Let's Chat... On this page, I'll periodically write something that's on my mind and at the bottom of the page you get to tell me what you think Let's Have Fun Sharing Our Thoughts and Ideas!
February 2012: Looks like I missed January...boy it just flew by! An interaction I had with an Esty prompted me to write this month. What I am about to write is not something that is exclusive to the esthetic world. It's unfortunately human nature. Why do we go directly to the negative sources and even make our decisions from the negative before giving the positive a chance? Why is there much more negative to read and hear about than positive? Look at our news. They definitely report more negative than positive!
Here's what went down: An Esty recently purchased a piece of equipment. One week later (before receiving the equipment), after getting on the forums and hearing what the negative nellies had to say, she canceled that order without even trying to experience it herself. This really got me thinking and wondering, so I went back and counted how many of these machines I've sold over the past two years. The total was 53. I'll be truthful, I have heard from four that weren't happy that they made the purchase. That's a pretty low percentage though. The rest of the Estys, I haven't even heard from. You know why? They are too busy doing business and making money!!!
I really really wish that the successful people would take the time to write about how well they are doing, but they don't have the time...they are too busy being successful! The information out there to read is mostly negative, because these people have the time to share their negativity. Like I said, this is not exclusive to the esthetic world, this is our world in general.
Anyone that knows me, knows that I steer clear of negativity and negative people. What good is it doing me? I will create and control my own thoughts and experiences and not make decisions based on a few negative comments that I read or hear.
I have found over the past few years that when an Esty calls me saying that a piece of equipment doesn't get results it usually turns out that it's not the equipment at all but another area of business that she just needs some help with...getting clients and knowing how to speak with them about treatments and products. Or she just is not working with the equipment properly to get the best results. I can work with that! I can help you there.
Please hear me on this...everything I represent I use successfully with my own clients. I am a working Esthetician first and then a trainer/sales person. I am in my 25th year of running a successful skin care business. That's gotta mean that I'm doing something right! I can't begin to tell you about all of the equipment that I've tested that I don't even say anything about because it just doesn't make the cut.
So, the moral of this story? Perhaps we should look more for the positive and pay less attention to the negative. Make our own conclusions on things instead of so quickly listening to what the negative nellies have to say. And...would the successful Estys please speak up!
Until next time...be well and be happy!
December 2011: If you haven't read my November entry, please scroll down and do so first...what I'm about to share will make more sense to you if you do!
Last month my husband and I took over as hosts of a meetup group about the Law of Attraction that was about to close down (go to meetup.com it's really cool!). We decided that we were far enough along in our learning about the subject to be able to share with other people. We hosted three meetings at our Center and decided that this group was not for us. If you've read anything that I've written about the Law of Attraction, you know that is about putting your thoughts, your words and your energy toward what you want, how you'd like things to be....not spending your time complaining about how they are right now. Well, this group was bound and determined to stay in the muck of "how bad it is", even though they all said that they got it and they knew about staying positive. But the group wanted the meetings to be a therapy session for those down in the muck. I was not going to spend my evenings this way. So, we politely bowed out.
A few weeks later I ran into one of the gals from the group. She said she was disappointed that we were no longer sponsors and ask why. I briefly explained that our life was on such a positive path that we just didn't choose to spend our time the way that the group wanted to. Okay, here it goes, here's the part I wanted to share with you.....She said "Oh, I know what you mean" and then she proceeded to tell me the story of how bad it was going for her at work!! I politely listened for a few moments but in my mind I'm thinking "nope, she doesn't have a clue what I mean".
Here's another example: A client that I've known for over 20 years but hadn't seen in a couple of months dropped by on Black Friday to purchase a gift certificate. She has told memany many stories over the years of relationship problems. Each story has the exact same flair, there's just a different guy in each story. She goes in depth, telling me step by step what has happened. She also tells me how she tells her friends, her family, the cat, the lady next to her in line at Starbucks (not really, but you get my point) how bad things are and how terrible men are. She doesn't get that until she stops talking about it, she will continue to repeat that story but with different men again and again and again. It's been twenty years already!!
So, how does this relate to us and our skin care businesses? If you take a good look at yourself, at your business, at the clients you have......do you see any patterns? Can you connect those patterns (good and bad) with how you speak, think and act? It's all you. You create what is going on with your business, the type of clients you have, how many people no show, don't tip, don't re-book, etc. You can be the most skilled and educated Esthetician out there, but if you spend your time talking about how bad the economy is, how terrible the clients are, how expensive the rent is (again, you get my point right?) you will be skilled and educated in your treatment room all by yourself.
I want you all to be so busy and so successful. I know that you can!!! I'm sorry if it seems that I harp on this positive energy thing, but it's real and it works. I have been in business for 24 years now and this year, the year that everyone is saying how bad the economy is, will be my highest profit year in my career. Why? Because I changed the way I think, the way I talk and who I choose to spend my time with.....I choose others who are positive.
Stop for a moment and take a good look around your life. Where would you like to see changes? Start focusing and stay focused on where you want to be and before you know it, you'll be there!!!
November 2011: I spend much of my time each day on the phone with Esty's all over the United States (and Canada too!). Those of you that are very busy, your business is booming and the phone is ringing off the hook, speak to me with such enthusiasm, passion, positive words and "no fear". Those of you that business is slow and wishing it were better, spend most of your time on the phone with me telling me how bad things are, how nobody tips, how they don't reschedule, how bad the economy is, blah, blah and more blah! I'm betting that the second Esty's spend much of their time telling everybody how bad things are. While the first Esty's are telling everybody how good things are.
You know the saying: The rich get richer and the poor get poorer. You know why? The rich spend more time talking about abundance and the poor spend their time talking about lack. You get what you talk about! This is not some woo woo, hokey pokey thing...it's real. It's about energy. If you have a bunch of negative fearful energy swirling around you, you will attract more fearful negative energy. Have you ever started the day off in a bad mood, then you wacked your elbow as you were running late out the door, then you missed every single light and so now you're even later for work and then your first client no shows and then....I could go on and on!
Try this for just one day and see what happens...start your day off by telling yourself that it's going to be an awesome day (do this before you even open your eyes). Tell yourself that the phone is going to ring off the hook, any new clients are going to love you, tip you really good and also reschedule. Make up a story in your mind about how a new walk-in is going to spend $500 and fall in love with your treatment and go out and tell all her friends and then they call you and then your appointment book is so full you can't take anymore clients and then....you get the picture!
So what if it isn't true at the moment. The more you think and speak like you want it to be, the sooner it will become that way. Isn't it more pleasant anyway to think good thoughts? Doesn't it feel better than worrying? I'm not saying it's going to be easy at first. We are so very good at letting the negative thoughts run rampant. It will take a bit of time to retrain your mind. But the payoff is so incredible!! It feels really good to feel good! Let me know how that first day goes for you.
October 2011: After 24 years in the skincare industry, here’s what I know for sure. To create and to sustain a successful business we need to stay up with the ever growing esthetic equipment and product technology. Today’s clients are savvy and results oriented. There is so much information readily available to them. They’re reading it and wanting to know that we are up on it as well. No longer are they satisfied with a good old fashioned steam facial. Fortunately for us, we have the equipment available to achieve the kind of results they’re looking for. That’s why I find this industry just as exciting today as I did when I started in 1988. It’s ever changing and I never get bored.
I’ve followed the ever changing and growing technology throughout the years, testing just about every new modality that has shown up. I can remember back when you were considered high tech if your steamer had aromatherapy!Now we are offering our clients cutting edge technology like Radiancy’s LHE pulsed light equipment for anti-aging and acne and pressurized oxygen infusion treatments.
Another thing I know for sure after 24 years is that doing long 90 minute relaxing facials isn’t going to fill your piggy bank. It isn’t going to keep clients loyal to you. It’s also not easy on your body. Think long term when deciding what type of treatments you want to offer. When a client gets up from a relaxing facial, they may look at you and say “thanks so much, I feel wonderful” and perhaps book another appointment in four to six weeks. But, no offense, they probably don’t go out and tell all their friends about you. When you offer your clients treatments that achieve immediate results, they don’t have to tell their friends. Their friends can see those results and want to know where they’ve been. Now you’ve got loyal lifetime clients and instant referrals.
Be open to investigating the new technologies in our industry. Stay current with the treatments you are offering to your clients and don’t over price yourself. Wouldn’t you rather be busy with clients paying you a reasonable price than have only a small handful of clients that can afford your over the top prices? It’s a fabulous industry we have chosen to be a part of. Keep yourself educated and you will prosper. But most important…have fun!!
I can't begin to tell you about all of the equipment that I've tested that I don't even say anything about because it just doesn't make the cut. 
