As part of Small Business Month’s Small Biz and Money Digital Residency, we’re profiling the speakers that participated in our NOW Futures panel on thriving as a small business in Toronto.
What is your business and what do you do?
I’m a beauty therapist and small business consultant. For the past couple of years, I’ve ran my beauty business Good Sunday as a full-time practice. Good Sunday focuses on providing its clients carefully selected beauty treatments that offer long lasting, natural looking results.
What inspired your small business? Tell us the story of your inception.
Previous to this, I ran a small e-commerce start up for three years. It was fun, exciting and challenging. A few years in, it became obvious to me that meaningful human interaction in business was vital to my own personal fulfillment. Ultimately, making other people feel good makes me feel good. Good Sunday allows me to do that in a way that excites me.
When it comes to customer payment and check-out experiences, what is the biggest challenge you face in your small business?
For me, it’s pretty straight-forward. I only accept payments by cash or Interac e-transfer.
Why are low-cost, reliable solutions important to a small business owner?
Small business owners don’t often have a lot of capital to play around with. Personally, credit card processing fees are a bit of a drag. The more I’m able to save in processing fees, the happier I am. It’s one less thing to consider.
How do you build trust with your customers? Why is building trust important?
Working in the beauty industry, it’s important to remember that these types of experiences can make clients feel vulnerable or nervous–especially if they’re new. Personally, I feel that there’s a certain sense of responsibility that comes with the job, involving everything from the language use to the environment I’ve created for my clients. At the core of any exceptional business is a strong focus on client care. When your clients feel cared for, they’ll come back. They’ll also tell their friends!
What piece of advice would you share with others who want to grow their own small business?
Let go of perfection and know when you’re being too critical of yourself. We’re our own harshest critics! If you wait until your idea is perfect, you’ll probably be waiting a long time.
