Lusanna Koltz - Monthy Musings

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with LUSANNA

FROM MEG + ME

Tell me, I’m keen to know… what are you hoping 2023 will look like for you? For me, the past few weeks have been interesting. I’ve chatted with so many gorgeous people in store, often sharing their hopes, plans and ideals for the start of 2023.

Many are planning long overdue family holidays, some are looking forward to sitting by the pool for 2 weeks with a good book. Others are making me jealous by sharing their recent overseas holiday pics or upcoming itineraries with me. For me, this year will be a year of reprioritising. The last three years as a small business owner have been tough. In fact tough is possibly an understatement for many small business owners, but that’s how I am going to describe it for myself. There’s been the emotional and financial roller coaster to ride, there’s been new skills to learn (or attempt to learn!) and of course as we all know the world of retail no longer relies on nicely merchandising items in store, it also includes filming yourself talking about all aspects of your business and then posting it online for everyone to critique. How things have changed, even in the short 10 years I have been in business. Back when I started you were doing well if you sent an email to your database once every 3 months! So when I speak of reprioritising, I feel that this year is finally the year that I might hopefully have some choice in how I want to do things. If I’m being honest, I have spent the last 3 years trying to anticipate things that can’t be anticipated and then reacting to things I didn’t even think were possible. It was exhausting. However, I’ve learned so much about myself, my team and the resilience of people in general. Earlier this year though, I felt that all that stress had finally caught up with me. I was flat, I was feeling physically and mentally unmotivated. So I made a choice. I needed to do something about it, and only I could do that. Now I know when some people get to this place in life, they jump on a plane to Italy and learn to cook pasta and eat as many carbs as they can, then perhaps they head to Bali and go to a yoga retreat (you’ve read the book and seen the movie I’m sure!) But there was no eat, pray, love moments for me, in fact it was quite the opposite! I stumbled across a Naturopathic Detox program. Now this was a first for me - a detox! I don’t think so! I’m convinced I should have been born French because without bread and butter, cheese and pate washed down with wine I couldn’t possibly exist, or so I thought. But without much more consideration, I jumped in. I ordered the 26 day program. I knew I needed a change and really, was 26 days of conscious eating too much to ask of myself? If I couldn’t do that, then I really needed help. I was excited to start. My kit arrived in the mail and I read what I could (or more importantly what I couldn’t) eat and started planning. The challenge was liberating and exciting. In fact for me I realised that this process represented so much more than what I could and couldn’t eat. After the first few days, as I mentally adjusted to my new routine, I began to focus on how I was nourishing my body and in turn how I felt physically, mentally and emotionally while doing it. As the days turned into weeks my mind was clearer, my skin was thankful for the extra water and glowed dewily because of it, even my self confidence grew. My staff commented that I was looking brighter and I felt that I was a better person to be around. The brick I had been carrying in the pit of my stomach had gone. All because I was finally taking care of myself properly. The past 3 years have taken their toll on us all, it’s true. But we’ve survived. And as we sit looking with anticipation at the cusp of another new year, I’m taking a lesson from my detox. Life is better when we keep it simple and focus on the most important things… Until next time, Lusanna x

BROWS BY WILLOW

BROWS BY WILLOW

Willow Rissel started her business Brows By Willow when she was just 19, and has grown it into a successful and innovative business through hard work, dedication and investing in education and training. This past year has seen her recognised with multiple business awards and we think her achievements are quite extraordinary.

School was not for me and at the age of 16, I left school to pursue my dream of being a beauty therapist with the goal of opening my own studio. During my apprenticeship at Port Macquarie Day Spa, I regularly updated my skills with "extra" courses, knowing my passion was cosmetic tattooing. By the time I finished my apprenticeship at 18, I had an array of tattooing courses under my belt.

Brows by Willow was born 3.5 years ago, when I was 19. I wanted it unique to other beauty salons with the main focus and drive built purely around cosmetic tattooing. I knew cosmetic tattooing was in growing demand and whilst I specialise in cosmetic tattooing, we have expanded to also offer many other beauty services with my amazing skin specialist Jenna. I was very lucky to have had the opportunity to start my own small business with Sonny, from the Painted Horse Tattoo Studio in Laurieton, in one of his rooms. I concentrated on lash extensions and cosmetic tattooing.I didn't expect my business to become so busy straight up. Within a week of opening I was booked out 2 weeks ahead. After about a year of saving, gaining clientele and business experience, I was confident that I could do this in my own studio, back in Port Macquarie. I found the perfect spot in March 2020, just as COVID hit. Through the lockdown I concentrated on doing more courses and preparing the studio for when It opened. I studied and did as much as I could on my own in getting the studio ready. I am lucky to have a very supporting family and a trade Dad who fitted out the shop. As soon as I opened it was a hit. I have been extremely lucky and have been welcomed into this industry with amazing clients.

It's been a busy few years at Brows by Willow. I have grown my small business into my wholesome empire by smashing out professional goals and milestones. I have enhanced my previous beauty knowledge and expertise by continuing my professional development and further training in fibroblast and cosmetic tattooing. I up-skilled my brow and lip tattooing and commenced non-laser tattoo removal, facial fibroblasting and HIFU. I have finished my Teaching and Assessing Certificate allowing me to teach, and in the last 6 months opened the Brows by Willow Academy. I have also increased the work productivity and workforce employment by expanding the shop to accommodate for more services and staff. I have built another room inside the shop for my Beauty Therapist Jenna to offer her amazing skills and services. Jenna is an amazing skin tech and make up artist. She provides the most optimal results for our clients in treatments such as specialised facials, LED light therapy, microdermabrasion, facial peels, waxing, tinting and so much more. We have a new therapist Leah starting in January and we are so excited to share our journey with her. There are exciting things coming to Brows by Willow.

My work is my purpose, my driving force and the reason I wake up motivated everyday. I'm passionate about being creative and helping others to feel more confident about themselves and this passion keeps pushing me to achieve bigger and better things. Regularly attending professional learning and researching new products to consistently deliver high quality services and standards that is expected at Brows by Willow. I also think customer service is key to drawing people in, we work hard on this and I feel we are always smiling and giving that positive vibe. I love our studio and the enjoyment it brings to our amazing clients.

We strive to deliver the best possible results and make a difference in their lives. This is a major factor to our success. The support and guidance of my family has definitely contributed to my success. They support me always and have always encouraged me in everything I have done. I also have the most loyal staff and friends. Jenna has been by my side for 18 months and has become a very valued friend and staff member and of course Mel from Pure Lash, my sidekick, my rock and best friend and without her this journey would not be as fun.

A major achievement for us was being a semi finalist in the Australian Beauty and Tattoo Awards for cosmetic brows, make up and rising star. We were super excited and honoured to be even acknowledged in these prestigious awards. Jenna and her amazing work ended up runner up in the event make up section. We also made the finalist of the Regional and Mid North Coast Business Awards for Outstanding Young Business leader, Micro The highlight for awards this Business and Beauty Industry categories where year would have to we ended up winning the be the Winner of the Micro Business Category Australian Women’s and representing the Small Business Mid North Coast in Champion of Brows Sydney. It was an honour and Lashes. What to be named alongside a night at The Star, businesses who have been again in Sydney. established for many years and be recognised as a strong business. The highlight for awards this year would have to be the Winner of the Australian Women's Small Business Champion of Brows and Lashes. What a night at The Star, again in Sydney with over 7,500 entries and 25 finalists. To be announced the winner was overwhelming, scary, amazing and one of the high points of the year. It definitely makes me more passionate and keeps me driven while continuing to push me to be successful in business. It feels good to be seen.

My advice would be stick to your guns,ask for help, find your passion and learn, learn, learn. Finish a course then do another. Education is so important and can be fun and exciting when you love what you do. Realise that you can be successful, even if you leave formal schooling

at a young age. If you have a passion for a chosen career and set your heart and mind on achieving it, you will achieve it.

My business goals for 2023 is to continue doing what I love every day and giving each and every client the best cosmetic and beauty results and experience. I will continue to increase my own and my staff's education and training so that we can continue to provide the amazing results that every client deserves. I want to build on my staff and my skills with new knowledge and continue to promote and expand my beauty therapist Jenna's and new staff member Leah's role, incorporating new and exciting services for our community. We will be introducing new treatments including carbon facials, tattoo removal and x sculpt, a non invasive and painless muscle building and fat loss treatment. I want to keep stimulating growth and continuing sharing my space with Pure Lash. I have spent the first half of 2022 gaining my qualifications in the Teaching and Assessing Course. This has enabled me to add another exciting venture for 2023 to concentrate on, my Brows by Willow Academy to promote and develop my courses. Being an educator is a privilege that I am excited about, sharing and helping people begin their dream. I am so excited for the future of my salon and cannot wait to meet future clients and students.