There is something special about people in the beauty business. They are born with the caring gene, and this industry has provided an outlet for them to help people look and feel their best. Every day, skin care professionals are afforded the opportunity to meet new people and change their lives in a positive way.

Your job is important, and you are important to your clients. You have the privilege of performing a variety of services each day that will help improve someone’s image, which is the key to positive self-esteem. But have you ever felt you could do more, help more, or be a positive change in your community – you can.

There are many ways you can utilize your skills within the industry to do good works. And that’s through giving back to the community.

There are so many options available that lend themselves to leaving a positive footprint on your community. You can invest time volunteering for a local organization or donate to a charity of your choice. Both ways can impact so many lives and, in my opinion, you are in the best business to do so.

DETERMINE WHERE YOUR PASSIONS LIE

The first tip is to determine where your passions lie. Doing some simple soul searching will help you decide where you want to begin your journey. First, ask yourself these general questions:

• What is your area of expertise?
• What do you love and enjoy doing?
• What do you consider to be important?
• Where do your talents lie?
• Do you want to put your skillset to use and offer services to individuals in need, or would you rather donate to a charity either through volunteering or monetarily?

The answers to these questions will help you determine which option works best for you and your business.

IDENTIFY THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY

It is also imperative to identify the needs of the community. By doing an easy Google search, you can discover the local charities that already exist. Once you have created a list of charities you would be interested in working with, reach out to them and begin to develop a relationship with them. Learning more about each charity will help you assess what their mission is and if it aligns with yours. But do your homework because not all charities are run the same.

JOIN YOUR CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

If you are not already involved in your local chamber of commerce, become a member. This is an easy way to highlight your business and increase visibility by connecting with other local businesses. It’s also a great way to network and pinpoint issues that affect your community. This may help drive your choice of charity in a certain direction.

CONSIDER A TEAM APPROACH

Another tip is to decide if you want to volunteer and donate time alone or would prefer to invite coworkers and maybe even clients on your new philanthropic path. There are strong benefits to both. However, you may find that if you create a team approach, the benefits will prove to be worthy. By engaging coworkers and utilizing your business, the outcome is two-fold. You will gain the knowledge and connections of many different people while placing your business on the map.

If you decide to foster a team approach, remember to be flexible. You always want the morale to stay positive among coworkers, as your goal should be employee retention, not turnover. You may find that not all members of your team share the same beliefs, so it’s okay if someone does not want to participate in the charity you’ve chosen. Give them the option of doing their own thing because the goal should be to have fun while generating charitable giving to a cause that means something to you.

PARTNER WITH OTHER LOCAL BUSINESSES

Another idea is to partner with other local businesses. A benefit of attending your local chamber of commerce meetings is that you may identify other businesses that have the same goals as you. Establishing a partnership allows for the opportunity to increase the revenue for your charity of choice while also creating the potential to expand your number of clients.

If you are a small business, you never want to run the risk of breaking the bank, so associating with another company helps to keep costs down. But, if you decide you want to solely collaborate with individuals within your company, consider ways that are low cost. Some ideas are:

• Invite staff to donate their time as a team (to an identified charity) on a day the business is closed, so no one is losing pay.
• Utilize your team’s skillset at a local women’s shelter and give out goody bags to the residents.
• Identify a local charity that may be in need of goods, such as clothing, shoes, and personal items; placing a drop box onsite allows for an easy way for people to donate items.
• Choose a month where a certain percentage of the profits are donated to a charity; spread the word through social media to excite clients and get them involved.

The possibilities are endless for charitable giving. Be an active participate in the community and discover all the benefits from your good works. You can be creative and have your own fundraiser or utilize the organizations that already exist. Either way, you will feel a sense of accomplishment from giving back and it will benefit your business, as well as the community.

Carlee Clark is a licensed aesthetician and graduate of The Aesthetic Science Institute. She oversees all student enrollment processes, as well as Aesthetic Science Institute policies and procedures. Clark has over 20 years of sales, marketing, and management experience – all of which are incorporated into her daily practice as the institute director. She works closely with student and staff on preparation for job placement, interview skills, and professional etiquette. Clark’s dedication to the profession, both educationally and practically, is the foundation for her essential role in helping others create promising futures.