The world threw the skin care industry a serious curve ball in March of 2020 with extraordinarily little time to devise a business survival game plan. Most were frozen in fear with their heads reeling on what mandated closures would do to the skin care industry as it was deemed nonessential.

The spa owners that shifted their business models to work with the hardships did one or both of the following: doubled down on an established online and social media presence or quickly pivoted their brick-and-mortar community and set up online e-commerce shops to stay connected. For these businesses, it meant the difference between weathering the storm or seeing their doors closed forever.

Presently, most states have allowed skin care professionals to return to work and reopen their spa doors to the public with restrictions on capacity. The business owners that made it to the other side by using either savings or paycheck protection program loans are still carrying the uncomfortable feeling of fatigue hoping they can become profitable with diminished revenue due to capacity restrictions. There is also the lingering thought of if and when this could happen again.

The strategy now requires answering questions regarding clients’ needs in a post-COVID world and growing a digital presence to guarantee a future stream of income exists. There are some simple ways to ensure long-term success by looking into search engines.

Melissa Black is the founder and owner of Bombshell Beauty Lounge Salons and Candy Coat Beauty Wax + Sugar with locations in Richmond, Virginia; downtown Las Vegas, Nevada; and West Hollywood, California. As a master aesthetician and permanent makeup and tattoo artist, she has been in the industry for more than three decades. Black has dedicated her knowledge to building brands and developing techniques with a proven track record of success in the world of aesthetics.