Business Woes

So I wanted to take a minute this morning and complain and brainstorm. I really try my hardest to keep any complaining to a minimum, but it's part of the process right? It is hard to start your own business. Especially in our economy's current state. It's mother...truckin'...hard. BUT. It isn't impossible. The struggle I'm having is drumming up new business. Keeping clients is the easy part. If you offer a good service and are kind, well typically they seem to stay. It's finding new clients that is difficult for me. Social media has it's perks and makes it super easy to advertise and get what you're offering out to many more peeps than you would if you hustled on foot. However, it's not personal. And I feel like I need to be more personal. I need to see people face to face, find out what it is they need and then assess whether or not I can help them.

As of now I, or rather Libellula, offers full body waxing, organic spray tanning (which I think I might start bringing in the big guns or rather the non-organic solutions to offer darker options) and lash extensions. These are services I do really well at. I'm quick, efficient and use top of the line products. I imagine though that if people are seeing my services being offered on the web, they may not jump at the chance to get a Brazilian or spray tan since it's a more intimate service. I truly believe though that if I could talk to them face to face and address any questions and/or concerns they may have, I could seal the deal. They would feel confident and more comfortable with my reassurance.

So how do I get more face to face time with people. Strangers at that. How do I build relationships? What do I need to do or what more do I need to do with the clients I already have so that they're more inclined to refer my services to friends and family? Something to think about. Discounts? Little goody bags? Not sure. What businesses would benefit from having my card at their front desk? What can I do to take my services to the next level, so that I can reach out to an even wider demographic? Body contouring would help in spray tanning so I could spray body building competitors. Where would I go to find a mentor? How could I get quicker at lash extensions? What new tricks and tips are out there to add more for less? Maybe I need to start reaching out to men who wax? I need to start a spreadsheet. Services I offer across, quantity quality # of clients vendors training etc down. Maybe I can figure out a way to track my quantity and quality of services with my personal progress of trainings, clientele, etc. Again, something to think about.

I also sell Mary Kay. I know many associate it with older women or an "old school" product but the thing is is people don't know what they don't know. They don't know that their makeup and skin care line is winning awards in big magazines like Good Housekeeping. That their makeup is geared and adapts with the current trends. I was looking at their current look book and I was amazed yet again at how flawless the looks are and just how current they are. So how do I get these looks out to the masses? Maybe YouTube. I could do tutorials once a week on different looks, how to use their skincare, etc. Okay okay. Everything is digital these days so I could also email the current look book to people. I mean look at these looks. Stunning.

http://www.marykay.com/en-us/tips-and-trends/makeover-and-beauty-tools/ecatalog

So what can I do today to get one new customer? I think I'll call a client that hasn't been back in a while and see how she's doing. See if there's anything she needs done. Nothing wrong with asking for their business right? I think Marcus Lamonis would say to do just that. Reminder. Need to catch up with the Profit and see if there are any more strategies or things I could be doing differently to grow my business.

Confidence in not only my services, but myself as a professional and licensed esthetician is key right? So how can I boost my confidence? One thing that comes to mind is how I dress currently. Mom status is cool, but I feel like I need to look the part of a Licensed Esthetician. So since money is tight right now, maybe I could buy two outfits a month and just rock them until well they can't be rocked any longer. Ha. If I feel confident with how I look, I'm sure it will rub off on those I serve and I will be more apt to think smarter and more efficiently. Eh. Not sure if any of that makes sense. I need to start checking in here more often to track my progress. Hold myself accountable. Not sure the spreadsheet will be that powerful. Who knows. Maybe a year from now, my story will be shared with thousands and give them hope and guidance on how to grow their business from the ground up.

Okay so let's summarize here.

• Build clientele
• Improve services
• Work on improving current client relationships and make new relationships
• Build confidence
• Possibly get second job to help with current expenses. Boo. 

Goal today? Get one new client on the books. Tomorrow, I'll shoot for two.

Let's make waves. 

Signing off. 

***Update: Didn't land a new client today, however I did land an advertising opportunity. Excited to see what the exposure will do for new clientele. A friend was so kind to allow me to include Libellula in their coupon book that a local high school will sell for a fundraiser. Feeling grateful. 

Grateful

In a world where everyone needs everything, I have come to appreciate living within my means. It's a humbling experience to go from having everything you want to only getting the basic things you need. But I've learned to look for the tender mercies that are bestowed upon Noah and I every day and can't help but feel deeply grateful for all that we have. 

Noah, my sweet little angel.

A roof over our heads. 

Clothes on our backs.

Food in our bellies. 

The gospel in all its fullness. 

A Savior who loves us. 

Temples minutes away.

Ward buildings to meet in.

A testimony of the gospel and my Savior, Jesus Christ. 

Family to love and support who love and support us. 

Friends to love and support and who love and support us.

Health and strength. 

The physical ability to serve. 

Talents to share. 

An education.

Laughter. 

Memories. 

Love.

When I reflect on all that I have, it's really easy to feel blessed. To not want material things because the world says I need them. Are they fun to have? Absolutely. But will they improve the relationship I have with those that matter most: my Heavenly Father, Savior, sweet little Noah, family or friends? Nope. So as I take on another week, I'm choosing to remember all that I have, rather than what I don't. 

What are you grateful for?

 

Hello 2 Year Molars

So this evening as Noah and I were sitting on the couch I had a thought. A random thought. I wonder if Noah's molars are in. And just maybe, maybe this hellish week is not solely due to the fact that he is entering the terrible 3's in a few months. Maybe this week has been off the charts, send-mommy-to-the-loony-bin kind of hard, because he was teething. So I look. I whip out my trusty flashlight, AKA iPhone, and voila. There they are. I can't imagine how miserable that must be. These little bursts of screams in the morning before he even opens his eyes, these restless nights and throwing a tantrum every hour, these countless dinners untouched, must be the product of those pesky and oh-so-large molars making their debut through those precious little gums. So since I have no idea when exactly the moment was that they poked through, I'm going to say that he got his 2 year molars today. August 20th, 2016. It has been written and so it must be so.

Drumroll please.......

Hello 2 year molars. Thank you for making life just a little bit more hellish this week. 

Time for some ibuprofen, lots of prayer and hopefully a better night's rest.

Sleep well my sweet little angel. I pray the worst is over...for both our sakes. 

Love you to forever and back. 

Remember that time?

Remember that time when I said in an earlier post that poop gets everywhere?

Yeah. It does. 

And it gets smashed. Because why not? 

Noah was pretty darn proud. In his defense I was blabbing away on the phone and stood by him right by the toilet ignoring the fact that he was pooping right. By. My foot. And the mom of the year award goes to....I have no idea. But it sure as crap wasn't me. Pun intended. 

The moon is very, very hot.

As we were getting ready for bed, Noah looked out the window and spotted the moon. With his sweet little chubby hand and chubby pointer finger, he pointed at that far away moon.

Noah: Look Mom! The moon!

Me: Oh wow! You're right! Look how pretty it is! 

Noah: I touch it? It's very, very hot.

Me: (Laughs) You know what sweetheart? You could absolutely touch the moon. But the moon isn't hot, the sun is. Are you going to be an astronaut?

Noah: gibberish..fly...gibberish...a ship.

Me: In a rocket ship?

Noah: gibberish...ship....fly high!

Me: That's right sweetheart. Rocket ships can fly past the clouds all the way to the moon! 

Noah: gibberish...superman!

Me:...Yup! I bet Superman could touch the moon. 

May he never lose his love for exploration and always reach for the sky.

All grown up

Sometimes I don't even realize how much time has gone by until I see an old photo of Noah. And then I think wow. Noah is so old! 

Then two days ago I took him to Tony's Real Barber Shop. This was his first visit to a barber. The difference was night and day from your average Great Clips. Barbers really take the time to perfect lines and fades. He even styled it and then conintued to perfect the cut. I appreciated their commitment to this wee little guy's haircut. For the last two days now Noah repeatedly says throughout the day, "I got a haircut!" Clearly he's loving his new do and so am I. 

I mean look at that little angel! Even after we showered off all of those pesky little hairs left from his haircut and let it air dry sans style, he still looks so dapper. And old. Again. Where has the time gone? I remember about a year ago when I was worried he wasn't growing quick enough. I guess I just needed to let time pass. Time is amazing that way isn't it? Mends broken hearts, makes room for forgiveness, tracks our most cherished moments and releases answers that we were so impatient to receive. 

Speaking of time, I can't wait for middle of next week when this guy's first real head wound has healed. He thought it wise to slide his slide into the kitchen tile and then try to jump from the top only to meet face to face with the tile floor. 

It's actually not bad considering. 

So motherhood continues on. Lots of firsts these past couple days. And grateful time has captured them all...

Keep on oh dapper one. Keep on. 💗

Grateful for my Savior

Dragonfly Diaries: Keeping it real

A day in the life of yours truly. As silly as this may seem, it's one of the many ways that my bestie and I keep in touch. You're welcome.

It's time

The end. 

Rockabye baby

The other night I got to rock my baby to sleep.  I haven't done that in almost a year.  This transition from toddler to super independent toddler has been a strange and frightening one.  However, what I experienced two nights ago, was something I feel was completely different.  It was total and complete surrender to dependence.

So Noah has been diagnosed with reactive airway disease which for most just means he's asthmatic, just not old enough to be diagnosed with asthma.  What this means for Noah in particular is that anytime he gets a cold, nine out of 10 times it turns into croup and/or an asthmatic episode and a trip to the ER.  No matter how hard I try to get ahead of it every time, we still somehow wind up in the hospital.  And during these visits he is given a double dose of steroid and an hour-long continuous breathing treatment of Albuterol.  He's had these before and done quite well in my opinion.  But this last time was completely different.  About 40 minutes into the breathing treatment his heart rate was higher than normal and Noah freaked out.  He started shaking and screaming.  So I removed the mask and gave him a couple minutes to try to calm down and lower his heart rate.  The nurse came in at this moment and said we would be stopping the treatment and seeing how he did with what he was able to do.

The next day he was on high alert all day due to the obvious amount of Albuterol and steroid.  And something strange began to happen.  Every now and then out of the blue he would start screaming at the top of his lungs in short bursts.  Not a continuous scream, but short staccato bursts.  This happened only once before in January, when he was on the same medications but not as long. My intuition is telling me that he must have felt so miserable inside and completely unaware of how to work through these jitters, that he had no other option than to scream.  And me holding him must have been too much sensory stimulation to handle.  I honestly have no scientific evidence of this, just purely a mom's intuition.  So I ignored the screams and tried to hold him.  He refused.  Every. Time.  We skipped nap time that day so that he could have an early bedtime.  I bathed him early to get that fight out of the way sooner rather than later.  Which I later realized to be one of the smartest decisions I've made yet as a mom.  Ha. Well around 7:00 P.M. the screaming and crying began again.  So I scooped him up in my arms and held him tight.  He tried to push me away but this time I didn't let go.  I held him in the cradle position and began to rock him.  I sang our old lullaby and just rocked.  And rocked.  And rocked.  He cried for a couple minutes but eventually he began to surrender.  There was so much pain and anguish in his eyes, and all I wanted to do was make it go away. I wanted to take all of his pain so that he never had to hurt again. But I couldn't, so I rocked. I watched him as he surrendered to dependence and I'll never forget it. Noah needed me to fight against his fight for independence in that moment and I'm so glad I did.

There's so much of every day that blurs into the next, but it's moments like these that don't. These precious moments stick with me. I have filed it away in the never-forget file within my crazy busy mind for later viewing when I need to remember why it is I do what I do.

The other night I had the opportunity to rock my son to sleep. My 32 lb, full of life, 2 year old. And it's a memory I will treasure forever.