A business cannot generate revenue when it’s closed. It cannot attract customers, investors, partners, influencers, or employees when its unable to operate. When it comes to patient and client care facilities, it’s nearly impossible to make a second first impression, so disruptions in service and treatments can be especially harmful to the brand.  

Power outages may be the fault of an outside force but having a solution to handle this situation is within the means of the business. Whether the outage occurs during a consultation or a procedure, clients may wonder about your abilities and ask themselves this: if you can’t manage your building infrastructure, then are you really the right one to manage their aesthetics and skin care needs? 

Quite simply, when there is a power outage, the impact on your brand and bottom line can be unrecoverable with the combination of financial losses and client confidence concerns. In the United States, power outages happen for a variety of reasons and can lead to catch-22 situations. During summer heatwaves, air conditioning usage spikes, which burdens the grid and can cause an outage. The solution for this can be a utility-mandated rolling brown or blackout to relieve pressure on the grid but that translates to a planned power outage for businesses. Then, there are severe weather events like high winds, heavy rainstorms, tornadoes, and hurricanes that take out power lines and cause area-wide unplanned outages.  

Clement Feng is vice president of product management for Briggs & Stratton Energy Solutions, a global leader in the design and manufacturing of standby generators and energy storage systems. He is an experienced executive with expertise in residential and commercial backup power, clean energy, and home improvement products, helping educate homeowners and business owners, including patient and client care facilities, to achieve energy independence and improve resilience in managing power outages. Feng holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in chemical engineering from Stanford University and Master of Business Administration from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. He can be reached on LinkedIn. 

You graduated from beauty school with a dream in your heart. Here you are, a beauty professional at the top of the commission scale, and nowhere else to go but into business for yourself. It’s time for you to spread your wings, go for your dreams, and open your own beauty business! Now what? 

You will be excited, motivated beyond belief, and stretched to the breaking point on many days. As you forge ahead, expecting these wild swings will reduce the shock factor when they occur. What got your attention before (producing beautiful results) is now going to change drastically. You are responsible for the results everyone produces, and they all link back to your name and reputation. This can be terrifying, or it can be a thrilling challenge. 

The increase in new business filings since the onset of the COVD-19 pandemic in the United States, many in the beauty sector, demonstrates the strength and determination of the entrepreneurial mindset. Your preparedness is key to your success. Your flexibility and willingness to accept support are crucial when things become turbulent. 

TIME & ENERGY DEMANDS

Take note of all that you are doing. Create a time budget for yourself. Build in a lot of cushioning, especially up front. Anything new will take more time the first time. Protect yourself and your family by planning. Time traps include creating your business plan, scouting for a new location, building your website and social pages, creating your marketing plan, opening bank accounts and credit card processors, interviewing, training, collaborating, researching, and more. Keep notes on everything. Your notes will help you remember what works and what you don’t want to spend time trying again. Repeat what works. You will save more time each time as you refine your systems and processes. 

RELATIONSHIPS

When you become a business owner, everyone is introduced to a new and more focused version of you. Stay close to those who support you. Accept their support in a healthy, open, and appreciative way. Authentic feedback and guidance are necessary. 

Create a trusted circle of advisors, mentors, a coach, and people who want to see you win. Solving problems is a big part of growth. Not everyone is able to commit to their own vision, let alone yours. Clear boundaries and thoughtful communication help to avoid drama in this area. Be fair, respectful, and engaged with your staff to reduce chaos.

YOUR HIGHER PURPOSE 

It is easy to neglect your family, health, fun, faith, and even your mission and vision for what you are building, as you get caught up in the daily demands of your new business. Develop a morning ritual that begins with gratitude. Your free time is about quality, not quantity. 90 minutes of engaged connection with your family means far more than three hours of your kids watching you text.

YOUR BLANK CANVAS 

Your daily actions, habits, thoughts, reliability, and leadership are being driven by meeting the needs of your staff and clients. Grow your business by being so outstanding that you are referable. Guaranteeing client satisfaction will immediately point you to where you need to improve your processes. 

Cultivate a healthy staff to help you realize your goals. Meet on a regularly scheduled basis. Measure the goals your whole team wants to achieve. Have clear due dates. Be realistic; you can likely resolve one to two problems each week. Be pleasantly surprised as you work towards certain goals together. Positive, unexpected, and fulfilling results happen along the way. 

At the age of 19, Dorothy Andreas sold her car, left college, and bought a hair salon. Over the next four decades Andreas started and scaled nine companies, employing over 1,000 people, and winning over 80 awards for business excellence.  A keynote speaker since 1995, she has helped countless salon, spa, and general business owners find peaceful solutions while growing their endeavors.  Her innovative introduction of online gift cards, decades ago, transformed the way business is done in the beauty industry. Andreas is the author of three books, most recently, “Build a Million Dollar Beauty Business”. In 2018, she formed Streamline Success Consulting to help entrepreneurial clients scale to seven figures, by implementing strong business growth systems and mindset transformation.  Building her companies while raising two young sons, mostly as a single mother, she also served in a leadership capacity on several boards of governance. She is most proud of her work with domestic violence and cancer care facilities. Today, Andreas is a business growth consultant, author, keynote speaker, volunteer, wife, mother, and a lifelong learner.

Vitamin D is an essential nutrient that skin produces when it is exposed to sunlight, and just as it is important to have the necessary amount of vitamin D, it is also important to protect skin from prolonged sun exposure. Sun protection and vitamin D production can be achieved together, without the need to sacrifice the health of skin or with any nutrient deficiency. There can be a misconception that using sun protection such as sunscreen leads to a vitamin D deficiency, which can possibly result in unsafe sun and skin care practices like prolonged sun exposure on unprotected skin in order to receive enough vitamin D. 

Sunlight exposure triggers the vitamin D synthesis process, which is when ultraviolet B radiation becomes absorbed by 7-dehydrocholestrol (7-DHC), a protein in skin. This causes the 7-dehydrocholestrol to convert into an active form of vitamin D, known as vitamin D3. It is important to balance casual sun exposure and protection to encourage vitamin D synthesis and maintain an optimal amount of vitamin D. Having a better understanding of sun exposure will help when advising clients recommended sun protection. 

Lindsay Lange is a licensed aesthetician with 18 years of experience. Her passion for the aesthetics industry began in makeup artistry and expanded into skin care and full-body waxing. She specializes in antiaging and corrective treatments, as well as Brazilian waxing. Her balanced approach of science and holistic-based services has garnered client trust, in and out of the treatment. 

Skin and wellness professionals may have heard the term “grounding” on social media from clients, or on their favorite health blog. Grounding is a wellness practice that aims to reconnect someone with their body and the earth. Incorporating grounding techniques in a wellness business can change clients’ lives for the better, making them happier, healthier, and literally more grounded in their bodies. 

TARGET AUDIENCE 

The definition of grounding from the University of New Hampshire is a self-soothing skill to use when one is having a bad day or dealing with a lot of stress, overwhelming feelings, or intense anxiety. Grounding is a technique that helps keep someone in the present and helps reorient them to the here-and-now and to reality. It typically involves connecting to the earth’s electrical energy.  

Grounding can be especially helpful for those struggling with their mental health who are looking for a holistic approach to boost mood. Lack of proper care of oneself can have a negative effect on one’s body, business, and even relationships. Skin care professionals are especially susceptible to this given the fact that they tend to take care of others well but neglect their own needs.  

Eyelash extensions have taken the beauty world by storm, providing individuals with the opportunity to achieve fuller, longer eyelashes at all hours of the day. However, beneath the allure of these enhancements lies a realm of scientific understanding concerning adhesives and potential allergic reactions or sensitivities. 

ADHESIVE WOES

At the heart of eyelash extension application lies the adhesive, typically formulated with cyanoacrylates. These fast-acting adhesives create a strong bond between the natural eyelash and the extension, ensuring longevity and durability. Yet, despite their efficacy, cyanoacrylates can pose risks, particularly for individuals with sensitivities or allergies. 

Differentiating between sensitivities and true allergic reactions is critical in comprehending the body’s response to adhesives. Sensitivities often manifest as mild irritation, redness, or discomfort around the eyes, typically occurring shortly after application. Conversely, true allergic reactions involve the immune system’s response to specific adhesive components, resulting in more severe symptoms such as swelling, itching, or blistering. These reactions may manifest immediately or develop over time with repeated exposure.

Transforming a spa or treatment room into an oasis of tranquility extends beyond soothing scents and calming music. Introducing plants not only enhances aesthetic appeal but also offers numerous health benefits, both physical and mental. Among the plethora of options, certain plants stand out for their ability to thrive indoors, purify the air, and promote a serene ambiance. This article explores the top picks for a spa or treatment room, along with feng shui insights and care tips to ensure they flourish. 

MONEY TREE  

With its braided trunk and lush foliage, the money tree (Pachira aquatica) symbolizes wealth and good fortune in feng shui. Beyond its symbolism, it thrives in low-light conditions, making it ideal for indoor spaces. Its vibrant green leaves add a refreshing touch to any room, while its air-purifying qualities contribute to a healthier environment for clients and staff.  

Mastering marketing is essential for the growth of any business. However, navigating the marketing maze is not always a walk in the park. Even the smallest missteps can significantly impact bookings, sales, and business expansion. This article will delve into three subtle marketing mistakes that might be holding a business back, along with some savvy strategies to grow clientele and increase sales.

HARNESSING THE ALGORITHM

Many aesthetics professionals are already active on social media, connecting with fellow industry experts. While networking within a niche is beneficial, doing so from a business account limits the potential to reach and attract local clientele. This is where the dreaded “A word” comes in: algorithm. When one follows and interacts with other industry professionals, they are telling the algorithm they want their profile and content to be shown to those people, not potential clientele. 

To make the algorithm work to a business’s advantage, it must be trained to know the target audience on social media. While utilizing social media from a business account, follow and interact solely with accounts that fit the dream clientele. Start following local businesses and interacting with posts within local hashtags. That does not mean stop networking with other industry professionals, just keep it separate! A good way to accomplish this is to create a secondary social media account strictly for expanding the professional network. By training the algorithm to show the business’s social media profile and content to the local community, visibility is enhanced and the groundwork for attracting new, local clients is laid. 

The idea of the need for alternative traditional sunscreens is not a popular view, yet their efficacious use is underestimated. Public demand is growing for a less toxic replacement to existing chemical products. Continued research into the impact of ultraviolet blockers on coral reefs and other marine ecosystems is a wakeup call and urges further investigation. Studies have shown some sunscreens cause disruptions to endocrine systems and DNA, posing similar threats to humans. 

A pilot study conducted by the FDA and published online in the American Medical Association Journal revealed some noteworthy results. The volunteers were instructed to use common sunscreens on 75% of their body four times a day for four days. The leading chemical blockers avobenzone, oxybenzone, octocrylene, and ecamsule were present and accumulated in the bloodstream at significant levels and continued to rise daily. This resulted in an increase in plasma levels exceeding the FDA’s established threshold of 0.5 nanograms (ng) per milliliter. While some may not find these levels alarming enough to warrant restrictions, for others, it signals a need for further studies. 

References

1. Keller, Amanda, Angela Perantoni, Sophia Steffens, Steven Lyle, and Tessa Oliaro. 2018. “Safer Sunscreens Nature’s Approach to UV Protection Partnered with Method.” https://bcgc.berkeley.edu/sites/default/files/sunscreen_final-2018.pdf.
2. Petruk G, Del Giudice R, Rigano MM, Monti DM. Antioxidants from Plants Protect against Skin Photoaging. Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2018 Aug 2;2018:1454936. doi: 10.1155/2018/1454936. PMID: 30174780; PMCID: PMC6098906.

The medical spa and aesthetics industry is a constant deluge of new treatments, players, and information. The abundance of knowledge and research required to keep up with the industry can make it hard for patients to educate themselves about treatments and protect themselves from bad actors in the industry trying to cash in. With so much good and bad information out there, it is up to industry professionals to help patients sift through the fog and equip them with the best information possible.  

It is essential to make an effort to be the best patient advocates possible both when treating patients and through educating patients so they can protect and advocate for themselves. Applying treatments ethically means being transparent with patients and helping them understand how the treatments they are receiving will help them feel better in their skin.  

KNOWING BETTER 

The biggest issue for professionals in the medical spa industry is a tendency to isolate themselves in the aesthetics side of things. Focusing too much on aesthetics often comes at the expense of being less well-versed and concerned with traditional medicine. Being unable to discuss some traditional medical issues with patients is a problem because patients want to be able to connect what their providers are doing with what their primary care doctor does. 

Tanna Donalson, PA-C, is the chief executive officer of Redbud Medical Spa in Denver, Colorado. She has been practicing medicine for over a decade and is an expert in restorative treatments such as skin and vaginal rejuvenation treatments.  

The aesthetics industry is where beauty and business join forces. Having set standards of professionalism, operations, services, and customer service is how you run a successful business, whether you are a solo practitioner or working under someone else. Client satisfaction is key and having robust business policies in place is crucial for success. These policies serve as the backbone of any aesthetics venture, providing a framework for operations, client interactions, and staff conduct.  

The aesthetics industry is multifaceted, encompassing a wide range of services and professionals dedicated to enhancing beauty, wellness, and skin care. Skin care professionals, spa owners, and suppliers of skin care products are all integral players. Despite its diversity, the industry faces various challenges, including evolving consumer preferences, regulatory compliance, and competition from emerging trends such as natural skin care and wellness-focused services.  

Taylor Wilson is a licensed aesthetician hailing from the Washington metropolitan area. She is a graduate of Von Lee International School of Esthetics, founded by the legendary Carole Walderman. She was a wax trainer at a European Wax center and eventually transitioned into her own studio, JB Skin Clinic, full time where she provided waxing and skin revision treatments. Realizing she wanted to focus on education and helping other aestheticians reach their goals, she came on board to Starpil as their brand educator.