We had the pleasure of hosting Tamara Reid, owner and founder, of Beaute Industrie last month, who gave an insightful presentation on where the beauty industry is going post-covid. She covered the topics of technology and services, operations and skill set as we move in to 2021.
Beaute Industrie exists as an online support community for the professional beauty industry. The four core values at the heart of everything they do are:
Connection, Conversation, Community and Culture.
If you haven’t yet joined the Beaute Industrie community, we would highly recommend you do! Many consider BI as the #1 place to receive advice on business and management matters as well as a place to begin conversations, build community and realign the culture of the professional beauty industry.
In this blog we will give a summary of Tamara’s presentation and include the link to the full Zoom video below for you to watch at your leisure.
2020 Landscape
2020 has been an unprecedented, challenging year and the beauty industry has taken a hit. With businesses trying desperately to make a come back after months of lockdown, the need to have realistic conversations about what the future holds is paramount. We can’t change what has happened or reverse the struggles we have had to face, however we can learn from the past and find some positive things to take away from a year that has made us all the more resilient.
The Pre-Covid Beauty Industry
Prior to Covid how was beauty perceived? As Tamara explained, beauty was often viewed as a luxury, non-essential experience rather than a health fulfilling treatment. So, when the pandemic hit, it was no wonder the government saw the industry in the same light. Something positive to have come out of this time is that there is a very real necessity for people to experience these treatments for overall wellbeing and state of mind.
Another realisation that many business owners have come to, is the fact they were running on cash flow, living week to week. That was something that truly hindered us when we were hit with the global pandemic and sadly forced many businesses to make difficult decisions.
The need to become more savvy with money and understand projections and preparation is key to maintaining a stable, thriving business.
Prior to being forced to close our doors, most beauty businesses believed we could only service our clients in a physical space. We have certainly grown in this area and have shown that we can also provide our clients with services in an online environment making it clear that clients are seeking connection and conversation just as much as physical treatments.
Our clients are now so much more aware of how stress and nutrition is affecting the skin and how skin treatments can have such a positive impact on cortisol levels and therefore on skin conditions. This is and will continue to, boost the industry.
So, how do Beaute Industrie see 2021 panning out? What changes might we see?
Tamara began with a focus on:
Technology and services:
- The disconnection from others has been hugely felt over this past year. 2021 needs to be about re-connecting. So, making salons about human connection, ME time and stress reduction. Disconnecting from technology – our phones, the internet, in favour of truly relaxing, being in the moment is how we can create true connection. The challenge here will be to obviously have your business online and functioning optimally in a digital world while at the same time, promoting an offline connection…
- Simplified Skin Care – ensuring your clients have the right products at the right time so they can easily keep to their skincare regime. Multifunctional products that do a few different things in one step are a great way forward. Listen to what your clients are wanting from their skin care products and choose product brands that answer those concerns rather than choosing the most popular brand, for example.
- Continue offering online consultations. It has shown to build strong client relationships and enhance connection. This also allows you to service clients who live further away from your salon, overcoming geographical limitations and therefore, building your client base.
Ultimately, Tamara emphasises the need to be unafraid of technology – it is part of life and can be extremely useful when servicing our clients. However, it is vital that we also have disconnection through connection.
So, how do we achieve these goals from an operational point of view?
Operations
Now that you have gone through a pandemic and are currently facing a recession, you know if this ever happened again you would know exactly what plans to put in place. As we move forward into 2021, a positive strategy is to sit down with your team and answer some clear questions to draw out thoughts and discover the lessons this pandemic has taught us.
Tamara’s top 4 questions are:
- What lessons did you learn?
- What did you do well?
- What could you have done better?
- What would you do differently next time?
Tamara goes on to define 4 key areas that should change in your operations for 2021:
Staff
With ex-business owners returning to employment and therapists who were not fully invested in the industry having left, you will be able to hire better staff.
Pricing Model
You are now more aware of PPE expenses. What you once considered profitable really wasn’t and it’s time to reconsider acceptable wage/revenue. This is where we get the accountant in to assist!
Implementation of further metrics
Understanding the value in our work is vital. Instigating metrics such as deposits and cancellations in order to promote customer loyalty and ensure that your work is valued.
Understanding your inner community
Were your suppliers there for you during this time? It is time to demand exceptional not average. Which industry bodies or groups did you turn to?
Adopting excellent operational strategies will help you to bring new products and services into your business and allow it to thrive.
Skill Set
So, what skills are needed in terms of management and therapy?
As a manager, resilience and emotional intelligence are key. Self management, creativity, teamwork, communication and flexibility are all paramount.
As a therapist, providing clients with exceptional customer service and treatments is vital. Thinking critically and solving problems – no longer can a therapist focus on the skin’s symptomatic response but rather think outside the square and ask questions to discover what might be going on inside. Upskilling in areas such as nutrition, gut health etc are so important. Plus of course, knowing your products inside out – from the ingredients to how they actually work on the skin.
Tamara’s presentation was filled with so much insightful knowledge and you can click on this link to view the full recording. Tamara has her finger on the pulse within the beauty community and understands the challenges you face. Take an hour to sit and absorb all this knowledge and we believe you will start 2021 with confidence and purpose.
If you have yet to experience the Vital Plus difference then we’d love to hear from you!
We love sharing our passion for the beauty industry with our clients and love seeing their successes. That’s what inspires us daily.
Supporting you in running a successful beauty business is our purpose.
Call us for more information: 1300 437 638
