Entrepreneurship– What They Don’t Tell You
The beauty industry has a lot to offer to those who enter but it doesn’t come at a cheap cost. Regardless of the avenue you explore, this industry is not for the faint of heart, especially for those who take on the challenge of entrepreneurship. When people hear the word “entrepreneurship”, they think of one major aspect– money; when in reality, entrepreneurship is much, much more than just dollar signs. With owning your own business comes the obvious traits of leader, decisive, confident, and often financially successful but what a lot of people don’t think about is how being an owner can affect not only those around you but also your community.
No “I” in Team (or Entrepreneur)
When you make that decision to become an entrepreneur, you’re doing more than just giving life to your vision and your dream. You’re creating jobs, livelihoods, and career opportunities for your staff. You’re also providing services that help clients look and feel their best all while providing, in Creative Images’ case, an education and career training for students. On a larger scale, your company is also contributing to the economy and your community. As a business owner, it is easy to get caught up in the day-to-day tasks between securing cash flow and securing a loyal following of both clients and staff members. COVID-19 has brought a lot of problems and unrest with it but one positive thing that it has brought to our attention is unity throughout our communities. Once businesses started to shutdown, owners were doing everything in their power to protect and ensure the well-being of their team and their clients. Between applying for various grants to making financial cutbacks, owners all throughout our industry were stuck making one tough decision after another to help keep their team and company afloat.
Safety First
When it came time to reopen, owners were now bending over backwards to provide a safe and clean workspace for everyone who walked through their doors. For example; Creative Images adopted new safety and sanitation protocols that went above and beyond the state’s requirement. From ordering new environmentally equipped tools and equipment to providing monthly deep cleans and air filtration, like most businesses, Creative Images is doing all that we can to promote the safety and well-being of our staff, students, and clients.
Out With the Old
In addition to increasing sanitation measures, owners also had to educate their staff on how they can reduce the spread of COVID-19. Having to enforce social distancing where possible, washing your hands frequently, and avoiding skin to skin contact are all lessons that had to be instructed and passed down to staff members. Some salons/ spas have even temporarily done away with waiting rooms, walk-ins, and cash payments which were further lessons that businesses had to act upon and enforce thoroughly.
In With the New
Outside of inheriting new business practices, some companies even decided to undergo a new business structure to combat the negative impact of the virus. Where deemed necessary, some employees have been delegated to work from home in order to limit human contact and people in the workplace. Other owners have also implemented staggered work hours and increased physical space between each work station to bring further safety measures to the forefront. Meetings and trainings are now held online and some services have even been temporarily cut from the menu in order to get clients in and out quicker, therefore limiting their exposure.
I think it’s safe to say that being an entrepreneur and a business owner comes with its own set of challenges. Throw in a pandemic and you’ll see what it really takes to not only make it in this industry but to make it as a leader. From adopting new practices and business methods to switching your purpose and your priorities, entrepreneurship is not for everyone but for those of you who have taken the risk, we thank you. Thank you for not only adding resources and value to our community but also for taking that chance and creating new job opportunities and business relationships for people everywhere.
For more information on the changes and sacrifices that Creative Images is facing, head on over to our press release or check us out on Facebook. Thank you for your continued support– we can’t wait for the day where everything is back to normal and we don’t have to hide our smiles behind face masks anymore. Wash up and stay safe!
