Have you Connected with your Torch yet? pt.2

...so I had to make a decision. Click here to read part 1 of Sandra's blog post.

I set up a routine which comprised of eating regular healthy meals, consuming the daily recommended amount of water, going back to church/reading the bible/praying and sleeping for 7 - 8 hours every night. These were the personal steps I needed to take and continue to do – in order to maintain a positive mindset. I started again, but with CONFIDENCE.

I will be honest and say that I did relapse on quite a few occasions but as I picked myself up, I would walk for longer and with stronger strides.

Rejuvenate - ‘to breathe new life’

Changes within myself have ultimately led to changes within the business.

In April 2018, I made a swift decision to change the business name to Rejuvenate Hair and Beauty. A company, which empowers Black women to truly embrace their natural Afro hair and skin - through the deliverance of hair and beauty services. The concept went back to my desire to empower others, despite how I felt about myself.

My positive mind has led me to embrace the fact that I am different and it’s ok. We should celebrate who we are as individuals, as people in a group and as proud members of the UK society – ‘this is us’, ‘this is who we want to become’, ‘this is who we are now’ and ‘this is who we want to be proud of’. ‘I am me.’

So, based on my experiences, what advice would I give to other entrepreneurs?

I learnt that my business is my brand. People come to Rejuvenate Hair and Beauty because of me. So who you are as a person has an influence on how you market your brand and essentially connect with and treat customers in the long run. My advice here would be to really work on yourself prior to putting yourself out there.
Less is more – take time out to re-charge your batteries.
Health and fitness go a long way.
Create a work – life balance so running a business is less overwhelming. I follow a set routine so I can practise my faith, spend time with my son and even have a social life!
Invest in your team. Think of this process as a blooming flower. Nuture your team and compliment their strengths. Give them tasks and re-assess their abilities. You want to get to a point where you can delegate accordingly in order to create a work – life balance.
Take advantage of the resources available. I currently run a virtual team who work with me to secure contracts and recruit freelancers of hairstylists/makeup artists and beauticians. My team are all volunteers. We all connect well together because of our passion and simply because we are a ‘team’.
Networking is key – A friend once said to me ‘if money is not coming in, then create your own opportunities. So that’s what the team and I have been doing. We source opportunities or they come to us. As a single parent, I cannot really go out to networking events. However, it goes back to making use of your resources. I make a lot of contacts through social media.
Comprising a business plan. For businesses which are starting out – I would always advise to do one. A business plan helps you with budgeting, marketing and simply creating structure for your business. However, one thing which I noticed a lot of businesses don’t do is update the business plan every quarter. Things change and also so do you.
Final tip – enjoy the process! This is a rule I tell the team every time someone joins us. When you stop enjoying yourself then something is not connecting.