We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Natalie Sweet a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Natalie, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.
About 12 years ago I found myself sitting in an uncomfortable chair behind two large computer monitors at a major tech company. Here I sat day in and day out fielding emails from angry or confused users who would rather kick and scream and insult me than calmly ask for help. It was easy for them to do this, of course, because I was just a faceless lemming behind a computer screen, not a real human being with feelings and emotions. If I had a question or needed something I was encouraged to email or “ping” my coworkers rather than actually speaking to them. I felt so isolated and really, really bored. This work didn’t feel important in any way at all. This felt like a waste of my time and my personality. I knew I needed to change something quickly before I slipped into a full existential crisis. In terms of my new direction, the only thing I really knew for sure was that I needed to work directly with people and hopefully have some kind of positive impact on their day. That was my sole goal, however it manifested itself. I tried a couple of other things before finding myself enrolled in school to become an esthetician. After receiving my esthetics license I went to work for a major cosmetic company and discovered I had a niche talent for eyebrow shaping. It wasn’t long before I dreamed of creating my own beauty studio space. I wanted to create a welcoming space that felt both cool and luxurious where I could give clients my undivided attention and make them feel comfortable and cared for. And that’s exactly what I did! I opened Bunny’s in downtown Los Angeles in October of 2018 and I’m still at it!
Maybe it’s a simple idea but I think we all need to be taken care of, it just feels good.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
Bunny’s is a private beauty studio located in Highland Park. We focus on brow shaping and styling, lash lifts, Procell microchanneling, and super natural cosmetic tattooing. We offer one on one attention to all clients, expert executive of services, and a welcoming environment with a dash of vintage glamour & rock n’ roll!
We also offer a curated selection of self care products to support your daily beauty routine needs.
This year we are looking forward to expanding our brand into a product line.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Honest self-reflection, adaptability, and being a good listener… these attributes have been most helpful to me so far along this business ownership journey of mine.
If you’re just starting out in a new direction I think it’s critical that you can be honest with yourself in all areas. Self reflection is essential. That means knowing where you can improve but also where you shine. You must set ego aside and just be honest with yourself. It’s ok to not know everything but it’s also important to know what you don’t know, ya know?
The only thing that’s absolutely certain in life and business is that things are not going to go as planned. Having the ability to pivot and adapt is absolutely imperative. I find the best way to develop this skill is to work on not getting too attached to any one idea or outcome and don’t take things personally. Owning a business is all a journey of discovery and redirection.
Shut up and listen! Listen to your clients and really hear what they need, want, and appreciate so you can best deliver. You learn so much through listening.
Okay, so before we go, is there anyone you’d like to shoutout for the role they’ve played in helping you develop the essential skills or overcome challenges along the way?
I don’t want to come off as cheesy but the truth is my biggest support has been my partner, Mat. He has worked for himself for close to 20 years and has learned a ton along the way. He understands how it feels to build and grow a business and it’s been very helpful to have his wisdom. He’s been particularly insightful when it comes to how to emotionally cope with the ups and downs of business ownership and client interaction. He’s also a great listener which is sometimes all you really need.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.bunnysla.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bunnys_la
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bunnysbeautyla
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalie-grace-sweet-1700398/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/bunnys-los-angeles
Image Credits
All photos by Mat Dunlap and Natalie Sweet
