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In Memory of Rocco By Will Fennell
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IN MEMORY OF ROCCO
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By Will Fennell
According to the Humane Society International, more than 500,000 animals suffer and die for cosmetics testing every single year.
Animal testing by cosmetic companies still widely happens today. Are you shocked? Do you promote products that say, “We don’t test on animals”? This statement may technically be true, yet sadly misleading. Many companies don’t themselves test on animals but use ingredients in their products from other manufacturers that do test on animals. Yes, I smell a rat (and probably one being forced to wear mascara)!
There are thirteen types of testing performed in the cosmetics industry, which historically have involved the use of animals. These comprise tests for eye and skin irritation, skin penetration, skin sensitisation, photo toxicity and photosensitisation, mutagenicity, acute and chronic toxicity, carcinogenicity, reproductive toxicity, teratogenicity and finished product safety evaluation.
Measures are being taken to develop and validate alternative methods to animal testing for cosmetics. These are supported to a greater or lesser extent by national governments, the cosmetics industry, the scientific community and animal rights groups. Despite this formidable consortium progress against animal testing remains slow.
It is up to you to make sure that the products you use and promote are totally cruelty free. The website www.choosecrueltyfree.org. au provides an extensive list of those product companies. Go check it out! make a difference?” But it really is simple. If each of us switched just one of our daily cosmetics a year to an animal/environmentally friendly alternative, in a decade the entire industry would have to remodel itself. We as consumers really have that power!
It all starts with you! I am so very proud that BCG the company that I work for in Germany which produce Biodroga said NO to animal testing of any type a very long time ago. We as a company proudly only ever test on humans (I can vouch for this one)!
Sometimes we forget the power we have over our clients. They look up to us, they listen to what we have to say. I know if I say Kylie’s latest album rocks you can guarantee they will be blaring it in the car on the way home.
So, educate your clients and make the change today. Do it for yourself and do it for the millions of animals that don’t have a voice.
Or at least do it for the memory of my bunny, Rocco, whom no matter how much I encouraged him, refused to wear even a touch of glitter eyeshadow!
Will Fennell is an International Trainer for BIODROGA @leskinbar_bywillfennell @biodroga_aus www.biodroga.com.au
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ADJUSTING TO THE ‘TIMES’
By Lisa Conway, The Zing Project
Often when I feel like I’d LOVE an appointment in a beauty salon it’s closed for me.
I would love it if beauty clinics were available to me late Saturday or very early on a Sunday Morning and yes, I’d pay a premium for the privilege. Mid weekend is when I’d love to be in a salon getting a serious pampering or some heavy-duty beauty. I wonder if I am the only one.
You see, I am your target audience.
I know I can better myself with your services, I have a healthy discretionary spend and I appreciate and hold great skin in high regard.
In 2020 the world changed forever, people were forced to think differently and although many industries and businesses struggled with that, some absolutely thrived. I truly think we are now well and truly appreciated.
As a business mentor and coach in your space I was privileged to witness pure joy and dedication some business owners had shown toward their clients and their clients toward them. Some clients offering to pay a year in advance for their beauty treatment’s so as to support the business they had come to know and love. Salon owners driving door to door delivering products, so their clients didn’t go without. If you think you can’t, or you think you can you are correct. What you think is true.
The standard 9am to 5 pm with two late nights model is gone, it’s a thing of the past don’t believe me? … ask your audience.
What the likelihood of your clients adapting to completely different business hours? I believe there is a premium market for Saturday evenings and an early Sunday mornings trade. I’m thinking Pre wedding parties, quality mother and daughter time, people who work together all week and Mums who know their partner can have the kids in the park for a couple of hours. I think the world is waking up to the facts around self-love and what better way is there to show yourself some love than quality time in a beauty salon
Just know that every salon demographic is different and so you will need to do proper research and test the market. Remember to drive your message of a change for the better loud and clear or it simply won’t work. People respond to the way we train them to behave. We changed a Tuesday 9 till 5 to a Tuesday 12 till 9 and it fast became our best days trade every week. It set the teams morale up for a great week, every week, but we had that conversation a thousand times over and sold the idea over and over again. Nothing in business is passive. That particular salon had a high population of families and it was a night that both parents were usually home so one could sneak off to my salon. Being the start of the week no one is tired as they often are on a Friday evening or they last minute cancel because they get a better social offer. I don’t see another opportunity like this any time soon, so maybe cash in on the changing times and rethink your hours of trade.
The good and the bad news here is your ability to attract or repel a quality team member is just a reflection of your leadership skills. Work harder on yourself than on anyone else. Be a better boss because it all starts and ends with you. You can make the changes you need, I did and so can you.
Let’s do a little housekeeping and do some critical thinking around these points, maybe mark yourself out of ten for each one. 1. Be honest with yourself around your efforts to advertise. How frequently? how many platforms? Are you using all of your recourses and resourcefulness? What structures do you have for your interview and on boarding process, how well do you nurture candidates? 2. Your industry and community reputation. Is it public knowledge? Do you exist? How do you contribute? Are you taking and giving in equal proportion? 3. Your team communication channels. Are they a clear consistent path of 51-49% in the team’s favour. You might listen but do you hear what they are saying? 4. Courageous conversations. Say what you mean, mean what you say and never ever be mean when you say it?
When was the last time you reviewed the hours you trade, if you can’t remember it’s been too long. I think now, more than ever there has been a global shift in the time we spend going to and from work. It was not that long ago that the ideal client to get into your beauty business was a medical professional. Most hospital teams are on shift so they could easily fill an appointment midweek. I think the pandemic has showcased that productivity can be even greater from home and that takes me to my point. Do the hours you trade suit your client’s demographic?
The answer is actually much easier to find out than you think. If that is something you would find value in and would like some help with reach out.
