How to avoid lash entrepreneur overwhelm

If you are a lash artist working on your own or a lash business owner, you should congratulate yourself on reaching this point and give yourself a pat on the back. Even though your job makes you happy, it is unrealistic to believe that you wake up every morning feeling ready to take on your customers and have a perfect understanding of running a profitable business, even though you enjoy what you do. Unexpectedly, each of us experiences feelings of uncertainty, fear of failing, and excessive comparison engulf and stifle us. However, Sigmund Freud once said, “Out of your vulnerabilities will come your strength,” and I believe that to be true. The only way to keep going is to stop dwelling on our failures and plan for the future.

This article will discuss ways to manage and overcome the challenges that lash artists frequently face within the salon. These challenges tend to sneak up on us and affect our self-confidence and mental health.

Be humble, and don’t act like such an expert.

Realizing that you don’t have to be an expert in everything and that it’s okay if you don’t know everything is often the best way to prevent feeling overwhelmed as an entrepreneur. Learning and being willing to learn are essential to being an entrepreneur. It is a process that goes on forever. When I opened my first lash salon, I quickly realized that I needed to maintain a humble attitude and always be willing to admit when I did not know how to do something and ask for assistance. In this way, rather than stumbling through a procedure, I could ask an experienced person for guidance or look for an instructional video or course that could be accessed online. You are not alone in your Lashpreneur journey. Don’t let that slip your mind.

Establish goals for your work-life balance that are reasonable and attainable.

If you want your lash business to take off quickly, you will have to put in some late nights, early mornings, and probably even some weekend hours if you want it to succeed. I didn’t fully comprehend this concept when I opened my lash salon. I had the impression that I would soon be living a wonderful life, one in which I would have a laid-back morning routine and always be able to leave the lash salon ahead of schedule. But, of course, this did not occur because I had to work through all the late nights and early mornings. After all, at that time, I did not have the financial means to hire anyone else. Therefore, you should prepare yourself mentally for the fact that you will be required to work a crazy amount of hours, but you should also establish some boundaries to protect the time you spend with your family.

You are going to have to make some tough choices.

I’m sorry to tell you this, but it’s the truth. You will have to play the role of the villain on occasion. As the beauty business owner, you, and only you, should be in charge of making decisions regarding hiring and firing. To ensure the success of my lash business, I needed to establish clear parameters and standards. I made it very clear to everyone what my boundaries and expectations were to alleviate the stress caused by these challenging decisions. This ensured that if anyone violated my boundaries or failed to meet my expectations, they were aware of it before I even had to discuss it with them.

It’s important to remember that failure is a normal part of the process.

This is probably my most recommended piece of advice. As owners of beauty businesses, we have the mentality that we have to be successful, and we have to be successful right away. But let me tell you. The path to becoming successful as an entrepreneur in the beauty industry is long, and you should expect to face some challenges along the way. On certain days, you will feel like a complete and utter failure. But you have to keep going. If you face your setbacks head-on and use them as a learning opportunity, your lash business will eventually be successful.

You are capable of achieving any goal you set your mind to.

You can realize your goals and become a successful Lashpreneur. I’m not just saying that to make you feel better; I’m saying that because I believe it with every fiber of my being, and I’m on a mission to ensure that you feel inspired and equipped to pursue your lash goals in a way that is truly authentic to you. Create goals for yourself that are challenging but not impossible, and begin acting in your career in the beauty industry as though you are already the kind of person who is reaching and living those goals daily.

Imposter syndrome

“I have a list of regular customers, and they all say how much they like the lashes I create for them, but I don’t think I’m very good at what I do, nor am I very fast. It would appear that I am performing worse than everyone else. If you have ever had these thoughts, know you are not the only one. Feeling as though you are not good enough or even an imposter is one of the symptoms of imposter syndrome, a common feeling that many people experience. Imposter syndrome is typically the feeling that you are not good enough. People who suffer from imposter syndrome often feel hopeless when they wake up, fail to acknowledge their accomplishments, and are overly critical of themselves. The question now is, how do you deal with imposter syndrome?

Don’t let a difficult client or a bad situation make you doubt yourself. Because of the nature of this profession, we will not accept anything less than perfection. As a result, the perfectionist in you may sometimes gnaw at your abilities; however, you should learn to look back at all of your accomplishments. Regardless of the number of clients you have, you should concentrate on why they keep coming back to you; doing so will raise more people’s awareness of your capabilities. You would be doing yourself an injustice if you were to compare your path to another lash artist; everyone who does lash extensions has their unique experience.

Pre-appointment anxiety

Anxiety before an appointment is normal, regardless of whether you are dealing with an existing or prospective new client. The pressure of providing flawless eyelashes to your customers may cause you to experience extreme anxiety and second-guess your abilities. Even though you have good intentions and want to perform to the best of your ability, your skepticism may hold you back.

Always having a meeting for consultation before the appointment to understand and set the right expectations of your client is one way to manage this pre-appointment anxiety. This is one way to manage this pre-appointment anxiety. Being open and honest with your client about what can and cannot be done with their natural lashes will help relieve some of the pressure you are under. If you take the time to get yourself ready before your appointment and keep your attention on the fundamentals of your lash skills, you can alleviate some of the stress you might otherwise feel. Keep in mind that what sets you apart from others is your excellent lashing skills.

Put some effort into developing your skills.

The more you know, the more power you have. By expanding your knowledge, you should strive to achieve the level of expertise of being a lash artist. You will feel more confident about your abilities when you increase your knowledge of the lash industry, new techniques, and excellent products that you can incorporate into your business.

You can stay current by attending lash conferences, acquiring additional skills, and reading about what is trending in the industry. If you feel you could improve in a certain area, take the initiative to improve. If you think you might want to add a new service, make sure you are proficient in the required skills. It is essential to the successful operation of your company that you reclaim control of your strengths rather than focusing on your fears and the negative aspects of your situation.

Support network

Every day brings new challenges for lash artists because their work involves direct customer interaction. It could be a difficult customer, a complicated lash situation, ineffective products, or even obstacles in running the business. Dealing with certain scenarios for the first time can sometimes be extremely overwhelming. Your perspective will improve if you pay attention to those with more experience than you do and learn from their mistakes.

You should try to locate a support system within the industry that will assist you in discussing problems, exchanging ideas, and developing confidence in your abilities. Lash professionals looking for mentors, support, or strategic insights and encouragement are encouraged to join Prolong Lash’s Professional Lash Network (LPN) on Circle, a community specifically designed for lash artists. Members of this community take the initiative to start group conversations and offer one another helpful criticism based on their own experiences. This community can also serve as a sounding board and a comforting forum for you to be a part of. It is helpful considering the stressful and sometimes challenging situations in which lash artists may find themselves.

Time set aside for yourself

The work of a lash artist is not easy by any means. You are aware of that! Because it requires a significant amount of manual labor, you need to ensure that you are not neglecting your physical or mental health. Invest in a high-quality ergonomic chair that meets your needs in terms of being comfortable, having adequate cushioning, and contributing to good posture. Ensure you give yourself enough time to relax and recharge between lash sessions. To prevent yourself from burnout, schedule some time off during the week to pursue a hobby or simply relax and let your energy level return to normal. Your work should not make you feel exhausted but rather content, and vice versa. You have to take care of yourself if you want to be able to take care of the business.

Therapy

When you are trying to run a company by yourself, there are times when you may feel as though you are at a crossroads with your feelings. There is no shame in seeking professional assistance if you cannot control the negative feelings you are experiencing. Going to see a therapist about your anxiety may help you feel better. Having someone listen to you without passing judgment can be beneficial to help you sort through your feelings and see things in a more optimistic light.

Establish appropriate goals and standards.

Remember that it took many years to build Rome, so give yourself plenty of time to develop your company. On some days, you might be overjoyed because a customer was pleased with the job you did on their lashes, and other days, you might be crushed by a customer’s negative feedback about your work.

Establish objectives for your company that are attainable. It is impossible to make everyone happy. Compare the number of happy customers to the number of dissatisfied customers; if the former group is more numerous, you are doing a good job; if the latter group is more numerous, you need to reconsider and enhance the quality of your service. The development of self-assurance is a gradual process, and the key to success is to learn from your daily experiences. Stop at nothing!

From an economic standpoint, you may have difficulty initially building your clientele; however, maintaining your concentration on getting better at your job will help you grow your company. Always remember to track how much money you want to make each month, how much profit you are making, and how many new customers you get each month. Keeping track of these statistics will assist you in evaluating your situation and developing goals that are more suitable to the specific challenges you face.

Increasing the number of your customers

Have you been giving a lot of thought to how few customers you have? According to numerous studies, retaining existing customers results in greater profits than acquiring new customers. Always encourage lash business owners to expand their clientele in order to maximize their earnings by providing sound business advice. On the contrary, we believe that the best strategy for expanding your business is to concentrate on your existing customer base and give the highest level of service possible to those customers. Please understand us; we have nothing against you expanding your clientele. If, on the other hand, you are able to provide your customers with the service that they are searching for, you will earn the loyalty of your customers, you will build your reputation, and you will eventually expand your business.

Focusing on using and selling products of high quality is another way to alleviate some of the stress brought on by expanding your clientele. Because aftercare is equally as important as the application itself, it is essential that you provide your customers with an effective lash cleanser, alternatives to oil-based makeup, and information on how to properly care for their newly beautiful lashes before they leave your salon. Your repeated customers will be more likely to remain loyal to your business if they leave their appointments with the impression that they have been adequately served.

What should you do in an overwhelming situation as a Lashpreneur?

Lean on the people who are there for you. Establish connections with other lash entrepreneurs with objectives analogous to your own and develop a support network. Having a support system that can help you work through your challenges and then assist you in helping others work through their challenges is a fantastic idea. But if you want to solve this problem once and for all, the best thing you can do is find a mentor who has already accomplished what you want. They will know what it takes, and when you are having trouble finding your way out of a rut, they can be the light at the end of the tunnel for you.

Final Thoughts

Affirmation is necessary for lash artists, just as it is for any other type of entrepreneur, in order to motivate them to face the daily challenges they face. Having an understanding of your capabilities, as well as your limitations and your potential, will give you the opportunity to make progress. Keep in mind what Ellen DeGeneres had to say about taking risks: “When you take risks, you learn that there will be times when you succeed, and there will be times when you fail, and both are equally important.”

Being a Lashpreneur is an experience that is both remarkable and rewarding. It’s not going to be a walk in the park, but the payoff will be well worth the effort.