Beauty Inside & Out By Clare Lamberth

Kerry Fulluck has owned Mia Bella, on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, for 8 years, originating from the UK having arrived in Australia 13 years ago. Travelling on a Student Visa would see Kerry fall into what would soon be her lifelong love and passion, a career in the Skin and Beauty Industry and eventually a clinic owner herself.

For the first 7 weeks of her Diploma of Beauty Therapy, Kerry found her mind was blown. She was a 40yr mum, who felt she never “used her brain” since leaving school at 15. Suddenly she was expected to learn, know and remember words she couldn’t even pronounce, never mind remember what their function was!

Head down, bum up, Kerry got through the 2 years of study and passed, allowing her and her husband to eventually apply for Permanent Residency and then onto Citizenship. She officially became an Aussie!

Kerry’s career as a Therapist started in a predominantly waxing salon while she was still training. It was a great place to start, having strict time frames to work with made Karry nail her waxing skills. Being a perfectionist, she was committed to making sure every wax she performed was as perfect as it could be, and on time, whether that be a brow wax or Brazilian.

“During a tour of our local Day Spas whilst studying for my Diploma, one Day Spa really in particular captured my attention and my heart. At The Spa at Noosa Springs Resort, I turned to one of my fellow students and said…. “I’m going to work here!”. I applied with the Spa Manager and started the next week. I worked there for 4 years, even gaining the position of Assistant Spa Manager,” explains Kerry. The salon Kerry had originally began her beauty career in came up for sale and after a little (ok a lot) of persuasion from her husband, they bought it. It was in a local shopping centre. The high rents and 7-day trade really took its toll and after 5 years Kerry had had enough. During a business retreat in Bali Kerry had an epiphany. Listening to the other salon owners and learning how much less they were paying in rent. Kerry had to make a change. Her mission when she returned was to find a new space with lower rent. After going to centre management with her concerns she discovered a new space that had just become available on the outside of the centre. The rent was less than half! Kerry closed Mia Bella on Saturday at 5 pm and reopened her new space on the Tuesday. It was the best thing she ever did! Mia Bella flourished into a skin clinic, loved by clients and her team alike.

We spoke to Kerry and asked her more about her love for Mia Bella

What do you specialise in?

We specialise in delivering skin treatments. We use Meder Beauty Science and Sircuit Cosmeceutical in our treatments, and we have Dermalogica as a retail product. The results we are achieving with our Meder Skin Treatments are phenomenal. We really are changing clients lives by changing their skin, in a healthy, sustainable way

Can you tell us about your adventures overseas with HairAid helping the women of underprivileged communities?

One of our gorgeous clients is Selina Tomasich, the CEO of Hair Aid, a great organisation that educates and trains third world women caught up in some of the worst scenarios, in hairdressing giving them skills to better their situations and give them a brighter future. After having a chat with Selina one day about her amazing work with Hair Aid, I said tongue in cheek “If ever you decide to take Beauty Therapists with you on your projects, please let me know as I would be super interested. She emailed me that night and said…. “How about Bali in. September?” Fundraising began the following week, we were on the local TV and radio stations letting people know what we were going to be doing and we needed to raise funds to get me and one of my gorgeous girls, Sharni to Bali and be the very first Beauty Therapists to join the Hair Aid team. We raised about 1/3 of the cost and paid for the rest ourselves. I compiled the training manual and before we knew it, we were heading off to Bali to change lives…. Little did we know we would change not only the amazing women we worked with, but it changed our lives too. Probably THE most profound experience of my life!!! We trained women in manicures & pedicures for 5 days so they could make a better future for themselves and their families. These women and children live in the dump areas and sort through the trash to earn a pittance. Day 5 was graduation day…. Yes, we cried, these women are amazing and to see them so happy to have a “trade” they could use to make money and provide for their families was heart-warming. They each received a certificate and a pouch full of mani & Pedi equipment and you’d have thought we had given them the world… again more tears. We still receive updates and pics from these gorgeous women, not only the work they are doing but also of their families. Sharni and I left Bali with a very heavy heart, we had truly connected with these beautiful souls, and it was so hard to say goodbye, but we promised we would be back…… then Covid got in the way of our plans, we were going back last year to train more amazing women. As soon as we can we will be back.

Sharni

How have you gone over the past 2 years with your business, your team and your clients?

Covid has really played a massive role in our industry, not only with the strict immediate closers of our business’ but our mental health. To be forced to stop doing what we love and not being able to continue to provide a service to our gorgeous client has been a huge struggle. As nurturers we love the human touch and connection with our clients, so to be denied it is hard. I made sure that as a team we stayed connected via zoom when we were in lockdown, enjoy a virtual wine together. Check-in every day and letting my team know I was there for them is super important to me. The same goes for our clients, I made a conscious effort to be even more visible on social media, so our clients didn’t feel alone and that they knew we were there if they needed us for anything, chat, skincare questions, a laugh or even a cry. I roped my husband into doing funny videos too which our clients loved and even now speak about.

Sarah

What initiatives have you taken to keep business going during the pandemic?

Stay connected and focused on working with my amazing business coaches, Jay & Marie from The Zing Project, having their support and love during the lockdowns has really been my saving grace, definitely would have crumbled in a corner if I didn’t have them to lean on. We offered facials in a box to our clients during lockdowns along with skin consultations via zoom and always made sure one of the team was on social media every day offering support, advice, hints or tips.

Ang

What were the results and have any new innovations come out of the experiences of this past year that you’ve decided to keep moving forward?

I truly believe that because of Covid, women now more than ever value self-care, personal touch and downtime. We are busier than ever with our amazing clients taking the time to have their “me time” and really value us as a profession. Amazingly, we can hold space for the women and nurture them and their skin so they feeling confident and empowered.

Christmas is just around the corner. What do you love to do to ensure a successful Christmas period in your clinic?

We love the hectic Christmas lead up. I always make sure I am super prepared with all our Christmas marketing; Christmas packs are ordered and lots of extra Christmas goodies for our retail shelves. I make sure to have lots of healthy snacks for the girls in the kitchen so they can nibble away when they get a minute between clients. I always start with healthy good intentions but as the month goes on it gets naughtier and naughtier, lots of chocolates start to make an entrance and always lots of delicious pressies from clients. We always finish Christmas Eve with a bottle or two of fizz to celebrate the girl’s hard work. Our Christmas parties are always something special. Last year I took the girls to Noosa for brunch on the river then we went to the Spa for a 2 hour pamper package each followed by a delicious cheese board and champagne, I always gift the girls especially thought out pressies too, my way of saying thank you for all their hard work.

Nationwide our industry has struggled with hiring staff. How have you gone with this?

I am super lucky with my team, I have long term therapists with me, one of which has been with me for over 7 years, but when we have advertised to grow our team, I have struggled to employ not only good therapists but therapists that have the right attitude. There is a real shortage of Beauty Therapists at the moment. I think a lot of therapists have left the industry because of the fear factor of not having work or jobs not being available because we are a ‘high risk” industry when it comes to Covid. I think a lot of therapists have pivoted and gone into nursing training, whether that be to work as a nurse or move into dermal therapies. I am currently looking to grow our team and am looking for our next Skin superstar, so far with no luck, but I’ll keep on manifesting… they are out there somewhere!!