5 Years of VR Beauty Consulting: A Journey of Resilience, Growth, and Lessons

It’s hard to believe that VR Beauty Consulting has already reached its 5-year milestone! Time has flown, and what a rollercoaster it’s been.

We officially launched at the end of November 2019 and began operations in January 2020 – right as COVID turned the world upside down. The timing couldn’t have been more challenging. I had just come out of a burnout, with no income for 10 months while I was recovering and traveling to volunteer in search of purpose. With a hefty mortgage back home and no one to share the financial burden, my bank account was nearly empty when I launched VRBC.

Luckily, I signed two clients right from the start. Their support allowed me to cover my initial expenses, but the stress was real. One client put their project on hold indefinitely, but the other trusted me enough to continue online. I’m still deeply grateful to her, as that income gave me the lifeline I desperately needed.

But I wasn’t one to sit back and wait for things to change. I reached out to Professional Beauty GCC and proposed collaborations to help businesses prepare for the post-lockdown world. I pushed myself far outside my comfort zone, hosting webinars, doing interviews, and using the downtime to refine our offerings. When the world reopened, VRBC was ready, and by then, I had signed three new clients. From there, we saw steady growth, and the first three years were golden.

However, 2023 and the start of 2024 were some of the hardest times I’ve faced. In hindsight, 2023 was a big learning curve. I made the mistake of bringing on full-time employees, which became a huge financial strain as their costs far outweighed their contributions. It was heartbreaking to invest in people only to realize it wasn’t working out. Adding to this, I collaborated with a family-run company to develop a LEAN course and revisit our training offerings. With no clear budget in place – out of trust and respect – I was blindsided when the final bill came. It hit the business hard, especially given the subpar quality delivered. That experience was one of the worst of my career, and it taught me a harsh but valuable lesson: Trust is not a business strategy.

Determined to rebuild in 2024, I rewrote the business model. I decided to focus on what VRBC excels at: strategy. Instead of hiring full-time staff, I partnered with skilled freelancers and strategic collaborators who could work on a project basis. This eliminated unnecessary overhead and gave us the flexibility to adapt to demand. I’m proud to say that our team now consists of incredible experts, and the collaboration has been seamless.

Even with the right decisions in place, the emotional toll of the previous year lingered. By mid-2024, I recognized that burnout was creeping back. I made the difficult but necessary choice to take two months off in the summer, knowing the industry would be quiet during that time. It was the best decision I could’ve made. By prioritizing my mental health, I was able to start fresh in September, and by October, VRBC was thriving again.

The Lessons of 5 Years

Over these five years, I’ve learned some hard truths:

• Being self-employed is not for the faint-hearted. Financial uncertainty is constant – there’s no paycheck when you’re on leave, and a bad month hits you personally.
• Trust, especially when money is involved, must be earned. Whether it’s family, friends, or colleagues, every agreement should be clear and documented.
• Not everyone who smiles at you has your best interests at heart. Protect yourself and your business.

I’ve also realized how difficult it is to achieve the results I know are possible. When I worked in corporate roles, I turned struggling businesses into success stories. With VRBC, I’ve had a clear vision for every client I’ve worked with. But often, due to budget constraints or premature decisions, I’ve had to step away before the full transformation could be realized. Seeing businesses struggle after they’ve gone it alone is tough, especially when I know how it could’ve been avoided.

On the flip side, running VRBC has brought incredible rewards. The freedom to design my own path is priceless, and the opportunity to work with passionate, talented women from all walks of life has been deeply inspiring.

Why I’m Sharing This

For those thinking of starting a business: be prepared for the unexpected. It’s not a walk in the park – mentally, financially, or emotionally. And for anyone running their own business who feels like they’re struggling, know that you’re not alone.

The key to surviving this journey is to stay dedicated, listen to your mind and body, and keep adapting. If something isn’t working, change it. As Walt Disney said, “If you can dream it, you can do it.”

Here’s to resilience, growth, and the beauty of the journey. Thank you to everyone who’s been part of VRBC’s story. Here’s to the next chapter!