This year Kitomba was so proud to sponsor the Best Salon/Spa Director of the Year award at the Australian Beauty Industry Awards. We love supporting such an incredible event for such an amazing industry. This category is particularly meaningful to us, as we strive to empower business owners with the skills and tools they need to be successful.
We caught up with the 2019 winner, Kitomba customer and Director of La Bella Medispa – Rebecca Miller, to find out how she’s feeling after winning not only Best Salon/Spa Director of the Year but also Best Salon/Spa of the Year – 5 Treatment rooms or more in NSW/ACT and Australian Salon/Spa of the Year – 5 Treatment rooms or more. She also shared some insights to help other salon, spa and clinic owners become award winning too.
1. What does it mean to have won this award?
Being a business leader is a privilege. I feel blessed I get to live my purpose every day, doing what I love, inspiring my teams to continually expand and grow as individuals and in the La Bella Medispa clinics. Winning this award was such a great feeling, and to be recognised in such dynamic company is a feeling I will forever cherish. It means so much to me because I have worked so hard to create my dream businesses and my dream team, and without them none of this would be possible. The ABIA’s are the pinnacle in this industry that we are so lucky to be part of and I am very grateful.
2. What does it take to be named as the Best Salon/Spa Director of the Year?
Being named as the Best Salon/Spa Director of the Year has taken a lot of hard work and dedication. Leadership is not a title, but a behaviour. I have been clear with what I am trying to create and have communicated it in such an inspiring way that my team have chosen to come on the journey with me. It’s all about creating unlimited opportunities for myself and my team, making them feel they are a part of something bigger than themselves and being completely obsessed with customer experience and satisfaction. Being a Business Director is about how we show up day in, day out, not just impacting our team and visiting guests, but the world at large.
3. How did you get into the beauty industry?
I have been in the beauty industry since I left school as it has always been my passion. I was someone that didn’t really love school, I loved the social part but not the schoolwork part, so entering the beauty industry felt like I’d found my calling. I still bounce out of bed every day, 26 years on, with that same passion and excitement.
4. When did you start your business and why?
Why that’s simple, I love helping people. I created La Bella Medispa in 2008 with big dreams to bring world class products and services to rural and regional women, particularly treatments previously only offered in metro areas. I wanted to create a space where women could come as they are, relax and unwind and be treated like family by the elite beauty professionals I’ve had the privilege of training and developing.
5. What makes your business successful and award winning?
La Bella Medispa is a purpose and values driven business. It’s not what we do at La Bella Medispa, it’s how we make people feel, including our team. We are clear on what we are trying to achieve. Culture is everything, and we invest heavily in the development of our team – not just professionally but also personally. Strong leadership drives dynamic culture, which creates happy employees, and that flows on to creating raving La Bella fans.
6. What does next year look like for you?
My biggest goal and challenge for 2020 is The Ripple of Kindness Project. I am running to Sydney from my hometown of Parkes (350km) to raise much needed funds and also to raise awareness and help find a cure for childhood Cancer. The run will begin on Mother’s Day 2020 and my goal is to raise $100,000 – so fingers crossed I can achieve this.
2020 is going to be a very exciting year. The La Bella Medispa clinics are in a good position and we will continue to do what we do, working towards our mission, which is to treat and empower 500,000 women by 2121.
We will also be launching a bigger and better Skinfit90 online skin transformational program. I truly believe every woman deserves beautiful skin, and I have created this program to educate women from the comfort of their own home.
I am embracing speaking at events and mentoring others, sharing my journey in business and life. I’m sharing my knowledge of planning, leadership and how to build a high performing team, and completing motivational talks to help other clinic owners, business owners and women unlock and unleash their true potential, creating the business and life they deserve and desire.
I will continue interviewing extraordinary humans on my podcast “Living your best Life” (check it out!!). I have also always dreamt of writing my own book and have started creating space to begin this.
So 2020 is going to be epic! I have some big things to achieve. I also want to have as much time with my kids and husband, creating beautiful long-lasting memories we can cherish together.
7. If you could give one piece of advice to other salon, spa and clinic owners, what would it be?
Don’t focus on making money, focus on providing more value. If you can deliver more value, a natural consequence of more financial freedom will follow. Always be committed to continuous learning and growth, both personally and professionally, and surround yourself with dynamic people who will push you to be better than yesterday. Planning, planning, planning too – know your long term goals and don’t stop until you have reached them.
8. If you could change one thing to do with your business in your journey, what would it be?
To be honest I wouldn’t change a thing. All the triumphs, failures and lessons learnt (believe me there have been so many) have all contributed to my business success. The wins in business are great but finding a way to get back up when you’ve been knocked down or fail is where true success in business really is for me.
9. Can you share what you think the next beauty trend will be for 2020?
I think consumers are becoming more educated and aware that quick fixes and trends are not the way. They’re looking for beauty professionals with ethics, who deliver value along with real education, and authentic solutions to their beauty and skin needs.
La Bella Medispa Owner Rebecca Miller with Kitomba’s Global Sales Director Emma Ahern.
10. You have been using Kitomba since 2013, what made you choose Kitomba?
We chose Kitomba because of all the innovative features available along with the unbeatable support. To have successful, sustainable businesses, we need to collect as much data and statistics as possible to test, measure and record results in everything we do. Our need for a software system with a precise reporting system including all KPIs was one of the key reasons we chose Kitomba.
11. Which Kitomba feature couldn’t you live without?
With so many amazing features it’s very tricky to only pick only one. The feature we couldn’t live without would have to be the appointment reminder text messages to clients the day prior to their appointment. This feature has contributed to our business success. With people being so busy these days, being reminded of appointments and the ability for them to text straight back ensures our appointment book is always full with confirmed appointments.
