Why Being a Lashpreneur is not for Everyone
Nowadays it seems that being a lashpreneur is what every lash artist is looking to achieve as the benchmark of success. Believe me, before I started my business I too glorified being a business owner and working independently. Now, I know it's not for me. But gaining that knowledge was a journey. A journey of highs and lows and one that I am still on.
Let's start at the beginning when I started working for a prestigious lash studio that helped me grow a ton. It was there that I expanded my skills to include hand-making volume fans, lash lifts and proper tinting methods. After about 8 months they let me go when I wouldn't sign a non-compete that contained terms that were non-negotiable. I had friends that had gone off to start their lash ventures. So I left and decided that I would start my own business, after all, how hard could it be?!
It turns out, it was much more challenging than I thought.
I started to feel down about myself after a couple of months of not producing what I had invested. I developed a business plan, joined an entrepreneur support group, and read all the blogs I could find, but nothing seemed to work. How was the formula not working, like they said it would? Now, you may be thinking that I'm a bit naive, but I can't be the only one out there that had bought into the, "anyone can own their own business, and it will be a success if you just believe." The truth is that success takes more than belief. It takes...
time + Money
It takes a lot of time upfront to start a business. And during that time you are spending money before you are making any money. From finding a room to rent, stocking up on supplies and furniture, license application fees; it all takes time and A LOT of money.
I didn't have much money to start with, so I opened a business checking account that came with a credit card that I was sure I would be able to pay off within a few months after I got my business off the ground.
Budgeting
Managing your business finances is vital to success. You have to know what is coming in, what's going out, how much it costs to bring a client through your doors, and look ahead to expenses that are upcoming.
I'm not very good at keeping myself on a strict personal budget, so how I thought that I would magically be great at budgeting for my business, I can't answer. I guess I thought that it would be easier because I would just build a clientele quickly and start making money.
Building Clientele
But clients don't just pop out of thin air. You have to cultivate your relationships, put yourself out there, have an online and social presence, all on top of doing a fantastic job that people will talk about.
Now some people leave their job, and they take their clients with them, but I valued integrity and chose to start over entirely rather than doing that to my previous employer. If a client found me, then I would take them, but otherwise, I was on my own. So, I started a referral program, canvassed the neighborhood, offered discounts and specials, attended business events to market, anything I could think of yet nothing produced the returns that I was seeking.
Social Media + Website
In today's day and age, you have to be searchable via Google, Yelp, Facebook, and Instagram. Otherwise, you can be considered irrelevant or unprofessional. Building out that stuff takes more time, money, and doesn't guarantee that you'll get more clients.
Even with social media, I wasn't getting far. I had over 1k followers on Instagram, but it was mostly all other lash artists. I had a stunning website made, and even an online booking system integrated into it, yet my books were growing at a snail's pace, and I was falling deeper into debt every week.
Providing Great Services
And don't forget, while you are doing all of those things that you can't just work on your business, but you have to work in your business as well, doing the services.
My favorite aspect of owning my business was the clients, being with people and creating beautiful work that made me proud. Getting a client complaint was devastating though. Especially for lash extensions because it is so difficult to know with 100% certainty why someone had poor retention. And I could not afford to lose clientele, so a complaint felt even more devastating.
Even though opening a lash studio wasn't a dream come true; I am thankful that I had my business. I learned a lot about myself, my personality traits, and what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur. I learned how important being a part of a team can be. In this industry, working independently is almost worshipped. But I know now, from my own experience and from talking to others that have had similar experiences, it's not for everyone, and THAT'S OK! We are all unique individuals, and one size doesn't fit all when it comes to a career or life path. But isn't that the beauty of life? You don't have to feel less than for not being where someone else is, because that's their life and this is yours, you get to forge your path. No one is allowed to make you feel sorry for not meeting their expectations for your life.
Check out my Part 2 next week on how becoming a Brand Ambassador changed my life, as well as the benefits of being a part of a solid team.
Sydney Farrell
Content Creator | Extrovert | Amateur Chef | Weapon of choice: Glitter
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