Taking that First Step: an interview with Samantha Larson

Distributists desire the proliferation of small independently owned businesses. We also desire that larger businesses be cooperatively owned by those who do the work. While there will still be some form of employment even under a distributist system, people are more economically free when they own the means of their own living. Even employees would be more economically free if their opportunities for employment were from a large number of potential employers. Communities will also be better served if businesses are owned by those within the community. Finally, the local economy will be stronger because money spent in the local community will support the that community instead of being siphoned off to some far off corporate headquarters. If the collective resilience of local communities is strong, then the national economy will also be strong. However, in order for this to take place, people need to be willing to step out and take the risk of running their own businesses. In that light, I have interviewed a young woman who has recently done just that. Samantha Larson of BLT Beauty in Alpine, CA has been kind enough to share her experience with us.

What prompted you to strike out and establish your own business?
For the first four years of my career as an esthetician, I was so sure that I never wanted to own my own business. Being the daughter of small business owners and working at small salons and spas for nine years, I had had ring-side seats to the struggles of business ownership for my entire life. It seemed that the easier route was to just be an employee where work would be done the second I clocked out! While this was definitely easier and kept me happy for several years, I finally started to want more. I've always been a bit of a Type-A personality, so the ability to decide every detail of what services I offered, my schedule, and what my work environment was like was extremely appealing. The spa I had been working at only offered skincare treatments, so I was wanting to add more variety. I started doing spray tans and eyelash extensions on the side, and before I knew it, I was cutting back my hours at the spa and focusing more on my new side business. After about 4 months, I realized that I needed to just take the plunge and strike out on my own! My boss at the time, another female entrepreneur, was unbelievably encouraging and supportive of me starting my own business. Although I didn't feel 100% ready, I decided to just jump in and make it work. As scary as it was, I'm so glad that I didn't let my fears hold me back from one of the best decisions I've ever made.

What obstacles did you face to start your own business?
One of the biggest obstacles for me was the cost of starting up my business. One of the first spaces I had looked at to rent turned out to be too good to pass up. I knew that I couldn't let the space get away, so I signed a lease much sooner than I had been planning to. This meant less time for me to build up the little nest egg I wanted to save up to get things up and running. In hind sight, I'm grateful for that financial instability since it was the ultimate motivator for me to hustle my hardest to get clients through the door! The other biggest struggle was figuring out exactly how to get all of the proper licenses and permits for my business. Being in California made it particularly difficult to navigate through the various departments since we have so many regulations on businesses. But through countless Google searches, hours on the phone being transferred to various departments and reaching out to other small business owners I was able to make sure I had everything squared away,

How did you handle marketing and gaining a customer base?
Through my many years of working in the beauty industry, I've learned that referrals are the best was to grow a clientèle in my field. One of my main focusing for building up my client list was to ensure that my existing clients were beyond happy with their services and encourage them to refer friends. Another great strategy I learned was to figure out who your ideal client is and to market to that specific person. Everything from age group to lifestyle helps determine how I present my business, structure my pricing, and the methods of marketing I pursue. Networking with other local businesses who have the same ideal client has also proven to be extremely successful. I went around to nearby hair salons, nail salons, fitness studios and similar businesses to introduce myself and offer special rates for their employees and their clients. This enables me to benefit from their existing client list, and also benefits them as I refer clients back to their businesses. Since my target demographic is 25-35 year old females, I use Instagram as my primary tool to showcase my work and reach new potential clients. One of the great things with Instagram is that it's free to use, and only costs the time it takes to curate content, plan a posting schedule, and engage with followers. Since traditional online marketing can be so expensive, this was an absolute life saver for me in the first few months when I had exactly $0 available to spend on marketing expenses.

Do you have any large competition (large or corporate outlets that compete against you) and what has been your biggest challenge with that?
For the various esthetic services I offer, there are at least half a dozen huge chains that offer the same types of services. As is usually the case, these large corporate entities are able to charge less than a small business like myself due to the sheer volume they deal in. As a one woman operation, I simply can't afford to operate at prices as low as they offer. I personally use this as an opportunity to establish my value to my clients so that they believe I'm worth the slightly higher price. I pay attention to detail, establish a personal connection with each client, and try to go above and beyond to set myself apart from a large franchise where the only priority is profit. I also very intentionally opened my business in a neighborhood where residents really love to support local businesses. Working in a part of town that is filled with primarily small businesses really helps to attract the clientèle that is looking for a more personalized experience rather than just searching for the best deal.

What has been your most encouraging experience along the way?
I would have to say that the most encouraging part of this journey so far has been all of the incredible support I've received from fellow business owners. Former bosses, colleagues, friends, family and clients who have become business owners have all been so kind and encouraging. They are also the most amazing network of support, both in a business sense and a personal sense, to remind me that the struggles will get sorted out, the hard times will pass, and that we all stumble from time to time. This network of people that I've found myself a part of truly inspires and motivates me, and I'm honored to be considered one of them!

Do you have any words of encouragement or advice for others?
JUST DO IT! You of course want to do your research and be as prepared as you can, but at some point, you just have to go for it. If I had given myself the chance to over-think it, I would have kept dragging my feet around for who knows how long before actually starting my business. I am so thankful that I took a gamble on myself. It's scary, difficult, and sometimes overwhelming, but it is hands down the most satisfying feeling once you start to reap the benefits of your hard work. Have faith in yourself, don't be afraid to ask for help, and follow your gut!

We thank Samantha for taking the time for this article.