Business
J
ust when we thought we had made it through the most difficult time of the year, the destructive bushfires that affected thousands of small business owners, the global pandemic that is COVID-19 proved to be the much bigger problem. At the time of writing this, all ‘non-essential’ businesses have been ordered to shut shop, many salon, spa, and clinic owners have had to stand down staff, and everyone has tried their absolute best to take their services online, whether that’s through
virtual skin consults, bespoke skincare packages, or educational videos. The creativity, courage, and perseverance we have seen throughout this time is nothing short of amazing, and we love seeing how supportive everyone is of each other. We know the next few months will be hard, but we also know that it’s easier to get through it with sound business advice and a strategy in place, so we’ve talked to three business coaches and financial advisors to give you the information you need.
Work On Yourself Before You Work On Your Business Salon owner and business mentor ANGELA SANCHEZ tells us how she is coping with the ‘new normal’ and why it is so important you focus on yourself.
The emotional rollercoaster of this journey has been interesting. I don’t normally watch the news; each day I choose to listen, learn, grow with media that raises my vibration higher. However just like the Australian fires, the effect of COVID-19 has been unavoidable. I went to a place of fear and being very reactive, but after diving into what my clients and the industry was seeking past the fear, I knew I had to shift my mindset and get very solution focused. My name is Angela Sanchez, Beauty Business Mentor and Founder of Beauty Business Co, an online platform that supports beauty industry professionals save time and overwhelm by offering tools and resources to implement into your beauty business, so that you can become a thriving successful #BeautyBoss. I have also owned my own beauty studio Beautorium for eight years and grew that to bring me a six-figure income while juggling mum-life and being solo owned and operated. Right now, it is important to accept whatever you are feeling. No one knew that something like this could come and sweep your livelihood, the business that you have worked so hard to build from scratch away in one news announcement. What can help is being a part of a supportive community that can motivate you, inspire you, and know that you can have a complete network of industry friends to keep you laser focused and accountable for thriving personally and professionally. When you hear the words “this is your perfect opportunity to learn something new”, and then you go and try and be on every platform for every live video session and have a huge amount of overwhelm, you’re just consuming all the content but never applying anything. It may inspire you but how do you apply your new knowledge? I get asked a lot who my mentors are, and I have four. Three that support me in my business development, and one that supports me mentally. So when I want to figure out how to do something in my business I don’t ask a million groups and have a million opinions, I go to my mentors and get laser focused on their advice, so that I can move my business forward and not stay stuck. I’ve been fortunate enough to have been running my own beauty studio and office from home for eight years. With 16 years of industry experience I’ve seen how fast the digital age is transforming, and I
know just looking back on the last five years, that if you are not willing to adapt and change with the times you will get left behind. When you are so busy being busy, it's easy to lose track of who you are and what is most important to you. I truly believe that if we switch from thinking “why is everything happening to me?” to “everything is happening FOR me,” your outlook on each day and what you choose to spend time on can have the potential to completely transform your business.
How I have had to pivot my day during COVID-19 I start each morning with cuddles and giggles with my son. We have breakfast together and chat about what he would like to do for the day. I’ve learnt fast that if his cup is filled then I know how I can plan my day – it’s the best for both of us. I usually get in a planning session with my Beauty Boss Planner, and coffee while he watches TV, then we get some sunshine and exercise on his bike and go for a walk. My husband had to get a new job with all of this as he is a singer and performances and gatherings were cancelled a few weeks prior to beauty salons closing, so we are adjusting to our new norm of him not being around as much as we are used to. Most of my work is done from 9pm to midnight when my son has gone to sleep. Crazy I know, but that is my body clock, some might do 5am to 8am before their kids wake up. Whatever works for you, but I try to be as present as possible with people in my company. I do try and get some sort of mindfulness activity into my day as well, whether that be putting my hand on my heart in the shower, getting down to the beach and putting my feet in the sand or a guided meditation with breath work. Mindset work would have to be my #1 hack to how the success of my day flows. It takes consistent effort but it 100% works. I always think back on my school days, when I wanted to play the flute. I was so bad at it, never practiced, never wanted to go to class and eventually quit. Could you imagine if I tried a bit harder each day to practice, or better yet believed that with consistency I would improve. No one teaches you about the power of the mind in school though, there was no access to these inspirational videos or empowering podcasts or access to likeminded communities that were virtually available to tap into when you had a question. We really are so lucky with what we have access to now. Before you start pivoting in all directions to get online while you are closed for treatments, it’s so important that you work on yourself and make sure you are in the right frame of mind. If your energy is depleted spaandclinic.com.au | 19