We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Briona Phonhrath a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Briona, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Often outsiders look at a successful business and think it became a success overnight. Even media and especially movies love to gloss over nitty, gritty details that went into that middle phase of your business – after you started but before you got to where you are today. In our experience, overnight success is usually the result of years of hard work laying the foundation for success, but unfortunately, it’s exactly this part of the story that most of the media ignores. Can you talk to us about your scaling up story – what are some of the nitty, gritty details folks should know about?
When I was younger, I always glamorized the thought of being in the beauty industry. It wasn’t until 2018 that I went to school to obtain my cosmetology license. The Beautology Lounge, an eyelash extension and waxing studio, was founded in 2020. I started off as a reserved and soft-spoken girl who was confused with life and in doubt of what move was next. Over the years, I have obtained 5 certifications and added on a variety of services to my website. Truthfully, entrepreneurship isn’t easy. In order to succeed, you have to keep pushing and accept any hardships that flow your way. There were many methods and strategies that helped me scale up. In the beginning of my career, I focused on heavily promoting myself on social media and hosting free giveaways. For the times that I had no clients book with me, I messaged a few women to come in for a complimentary lash extension set with the intention that they would promote my work or refer a friend. Crazy thing is, I even made a tinder and adjusted my likings to strictly women, so that they can notice my business and book with me. After two years of doing about everything you could name, I finally gained my clientele and built my dream business.
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?
My name is Briona Phonhrath. I have been practicing in the beauty industry for 4 years currently, but officially licensed and working for 2. Although I have always been interested in the industry, I was originally introduced to working in it through my wonderful Aunt Christine. I would say that she definitely brought me out of my comfort zone and paved a way for my memorable career. I was also trained by a good friend of mine who walked me through all of the basics in running a business. Once I got the hang of lash extensions and running my business, I was ready for more. I added full body waxing to my books.
The services that I provide are lash extensions, lash removals, full body waxing, and vajacials. What sets me apart from others is that I am all about quality over quantity. I provide high quality products and a top tier experience from the second you walk in. I am always open to criticism and willing to accommodate to my client’s needs. In this industry, communication is crucial. With my communication skills, I’m fairly adept at resolving client conflicts amicably and articulating needs that must be met.
I am most proud of this empire that I built from the ground up. I love and appreciate all of my Beautology Ladies, and I am grateful for the relationships and trust that I have built with them. For my potential clients, I am always prepared to meet you guys and will do anything to make you feel at ease. I work in all types of settings. Whether you feel more comfortable having a silent appointment, I can do that. If you would like to talk the whole time, I am also ready to talk! Most of my clients fall asleep with the fresh blankets that I offer per service.
Have you ever had to pivot?
The road of being an entrepreneur is a journey itself. It demands a lot of mental and emotional strength, which you might not always be ready for. With regard to social media, my business had to begin with me shifting outside of my comfort zone. I would stay behind the scenes for a very long time since that is how I liked it. However, technology and social media are excellent tools for marketing your company and reaching a wider audience now that we live in a modern era. In order to demonstrate more of what The Beautology Lounge is about, I’ve started to appear more frequently on platforms via film, photographs, etc. I look for approaches that feel authentic to me, reflect my personality, and connect with my audience. This method makes it much simpler to put myself and business out there for others to see.
How did you build your audience on social media?
As a business owner, social media can be challenging to manage, and understanding it is necessary to get the results that we desire. The trick is to be aware of your core values. Do you want the content you share to serve as a representation of your brand? Answering that question will help you understand your brand before trying to explain it through posts online. It’s best to exercise patience because things don’t happen right away. Discover the interests, routines, and preferences of your target audience, and then include them in your message. But don’t stop there; continue engaging with your audience and keeping them fascinated to avoid losing them.
Contact Info:
- Website: vagaro.com/thebeautologylounge
- Instagram: thebeautologylounge
- Facebook: The Beautology Lounge