BeautyProMedia - Emily Lee

Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Emily Lee, Founder of BeautyProMedia, located in Vancouver, BC, Canada.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

The very essence of BeautyPro Media and BeautyPro Consulting is to elevate beauty professionals and help them to become the best, fearless versions of themselves. Right now, that mostly means eyelash extension professionals, and through our infection prevention & control course (IPAC), tips and tricks videos, and competitions, I am always looking for fun and unique ways to educate and elevate through different platforms. I like to find a hole or need in the industry and look for fun ways to fill it while uplifting others at the same time.

Tell us about yourself

I’ve been a licensed esthetician since 2001, and when eyelash extensions first caught my attention in 2009, I was instantly hooked! In a nutshell, back then, nobody knew what sector of the beauty industry eyelash extensions fell under (esthetics, cosmetology, makeup, etc.), so it fell through the cracks for a while and, at the same time, completely exploded in popularity, creating the perfect storm of unintentionally subpar training and protocols being passed down over and over, far and wide. Even today, you’ll find eyelash extensions to be inconsistently regulated or even not regulated at all, depending on location.

I started noticing the inconsistencies and gaps in protocols, specifically in the area of infection prevention and control (IPAC), and in 2016, I first “officially” presented the topic of IPAC on stage at a lash conference that was met with a mixed reception. Let’s face it; no one likes to be told they are not being “clean enough.” Sure, this topic was a little controversial, and I did receive some backlash from it (pun intended), but the point was to be thought-provoking. There is never any judgment, and the sole message is aligned with the belief that only when we know better we can do better. Like it or not, if listening to my presentation prompted you to revisit your IPAC protocols, then it served its purpose.

From there, I was invited to present this and other various topics at lash events on an international level, making connections with like-minded academics, trainers, and professionals all over the world who just want to see our beloved industry be the best it can be. Soon, a marvelous Australian trainer approached me to create a course for their academy around the IPAC Protocols that I’ve been speaking about – a brilliant idea that I hadn’t yet considered, so THANK YOU! I created and soft launched the IPAC Video modules in 2019 alongside a Lash Trainer’s training program put on by an internationally renowned lash association, and fully launched in May 2020, during the height of the global pandemic, to great acclaim.

I’ve set up the program in such a way that educators can license and use my video modules right in their teaching curriculum. I continually research and update the modules and protocols so that they can spend their valuable time doing what they do best - teaching and guiding extraordinary future lash professionals. Since then, I’ve been collaborating with incredible lash academies of all sizes and amazing solo trainers, some of whom have already been featured in your digital magazine as well, with the common goal of raising the standards and bettering the industry, one set of eyeballs at a time. I truly believe that to see the change, we need to be the change. I absolutely love seeing the impact WE are making (because I most certainly didn’t achieve this alone), and this is what motivates me to keep going, even on the hard days.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

While I’m so grateful to have won multiple industry awards for Health and Safety (for IPAC protocols), Lash Mentorship, and Good Samaritan, I’d say the biggest accomplishment is less measurable than a trophy on my shelf. It’s seeing with my own eyes the industry’s minimum standards changing, slowly but surely. When I initially started talking about IPAC, I was made to feel like an outlier, my protocols often being ridiculed and criticized as “excessive” or “overkill.” Little by little, I’m starting to see these protocols being more accepted and widely taught. Slowly, we as an industry recognize the importance of IPAC, especially when working around a mucous membrane like the eye, and there is no better feeling of accomplishment than being a part of that movement.

What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?

There are so many hard things that come with being a business owner to choose from! Income uncertainty, having to learn all the back-end duties, staying on course when everyone tells you just to get a job instead, believing in your vision when no one else does, staying focused when things are going sideways, sleepless nights, you choose! When you become a business owner or entrepreneur, you MUST become crystal clear on your vision and your why; otherwise, it’ll be so much easier to throw in the towel, not if, but when it gets hard – and it will, often.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

1. As mentioned, a clear vision and strong why will get you through the toughest of storms. Who do you serve, how do you help them, and why is this important to you? This needs to be stronger and more powerful than any hurdle that comes your way. Not only will it keep you going when things get tough and you want to quit, but it’ll keep you on task when distractions come along to hinder your progress or take you off course.
2. Always be learning. By adopting a learning mindset, you will continually look for ways to improve your products, offerings, operations, and procedures. This can keep your products fresh and innovative, as well as save you money as you find more efficient ways to run the business.
3. Surround yourself with like-minded people and mentors who have already achieved what you want. We are the average of the five people we spend the most time with. If you spend a lot of time with people who only complain, you will find much to complain about. Likewise, if you spend a lot of time with people who always look for solutions to every problem, you will more easily find solutions when you need them.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

Thank you so much for considering my entrepreneurial story for your digital magazine. I love what you do, and it is an honor!

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.beautypromedia.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/BeautyProMedia
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/BeautyProMedia/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/Emily-Lee-BeautyPro/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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