Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Leann Palmer. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Leann, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you talk to us about your team building process? How did you recruit and train your team and knowing what you know now would you have done anything differently?
When Brow Queen opened in March 2021 it was just myself, at which point I was overloaded with clientele that I had built over the previous 8 years. I brought on my first team member three months in and we’ve been growing quickly ever since! As each service provider’s books filled, I hired and trained another. Since we have a decent following on Instagram, finding our next hire hasn’t been an issue, especially during the pandemic. We have a lot of local estheticians that follow us which makes it easy when we post that we’re hiring. My main concern when interviewing is finding the right culture fit. I spent a lot of time cultivating our core values and vision and it’s important to find people that align with those values. Since we work directly with clientele it’s vital that our team is embodying the energy that Brow Queen needs to convey. to the public. Skills can always be learned and perfected but values are previously instilled.
The most challenging part of building a team is learning how to become a leader and navigating different personalities. As a business grows, new policies and procedures need to be put in place which can create a shift in the dynamic. Learning to have tough conversations, “kill the monster when it’s small” when problems arise, and how to improve overall morale are all things that we’re currently working on.
We are currently a team of five with plans for even more growth this year!
Leann, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
Hello! My name is Leann Palmer, I’m a licensed Esthetician and I own Brow Queen of Buffalo. We are a full body waxing salon located in Williamsville, New York and we specialize in Brow and Brazilian Waxing, Brow and Lash Lifts, and Teeth Whitening! We use the highest quality hard wax available which is less painful and leaves minimal redness.
I’ve been a waxer for over 10 years where I’ve worked in both larger franchises and smaller salons in Buffalo. While there are pros and cons to both, I’ve always said that if I ever owned my own place it would run with the efficiency of a corporate business while having the feel of a small locally owned salon. In 2021 I took an online course that changed the trajectory of my life. It’s called “The 6-Figure Beauty Business Blueprint” by Raya Schwartz, which introduced me to combining spirituality and business strategy. I dove deep into the world of manifesting, personal development, and reprogramming the subconscious mind. Learning that we have the ability to create our reality simply by changing our instilled beliefs is what changed everything for me. In the matter of two years- we’ve managed to build a team of five, outgrew two salon suites, expanded into our 1200 square foot storefront, have serviced over 1700 clients and have a strong five-star rating on Google.
Making sure our clients feel comfortable is a high priority for us, and part of that is education. The more we can educate our clients about pre and post care and the waxing process itself, we establish a level of trust and loyalty that is unmatched. We are a body-positive environment that teaches women through waxing to love and appreciate their bodies. You’ll notice a lot of our Instagram Reels are educational (as well as fun!) so that we can show women that waxing isn’t scary, it’s actually very empowering. Where else can you walk in and out in 15 minutes, feeling like a completely different person than when you walked in?
It’s obvious that bikini waxing is a very intimate service, but did you realize that brows are as well? Most people have had at least one bad experience in their life with a brow wax and it can be difficult to trust a new brow artist. We specialize in something called “Brow Rehabs.” The majority of new clients we see have a compromised brow shape, meaning that at some point they’ve over-waxed or over-tweezed and ruined their natural shape. That’s where we come in. We have an extensive background in natural brow anatomy. The way we “brow map” utilizes a combination of traditional brow mapping and understanding natural growth patterns. We can tell just by your first visit with us what hairs need to be grown in or removed in order to create a more balanced natural shape, because the brows you were born with will always be the most flattering for YOU. In other words – we’re not your go-to if you’re looking for the brow trend of the week. We’re in it for the long haul and watching your brow shape transform over months and even years is so fulfilling for us, and also for you. What we’re able to give to our clients is so much more than just outer beauty.
We are a woman owned business and our high vibe atmosphere starts with our all-female staff. We are able to empower women by embodying our own inner Queen energy so that clients are drawn to it and feed off of it. We look forward to continuously making our mark in Buffalo and bringing new and exciting services to our clients.
We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?
Since we’re in the beauty industry, social media is a huge component of growing our business. People view our instagram as our portfolio so it’s imperative that we stay on top of our quality and quantity of posts. Posting on our story is the best way to keep our audience engaged and stay in the forefront of their minds. We make sure to always have multiple stories up at a time and post throughout the day. Remember that EVERYTHING is content! Before and after photos will always be your bread and butter but it’s good to keep it interesting and share behind the scenes footage, clips of your team doing a team bonding activity, even cleaning and restocking product. These are what keep people coming back for more and they love to be invested in your growth!
Since waxing is a very personal service, we get to connect with people in a unique way before they even step foot in the salon. We’ve noticed that when clients come in they can’t wait to finally meet the waxer behind the camera. It’s adds another facet of creating an enticing service. Since we’re all about body positivity, we make sure to convey that in our posts and videos using humor and education. It’s all about creating a bond and level of trust before we meet them. That mixed with our high quality work leads to a consistent flow of new clientele coming in.
Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?
I listen to podcasts daily to keep my mind primed and open to new ideas. A few of my favorites are Mind Your Business with James Wedmore, Manifestation Babe by Kathrin Zenkina, and Oh, Shit! I’m the boss now?! by Jackie Koch.
By far, Mind Your Business is always my first recommendation for business owners. His teachings are geared toward Digital CEOs but his advice also applies to brick and mortar businesses. He has a way of incorporating “woo-woo” spiritual beliefs with business strategy, and proves the efficacy of combining the two.
Manifestation Babe is more so for personal development but she demonstrates the parallels of personal and professional growth. She helps to guide business owners (and non-business owners) in mastering their mindset to be able to achieve anything they desire in life.
Oh Shit! I’m the boss now?! is very helpful for all the little things no one tells you when you start a business. This is packed with little tips on seamless systems to implement, HR advice, and things you can do to be a better boss.
Contact Info:
- Website: Browqueenofbuffalo.com
- Instagram: @browqueenofbuffalo
Image Credits
Jeff Welt