We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Sarah Gibson a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Sarah , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today One of our favorite things to brainstorm about with friends who’ve built something entrepreneurial is what they would do differently if they were to start over today. Surely, there are things you’ve learned that would allow you to do it over faster, more efficiently. We’d love to hear how you would go about setting things up if you were starting over today, knowing everything that you already know.

If I were starting over, I’d invest heavily in MYSELF. Technical skills comes with time and with practice, but doing the deep work on who are you, how you operate, and what you want to share with this world and how you want to share it……that is what builds vision and fosters the confidence to pursue it. I (slowly) built a reliable and successful business, but I wasted a lot of time, always playing it safe, because I lacked the confidence in myself to just GO FOR IT and take the bigger risks. Don’t stagnate, just because it’s comfortable there.

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.

I entered the beauty industry at the age of 20, determined to become a special effects makeup artist for film, but halfway through esthetics school I realized I REALLY loved providing facials and creating beautiful brows. Anyone who has had their eyebrows ruined before, knows that they are an art form! By the time I graduated from my esthetics school, I’d shifted my focus from Hollywood, to the spa world.

A strong desire for creative freedom led to opening my own business in 2014, and I’m about to celebrate 10 years!

My strongest gift is the ability to create an experience: a truly amazing facial goes beyond just the technicality of the facial steps, or being able to rattle off the ingredients and benefits of a new toner. Every detail matters, from the temperature of the room, to the volume of the music, to the scent of the oils on the hot facial towels. It’s the difference between a facial that is okay, and a facial that changes your entire day.

At the end of the day, I suppose I’m still using the creativity that led me towards special effects makeup in the first place. Instead of creating a different world through makeup, I create an experience that allows my clients to enter a different reality, even if just for an hour, and make their entire week better.

And I still get to use my makeup skills every Halloween ;)

We’d really appreciate if you could talk to us about how you figured out the manufacturing process.

I do! When my business was shut down for quarantine in early 2020, I realized I needed a solution for my clients to continue their skincare progress, whether or not I could touch their faces in person. This was when I decided to start my own skincare line, based on the idea that skincare needs to be simple (nobody has time for 27 steps) and effective. Finding a manufacturer was a long process. Lots of research, lots of testing. There are so many things you wouldn’t necessarily think of until you start it. Like making sure the information on your labels is compliant with FDA regulations for cosmetics.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

Focusing on providing a consistent and positive customer experience, every single time. Just because you’ve known a client for 2 years doesn’t mean you can slip. You still need to run on time, you still need to look put together, you still can’t ramble on about your personal life for the entire appointment. They’re not your best friend or your mom, they’re a paying customer and they deserve excellent customer service every time you see them.

Contact Info:

• Website: renewalbeauty.com
• Instagram: @renewalbeauty_okc
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RenewalBeautyOKC
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-gibson-85a0b684/
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/renewal-beauty-edmond

Image Credits
Kelcy Enriquez