Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Nycole Mason. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Nycole, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. One of the things we most admire about small businesses is their ability to diverge from the corporate/industry standard. Is there something that you or your brand do that differs from the industry standard? We’d love to hear about it as well as any stories you might have that illustrate how or why this difference matters.
Yes, there is definitely something that I do differently in my industry. Most people when they think of beauty supply store they think of the traditional brick and mortar store. No one thinks of an online beauty supply store that offers delivery to their customers. And that is exactly what I do. My beauty supply store is online and offers same day delivery 7 days a week to the Portland Metro area. I also offer worldwide shipping. Customers can place an order online and have it delivered the same day (typically within 2 hours) as long as they 1)meet the minimum order total 2) are within my delivery radius and 3) place their order before my cut off time. But that’s not where it stops. My beauty supply store also offers it’s OWN BRAND of braiding hair that is my number 1 seller. I also offer a wholesale program to stylist, braiders and barbers where they can purchase product from me at a discounted rate. There is a minimum quantity amount for them to get a discount. No other store in Oregon is a mobile beauty supply store, carries it’s own brand of braiding hair or offers a wholesale program.
Nycole, 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?
I have always had a dream of owning a beauty supply store. And I’ll admit I started doing research on it years ago and then I stopped. In 2019 I started back up again and my goal was to have a brick and mortar location. When the pandemic hit in 2020 I was crushed because everything was shut down. I knew I wouldn’t be able to get a physical location so I had to think outside the box. I didn’t want another year or longer to go by without me tackling my dream. I was sitting in my room one day thinking “wait a minute, you can get groceries delivered, clothes, and anything else you can think of (thanks Amazon), why not get your hair products delivered too. That’s when the idea came to me to pivot my business model from the traditional brick and mortar to a delivery service. I told myself I can be the DoorDash of hair products. Customers would place their order on my website and get it delivered the same day. They would be able to stay safe during the pandemic and still be able to look and feel beautiful.
My business idea took off. I honestly didn’t realize at the time how great of an idea this was and that it would still be relevant once the pandemic ended. So many people tell me to this day how this is the best thing I could have ever come up with. They love the convenience of being able to place an order online and within 2 hours it’s at their front door. If they are working late, at an appointment, etc. they don’t have to rush trying to make it to the beauty supply stores before they close, which here in Oregon is around 6pm. My business starts at 9am and doesn’t end until 8pm. Which gives me an advantage over my competitors. They also don’t offer a delivery service or have an online presence.
What I am most proud of when it comes to my business is that 1) I am the ONLY one of it’s kind in the state of Oregon; 2) I am the ONLY beauty supply store that offers it’s own brand of braiding hair; 3) I am the ONLY beauty supply store that offers delivery; 4) I have been on the local news to talk about my business and show how delivery works from start to finish; 5) I have shipped to 16 states and 1 country; 6) I have supplied numerous stylist and braiders in Oregon as well as other states wholesale and have given them a chance to save money and increase their profit. I am also proud of how far my business have come since launching in May 2021 but I still have so much more that I want to accomplish with my business.
What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?
I think what helped me build my reputation within my market is 1) my customer service. I am always providing the best service to my customers that I can and I constantly get compliments on my customer service. 2) the fact that what I am doing NO one else in Oregon is doing. I’ve even had people in other states who have come across my news segment on YouTube reach out to me wanting me to mentor them on how to get started. 3) the fact that I deliver exactly what it is the customer is buying. When they order shampoo for example, it the exact one they order and I make sure that it isn’t damaged, leaking, etc. I offer the best products I can.
What’s been the best source of new clients for you?
The best source of new clients for my business has been 1) doing popups/vendor events. Every time I set up a table at an event I meet so many new people and when I tell them what I do and how I offer delivery they are sold lol. 2) customer referrals. So many of my new clients tell me how someone they know who has ordered from me referred them to my business.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.elegantboutiquebeautysupply.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elegantboutiquebeautysupply/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elegantboutiquebeautysupply/
- Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@elegantboutique503