Angela Jaskolski
About Angela Jaskolski
European Wax Center (EWCZ) appointed Angela Jaskolski as Chief Operating Officer effective August 18, 2025. She brings 20+ years of multi-unit retail/services operating experience, previously Chief Store Officer at Madison Reed (led ~100 locations; improved AUV, revenue and EBITDA), COO at Thrive Pet Healthcare, and COO/President at Self Esteem Brands (Waxing the City) (footprint doubled, double‑digit comp growth). Age 52; B.S. in Zoology (North Dakota State University). She oversees Franchise Operations, Field Training, Learning & Development, and Industry Engagement, reporting to CEO Chris Morris .
Performance context: in the quarter spanning her start (Q3 FY2025), revenue was $54.2M vs $55.4M YoY while Adjusted EBITDA rose to $20.2M from $18.4M; attribution to her is limited given mid‑quarter start .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Madison Reed | Chief Store Officer | Jun 2023–Jul 2025 | Led ~100 Hair Color Bar locations; increased AUV, revenue and EBITDA |
| Thrive Pet Healthcare | Chief Operating Officer | Oct 2022–Jun 2023 | Operated 300+ hospitals, 10K+ team members nationwide |
| Self Esteem Brands | Chief Operating Officer; President, Waxing the City; other leadership roles | 2016–Oct 2022 | Doubled Waxing the City footprint; drove double‑digit same‑store sales growth |
| Regis Corporation; Pacifico’s Salons; Aveda | Various leadership roles | Earlier career | Built franchise ops and customer experience expertise |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| None disclosed | — | — | No public company directorships or committee roles disclosed in filings . |
Fixed Compensation
| Element | 2025 Terms | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Base salary | $450,000 | Per offer letter |
| Target annual bonus | 60% of base (max 120%) | Company plan; prorated for 2025 based on start date |
| Sign‑on cash | $20,000 | Paid after 90 days of continuous employment; 12‑month clawback if voluntary quit/for cause |
| Benefits & perqs | Health/vision/dental; 401(k); complimentary Wax Pass | Standard plans; subject to plan terms |
| Work location/travel | Remote (Austin, TX) with on‑site expectations; travel and lodging reimbursement | Weekly round‑trip to DFW reimbursed for first 90 days (travel+lodging), thereafter travel only |
| Employment status | At‑will | Offer letter |
Performance Compensation
Company bonus framework and scorecard inputs (applies enterprise‑wide; her individual scorecard not disclosed):
- Annual bonus metrics/weights (2024 program reference): Adjusted EBITDA (30%), New Center Openings (30%), Same‑Store Sales (15%), System‑Wide Sales (15%); Individual objectives (10%) .
- 2024 outcome: two corporate goals not met at threshold; Adjusted EBITDA and System‑Wide Sales achieved 92.3%–95.7% of target, informing NEO payouts. Structure signals pay-for-performance emphasis on profitable growth and unit economics .
| Metric (Company plan) | Weight | Target | Actual 2024 | Payout mechanics | Vesting/Timing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adjusted EBITDA | 30% | Not disclosed | 92.3–95.7% of target | Annual cash bonus formula per plan | Paid following fiscal year-end |
| New Center Openings | 30% | Not disclosed | Below threshold | Same as above | Same |
| Same‑Store Sales | 15% | Not disclosed | Below threshold | Same as above | Same |
| System‑Wide Sales | 15% | Not disclosed | 92.3–95.7% of target | Same as above | Same |
| Individual Objectives | 10% | Set by CEO/Comp Committee | Not disclosed for COO | Same as above | Same |
Equity awards (inducement and plan grants) serve as long‑term performance/retention incentives (details in next section).
Equity Ownership & Alignment
| Component | Quantity/Price | Vesting | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| RSUs (inducement) | 125,000 units | 25% annually over 4 years from grant | Granted under 2021 Omnibus or 2025 Inducement Plan |
| Stock options (time‑based) | 195,000 at market; 135,000 @ $9.00; 135,000 @ $12.00 | 100% cliff on 4th anniversary | Options priced at Effective Date close or fixed strikes; grant promptly after start/blackout |
| Initial beneficial holdings (as of Form 3) | 0 shares reported | — | Filed Aug 19, 2025; PoA to O’Connor/Kim for Section 16 |
| Hedging/Pledging policy | Prohibited | — | Executives/directors may not hedge or pledge company stock |
| Clawback policy | Dodd‑Frank/Nasdaq compliant | — | Erroneously awarded incentive comp subject to recoupment |
| Inducement plan capacity | 4,000,000 shares | — | Board approved 2025 Inducement Plan for new hires |
Vesting/cadence implications: 4‑year cliff option tranches create concentrated potential selling windows on/after the 4th anniversary; RSU tranches create annual delivery events starting ~1 year from grant .
Employment Terms
- Offer letter/role: EVP & COO; reports to CEO; at‑will; subject to Confidentiality, Non‑Interference and Proprietary Rights Agreement and company recoupment policy .
- Severance/CIC: Eligible under EWC’s Change in Control and Severance Plan; EVP tier designation noted. Plan for named executives provides, if terminated without cause/for good reason within CIC window, cash severance equal to 2.0x base + target bonus, prorated bonus, up to 24 months COBRA, and full vesting (performance awards at target); non‑CIC terminations include salary continuation (e.g., 12 months for certain execs) and prorated bonus. Specific COO/EVP multipliers were not separately disclosed for her, but she participates in the plan .
- Restrictive covenants: Company practice requires confidentiality, non‑interference, and (for equity awards) non‑compete/non‑solicit terms; her offer references execution of the standard agreement (specific non‑compete terms for her not separately disclosed) .
Company Performance Snapshot Around Tenure Start
| Metric | Q3 FY2024 | Q3 FY2025 | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Revenue ($000) | 55,430 | 54,185 | -2.2% |
| Adjusted EBITDA ($000) | 18,410 | 20,174 | +9.6% |
Note: Q3 FY2025 covers 13 weeks ended Oct 4, 2025; she began Aug 18, 2025; attribution is limited .
Compensation Structure Analysis
- Mix and risk: Cash comp (salary/bonus) is moderate vs equity-heavy inducement grants (RSUs plus three option tranches with out‑of‑the‑money strikes at $9 and $12), increasing alignment and retention through multi‑year vesting. Options with 4‑year cliff increase retention risk if performance deteriorates but create strong upside leverage if value compounds .
- Pay-for-performance: Annual bonus design emphasizes EBITDA and system/unit growth; 2024 outcomes penalized misses in new centers/comps, supporting linkage. Individual objectives add discretionary overlay (10%) .
- Clawback/hedge‑pledge prohibitions and Section 16 compliance support governance and alignment .
Risk Indicators & Red Flags
- Concentrated vesting events: 4‑year cliff options (three tranches) may concentrate exercisable overhang and potential selling pressure at the 4‑year mark post‑grant .
- Dilution headroom: 2025 Inducement Plan’s 4.0M‑share pool broadens capacity for equity issuance; monitor dilution/overhang and burn rate relative to peers .
- Severance economics: Company Severance Plan includes double‑trigger CIC acceleration and up to 2.0x cash for senior execs; shareholder‑friendly 280G “best‑net” cutback in place .
Investment Implications
- Alignment: Large, multi‑tranche inducement equity with long-dated cliff options and anti‑hedging/pledging policy align incentives to multi‑year value creation and reduce near‑term sell pressure from the option component; RSUs introduce annual delivery starting ~12 months post‑grant .
- Retention: Equity scale and vesting mechanics (cliff options) are strong retention levers; participation in Severance Plan further reduces retention risk through downside protection, albeit at the cost of potential CIC cash outlays .
- Operating leverage to execution: Bonus metrics tied to EBITDA and system growth plus COO remit (center operations, training, field) provide direct levers to improve comps/unit economics; early post‑start quarter showed Adj. EBITDA expansion despite slight revenue decline, but tenure is too short for attribution—track 2026 bonus scorecard mix and actual payouts versus targets for confirmation of execution traction .
Sources: EWCZ 8‑K appointing Jaskolski and attached offer letter (comp/equity/eligibility/terms) ; Company hedging/pledging and clawback policies ; Severance Plan disclosures ; Form 3 (initial holdings) ; Q3 FY2025 performance (press release) .