I want to introduce Christina, owner of Christina’s Brazilian Sugaring in DeLand, Florida. Christina started her business in January 2020- at the beginning of COVID.
Christina, I’m so excited to have you share your story and experience about starting and growing your business during one of the most challenging years. Can you talk to me about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, has it been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I don’t think easy is ever part of owning a business. I think it means bringing 100% of yourself at all times. For me, finding balance has been a tough one. I do sugaring, which is hair removal that is much healthier and more efficient than waxing. Being that I work off of appointments, I started taking any appointment at almost any time people wanted them. I was very fortunate to have been in the field for 3 years before starting my own business, so building my books was easier than if it had been my first year ever.
However, when my book got full, it was hard for some clients when I had to start making a set schedule and putting boundaries in place that I wouldn’t work off my schedule. Having your mental health in check and time with my precious family is the most important thing in my life. I think the number one thing that business and life have taught me is that we are always learning and growing. What worked for a while may not work forever, but we can always pivot and do something different if it helps our balance and mental health.
Why did you start your business?
I got fired in December 2019, two weeks before Christmas and 4 days before closing on my house. Failure was not an option.
What was the biggest obstacle when starting your sugaring business, and how did you overcome it?
I would say the biggest challenge that I faced was hiring independent contractors for my business. This is a really hard thing to do, and I’ve most definitely made mistakes along the way. It was very important to me to have people who share my values and are similar to me in the way I treat my clients and people who love building relationships.
Ultimately having realistic expectations is something I’ve learned is truly important. I have a really amazing team. Taking time to really think about hiring and having a second interview if you aren’t sure is worth it. If you feel like something is off, it probably is.
The other part is a workplace is a team. And it is MY job to set that example for everyone, and when there are rules in place, I have to be the lead in making sure I follow every rule—also, making sure that they know that I truly care for them and their well-being. That means picking up their shift or moving their clients for them if something comes up or they are not feeling well; it means asking about their lives and being truly invested and bringing a coffee or a cupcake to cheer them up or “just because.” I truly believe it’s made me a better human, and there is nothing that feeds the soul better than caring about another human being.
What do you believe is the reason for your success?
I think my care and love for human beings fuel my business. We all want to make money because it provides comfort in our lives. But money isn’t real. We invented it. I want to build longevity in my company, in my staff, and in my clients. I spend most of my life at work, and I want it to be a happy place for me, everyone who works for me, and all the clients who come to see us.
When the girls who work for me tell me that they are happy and that they are thankful that work is one place in their life where they don’t have to stress, it just makes me so happy. And although we all have that day once in a while when we don’t want to go to work, I don’t usually feel that way. So I count myself truly blessed.
What is one source that has inspired you?
During The Covid shutdown, I was 3 months into starting my business, and I was so stressed. However, on that downtime, I spent a lot of it in my pool and on my back porch listening to podcasts and reading books by Brene Brown and Glennon Doyle.
I was so depressed worrying about how I would take care of my family and what would happen, but those books helped fuel me into a new chapter of my life.
I knew that being a business owner, I needed to step it up on being a human. I wanted to be a better version of myself and grow, and I feel like without these two amazing female writers, I don’t know if that would have been such a smooth and peaceful break. It was humbling and freeing. And when I look back, I’m thankful for that downtime and the fire it ignited in me.
If you could go back with the knowledge you have today- what would you do differently, if anything, with your sugaring business?
To be honest, I don’t think I would change anything. I think I needed all.
Is there anything you would like to share that I didn’t ask?
I’m thankful for all the other amazing businesswomen and men that I’ve had the opportunity to meet because of starting my business. (You too!!) It’s also a blessing to have several of them that have become friends and people I can lean on who also understand where I am and who have so much love and advice to share. For that, I am beyond grateful.
To learn more about Christina and Christina’s Brazilian Sugaring, you can visit her here:
https://christinasbraziliansugaring.com
https://www.instagram.com/christinasbraziliansugaring/
If you have a story to share or know someone who has an inspiring story, don’t keep it a secret! Contact me today!
