12 Misconceptions about Running a Beauty Biz

Really, it’s not as complicated as you may think— just requires some understanding and a bit of strategy.

If you are like most of us entrepreneurs in this industry, you are eager, fired up, ambitious, and have some big plans for yourself and your business! Those are all vital elements to the success formula of a thriving business.

However, what is equally consequential, is recognizing from the get-go that taking a moment to ensure that you are taking appropriate measures and making the right moves – is equally crucial in order to avoid some significant pitfalls, disappointments, and potential failure as you embark on this wild ride we like to call entrepreneurship.

What you think you need VS what you actually need:

• Offering a broad variety of services → Specializing in 1-2 services
  Think about it, what’s better – being okay at a lot of different things, or being an expert at one or two things? Most of you will likely agree with the latter, so why not apply this to your business too? While having a diversified approach may work for some, for many it leads to frustration and stress. Specializing in 1-2 services will allow you to be confident in your craft as well as take on clients who are willing to pay more for your specialty services. 
  
  
• A fancy website → A booking link with a professional landing page
  A booking link and a landing page are more than enough when it comes to helping your clients book with your business. It’s a big level up from “DM to book” and will take a lot of work off your plate. Having a booking link/form set up will save you lots of time answering DMs and comments about your booking process, services, and pricing, and ultimately makes you look more professional.

• A fancy studio → A tranquil, intimate, neat, comfortable setup/environment and ambiance for your clients
  We’re all guilty of daydreaming about a flawless studio and searching for inspiration through platforms like Pinterest, Instagram, and Tiktok, but at the end of the day, your dream studio is not necessary for success. At the end of the day, as long as your studio is a clean and relaxing space for your customers, they will be impressed and keep coming back.

• Working 12+ hours per day → Establishing a healthy pace that ensures longevity
  It’s no secret that burnout is REAL. Work-life balance is absolutely key, and it’s imperative that you find that balance to keep your business running smoothly for years to come. As hard as it is to turn prospective clients away or say no to taking out-of-hours appointments, it’s necessary to do so to protect your peace and ensure that you’re not overworking yourself. Set yourself a realistic schedule, and stick to it as much as possible.   

• Posting every day on social platforms → Providing value-driven content over frequency of posting
  Gone are the days of needing to post 5-7x a week in order to drive engagement and gain followers. Rather than burn yourself out trying to continuously share new content, prioritize sharing educational content with your followers, and engaging genuinely with your community. This will lead to more success in the long run as you’ll build a community and make new connections along the way.

• Saying yes to every client/business opportunity → Establishing your business/clientele goals and working on cultivating
  It boils down to this: Quality clients >>>> Quantity of clients. Clients who are respectful of your time/policies and who you get along with are worth their weight in gold. Start simple – set yourself goals, establish policies and procedures, and go from there. Building and maintaining trust and rapport with clients is the best way to guarantee lifelong clients.

• 20K followers → Knowing your niche/target customer
  Same idea as clients, followers only really count if they’re active and engaged with your content. 20k might sound appealing, but if you’ve only got 2 likes and comments per photo, and 5 clients (when your goal is to have 30), then does it even matter how many followers you have? The goal should be to build a supportive and engaged community of people who genuinely care about your success and to post content that will attract your ideal clients to your business. 

• 10 years of experience → Investing a few years into honing your craft
  This is a big one. It can be intimidating to start out in any industry, especially ours! It’s impossible not to compare your work to people with 2-3x the years of experience that you have, or to feel disheartened thinking you'll never reach the same skill level. Instead of feeling threatened or intimidated by those with more experience than you, take the opportunity to ask them for support. Industry professionals and experts are indispensable resources to lash artists who only have a few years under their belt. Investing in formal training/continuing education and continuing to practice your skills are also key to honing your craft.

• Knowing how to do it all → Outsourcing aspects of your business that you don’t specialize in
  As lash artists, we know what it’s like to wear many hats. But sometimes we have to face the reality that we don’t know how to do everything, and even if we did it just wouldn't be realistic to do everything ourselves. If there are aspects of running your business that take up more time than they're worth, or that cause you unnecessary stress, outsource them! Remember that time is money, and paying someone to do a few tasks for you will likely cost less in the long run.

• A degree → Mentorship and investing in up-to-date ongoing education
  Part of the beauty of running a business in this industry is you don’t need a 4-year degree to do it! Don’t worry, we’re not suggesting that anyone should just hop into a chair and start lashing. Lashing is both an art and a science, so it’s imperative that you receive formal education of some kind before you start lashing anyone. As lash artists, we have a duty to be educated and properly trained in our craft, but the training options are more varied than a traditional university or college degree.

• Start teaching others asap → Focus on mastering your craft and expertise
  It can be tempting to jump right into the educating game, but it’s more important to focus on mastering your craft before you start sharing your knowledge with others. Make sure to hone your own skills before you take on becoming a lash educator, it will be better for everyone in the long run.

• Making 6 figures in your first couple of years in business → Patience, commitment, discipline, and consistency
  Making the biggest salary possible in the shortest time possible might sound like the dream, but it’s almost certain to lead to burnout. Patience, commitment, discipline, and consistency will help you win in the long run. 

We hope this post helps you focus on the right things in order to operate a thriving business and help it grow successfully. Remember that success looks different to everyone, and you should run your business your way!