We were lucky to catch up with Regina Wilkins recently and have shared our conversation below.

Regina, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Let’s start with what makes profitability in your industry a challenge – what would you say is the biggest challenge?

Dare I say– the biggest challenge to profitability in the beauty industry (to me) is professional skincare & tools being available to the public. We know the beauty industry is a Billion Dollar industry, and everyone wants a piece of the pie. Can you blame them? I say this because as a small business owner, solo esthetician, the services I provide are being whittled down, oversimplified and then broadcasted to the masses: “You can do this at home!” Why would someone pay for a wax if they can watch a tutorial and do it themselves? The same goes for dermaplaning, or even chemical peels to a degree.
I’ve had a good share of clients from different walks of life, and I’ll never forget talking to one woman who was not satisfied with my menu, because “Everything I have she could do herself” It hurt my feelings a bit! I take such pride in being an esthetician, that it also hurt my ego. Without being a pessimist, I have to say sometimes it seems the industry is oversaturated from the inside and out.

Regina, 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?

So I’m a young-ish millennial. Retired theater kid (lol) and I love to create exceptional experiences for people. I have been through the wringer when it comes to any sort of career establishment because well, I married a U.S. Servicemember. For those who aren’t familiar with the lifestyle, I move states every 3 years, give or take. This makes familial relationships, careers, social circles and more delicate and complicated to maintain.
I have been acting since elementary school but, this came to a halt when I moved overseas with my partner. Eventually, I found a troupe of other military spouses and family members who would re-enact popular game shows (think Family Feud, Deal or No Deal) for the military families and children, they could win prizes from the base exchange like an XBOX, TV, some cash etc. Joining that group and becoming a “showgirl” would lead me to have to hone my makeup skills. I loved it so much, I started doing makeup for others, and got pretty good! I told myself when I returned to the U.S. I would pursue an esthetician license, to become a more credible makeup artist. Joke’s on me– I fell in love with skincare! I would find work at a facial bar for the next five years and plunge headfirst into skin science, training, recruiting, marketing etc. (I managed to hang with that company through one of my moves. Then, it’d be time to move…again.
I’d lose that job, and have to start fresh. So this time I decided to bet on myself and open my own little skin haven.
So now, I’m the proud owner of a skin studio, where I offer personalized facials, chemical peels, dermaplaning, treat skin tags and more. The problem in the health & wellness industry is usually access. Certain demographics (think caucasian, upper middle class, urban or suburban areas) will have greater access to beauty and wellness services. Facial bars, I.V. drip centers, float spas, or full service salon spa facilities are littered in major cities. But in military towns, these luxuries are few and far in between. You may have one or two massage parlors that employ estheticians, and a couple hair salons that will do brows. But where do people go for their skin? They’ll come to me. A safe and personal, private space. I am most proud of the experience I’ve created for my clients. As cliche as it sounds, people leave their stressors on my table, and they come to connect. The skincare actually ends up being secondary, I am incredibly proud of that.

What’s been the best source of new clients for you?

Social media has been my main source of new clients! I post so much in local groups to introduce myself. To be specific, I am posting in groups with other military spouses. The thing is, when you move to a new area, the first thing you usually do is find a Facebook group for the base or post you’re stationed at. You scroll that group looking for hair stylist recommendations, nail ladies, etc. So I throw my skincare hat in the ring and it nets me a good bit of clients!

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

The most effective strategy for growing my clientele has been my membership subscription. Typical lifecycle of a client getting a facial is that they book, they rebook, but with no commitment or follow-up, it becomes really easy to cancel that next appointment if something comes up. With my clients on the subscription, they’ve put their self care on autopay–so they’re coming! My members are the clients I’ve gotten closest with helped my business keep a consistent income. Even now, when my shop is closed due to inclement weather, those membership payments still come through (and yes, I’ll still have to do the facial when I reopen).

Contact Info:

• Website: https://reginaesthetics.com
• Instagram: @thereginaesthetic
• Facebook: Regina Esthetics: A Skincare Studio
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/regina-a-wilkins/

Image Credits

Alycia Conway