It’s not unusual for people in the beauty industry to go above and beyond when it comes to caring for others and spring is the perfect time to reach out and support local
The world of beauty is like no other. Providing a place where people come to feel cared for and nurtured, to seek solace from their busy lives or to connect with others, whether you work alone or in a salon, you’ve no doubt created your own community within the four walls of your business. But have you ever considered that it could easily extend out of the beauty space and into your local area? Just by listening, supporting and connecting people, it’s a natural extension of the services you already provide in your day job.
When Faith Elder founded her Beauty Academy in Dundee in 2006, she immediately knew she wanted to take an active role in her community. “From helping at charity events to becoming a significant part of Kings Trust Scotland for over 10 years, I am also partnered with The Helm, Dundee Carers and many other charitable organisations around the area – being part of the community is one of my passions,” says Faith. “I am proudest of the work I do with the Kings Trust who provide funding to those who are interested in having a career in the beauty industry but don’t know where to start. Many of the young girls suffer from anxiety and low self-esteem and don’t believe they can succeed so I work hard to support their mental wellbeing. This year 11 of my students have either gone to college or started their own businesses following completing their training at my academy.”
GETTING STARTED
If you’re keen to get going but have no idea where to start, research what’s already going on in your local area. Look at charities, initiatives and projects that are already up and running to ease yourself in and offer your assistance or see if you can support them in any way. Schools and colleges are also worth investigating should you want to offer up education, mentoring and placements.
Those with premises and salons are in a strong position from the get-go. “I offer staff and carers from Dundee Carers and Barnardo’s the opportunity to join my Academy’s models list so they can receive complimentary treatments by acting as models for the students who are training with me. I’ve recently opened it up to anyone in Dundee who is an unpaid carer and the feedback I’ve received has been overwhelmingly positive,” continues Faith.
Marie Yexley, owner of Beauty and the Bay also uses her salon as a base for community projects: “When the war in the Ukraine started, I set up a collection site at the salon and collected hundreds of much-needed items,” says Marie. “I put a post on our social media page within 48 hours and was able to fill an entire container which we arranged, with support from a local charity to get sent to the Ukraine. Closer to home we are collecting trainers for a locally deprived school who are struggling to hold PE lessons as their students can’t afford trainers. The salon has now become a hub for trainer drop-offs which I then clean and deliver to the teacher.”
Talk to your clients as a sounding board too, you never know what they do in the community or how they might have organisations that could benefit. “We have a lovely client who established the Tom Bowdidge Foundation after her son, Tom, passed away from teenage cancer. Now every year, instead of sending our clients Christmas cards we donate to this local charity. In summer we also hosted a fashion show where we held a raffle and performed mini treatments and services with all treatment funds raised going to the foundation,” says Maria.
BRILLIANT FOR TEAM BONDING
It’s not just those outside the salon that can benefit from your extracurricular efforts, it’s a great way to connect with colleagues too. “Working on a project for love, not money, feels different,” admits Marie. “It works as a great place for inspiration too – if you’re not sure where to start, ask your team what they are interested in and passionate about and focus your attention there. My team voluntarily get involved - there is never an expectation from me that they have to, but they often do.”
The more hands on deck, the more buzz you create on your salon floor as well and the more news travels about your community projects as clients will actively come in and ask about what you’re doing, or even offer their own services. This is why it can be a good idea to use your social media and other communication channels to talk about your community events.
“Business-wise, it really helps to increase your brand awareness too, which is important,” explains Sara Shoemark, owner of Glow Beauty and BABTAC board member. “You do have to think of the business because without that you wouldn’t have the money or time to help the community, and you never want to put your business at risk but getting involved personalises it and puts a face to the business. It gives you visibility in your community which is also a feel-good factor for your team.”
GOING IT ALONE
If you work for yourself, there’s even more of an incentive to get involved with those around you and Katie Pearson, founder of Bump and Beyond used her own experiences, along with her clients wants and needs to create curated events for those in the community.
“I have spoken to many clients in the treatment room that feel isolated and lonely and need a little lift in their day so I wanted to do something that everyone could enjoy and that was accessible for everyone, so I decided to start hosting a variety of events to suit different needs within the local community,” says Katie. “Part of my business ethos is to give back wherever I can so whether it’s been running events whilst promoting local businesses or simply going for a walk with a group of clients to get some exercise and fresh air, it’s all in the hope of improving our mental health. There’s no better feeling when you see your clients meeting, having a good chat and swapping numbers.”
As for choosing local businesses to partner with, Katie cherry-picks those who complement her own skill set: “I invite people that can offer my clients a new life skill, a keepsake or reassurance so I’ve collaborated with Paediatric first aiders, photographers, scar massage therapists, sleep consultants, yoga teachers, osteopaths and health visitors.” She also likes to select businesses owned by mums who are in a similar position and juggling family life while aspiring to their own dreams. “It’s amazing how many people will want to work with you and also promote their own business so reach out to as many as you can think of.”
IT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE FOR FREE
Charities are just one option of how to help in the community. If, like Katie, you’ve spotted a gap for coaching sessions or events that you can curate and upsell, it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t charge as they still bring the community together. “I offer a combination of paid for and free events so that there is something to accommodate everyone,” she says. “For ticketed events I start by promoting via email to my subscribers as an exclusive (90% of them are clients) and then it opens up to the general public. For my free events, these are more relaxed and I contact people via my WhatsApp broadcast list.”
What you do need to consider is that you can fully commit to your cause though. “You’ve got to do it properly and also professionally. Understand it can cost you money in expenses and it can cost you time (which costs you money) but what you get back is so much greater that it’s always worth doing,” says Sara.
Whether it’s a run club, a quiz night, monthly socials, masterclasses or book club, there are plenty of activities that will give you the opportunity to interact with locals, clients and other businesses in the area. The main thing is not to feel overwhelmed. Start small and then you can watch your efforts grow with time. “Doing something kind for other people is my love language and it genuinely gives me the best feeling ever,” says Marie. “I don’t do it for gain but I feel I’ve had just as much in return.”
Words by Becci Vallis