We were lucky to catch up with Becky Kuehn recently and have shared our conversation below.
Becky, appreciate you joining us today. If you could go back in time do you wish you had started your business sooner or later
This is such a great question! When I read it, my brain immediately wanted to jump in and say “sooner”, but after letting it ruminate, the real answer would be “it started right when it should have”. I was diagnosed with cancer when I was 18 and in “beauty school”. My plan was to be able to help people feel better about themselves, and was right in the middle of it making plans when my future and “story” changed. What do you do with a cancer diagnosis when you are just getting ready to take on the world?
I had not ever been sick or in the hospital, but this experience gave me a window into what it was like for patients. I didn’t know what to expect and it seems although the medical staff was knowledgeable and compassionate, they didn’t know how to help with my hair loss, and the skin and appearance changes. I decided that at some point in my future, I would do something about that.
But, then life changed and my path took many different directions. It wasn’t until I was in my 40’s that I finally got the idea and put together a plan. Was I late or was I right on time? All of my life experiences, good and bad, had richly supplied me with the talents and skills to create Oncology Spa Solutions.
Becky, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
Oncology Spa Solutions was created by me after going through cancer myself and realizing there was a gap in care and spa services for those undergoing cancer treatments. It took a bit of life experience and a few years to put everything together. In 2008, I went to Esthetics school (I have a Cosmetology license, but wanted to refresh and learn more).
Then I volunteered with the American Cancer Society (Look Good Feel Better program). And then, created an integrative support program at St. Francis, Women’s Breast Center in Federal Way WA.
I found my passion after working with the cancer patients there, seeing how much they loved safe touch and personalized care during their cancer journey. I had been there a year when the hospital group opened a new cancer center (Jane T Russell Cancer Care Center in Gig Harbor, WA) and wanted me to spearhead the integrative program for them. Realizing I needed more loving hearts and healing hands, I knew I needed to start training other spa professionals so we could care for more patients.
And, that is where the training started in 2010 with one training class and has built to what it is today (30-50 classes a year prior to COVID) and 17 trainers in the US and also have trainers in Barbados, The Caymen Island.
My first client , Jatin, “sealed the deal” for me, and made me know I was doing what I was created for. You can view the video on the website for the full story on that. (https://oncologyspasolutions.com/meet-becky/)
Okay – so how did you figure out the manufacturing part? Did you have prior experience?
I had been teaching for 7 years using other peoples products and didn’t want my own because I am not a product manufacturer and wanted to “stay in my lane” and just do what I do best. But, it became increasingly obvious that I needed my own (the right) product line. I had been working with 13 different product lines to have enough products to work with cancer patients, because I could not find one line that had it all. I needed a line that was:
* Safe ingredients
* Non-aggressive
* No fragrance
* Completely free of any harmful ingredients (parabens, glycols, etc.)
* The right price point – not too expensive
In 2018, I started working with schools, hospital gift stores and cancer centers. They ALL wanted a product line and would not order from several different companies.
So, I started the search for a formulator. I met with 4 before finding the one. The key is: DONT be intimidated, DONT give up, and DONT compromise. Know what you want, what you don’t want, and don’t let anyone talk you into something that does not fit your needs, idea/plan.
The challenge: The first four chemists I met with didn’t understand my needs and weren’t willing to ditch the bad ingredients. When I looked at a suggested formula, I saw an ingredient in there that was an endocrine disruptor. I mentioned that to the chemist, who said they weren’t aware of that, but that it would make a formula really creamy (?!?).
So, I moved on to the next ones with similar incidences, until I met the last (fifth) one. He not only understood ME, but he also knew ingredients, and had great ideas of how to make the products I wanted even better. He is a chemist and a biologist, so he understood what each ingredient did to the body.
I wanted the products to be clean, safe, pure and simple. What truthfully, everyones skin needs is products that are calming, soothing, hydrating and protecting. All products were tested for 6 months at the cancer center with actual cancer patients for safety and efficacy before they came to market,
In 2019 “O Skin Love(R)” was launched, is fabulous and much loved.
It took me 7 years before I decided to make my own oncology safe product line. My only regret is that I didn’t do it sooner.
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
From 2010-2019 all classes were hands-on. When COV!D hit, we all had to take a good look at our business and decide what to do in order to stay afloat.
I had not thought of offering the course online, because the spa profession is “hands-on”. So, how can you learn without that part? In 2017, I wrote the book (training manual) Life-Changing Esthetics and created the course to follow that and decided to film a live class. Mostly because I wanted to have an option for those who could not or were not able to travel.
Many of my students are caregivers and could not take time off to travel for a class.
So, thankfully, we had it ready in 2020 when our option was: “pivot” (go online) or “die”.
I was shocked at how many students wanted and actually preferred to take a course online. Having the ability to make that happen saved my business, and I even had increases each year from 2020-current. I do not know what I would have done without having that idea and making it happen. (Always, listen to your gut…..)
Contact Info:
- Website: https://oncologyspasolutions.com/
- Instagram: oncology_spa_solutions
- Facebook: Oncology Spa Solutions
- Linkedin: Becky Kuehn
- Youtube: Becky Kuehn
- Other: Vimeo: Oncology Esthetics Channel – https://vimeo.com/channels/oncologyesthetics