We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Sheena Holmes a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Sheena , we’re thrilled to have you sharing your thoughts and lessons with our community. So, for folks who are at a stage in their life or career where they are trying to be more resilient, can you share where you get your resilience from?
My resilience comes from my parents. As a child, I learned very quickly that sometimes life does not always go the way we plan. I’ve been able to witness them go through financial hardships, being unemployed and even health issue and knew that the situations were weighing heavily on them, as well as me and my sister. However, I also saw their grit, determination and resiliency to never let a temporarily moment in time define y0ur life. They always found a way to bounce back. So, when things happen in my life, I look at how my parents made it through hard times. I pray, ask for guidance and direction, and I keep moving forward. By no means is it easy, but I always tell myself even the smallest amount of effort, done consistently yields some type of results. I’m not really sure what the result will be sometimes. But I do know if nothing changes, then nothing changes.
A lot of people may not know this, but Pynk Eclipse Esthetics is my fourth attempt at launching a successful business. I’ve actually had to close down my studio before and work for someone else to learn how to run a successful company. It’s okay to take a step back so that you can go forward in the right direction. I would say two attributes that go along with my resilience are, I’ve learned to mitigate my fear of failure and I’m never afraid to pivot. Our initial ideas of how to bring something to fruition may not be the best, and that’s okay. Always remember a road block on your journey is not always a no. It just means that situation was an opportunity to learn a lesson and that you may need to take a different path to reach your destination.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
Pynk Eclipse Esthetics: Lashes. Makeup. Skincare & Waxing
OUR REAL STORY:
YOU ARE ENOUGH!
I wish this would have been instilled in me when I was younger. But, I feel blessed to be able to share this message with you through my brand, Pynk Eclipse Esthetics, LLC.
Pynk Eclipse Esthetics was never intended to be another beauty brand, but a symbol of purpose and empowerment. My name is Sheena Holmes, I am a Beauty Expert and I have worked in the beauty industry for over 20 years. One thing I’ve noticed is the industry can be very toxic. We live in a world where social media makes you believe that you’re not good enough and gives you an unrealistic expectation of beauty. The industry thrives and profits off of showing you who you’re not instead of encouraging you to embrace who you are. That stops with us!
The truth is everyone is beautiful in their own way and it has nothing to do with our physical appearances. You are beautiful because you are you! No one else has your experiences, your goals, or your dreams. Your looks are just a little icing on the cake! Your unique gifts and purpose are what make you beautiful. Pynk Eclipse was created to serve as a reminder that we all have a purpose that is greater than beauty, and greater than ourselves. The Y in Pynk Eclipse is a symbol to remember your why? Why do you get up in the morning? Are you using your natural gifts and talents? If not, what’s stopping you? Pink is the color of hope and an eclipse is the symbol of an object blocking a light from shining at its maximum potential.
We were meant to shine, but we all have trials and tribulations that may get in the way. It could be financial issues, a divorce, or even working a job you don’t like. Life can be challenging sometimes and it may feel easier to just give up. But you have a choice…you can choose to conquer these obstacles or be conquered by them. Pynk Eclipse means “Remember Your Why and Keep Hope, Even in your Darkest Hour.”
We wanted to bring you something different….an experience that reminds you, you aren’t just beautiful on the outside, but about pampering the beautiful person you are in the inside.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
The three areas of knowledge that have been most impactful on my journey would have to be:
1. Begin with the end in mind: When I first began my journey in the beauty industry, I was EVERYWHERE and tried to take advantage of every opportunity that was presented to me! This caused a lot of confusion when growing my brand and I felt frustrated because I had no direction. As a Master Cosmetologist, I am able to do a variety of jobs from nail technician to medical aesthetics. It was challenging for me to hone in on what I wanted to do. Once I decided that I liked esthetic services and made a solid plan, it was easier for me to stay focused. Now that I have a firm business plan and goals in place, any opportunity that does not align with my business plan or end goals are declined.
2. Objective Self Evaluation is Key: Learn to step back and analyze yourself and your business without bias. Unfortunately, I’ve noticed in several industries that business owners tend to immediately fault the client when something goes wrong and never step back and say was there something I could have improved upon or done better in order for the person to have had a more pleasant experience. A lot of us are overly confidence in our skill set or our ability to run a business. Some questions to ask yourself are:
– Is this environment welcoming to the type of clients I want or did I just decorate my business with myself in mind?
– Am I keeping up with my education and constantly working to improve my skill set to provide the best outcome possible?
– How is my rapport with my customers, am I pleasant and welcoming or am I showing up late and not prepared when they arrive?
– Am I being responsible with my finances? Would this purchase be a good return on my investment?
The more you’re able to step back and work on your personal growth, the better retention you will have with your clients.
3. Treat Your Business Like a Business: When I first started my business, I was just out here performing services and buying inventory with no regard to budgeting or being strategic with how I wanted to grow. Once I put a business plan and systems in place for how I wanted to operate my company, it made life much easier for me and my employees. Every one understands the company’s vision, mission and objectives. By knowing my numbers, I’m able to properly allocate funds to various operational components, including having a contingency fund for unexpected expenses. Also, having systems, policies and procedures in place allows all of my clients to receive the same level of service and lets my employees know this is where the bar starts.
All the wisdom you’ve shared today is sincerely appreciated. Before we go, can you tell us about the main challenge you are currently facing?
My number one challenge right now is scaling my business. I love what I do and plan on being an Esthetician for quite a while, but I also understand that I wont be able to work forever. Therefore, I am actively in the process of developing an exit strategy and making my business more streamline. However, the biggest challenge comes from finding employees that align with my company’s values.
The way I am actively working on overcoming this challenge is to by being more meticulous with my hiring process and learning how to communicate with people who have different personalities than myself. My biggest help has definitely been surrounding myself with people who have successful businesses and seeking counsel in how to move forward.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.pynkeclipse.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/pynkeclipse_esthetics
Image Credits
Assani Essentials Photography
