What does the word “competition “strike up in you? Does it make you feel stressed or up for a challenge? Is “the competition” an enemy trying to steal from your mouth or the friend who says, “race you” when on your way to do something fun? Our vote is with the latter on both of these questions. We believe that the competition is not the most significant roadblock to your success, and viewing it that way can blind you from what may truly impede success—you.
In this article, we talk about what competition really is and how to use that knowledge to become better to serve better. Another way to boost your success is to see the competition as your esthie allies and people who will support your success. We’ll discuss the benefits of having esthie allies, how to choose good ones, where to find them, and how to be one. We’ll introduce you to The World of Waxing Group on Facebook and the three women who want to take a big step forward with you and your competition. So, read on to learn more.
WHAT IS COMPETITION, REALLY?
Competitionothers
“The only way it gets better for you is when you get better. Better is not something you wish, it’s something you become.” —Jim Rohn
Success isn’t only determined by crushing the competition, it’s based on who you become when overcoming all of the challenges that come your way. There’s a difference between competition and the competition. Competition is a mindset, while the competition is comprised of your esthie allies. Working with the competition is just another way to become a better, stronger professional and person. Your biggest competition and roadblocks are you and the whole world and everything in it, but your most immense support could actually come from the competition, and here’s how that its.
WHAT IS AN ESTHIE ALLY?
Esthie alliesendless learning opportunities
WHAT AN ESTHIE ALLY IS NOT
We’re not saying that there aren’t cut-throat, limited, “crush-the-competition-minded,” ego-driven people out there. But the thing is, they’re not your competition either. Also, they’re out there attracting the clients you probably wouldn’t vibe with anyway. They’re over in the Shadowlands area, and you’re on Pride Rock with the other lioness esthie allies all thriving and rising together.
You’re with the people who are so focused on their growth and how they can be better to serve better, they’re not even worried about you as a threat. Their good comes from themselves, and they’re here to share that. You want to be close to those who are busy making moves to invest back into their business in ways that benefit their employees, provide better equipment or products that create an even better experience for everyone involved. These are esthie allies.
WHERE TO FIND YOUR ESTHIE ALLIES
You can find your people at trade shows, by taking advanced education, attending networking groups in your area, following professional brands on social media, or by joining Facebook Groups like The World of Waxing, or as we like to call it, The WOW Group.
Yalisis Figueroa, the Starpil Community Manager, an esthie ally, and head admin of the platform, calls The WOW Group “A growing community of loving, supporting esthies. They are like-minded individuals who learn from each other, give advice, and make each other laugh. It really is The World of Waxing.”
Yali is the perfect example of someone who has done some cool things with her esthetician license and wants to use that to help others. You may recognize her from the Starpil YouTube channel, or our Instagram Lives on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. She has taken The WOW Group and worked to develop it and is now adding two new admins (myself and Cyn Parades, our Starpil Social Media Manager) to help make the group an even more robust place for esthie allies.
“The WOW Group existed before I began at Starpil close to three years back,” says Figueroa. “It was kind of like the abandoned cart that gets lost in one of your phone’s internet browsers for months after you decide it’s probably not the best idea to spend $100 on candles. It was a small group of around 1,000. Since then, it’s grown to over 2,300 members.”
The WOW Group is the place you go for advice on providing Brazilians to pregnant women, the spot that knows how to respond to an unreasonable client, and where to share your wins and losses with fellow esthies. Not only that, but it’s got dedicated admins that curate specific content to boost your skill sets, your professionalism, and that sweet mullah coming in.
Here’s some background on your admins. (One of them is the person writing this blog right now!)
Cyn Paredes, Starpil Social Media Manager
Seven-year cosmo-turned waxing extraordinaire, a Stapril Personal Account Manager (PAM), and now our Social Media Manager, Cyn, has taken her passion for beauty, social media, and helping people and turned it into her dream esthie job. “I just geek out on finding the right solutions for people. Being in social media is just one more aspect of providing amazing service, and I love that. I wanted to be a part of The WOW Group to continue in that tradition.”
Megan Vigil, Starpil Copywriter and Writer of The Waxopolitan
Hi there, I’m breaking the fourth wall! I’m a 17-year licensed esthie who started in brows, before creating educational content for professional beauty brands worldwide. My background is in training beauty pros on how to improve their businesses and craft. I wanted to make even more pointed content toward the pro and their business, and that’s why I became an admin for The WOW Group.”
Yalisis Figueroa, Starpil Community Manager and Lead Admin of The WOW Group
Yali is a licensed esthetician and top Starpil Educator. She started as a freelance makeup artist at a young age until going to college for marketing and an international business degree. After working for a few years with the many professionals who follow and use Starpil, she made it official and got her esthetician’s license. “For a long time, I felt like I didn’t know what I was doing (and sometimes still don’t), but then I realized I was connecting with all of these people by simply being myself and doing what I love. I knew I wanted that feeling to be the driving theme for The WOW Group.”
PINK TABLE TALKS
One of the first things we’re adding to the group are Pink Table Talks (the first one if Thursday, September 23, at 3 PM!). These discussions will consist of us three esthie allies getting together to cover what you care about most. This week’s talk will be about who we are, what we want The WOW Group to be for you, how to be esthie allies and even more examples of why you need esthie allies in your life.
We invite all licensed professionals to join The WOW Group and our Pink Table Talks to access esthies allies in action, boost your business and craft, and always be learning!
THE BENEFITS OF ESTHIE ALLIES
There are many reasons to make a mental shift regarding the competition. When you join forces with other beauty pros, you never know what can happen. Here are just some of the benefits of esthie allies.
Esthie allies provide streams of income.
When your friendpetition is so overbooked, going on vacay, maternity leave, or knows of a specialty you have that they don’t, you don’t want them to hesitate thinking of you. And how bout you? When you get booked for a big bridal party or be a personal traveling facialist for a rich, handsome (and single) client, which esthie ally are you going to call to take over your clients while you’re gone?
Doesn’t it feel good to have your life be so fire that you need to pay others to work with or for you, or that you have such an exciting opportunity to offer someone else because you’re too busy to take it? You want all the success for your competition. And side note, wanting success for others doesn’t equal no success for you. It means all the success for them AND all the success for you. Remember, “a rising tide lifts all boats.” —JFK
Another aspect of allies providing you with income streams is when they use/recommend/sell your products or services or take your courses. Having a fellow beauty pro as a patron of any aspect of your business is a big sign that you are doing something right.
Esthie Allies can show you how to build your own economy.
Your allies have different skillsets, tastes vibes that cater to their own economy, success, and good—just like you. There are many reasons people go to other salons, but all you need to do is focus onis to give others many reasons for them to go to yours. If you’re not successful, looking at your allies as the reason is not the answer. An answer to being successful starts with asking yourself what I need to do/become why someone wants to work with me. What types of clients or projects do you want to be the reason for?
What does success look like? Everyone’s version of success is different. Sure, we’d all like to make a lot of money to produce a feeling of freedom for ourselves—is that even true? Does EVERYBODY want that? How can we know? What we do know is this; the types of clients and opportunities that come to you are the results of the efforts you’ve made just as the lack of clients and prospects you may have may also be the results of actions you’ve made or not made.
The key is to be able to look at yourself and figure out what you need to be doing or not doing to build a better business and your own version of what success is for you.
Esthie allies can be your biggest teachers.
It can be very apparent when someone is successful or not. What are they doing right? What are they doing wrong? Use the wins and losses of other pros as inspiration on what to do or what not to do. Learn from those who’ve gone before you in a particular field of the beauty biz. How did that esthie start their own product line? Why did that salon close down? Why did one woman’s salon flourish during the shutdown and another’s shutter? What were the ingredients to their recipes for success or missteps?
Your allies can also teach you how to give vajacials or offer microblading or lash lifting courses. They can recommend classes they’re taking or book they’re reading to run their business better. An esthie ally can refer you to the person who filmed their tutorials on YouTube or website builder. If you’ve ever wanted to know how to charge for house calls or about a strange skin condition your client had, who do you go to? Your esthie allies.
Esthies allies show you unlimited possibilities.
One pro might be a cosmo-turned-waxer, and that’s what you want to do. Another person offers super-successful lash lifting along with their waxing or just hired another esthetician for their spa, and that’s where you want to be. Sometimes, you can see another pro doing something that you never thought possible and realize that you can do that too.
Having a large network of esthie allies can show you the limitless possibilities of what you can do with your professional beauty license.
Esthie allies give you another opportunity to serve.
Service, contribution, and making people feel amazing is a big part of what drives most beauty professionals. Many pros love earning a living, enhancing others’ lives through their particular skill set, and if that’s you, your allies are just more lives to touch. Just like you can benefit from fellow professionals, they can benefit from you. Your experience, advice, and knowledge may be exactly what another pro needs to be exposed to. You have an idea what they’re going through because you went through the same thing, had those same issues, and dealt with similar fears, doubts, and concerns. You are the perfect person to enrich another pro’s career, and yes, you too are an esthie ally.
THE BEST ESTHIE ALLIES
To fully get the benefits of esthie allies, you have to be exposed to multiple types of professionals. New estheticians may need the most guidance as well as someone adding a new service to their menu. They might also be the people most likely to purchase courses or learning materials from you.
People at your same level as you may strive in areas you would also like to be striving in. They are the ones who you might have the most solidarity with at different stages in running your business because they might be on that same page. People who appear to be experiencing a lot of success could be models to mirror yourself after or mentors you grow under.
Even esthies who are down on their luck, are spiteful against their clients or disrespect their staff are good people to come across. You want to see how not to do it and you can see the results of the steps they’re taking It’s better to watch some of these types from afar, but still beneficial to your growth.
FINAL THOUGHTS
We aren’t saying that there aren’t external factors that get in the way of your success—especially the competition. We are saying that a key to overcoming that is by joining forces with the competition and to rise together.
For those who feel like we’re preaching to the choir, how has having esthie allies in your life benefitted your business? Let us know by joining The WOW Group and being part of the conversation.
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