We sent out a survey to 25,000 of our beauty professional policyholders — including massage therapists, nail technicians, face painters, hair stylists, and more. We wanted to know what advice they would give to someone just starting out in the beauty industry. We can always learn from others, especially those who have years of experience. Here’s what they had to say and some of our main takeaways so you can hear advice and improve your business.
Tip #1: Love What You Do!
“Enjoy what you do; because then it will just come natural.”
– Laura, Henna and Body Painter
One of the top pieces of advice from our policyholders was to love your job. Getting started in the beauty industry requires hours of training and learning and can be exhausting, but it pays off. Remember to love your career and the rest will come easy!
Rachel, a face painter, shares, “Enjoy your job and learn as much as you can. Practice, practice, practice. Use quality products and always be professional, dress nice and be courteous and you will go far. Word of mouth is by far my best asset.”
Henna and Body Painter Laura says, “Enjoy what you do; because then it will just come natural.” As you practice and work hard every day, the services you provide will become second nature! Don’t stress too much about doing your job perfectly all the time, because with time it will become natural.
Tip #2: Never Stop Learning
“Don’t stop learning and growing! The industry is ever changing and it is so important to
continue our education beyond our initial schooling.”– Monica, Cosmetologist
“Get as much education as possible to be successful and be able to do many things. Always keep striving and working hard, never give up,” says Cynthia, an esthetician and makeup artist. The most common theme from our beauty professionals was that education is key. Investing in education is investing in yourself and your career, and it will pay off. As you keep learning, you will be able to charge more for your services because of your skillset.
Monica, a cosmetologist of 13 years, says, “Don’t stop learning and growing! The industry is ever changing and it is so important to continue our education beyond our initial schooling.” Because there are always new methods, techniques, products, and more, it’s important to keep up with all the industry changes so your practices and business can stay relevant and needed.
Even though you learn so many skills in beauty school, there is always more to learn. “Never stop learning after you become licensed,” says barber Konner Kindle. The sky’s the limit. Although it may require more time, effort, and money to continue your education, never give up!
Tip #3: Be Confident in Yourself
Because there’s so much to learn and do as a beauty professional, it may get overwhelming at times, or you may doubt yourself. However, several beauty professionals shared how important it is to be confident in yourself. They remind us to take the time to grow your personal brand and business and you will see success.
Rachel, an esthetician with four years of experience shares her two cents about how to make it as an esthetician. “There are 2 categories of estheticians. You are either in the top 20 or bottom 80. In order to be in the top 20 and you have to be motivated constantly and always recommending result driven treatments and selling products to bolster their results. You need to be confident in yourself and in your products. Things may get hard; it took me eight months to find a job after graduating but the best thing I did was not give up. You can do this.”
Tip #4: Develop Multiple Skills
“Don’t give up!! Learn multiple trades.”
– William Sabal, Reiki Professional
“Don’t give up!! Learn multiple trades.” As a trained reiki professional, William Sabal shares how important it is to stay persistent and learn multiple skills. For example, as a hairstylist, you learn to cut, color, and style hair. However, there is so much more to learn. You can learn about certain color treatments, how to install hair extensions, how to tint eyebrows, and more.
“Stay true to your aesthetic. Find your specific niche and blossom there. Don’t try to over reach and make everyone happy. Be a specialist and not a generalist,” says reiki professional Nikki, who has been in the industry for 10 years. You can either try to learn several skills, or focus on just one. Pick what works best for you and your career.
Tip #5: Invest in Yourself
Being a beauty professional requires a lot of yourself—you’re most likely standing on your feet all day, you need to be energetic with clients, and you want to perform your best work. It can be exhausting, and that’s why several beauty professionals advised to take care of yourself.
Daria, a massage therapist of 26 years, shares her insights. “Self care is essential especially in the spa and beauty industry. Carve out time daily to take care of your greatest asset—YOU.”
As a hairstylist of 30 years, Traci shares with us some very valuable advice. “Do your best to take care of yourself. They don’t warn you in beauty school how hard this profession is on your body. And also do a variety of services, so you have extra skills to fall back on. Also stay educated and up to date on techniques.”
In your profession, you are taking care of others all day everyday, so it’s important to remember that you need to take care of yourself too.
Tip #6: Build Relationships With Your Clients
You will see more success if you take the time to develop relationships with your clients
“Care about your clients. Treat them as more than just income. They matter.” Nicolle, a reiki practitioner who has been in the industry for 23 years shares her wise advice with us. It’s not just about the tips they give you, it’s about caring about your clients.
You probably already know you will see more success if you take the time to develop relationships with your clients. Having relationships with your clients isn’t just about getting them to come back to you or the tips they give you. It’s also more fulfilling for you as a professional, and having people to look forward to on your schedule.
Connie has been in the hair industry for over 30 years. She shares with us a bit of her advice about building relationships with your clients and more. “Your client is your first priority. Enjoy your day!! Be professional, dress appropriately, come to work on time.”
Not only should you focus on client relationships, don’t forget about your worth as a professional and adjusting prices if needed. “This industry is all about building relationships with your customers. Don’t be afraid to raise your prices when you get too busy to handle your schedule. Make sure to be consistent, reliable and professional and you will make it,” says Leah, an experienced esthetician and educator. Know your worth, build relationships with clients, and be consistent.
Tip #7: Know Your Insurance
Lastly, as a beauty professional, it’s important to know your insurance policy—what coverage is included, how claims are handled, and more. Whether you’re a salon owner or you work independently, you will want to make sure you have an insurance policy that covers all your needs.
Heather, a massage therapist and bodywork of 22 years shares her piece of advice to those just getting started in the beauty industry. “Make sure you know the limits and exclusions of your liability insurance policy so you do not commit harm to your clients and patients.”
Any Other Tips?
We hope these tips from the beauty professionals have been helpful! At BBI, we want you to succeed, and we hope this advice will help you build your brand and your business. If you have any other tips for professionals just getting started in the beauty industry, leave them in the comments below.
BEAUTY AND BODYWORK INSURANCE
Beauty and Bodywork Insurance offers insurance policies starting at $9.99/month or $96 per year for several different beauty professions—like hair stylists, estheticians, massage therapists, acupuncturists, nail technicians, energy workers, and more. Unplanned accidents happen, and when they do, you’ll be glad you’re insured. Get the coverage you need with a BBI policy to have a financial safety net in place. For questions regarding professional and general liability policies, contact our licensed insurance agents today or fill out an online application in 10 minutes or less.
