Countless men and women become successful in the beauty and skin care industry. In fact, there is a huge membership in the $100,000 club. But, there is a catch. If you want to be in the $100,000 club, you need to engage in your career and not just endure a job in the beauty industry. Successful beauty business women and men engage and step outside of the box. Instead, you can choose to just show up, clock in, and, then, wait for the rush of clients to flood your open appointment schedule. If you prefer to just scrape by, struggle to earn money, and see minimal success, here is a list of things to do.

1. Do not listen to clients. First, never take any interest in clients’ needs. Second, never do an intake session to discover why they have come in for an appointment and certainly never assess their skin. This will be too much work and, since they are using a gift certificate, they are really not interested in anything other than just a relaxing service.
2. Do not tell clients to rebook. If a client wants to come back, they will. Do not take initiative and ask them to rebook when they are standing there at the spa. Clients rarely have busy personal lives and do not need help managing their schedule, so telling them to book something and add it to their calendar is not that much of a help to them.
3. Do not sell retail. Clients do not want the hard sell. Honestly, they are coming to a spa for a facial because they want a treatment. The last thing they want is a hard sell on skin care products. They want to improve their skin, but do not want someone – especially a licensed professional – offering suggestions for what to use at home to make sure their skin looks amazing. No, they can get help from a part-time sales associate at their local drugstore.
4. Do not get continuing education. No, there is no need to get more education. In fact, many states do not even require it. The basics learned in aesthetics school are enough. Giving facials is adequate. Without continuing education there is no possibility to perform microdermabrasion, microneedling, advanced chemical peels, advanced acne treatments, IPL treatments, microcurrent, lymphatic drainage, reiki, oncology skin care treatments, eyelash tinting, or microblading. But that is okay because basic facials and some waxing are just fine.
5. Do not offer free services. As a new aesthetician at a spa or in a new location, do not offer anyone free services to get to know you. Make sure you are paid for your work. Never mind the stories from successful spa owners who say that they built a thriving and successful business because in their first month they gave away free facials and then told clients to rebook.
6. Never work on a day off. You work hard, so your day off is all for you. Never use days off to advance training or to make exceptions for a good client who needs something special. Never come in on a day off for a staff meeting or to do any administrative tasks that need to be completed.
7. Never use product lines other than your favorite. When you begin your career, get to know one product line and just stick with it. You will be able explain all of the products easily and quickly. You will know how to use all of the backbar products too. You may not be able to offer results to all of your clients, but that is okay, because they are not coming to the spa for results, they are coming to relax. You will not be able to offer several different types of advanced services, but again, that is okay. Oh, and you will also have to demand that every place you go to work uses the line that you know. This will make you a really great job candidate for any spa that already carries that line.
8. Never stay late or come in early. There is never any reason to go to work early or stay late. You have a personal life and your job should respect that. Do employers honestly expect you to come in early so you can learn something new? Or to stay late to accommodate a VIP client who is trying to get her eyebrows done before an important work trip? Employers and clients can see the hours that you are able to take appointments and book within those.
9. Do not spend your own money on marketing. If the business for which you work, does not pay for each professional to have their own business cards, do not spend your own money to get some made. Yes, the cost of a box of cards is less than you will make on one treatment, but it is the principle that if you are promoting their business, they should pay for it.
10. Do not trade services with other team members. Why should you be expected to give treatments to other members of the staff? Why should you trade services with other professionals in the area? If they want a treatment, they can book during your hours and pay for it. You deserve to be paid for every treatment that you give. Do not listen to the other fully-booked therapists who describe how many referrals they received after they traded services.

With these 10 strategies, you are guaranteed to never be part of the $100,000 aesthetician club. You can simply go to work when scheduled, clock in, and do your job. You will always have your days off to yourself and never have to step outside of your routine.

However, if you would like to make $100,000 or more, just remove the “do nots” and the “nevers” from items one through 10 and you will be easily on your way to a thriving and rewarding career in the beauty industry.

Barry Eichner is the co-editor in chief of Lipgloss + Aftershave, a personal care and lifestyle review website offering fun and informative reviews. Eichner began his spa career in 2000, working as vice president for a chain of medical spas. He has been an industry consultant since 2011, specializing in digital media strategy and content creation. He writes for national spa trade publications and is a published, editorial photographer, and a speaker at various spa industry tradeshows. Eichner is a graduate of Bloomsburg University. He loves art and photography, is an avid fitness enthusiast, loves to cook, and is a self-proclaimed coffee addict.