We recently connected with Robin Pettus and have shared our conversation below.
Robin, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Owning a business isn’t always glamorous and so most business owners we’ve connected with have shared that on tough days they sometimes wonder what it would have been like to have just had a regular job instead of all the responsibility of running a business. Have you ever felt that way?
Being a business owner means everything to me. It’s extremely hard work, and you end up working 24/7 (rather than 9-5), but it’s work that goes towards the growth of something I’ve created so I’m happy as hell to give it all my love and attention. I have worked in the past with corporate skincare companies like HydraFacial, and while I loved working with my marketing team there, I really disliked the 9-5 schedule, the forced hour lunch breaks, long business meetings, and just the same routine of it all.
Of course there’s pros and cons to owning your own business- and PTO would most definitely land in the cons/ nonexistent category.
As a business owner, you’re in complete control of your financials and that does include needing to save for things like vacations and sick days. I really do love the financial freedom owning your own business provides. It’s taught me a lot about my own spending habits, how I invest, how I save my weekly earnings, where the savings goes (to pay down the business amex or to my Roth IRA or to ALLY savings or to my own personal spending fund). So it’s really up to me to allocate accordingly and plan ahead.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
Hi!! I’m Robin Pettus- owner and esthetician at Skin with Robin in Long Beach, CA. I’ve been a holistic esthetician for over 13 years with the goal of finding THE ROOT cause of a skin condition, and treating it wholeistically– topically and internally- for long-term skin health. I treat various skin concerns, but my favorite to treat is acne. Nothing brings me more joy than clearing a client who was just about to start taking accutane and I was their last ditch effort.
The most effective way to clear acne for good is with a proper homecare regimen, a series of peel treatments, and being mindful of what you put in your body. Once we clear the acne, then working on plumping out those acne scars and removing any leftover pigmentation is my next favorite thing to do.
I feel like I hit the lotto every day I get to show up to my spa and see my amazing clients, who’ve turned into friends. You know you’re doing something right when your clients let you do whatever kind of facial you want on their skin, because they trust you. “Integrity” would be Skin with Robin’s word- and I’m so proud to have built something that surrounds such a powerful action.
I’m also proud of the growth Skin with Robin has taken over the last year and a half. I moved from renting a room in a two-room suite, to taking over an entire three-room suite that’s filled with my amazing esthetician assistant and a wonderful lash artist.
I am also a mentor for other estheticians! I do virtual 1:1 coaching and I’ve created an online course academy to help estheticians grow their business into a multi six-figure success. (More info on this can be found on my website skinwithrobin.com or instagram @skinwithrobin).
We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?
Oof social media is a time-consuming beast. But let me tell ya, it’s worth it and your business deserves the attention. The biggest thing I’ve done to grow my @skinwithrobin Instagram page is to be consistent. I’ve learned that if I don’t show up every day online with engaging content, then my followers will quickly turn to unfollowers and move on.
Something else I’ve learned is that it’s nearly impossible to create content every day “on the fly” to post. So instead, I’ll pick a day out of the week and create my reels to distribute for the following week. That way, the content is more intentional (and not rushed), and my days can flow better.
It’s super important to niche down on social media. You’ve got to hone in on what your bread and butter is so that you can create engaging content that speaks directly to your target audience. And you do this in your own unique and authentic way that aligns with your brand. This is how I’ve built a following and continue to bring in new clientele from social media.
Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?
One of the most difficult and painfully slow processes when going solo and trying to grow a business- is building clientele.
What’s worked for me is building an honest relationship with my clients. Setting the expectation from the beginning and reiterating that the best skincare results will come from a proper homecare regimen and a healthy diet. Establishing this kind of relationship from the beginning sets the tone and once they begin seeing results, it will lead to referrals (the best kind of business).
Taking extra special care of every single client I see in the treatment room and then following up with them a few days later to check on their skin, is something I’ve been doing for years.
It’s also important for me to stay connected with my clients long after they leave my spa. I follow them on social media and engage with their accounts. I also send out a monthly newsletter that highlights spa news, products, specials, etc. which also reminds my clients to book an appointment if they haven’t yet.
These are just a few strategies that have worked for me, and I believe they’ll work for you too!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.skinwithrobin.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skinwithrobin/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/skin-with-robin-long-beach
Image Credits
(my favorite gal) Evelyn Avila at Eve Rox Photography https://www.everoxphotography.com/