Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Alicia McKie. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Alright, Alicia thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Owning a business isn’t always glamorous and so most business owners we’ve connected with have shared that on tough days they sometimes wonder what it would have been like to have just had a regular job instead of all the responsibility of running a business. Have you ever felt that way?
To be honest, the idea of being a business owner was always terrifying for me. To this day the title makes me uncomfortable. But Covid was the first time that I really thought to myself “Is this really what I want?” The pressure of leading a team of women, constantly trying to scale your business, uploading a quality experience for your customers all of it can be overwhelming and overbearing. I’ve had to sacrifice some personal things to make sure that my staff and business would never lack. I have had to have uncomfortable conversations and set some high standards for myself and my brand.
I have briefly fantasized the idea of a “regular” job but the alpha in me wouldn’t allow it. I was put here to create and lead. And I humbly accept that task.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I am Alicia McKie the proud CEO of The Dvyne Brand, Inc and Dvyne Lifestyle, LLC. I have been the owner of Dvyne Beauty Lab for 12 years and a master cosmetologist for 16 years. My salon is a full-service luxury salon that caters to all beauty needs. Inside of Dvyne Beauty Lab we also carry our very own exclusive hair care and fragrance line for all our clients. What sets our product line aside from many is the personalized formulations that were created and at times handmade by me. There is no length, texture, or ethnicity that we cannot service inside of Dvyne Beauty Lab. It’s the ultimate safe space.
Along with The Dvyne Brand, Inc, I also head spare the Dvyne Lifestyle, LLC. This brand was solely created from my passions in life. I’m a foodie and so I decided to create an exclusive dining experience for all local foodies and chefs. We highlight a local chef and allow them to curate a four-course dinner that is paired with featured wines and cocktails. Supper Club Orlando is a whole vibe and a great way to intimately experience fine dining.
And most recently added is the Dvyne Interiors. This new addition to the Dvyne Lifestyle brand will help clients design spaces in their life that they can fall in love with.
Lastly, I am the co-host of the Balancing Water podcast. A young and assertive perspective on pop culture, world issues, and adulthood from two opinionated women. We challenge each other’s ideas and perspective and give our listeners life through our eyes and silent thoughts.
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
Being booked and busy is not the way! It sounds sexy and is glamourized in the entrepreneurial world. But the reality is booked and busy doesn’t always equate success. You could actually be running your business down to the ground without even realizing it. I had to learn to make myself exclusive so that the clientele that I curated was on brand with my business. I had to scale back on the services that we offered and made sure that we were at the correct price points. This helped to take pressure off and still allowed my schedule to be filled while still having a good work/life balance. I had to relearn how valuable my time was and then go teach that to my staff.
Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?
To be honest, it’s been pretty simple. Create an experience and stay consistent with it. The beauty industry can be very unpredictable. But if the space and service you present to clients makes for an unforgettable experience, you will never have to worry about gaining or retaining clientele.
Contact Info:
- Website: simplydvyne.co dvynelifestyle.com
- Instagram: @beautyfulm3ss @dvynebeautylab @dvynelifestyle @suppercluborlando