Vanessa Bird, The Aesthetic Consultant: Five Things You Need To Know To Succeed In The Modern Beauty Industry
An Interview With Jilea Hemmings
Be passionate about what you do. You cannot fake passion. Without passion in aesthetics and the modern beauty world you are greatly limiting your success. Find something that excites you, whether it’s a particular type of skincare, a treatment you offer or a specific issue (such as acne or rosacea) and really focus on it. Your customers will pick up on this passion and gravitate to you. Your business will thrive and you’ll genuine enjoy what you do. Who doesn’t want to love their career?
As a part of our series about “Five Things You Need To Know To Succeed In The Modern Beauty Industry”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Vanessa Bird, The Aesthetic Consultant.
Vanessa has specialised in the Aesthetic Medicine Industry for 13 years, working with leading clinics and practitioners in the UK and abroad. Her consultancy business dramatically increases clinic revenue, enhances positioning and builds industry reputations in the aesthetic medical and beauty arena.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dive in, our readers would love to learn a bit more about you. Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?
I initially worked in FMCG and wanted to move over into medical sales. I have no idea WHY I wanted to but it just seemed quite exciting? A Recruitment Agency suggested I enter medical sales via a ‘side step’ selling capital equipment into beauty and aesthetic clinics. I landed a role doing just that and fell in love with the industry. I knew immediately this is where I would stay and grow my career. 13 years later and I’m loving what I do.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?
I have so many interesting stories to tell it’s hard to choose just one. I work with some amazing characters with big personalities, even bigger dreams and a lot of talent so there’s never a dull day. I suppose I would say it’s the constant progression of treatments and options available in medical aesthetics that I have seen in my 13 years in this industry that is the most interesting thing. The mix of science with beauty, medicine and aesthetics is fascinating.
Are you able to identify a “tipping point” in your career when you started to see success? Did you start doing anything different? Are there takeaways or lessons that others can learn from that?
I found after a few years of working hard and going the extra mile with clients I started to get repeat business which is rare in my industry. The clients I was dealing with trusted me so would return and buy something else, and also refer me to their colleagues. I became known as someone who would always provide follow up business support and deliver on my word when others didn’t, and that’s when I really found my career took off, sales went up and I developed a great industry reputation. I would say that the main takeaway from this is to build a solid professional reputation and always deliver on your promises. Your reputation is everything.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person to whom you are grateful who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?
I have a lot of people I am grateful for. Too many to mention. Those who advised me on how to develop my career, those who introduced me to influential people, and those who cheered me up when I was working long hours. They know who they are and I thank them all.
Ok super. Let’s now shift to the main part of our discussion. The global beauty industry today has grown to more than a half a trillion dollar business. Can you tell us about the innovations that you are bringing to the industry? How do you think that will help people?
I have my finger on the pulse of developments and trends in aesthetics and beauty, always looking out for solid technology and science that works. I use my industry experience to identify trends and new ways to provide exceptional treatments in clinics and then combine all this knowledge to help my clients select the right technology and treatments. My expertise means clinics do not invest in the wrong thing and I prevent them making costly mistakes they would regret. I also assist in developing signature treatment packages for my clients. Unique packages and treatments makes a clinic stand out and attract new customers, so it’s a win win situation.
Can you share 3 things that most excite you about the modern beauty industry?
The innovation that drives this industry to be safer and to deliver long-lasting, measurable results is a key driver. Without that innovation pushing things forwards things would stagnate and we would never have the wonderful treatments available to us today.
I also love the characters who work in the modern beauty and aesthetics industry. They bring passion, talent and a real desire to help their customers look and feel amazing and we should never underestimate this side of the industry. Beauty is never just an external thing. It’s about the inner self and how you feel and this inside/out approach should be celebrated, as should the practitioners who make it possible.
The unique mix of artistry with science really makes this industry future-proof and I am in awe of how the modern beauty industry continues to expand and grow in a positive manner. With more effective treatments that have less downtime and longer-lasting results, what’s not to love about our sector?
Can you share 3 things that most concern you about the industry? If you had the ability to implement 3 ways to improve the industry, what would you suggest?
The lack of legislation in certain areas of our industry concern me greatly. Here the U.K, anyone can pick up a needle and inject dermal filler into someone. No medical background is needed and this can lead to all sorts of dangerous complications and risks of disfigurement. We need to push for Government legislation that restricts injectables treatments to medical professionals only who have the skills and abilities to deal with any complications.
The success and potential growth of our industry means that it sometimes attracts charlatans who are only interested in making a fast buck and not interested in assessing a customer and giving them the best possible treatments. I think educating the customers about what to look for in a clinic and a treatment provider would go a long way in preventing this type of character from making money out of unsuspecting customers.
A big concern is that ‘one look’ is now the same look all women should aspire to. By that I mean the ‘identikit face’ where they all have defined cheekbones and jaw lines and plump lips and everyone starts to look the same. Never lose that unique beauty that makes you YOU. We should be educating patients to see their individuality as beautiful rather than a ‘perceived flaw’ . We should be preserving and enhancing these unique features without creating a ‘one size fits all’ look. I would suggest focusing on changing the mindset of people who think social media reflects true life and that they CAN be beautiful and still look different to the insta influencers.
You are an expert about beauty. Can you share a few ideas that anyone can use “to feel beautiful”?
Focus on the inner you. Understand that you are more than your external features. It’s the inner you, your intelligence, humour, personality and essence that attract people. It’s that inner you that people fall in love with and connect with. The exterior is not true beauty. Why not ask some friends and family what they find beautiful about you? You’ll be surprised at how many things are NOT exterior-focused.
Here is the main question for our discussion. Based on your experience and success, Can you please share “Five Things You Need To Know To Succeed In The Modern Beauty Industry”. Please share a story or an example, for each.
- Be unique.
As tempting as it may be to copy the big names in beauty and aesthetics, preserve your uniqueness and focus on what it is that makes you stand out. What is it you really enjoy doing? Could you create a signature treatment out of it? Is there a particular skin type you are knowledgeable about? Perhaps look at ways to further your education and develop treatments and protocols specifically for this skin type. You make your name in this industry by standing out, not blending in. Give them a reason to come to you.
Why be a cheap copy when you can be a bespoke masterpiece?
2. Protect your reputation.
Always protect your professional reputation and integrity in all that you do. Deliver the best quality treatments you can, never cut corners and deliver safe, effective treatments that work. Be proud of your own standards and work ethics and others will soon recognise this too and start recommending you. It may take time, but building a reputation for being an industry leader is always time well spent.
3. Always be progressing.
There is a constant development of new treatments, technologies and products in beauty and aesthetics so you cannot afford to sit back and ignore new developments and trends just because you’re ticking over nicely. Sign up for industry publications to see the latest news, visit expos that showcase new treatments, sign up for training courses and always been refreshing your skills. Your customers will want the next big thing so if you don’t provide it your competitors will.
4. Deliver exceptional customer care.
Always go the extra mile, just like I did when I first came into this industry. It was how I treated people and how I looked after my customers that grew my reputation, generated repeat business and got me to where I am today. Make things easy for your customers to book in and always follow up after they have left your clinic or salon. If you can help them by recommending skincare and other products that will enhance results then do so. Remember their name and always greet them with a warm and genuine smile. People remember how you made them feel.
5. Be passionate about what you do.
You cannot fake passion. Without passion in aesthetics and the modern beauty world you are greatly limiting your success. Find something that excites you, whether it’s a particular type of skincare, a treatment you offer or a specific issue (such as acne or rosacea) and really focus on it. Your customers will pick up on this passion and gravitate to you. Your business will thrive and you’ll genuine enjoy what you do. Who doesn’t want to love their career?
You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)
In our industry I would inspire an all-encompassing mentorship programme. There are some mentorship programmes that guide people in more medical aesthetic treatments however there are not many aimed at the business support side of our industry. I work with clients on a one-to-one basis and offer a type of mentorship too, however I would love to see other experts also offer their mentorship services, whether they are accountants, brand managers, clinic managers or even marketing agencies and perhaps build them all together for people who really want to succeed in the modern beauty industry.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
“Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.” Whenever I have doubted myself or my own abilities or tried to compare myself (negatively) to others, I remind myself of this quote and it gives me strength.
How can our readers follow you online?
Please follow me on Instagram @theaestheticconsultant for the latest updates and some great business trips, or add me on Linked In.
Thank you so much for joining us. This was very inspirational.
About the Interviewer: Jilea Hemmings is a staunch believer in the power of entrepreneurship. A successful career revamping Fortune 500 companies was not enough for her entrepreneurial spirit, so Jilea began focusing her passion in startups. She has successfully built 6 startups to date. Her passion for entrepreneurship continues to flourish with the development of Stretchy Hair Care, focusing on relieving the pain associated with detangling and styling natural black hair. For far too long, people with tender heads have suffered in pain. Until now.
