For many entrepreneurs and small businesses, social media can be an absolute game-changer! All it takes is one viral post and a business can suddenly take off.
At Like A Voss Social Media, we’re highlighting local businesses and entrepreneurs who are killing the online game. This week’s spotlight is on Sara Dawson, the owner, brains, and beauty behind Hush Injections!
Hush Cosmetic Injections is Kingston’s new age cosmetic clinic offering anti-wrinkle injections and dermal filler enhancements. Sara is the owner and sole cosmetic nurse injector who brings a unique and fresh approach to facial rejuvenation and consistently natural results. Hush is 1 year shy of business and is quickly becoming a most trusted and reputable practice that is committed to perfection, integrity and most important, client confidentiality. Sara has an eye for aesthetic beauty and works with you, helping you achieve your cosmetic goals and dreams.
Our CEO Mandi interviewed Sara about her secret to success in business and in life. We also got some awesome insights into what they think makes social media such an effective tool in business.
A Little Bit About Being a Female Entrepreneur
1: I already know the answer – but I have to ask anyway (for the readers). How long have you been in business for?
I officially opened the doors to clients almost 1 year ago, Feb 2019. The training, prep, practice, learning and hard work started a few months before this and continues.
2: What made you decide to shift from your nursing career and start Hush Injections?
I graduated nursing in 2007 and have enjoyed many career opportunities. I found myself working as an operating room nurse in a cosmetic plastic surgery clinic and fell in l ove with this specialized field of medicine. In most of my previous jobs I was taking care of patients who were unwell, recovering from illness, or palliative in their final stages of life. Being a caregiver to the public is a very rewarding role, and I was always proud to be a nurse, but on the flip side, the physical burnout and compassion fatigue was very real. As I pursued my interest in cosmetic surgery, I was introduced to the cosmetic injectables industry. Cosmetic nursing was unlike anything I was used to in the past. Instead of caring for the sick and injured populations, clients are generally healthy and always very happy when leaving your care. It was a form of nursing that I never really knew existed. Helping others feel even better in their own bodies has become my passion.
3: What do you love most about being a female entrepreneur?
Many positives come to mind when I think of myself as part of the Womentrepreneur movement. Strength, power, pride. What I love most though, is being a female entrepreneur right here in Kingston, ON. I consider myself fortunate that our beautiful city is so crazy about supporting the growing number of women business owners. I truly believe that we have a community so unique and supportive, not many places are lucky enough to have this. I’ve made some amazing connections with the women of YGK. I find something really comforting interacting with businesswomen as a female entrepreneur. It’s like we’re all on the same journey, we all get each other. The struggles, the goals, the highs, the lows, we can empathize, and I love that feeling.
4: What is the hardest thing you have had to overcome as a female entrepreneur? Something you did not foresee when you decided to start Hush Injections?
Wow !! These are tough questions to think about – my brain seems to be stuck in a writer’s block, too many injections maybe, LOL??
I’d say, intimacy has been a tough one. I’m in the business of listening to strangers (at first) point out what makes them feel unattractive or insecure and discussing how we can “fix” the issues. It’s a very vulnerable position for a client, and a very delicate discussion to have as an injector. Creating a warm, welcoming and safe environment so that my clients feel comfortable to talk about their concerns and their reasons that brought them to me is a lot harder than it sounds. I had the help of some amazing designers (thanks Loft Ladies) that created a beautiful space to allow me to spend very important one on one time with my clients. We share intimate details about their lives and their well being as we fill out a medical history. Superficially they may hate the fine lines around their eyes, for example. As we chat more and more, clients open up to me and I learn about the not so obvious contributing factors that show in their appearances. The self-esteem lows, the relationship struggles, the financial pressures, etc, etc. The more I can understand my clients the better I can help them reach their goals. Whether it be restoring a bit of confidence back into them, helping them look and feel more like themselves, or a little vent session and a smooth forehead haha. Intimacy is an art tailored to every single one of my clients.
5: What is one thing about working in the cosmetic injection industry that people would be surprised to learn?
Injectors make it look way too easy haha. I remember watching videos in the beginning, on social media re: injecting. I was like, hey, intradermal injection, I can do that. I had NO idea the amount of skill and planning involved. It’s more than just sticking needles and products into faces. Knowing your anatomy is extremely important. Knowing where to safely inject filler is something that needs to be studied, and studied all the time. I was under the impression that cosmetic injections are all hands-on practice. What I didn’t know was that it’s equally textbook learning and a ton of reading. Even once you learn your anatomy well, you then realize that no two people are made exactly the same. It takes a lot of hard work to become an injector. This is not a part-time gig to supplement your income. This is a full-time commitment and a full-time business that demands more work than I ever imagined. Consistent results are hard to achieve. Lifelong learning is definitely a contributing factor to the success of a cosmetic nurse injector. Thankfully, I’m a science geek and LOVE this stuff. Passion absolutely drives your success.
And Now Onto The Social Media Questions!
6: Do you have a favorite social media platform? Why?
Instagram has been my favourite social media tool. In today’s fast-paced world, a picture is worth a thousand words. I like that I can post a before and after result, but also have the option to explain my work in the section below. If the viewer is interested, they can click and read a bit more. I’m an artistic and creative mind too, so Instagram allows me to have fun at the same time.
7: What made you decide to start using social media as a way to promote your company?
My generation was the first to start using social media. As a millennial, I remember the beginning of Facebook and how quickly it integrated into our lives as a “norm.” I also remember when these platforms sort of shifted and businesses started using them as a form of marketing. Already I enjoyed being an active member of social media, so it was an easy intro to start promoting my business. The amount of stats and information these apps gather and the feedback you receive from your online business presence is actually quite amazing. They’re doing half of your marketing analysis for you, it’s awesome.
8: How has social media impacted your business? Would you say that it’s an effective marketing tool?
Social media is 100% an effective tool for marketing. In the beginning, I was only using Instagram and Facebook to market. Instagram is definitely the one I use the most, and still do. I’ve chatted with business owners in the past who are not using social media and have literally begged them to jump on the train. This is where people turn to for everything. Business hours, contact information, services, everything. Social media outlets have been paramount to my growing business.
9: What advice would you give to other businesses and entrepreneurs who want to use social media as a way to connect with customers?
My advice to entrepreneurs with regards to social media and connecting with customers is this: Be. Yourself !!!!!
When I started sharing my personal life, I found the amount of traffic to my pages increased. The more you share, the more you can connect to each and every person. Like not everyone is interested in cosmetic injections, but those people might be interested in my furbaby I so frequently spotlight him lol. I’ve made so many connections with followers, and even friends from social media. My girl Closet Candy is Insta Famous in my eyes for featuring her cats (and business)! At this point, I know more about her cats than I’d like to admit. She knows this, so I feel not embarrassed sharing this out loud – Hey Gina – haha. She’s real and I feel like I can connect with her on many other levels, other than her business alone. I feel like in this day in age, people want to feel a personal connection as technology can offer that now. Followers might be interested in the places I’ve traveled, or the local businesses I support, so I say share, share, share – find that healthy balance for YOU !!!
A Little More About Sara
Hi, I’m Sara. Proudly a Registered Practical Nurse with 12+ years of Nursing under my belt. I’ve worked in many areas, but consider myself an Operating Room Scrub Nurse by trade. I obtained my training in 2008 and have worked in some of the best trauma centers in Ontario. My favourite surgeries to scrub for were total joint replacements and orthopedic trauma – also loved vascular amputations, but I stopped telling people that because they always made a ‘yikes’ face. My plastic surgery experience ultimately led me to my career in cosmetic injecting. I’ve been a part of the industry for several years now and have a deep understanding of aesthetic beauty and how to achieve natural and beautiful results. Since beginning this business venture I’ve attended many continuing education courses, advanced training, conferences, and a cadaver lab. The cosmetic world is forever changing and staying current is important to client safety and satisfaction. For anyone looking to chat about cosmetic enhancements, I’m your girl! Thanks for welcoming me and trusting me with your beauty and confidence – hush.
Connect with Sara here:
Instagram
Facebook
Website
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Do you know a female entrepreneur who loves social media as much as we do? Contact us today – we’d love to tell her story!
