Ms. Vanessa Baldomero, Independent Beauty Consultant & Public Relations
Pushing forward past Challenge & Change
To gather a sense of the “day in the life of a beauty consultant,” please, tell me a little bit about what your typical daily agenda consists of.
As a beauty consultant I offer free skincare and color consultations. Every day is different—and that’s one of the things I love most about my job. But a typical agenda consists of making phone calls to follow-up with customers, leads and appointments. I usually have about 1 or 2 appointments a day where I facial customers. Facials are basically a skincare consultation in which I teach customers how to care for their skin using Mary Kay products.
I focus on teaching customers the secrets to achieving and maintaining beautiful, healthy skin. These appointments can be conducted individually or in a party setting. A party is basically a facial appointment that a customer shares with friends (usually 3-5 guests). At both I also do a quick color consultation where I teach customers practical, everyday makeup applications. This is especially helpful for women who are on the go and don’t have a lot of time in the morning.
Aside from working as a beauty consultant, I also work part-time (as an independent contractor) for NAT-PR, a public relations and events management company. So on a typical day I’m also working with the NAT-PR team on various events, public relations strategies, and social media campaigns.
What have you found to be “most challenging” working independently in the fashion & beauty industry?
Being diligent with my time is always a challenge, especially between both companies. As far as the industry is concerned, the most challenging thing has been getting people to understand what I do as a beauty consultant. Most people think I’m either a salesperson or a makeup artist. I’m neither. My job is to provide expertise in the areas of skincare and color cosmetics.
When things don’t go the way you expect, how do you remain motivated?
I’m a pretty positive person and I believe strongly that everything in life happens for a reason. If things don’t go as planned, I try to learn from the situation and analyze what I could do differently next time. The great thing about Mary Kay is that although I’m on my own, I’m never alone. I have amazing women around me that are there to give me advice when situations like these come up.
What strategies have you found work for you to help in “pushing forward” toward your business goals?
I never give up and I try to meet people everywhere I go. As a beauty consultant I focus on building relationships with my customers, and even potential customers. I want people to understand that my goal is to help them; not the other way around.
How do you “plan ahead” for change or unexpected circumstances?
I’m definitely a “planner.” I always have a plan B. To give you an example, I would completely book my calendar with appointments because I know things happen; someone might have to cancel or reschedule. And if they do, it’s okay. I don’t let it get to me because I know I have another opportunity to share what I do at another appointment. The great thing about my business is that I work it around my schedule so there’s a lot of flexibility and opportunity to change if something unexpected occurs.
As a self-motivated leader, how do you manage the impact of “change” on those you deal with in business and those you serve as clients?
Again, I try to keep people positive – change isn’t always negative. Most of the women in our business experience change the moment they decide to start their business. Since many of them work full-time and run this business part-time, it’s sometimes difficult to manage and deal with the stress of change. So my job is to keep them focused; not let them get overwhelmed. I remind them of why they are here, help them create a plan for success, and then help them work that plan.
Dealing with People “closing the deal”
What could you identify as the top two most important qualities in a job applicant, potential business partner, or client (someone that you must deal with) that you believe would lead to your best possible business outcomes?
The great thing about my business is that I get to choose who I work with. I do have a team of women who are motivated and driven towards their goals; and my job is to mentor them and keep them motivated/focused so their dreams become a reality. The 2 most important characteristics I look for in women are positive energy and motivation. In my business you don’t need to be a business pro or know a thing about makeup/skin care. But you do need to be open to learning and be driven towards something. That, along with positivity, has helped so many women achieve amazing things in our business.
After working with many business partners, in different capacities, what have you discovered to be the least promising qualities- those that give you a sense that success is not likely? Negativity. I’ve worked at several organizations where “every day was Monday.” What a terrible feeling—it was counter-productive. That’s why I believe that being in a positive space, with people who are motivated and excited about their goals, contributes greatly to success. It makes you motivated and excited to work when you’re around people who are the same way.
As a mentor, how would you describe yourself to other young women striving to accomplish your successes?
I believe you have to take risks in life. When an opportunity comes your way, you have to grab it and run with it. A lot of people are so afraid of change so they stay exactly where they are—even if it’s not what they really want. I believe fear will paralyze you from everything in life. It’s inevitable that you’ll be scared the first time you try something new—you’re scared on a first date; the first day of work; the first day of school. But you get over that fear and move on. I believe that you never know if something is for you unless you try.
How would you describe yourself as a leader and what traits do you think are necessary for a leader to possess?
In my business I have the pleasure of helping other women achieve their goals by motivating them and keeping them positive. I think a good leader needs to understand what motivates people. This involves listening to others’ concerns; their dreams. I don’t believe in “titles,” they don’t necessarily mean you’re a good leader. I need to listen to my team and understand what is motivating them to be in this business so that I can help them create a plan for success—based on what they value and define as success.
What has been your most challenging leadership decision in the past few years?
On a personal level, it was making the decision to quit my job and run my Mary Kay business full-time. Aside from that, I would say it was realizing that in order for me to be influential, I needed to first understand what influences people. I’ve worked a lot in the past with volunteer groups and committees. One thing I learned was that in order for me to motivate these groups to action I needed to first understand them—why were they here and what were they looking to get out of this experience. I used that knowledge to help me work with them on projects and opportunities that were not only beneficial to the organization, but also the individual.
Who has been your biggest influence with regards to leadership? Why?
My business professors who taught me about value driven management, and the importance of understanding and valuing your employees (and people in general) in order to be an effective leader.
Operationalization “making it happen”
What strategies do you employ to assist you and your team in ensuring that your business goals or benchmarks are met?
We all have our individual goals in this business. So I review the goals of my team members with them, their progress, and make suggestions. I try to always stay positive and look at the bigger picture. Everything we do is just a piece of the puzzle—and I remind my team that although sometimes it may take awhile to see the result, every part of the journey is important and will contribute to your ultimate goal.
What advice could you offer to an entrepreneur that is full of “great ideas,” but has not yet “made it happen?”
Stop talking about it and do it! I’m a big dreamer and a positive thinker. But I understand that simply imagining something isn’t going to make it come to life. You need to take a risk—put yourself and your ideas out there.
What leadership strategies have you found are not successful for you in your line of work? Why?
Being pushy—it’s not me. I don’t force anyone, whether it’s a customer, potential customer or team member, to do anything they don’t want to.
Final Thoughts
If there is one solid piece of advice you would offer to other leaders, more specifically women, who are striving entrepreneurs in your community, what would it be?
You will never know what you can achieve until you try.
Thank you, Vanessa, for your executive insights! Vanessa’s contact information can be found below for further inquiry.
Vanessa Baldomero
Star Team Builder
305-491-9800
www.marykay.com/VanessaBaldomero