in offering a design-driven oasis that resonated with guests and content creators of all kinds.
You've turned the side hustle into a full-time business and franchise. What does growth and revenue look like now?
Since our franchising journey began in 2019, we have seen consistent year-over-year revenue growth and new boutique openings. NOW's network-wide sales increased by 90% from 2022 to 2023.
What do you enjoy most about running The NOW?
As an BIZ Experiences, I am constantly inspired by those around me. Specifically having conversations with fellow founders, franchise partners and prospective franchise owners — understanding their "why," successes and challenges. As we continue to grow the brand across the country, I'm excited for the next stage of wellness and to continue to help shape the self-care industry. We aim to have 100 locations open and operating by the end of 2025.
All of our growth and success would not be possible without our talented team at the corporate level, who are constantly ideating, testing and executing new ideas and campaigns to level up our guest experience. My team inspires me every day, and we maintain high expectations of each other, which fosters a strong culture.
What's your advice for others hoping to start successful side hustles or full-time businesses?
Personally, I focus on finding balance as a mom through self-care, which was one of the original inspirations for creating The NOW. Women rarely take the time to recharge, especially when they have a family and additional responsibilities at home. The reality is that taking a well-deserved mind and body break makes you a better leader, parent and all-around person.
If you're an aspiring BIZ Experiences, my advice is to start by finding a product, service or concept you are passionate about or one that inspires change. Enhance your BIZ Experiencesial journey by working with a mentor, coach or therapist and develop a mindfulness practice to stay grounded, focused and in the now.
