Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Fumi Ozaki. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Fumi, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you share a story with us from back when you were an intern or apprentice? Maybe it’s a story that illustrates an important lesson you learned or maybe it’s a just a story that makes you laugh (or cry)? Looking back at internships and apprenticeships can be interesting, because there is so much variety in people’s experiences – and often those experiences inform our own leadership style.
Looking back, I was blessed to join the internship program to complete my undergraduate degree in Human Communication Studies at California State University Fullerton. One of my classmates at the time happened to be a front desk manager for a five-star hotel and welcomed me to intern at her workplace. I was assigned to their PBX Operator department to communicate well and answer all external and internal calls, learn to navigate their switchboard, take room service orders, translate for Japanese guests and many more. As an intern, it was necessary to be active at all times, learn the basics of customer service and deal professionally and politely with every situation that will arise during the shift. These internship experiences have greatly helped me to become who I am as a business owner so that I aim to treat all clients with five-star service.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
“O” de Kirei, founded in 2012, is a one-and-only personalized, private, petite Skincare and Electrolysis clinic in the heart of North Redondo Beach, California.
The uniqueness of the business name comes from my last initial “O” but also means “water” (eau) in French. Kirei means “beauty” or “beautiful” in Japanese. My ultimate goal at my practice is to beautifully inspire the pure blessings of water to all my clients with optimal health and radiant skin wellness.
Prior to opening my business, I worked full time as a Skincare Educator/Trainer/Marketing/PR Coordinator for a well-known direct selling cosmetic company for 8 years. While working full time, I took evening and Saturday classes to earn my Esthetician and Electrology licenses, in hopes to add a plus on my resume. I also love to educate clients about proper skincare awareness, so I decided to pursue an additional 600 hours to be certified as an Esthetician Instructor to fully enhance my career and to position myself to be at the forefront of this ever-changing beauty industry.
“O” de Kirei’s popular signature treatments include:
-Signature Facial Ritual with customized choices of add-on treatments such as a Pumpkin Peel or Algae Peptide Masks
-Signature Facial Ritual + Gua Sha Meridian Combo Treatment (Gua Sha uses a special plate made of jade or buffalo horn to help effectively relieve stagnation/toxins with exciting holistic benefits)
-Dermaplaning Facial
-Electrolysis (permanent hair removal services)
Client appointments are pre-booked; therefore, my days are usually set scheduled.
My typical day consists of daily self-maintenance (hitting the gym, brisk walking, stretching exercises, and of course, taking good care of my skin); Making green smoothies with fresh fruits and veggies; cooking and eating hearty homemade meals (I need to eat and stay healthy at all times or else, I wouldn’t be able to render an excellent service. Plus, your skin condition tells a lot about what you eat!) ; and all the daily activities as an sole owner besides rendering the services, such as cleaning, sterilizing, laundering, table set-up, making hot towels, taking out trash, checking product inventory, ordering supplies, overseeing the budget/monthly sales, preparing monthly e-blasts to clients written in English and Japanese, following up with clients via phone or e-mail, keeping up-to-date with the industry by attending trade shows or classes, attending business networking events to meet prospective clients, booking appointments, and many more.
How do you keep in touch with clients and foster brand loyalty?
My approach to keeping in touch with clients and fostering brand loyalty is to be sure that I maintain professionalism at all times in a one-on-one, clean, safe, and relaxing ambiance. As a professional, it is very important that I respect my client’s personal and mental space. I usually stay as silent as possible while rendering a service, so I can focus on perceiving their needs and wants during their session. Whether it is becoming hair-free for life or optimizing their skin health, my clients and I will work together to help solve the issues. I kindly speak to my clients by looking into their eyes as a normal part of communication and answer any questions or concerns they may have. As an educator, I do my very best to gain trust and relieve any anxiety about the service(s) by doing a detailed consultation from day one. Clients are here to shine, and it is my job to make their moment sparkle. In the long run, being a good listener will make clients happy and give them a better understanding of what to expect at my practice. Fostering my own brand takes full control of everything that goes on with my business. When you think about it, it sounds like a huge risk, but regardless of the situation, I must always be cheerful and upbeat in front of my clients while being humble in my day-to-day activities. Every day is a life-learning lesson. I must believe in myself by taking care of my business, my knowledge, and my clients. Someday, everything will come together for good fortune.
Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?
To this day, I ask myself daily what the most effective strategy is for growing my clientele. What I know is the most important aspect of running my spa business: being proactive and focusing on new opportunities. Besides posting on social media sites such as X, Instagram, and LinkedIn, I spend most of my time and money attending local networking events to meet potential clients, donating gift certificates to various non-profit organizations, attending school events, and doing any publicity I can to get as many people in the door as possible. I find that marketing my spa is most effective when I meet face-to-face with potential clients, as I am in a healing business to touch people’s skin. This marketing technique provides a personal touch for potential clients to become acquainted with who I am and what I do. I also take time to write e-blasts in English and Japanese to existing clientele to keep them in the loop with promotions and events happening in the spa. It takes baby steps to grow a clientele. The positive chain of reactions and word-of-mouth from clients will eventually grow a strong business.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/odekirei
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/odekirei/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fumi-ozaki-04434211/
- Twitter: @OdeKirei
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/o-de-kirei-redondo-beach