Beauty business owners often ask me, “What is the secret to success? Just tell me and I’ll do it.”
Building a successful beauty business is a lot like training for an athletic event — and I have a rather simple formula: focus and discipline.
When I raced triathlons, I put in place a structure along with daily habits well before “race day.” I’d start training 3-4 months in advance, spending 25% of my training time on swimming, 50% on cycling, and another 25% on running. I practiced two activities per day, either swimming and biking, running and biking, or swimming and running.
I also made extra efforts to up my nutrition and lifestyle game. For example, I ate whole foods, drank tons of water, cut down on alcohol significantly, and prioritize sleep.
Why am I sharing this experience? What does it have to do with building a successful beauty business?
I have met quite a few estheticians who want to open their own practice and run their own business right out of school. While I never want to squash anyone’s dreams, it’s important to s-l-o-w down and take stock.
Why is that important? I have been in the beauty business for almost 30 years and have witnessed a lot of struggle in running a business. If you don’t set the proper foundation before jumping in with both feet, you could be sabotaging your success.
The Secrets to Beauty Business Success
Begin with the end in mind? What do you want to create? This means uncovering what success means for you. Some people may want to build a spa business with a team, while others prefer to stay solo, work with a few high-end clients, and take time off whenever they want.
When you get clear on what you want and what success looks like for you, then you can focus your energy and resources to create a business that’s meaningful for you. Once you’re clear, then it’s time to get disciplined and focused.
No matter what you want to master, you need to put in the work. If you want to become a successful beauty business CEO, you need to train like a CEO.
Belief in Yourself
“You can do it if you believe you can.” ~ Napoleon Hill
This is such a simple statement, yet it’s so powerful.
Over the years, I have coached, taught, and had many conversations with estheticians. Most of them shared with me a lack of confidence in themselves. Yet, the biggest challenge is that if you don’t believe that you can build a successful beauty business then the chances are, you won’t!
Believing in yourself requires that you do the inner work. You need to examine your limiting beliefs, learn to respect yourself, seek out inspiration, work through your fears, recognize your past accomplishments, and keep learning new skills. And, work with a coach!
Nourish Your Body
“What you eat determines how much money you’ll make.” ~ Maxine Drake
Not unlike an endurance sport, building a successful beauty business is a long game. As a beauty business owner, you need to have the ability to think clearly and focus on important tasks, day in and day out. You wouldn’t eat fast food and donuts when you’re training for a triathlon competition — so why would you do that when you’re building a business?
The foods you eat impact your physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing. Eating healthy is the key to making sure that both your body and mind are in tip-top shape so you can have the energy and vibrancy to pursue your dream.
Be Disciplined
Just like the way an athlete trains, you need to be diligent with your business tasks. You’ll have to learn skills that don’t come naturally to you, like marketing or bookkeeping. Practice self-control when working on your business so you can do what needs to be done for it to thrive.
Make a point of developing a deep understanding of your finances, marketing, and standard operating procedures. Even if you decide to hire a team or outsource these tasks, you’d need to keep your finger on the pulse and know what’s happening in every aspect of your business.
Get Quality Sleep
It’s no secret that getting enough sleep helps you stay mentally alert and physically healthy. Sleep can improve memory, boost your immune system, improve your mood, reduce stress, and more. Getting quality sleep is the key to becoming more productive in everything that you do.
However, it’s often easier said than done because we’re juggling so many things. You can develop a sleep routine to help improve your sleep. My top 3 tips are to get some sun daily which stimulates serotonin production, go to bed early to better support the lymphatic system, and take magnesium before bed to aid relaxation.
Support Your Beauty Business with Success Habits
Just like an athlete training for an event, you need to be disciplined about your “CEO training.” These success habits may seem basic, but when you master them and make them a way of life, you’ll benefit both personally and professionally for years to come.
