We recently connected with Shannon Herren and have shared our conversation below.
Shannon, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you tell us a bit about who your hero is and the influence they’ve had on you?
When I think of who my hero is, it doesn’t come down to just one person.
I’ll start with my mom, my first true hero. I grew up in a single-parent home for most of my childhood. She was tough and worked hard to provide for me and my sisters. She taught me the importance of professionalism & good work ethic. My mom also taught me the importance of self-care. We’ve always bonded through beauty rituals which inspired my love for the beauty industry.
My sisters and closest girlfriends are also my heroes. Some of them are mothers. Some of them are nurses. Some of them are business owners. All of them are strong, compassionate, and ambitious. They motivate me to keep going and keep growing. They remind me to show up for myself as much as I do for others.
Throughout my entire career as an esthetician (11 years), I’ve met dozens of women from different walks of life. I learned many life lessons through their incredible stories. So inspiring. They are the epitome of women’s empowerment! They’re more than just clients and coworkers to me. They are my heroes!
Shannon, 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?
I’m from the Bay Area, CA. Born in San Francisco and raised in the East Bay. After high school, I attended community college and worked part time. I had no idea what I wanted to do, what career I wanted to pursue. One day, I realized I wasn’t going to figure it out unless I gained more life experience. I decided to quit school and work full time. I got a job at a local health club as a spa receptionist in the East Bay. I had to learn about the products and different services. I had so much fun as I always had a passion for makeup and skincare. As someone who struggled with problematic skin, my interest grew in esthetics. That’s when I realized I wanted to be an esthetician and run my own business one day!
In late 2011, I enrolled in the San Francisco Institute of Esthetics and Cosmetology (SFIEC). I worked during the day, then I would clock out and go straight to school in the city. It was stressful at times, but I loved the fact that I could study at work and gain experience in the industry I wanted to be a part of. As soon as I got my esthetics license, I continued to work as a spa receptionist and started right away as an esthetician at the same health club. I also worked for a few boutique spas. At one point, I had 3 jobs as an esthetician working in 3 different cities before working full time at a franchise. Within the first year, I earned the title of Lead Esthetician and Trainer. I was also offered a position as a Regional Trainer and nominated for Esthetician of the Year by my team!
In 2018, I was in desperate need of a fresh start and some soul searching. I decided to move to Southern California with the intention of building a new clientele and finally starting my own business. I got a job with the same franchise and spent another year with the company. Like most of us in the beauty industry, I was forced to make a shift in my career when the 2020 pandemic hit. After a few months, the world was slowly starting to open back up and I began working for another franchise. This time as a lash stylist! Within the first year, I became a Trainer and eventually Master Stylist.
During the summer of 2022, I felt the urge to make another shift in my career. On September 1st, 2022 I finally started my own business with my business partners Tiana Romkee and Leana Alfred. We are the proud owners of SALT Esthetics in Newport Beach, CA. We offer a variety of lash & brow services. But, SALT Esthetics is much more than that! Our beauty services are like therapy. They are mini vacays we don’t realize we need to persevere or conquer stress. SALT Esthetics has curated the perfect vibe that leaves you feeling refreshed and empowered as we encourage self-love through self-care. When booking an appointment with us, you are investing in You!
Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?
Bartering services with local businesses that offer services I don’t. If you work for a business that allows you to trade services with other employees, do it! I worked with so many massage therapists, so I would trade services and ask for feedback. I’d even get pointers on neck/shoulder massage to enhance my treatments. The massage therapists would continue to see me and also recommend their clients to me!
At the start of my career, there was a lot of down time. When I wasn’t booked, I spent a lot of time assisting the front desk. This helped me build my clientele by getting noticed and interacting with clients. It was a genuine way to build trust and relationships with them. More often than not, the next time they came back would be to see me!
Always ensure clients feel valued and appreciated. Offer incentives such as referral discounts. Give small gifts or handwritten notes for birthdays. In your appointment notes, jot down things they mention like upcoming special events. Take note of random things. These are simple ways to make a big difference in the client’s experience and lets them know you’re listening. And always provide excellent customer service no matter how long a client has been coming to you!
We’re living in a world where most people/businesses solely rely on social media. But, let’s not forget how to grow clientele with actual human interaction!
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
The biggest pivot in both my life and career was when I decided to change my role from an employee to a business owner.
I was working full time for a franchise as a lash stylist and trainer. My schedule was always booked up, so the only way I was able to squeeze in training was to work on my days off, come in early, and stay late. I was exhausted and felt depleted. At the time, there were a lot of changes happening at work, which added more stress. Although I loved my job, the pressure and expectations of me no longer aligned with my integrity or work ethic. I truly felt like I got everything I could out of working for someone else. After many sleepless nights crying and worrying about what was best for everyone else, I realized that the only way I was going to flourish (professionally and personally) would be to fulfill my dream of starting my own business. It was the scariest, yet most rewarding decision I ever made!
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