Ever wondered how someone makes it as their own boss? What it takes to run your own business? We here at VIP are speaking to some of Ireland’s top businesswomen to find out the secrets to their success.
This week we’re chatting to Lorna Farrelly from The Brow Artist on the biggest challenges she’s faced as well as the lessons she’s learned along the way.
Lorna has done the brows of many familiar faces, from Louise McSharry, Jennifer Zamparelli to Rosanna Davison so you know you’re in safe hands in her chair.
Have you always dreamed of owning your own business?
I think that owning my own business was definitely something that was encouraged when I was growing up. My parents had a very popular family restaurant for 25 years and so I think business was in my blood.
What have been your biggest challenges you have faced?
The biggest challenge was trying to cope with balancing client demand. When my sister and business partner properly launched The Brow Artist in Dublin, the demand was so huge we had 3 or 4 month waiting lists. It sounds great but the pressure to expand to meet the demand was immense.
How do you balance work/home life as a business owner?
I must admit, my business has always also been my hobby. I am genuinely so excited to find and train new talent or find amazing new products for my clients to try out so I happily work away on new ideas in my down time. I do try to get away for a long holiday once a year though to give myself a fresh way of looking at things when I get back home.
Do you find that you often bring your work home?
My sister Liz and I share a house so we do have to be very careful not to talk too much shop when we get home in the evenings. Social media is kind of a 7 day a week job though nowadays so you do have to always be keeping an eye on that no matter what time of the day.
What advice would you give a young woman who wants to be her own boss?
I guess something you realise when you start out on your own is that, though you might not have an actual boss, you are always answerable to your clients. If you need to take a sick day, you might have to call 8 or 10 clients to reschedule their appointment and disappoint them. There is a huge responsibility attached to owning your own business.
How important of a role do your team play in your business?
Having a great team is a massive part of the success of any business. Choosing the right people that will gel with the rest of the team is key to keeping a happy team and a happy team generally means happy customers.
What do you wish you’d known when you first started out?
I started my first beauty business back in 2004. I then opened a tapas restaurant and wine bar in 2006 also. The recession had a devastating effect on the restaurant trade and I had to close that down in 2009.
Luckily my beauty business survived but I wish that I had not spread myself so thin and thought I could do it all. I couldn’t, and having a failed business hung over me for years after that no matter how well my other business was going.
What has been your biggest business mistake? What lessons did it teach you?
I’m a purely creative person with very little head for balancing books. I just trusted that just because my restaurant served great food and had a great vibe, it would be a success.
Optimism is fine but you need to look at things with a critical eye and root out problems early on instead of just ‘trusting’ everything will be okay.
What has been your biggest achievement?
Originally a makeup artist, I started specialising in brows back in 2004 when brows were barely an afterthought in most makeup looks.
To have had such an impact on the brow industry in Ireland makes me incredibly proud and to have built The Brow Artist with my wonderful sister makes it even better.
What woman in business inspires you the most?
I think that what Charlotte Tilbury has achieved is truly amazing. Her brand is just gorgeous and it feels like she built up her empire almost overnight and makes it look effortless. She’s an absolute icon.
What are your plans for the next five years?
I can’t wait to relax into what we have built and enjoy my beautiful clients and fabulous team.
For online skin consultations and all things brows see thebrowartist.com to find out more.