The Path to Success Isn’t Always Straightforward
BEAUTYHIRED 2024
The path to success isn’t always straightforward. Sometimes, you have to go down, sideways, or even take a leap of faith to get where you want to be.
Let me explain.
Back in 2013, I was working as an esthetician and front desk manager at a busy Medspa. I had been there for over seven years, but my career and compensation had stalled.
I considered going back to school to become a nurse, or working for the state - but neither career really excited me. Then, my 5+ year relationship ended, prompting a big personal change. I had a choice: stay at my current company, or take a chance on myself, my future, and my career.
In 2014, I moved to NYC with $5,000 in my pocket and no back up plan. Despite my previous beauty industry experience, the only position I could land was as a spa coordinator at Equinox in SoHo. There was no salary, and I was scared I would run out of money and end up back upstate having to admit to my friends and family that I had failed.
But there were a few things I did that helped me to succeed, and if you’re ever in a similar situation, I recommend you do them too:
Hustle: I made Employee of the Month my first month, out of over a hundred employees, and helped the spa reach its goal for the first time in over six months. This showcased to my managers that I was serious about working hard and driving success for their team and location.
Make your goals clear: I communicated my goals to my manager and my regional manager. My goal? To get promoted to spa manager within three months, before my savings ran out, so I could get a higher pay.
Go above and beyond: I found proactive ways to stand out, from encouraging people in the club to visit the spa and sending referrals, to local business outreach to get clients from the area.
Done is better than perfect: You don’t have to know what you’re doing to be successful. I had no idea how to do local business outreach, but I figured it out by identifying what other businesses needed or their problems were and coming up with creative ways to be the solution.
Help others succeed: I made sure to help my team succeed so that we could all win together. Being successful on a team isn’t just about your success; partnering with others shows leadership, teamwork, and resourcefulness.
And then you know what happened? At three months, right as I was down to my last savings, I got promoted to spa manager. The compensation was still not where I wanted it to be, but I was on the path to success, and now I had the framework to make it happen.
If you’re stuck in your career, I hope these tips and my personal story inspire you to reach for your goals and fulfill your true potential. I am still on my own journey and path to success and excited to follow each of your journeys, as your grow and succeed in the beauty industry.
Cheers,
Lindsay Malachowski
