Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in beauty and cosmetics but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Fanny Garnier, founder of La Beauty Boutique by Fanny Garnier, located in Toronto, ON, Canada.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

We are a beauty spa located on Avenue rd in Toronto/North York. Our clientele is 70% women and 30% men. We have all ages. Mainly 35-55yo. We do facials, lashes, laser, skin tightening, waxing, threading, and so much more. By supporting our business, locals get to enjoy having a local spa right beside their homes, where they can come back and feel it's time for a getaway. They get to enjoy some lovely pampering while forgetting about their day-to-day lifestyle. It's like an escape to come to your business. They just don't get a service; it's an entire experience.

Tell us about yourself

I grew up in France, Paris, where we can't leave the house without looking decent. My grandmother had a spa where I spent a lot of time after school and weekends and during vacations. I loved being there; I learned so much already about business while being just a teenager; I learned makeup, skin, hairdo, waxing, balneotherapy, perfumes, creams… etc. It always has been so easy for me to see someone's face, and I just know what they need to enhance their natural beauty.

After my grandmother joined the stars, I came to Toronto as she always told me I should speak English, so I decided I would stay in Toronto just for one year, but after making a couple of friends, I became really busy really fast. I was traveling all over the GTA from Barrie to Niagara, doing makeup, b-day, weddings, concert, nightclubs… I became too busy that I decided to open a spa and thought I would have more fun.

I still remember the first day I walked into "my new beauty spa" I literally smelt my grandma and felt an instant connection with that location. My grandma was such a beautiful woman inside out; she was always seeing things on the bright side; I looked up to her. She was so talented at paintings; today, most of her paintings are at the spa actually that I was able to bring from France.

After seeing so much happiness in my life, I surrounded myself with amazing beauty artists, they all are angels, so when a client walks in and tells us they are having a bad day, we transform their day by bringing positivity, joy, and happiness into their lives. It's not just about the service itself but also about the impact we, as Beauty Artists, can have on people's lives, just like how my grandma had a positive impact on my life.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Just before COVID, we doubled the superficies of the spa, and then COVID hits. So as a personal service business, being able to get thru all the shutdowns was a beautiful win.

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

Being able to do EVERYTHING. Where it needs a fix, the owner must be able to do, from changing a light bulb to painting, to be supportive to employees, and clients, staying positive no matter what, and just keep going cause every day is planned, but they never end up looking the same, so we need to not take anything personally.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

  1. Jump, do it & you will have fun!
  2. Don't let other people's negativity get to you and your goals.
  3. Go that extra mile.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

Having a business is a wonderful human experience at every level. Personally, we grow, we learn about ourselves, we learn about people, we learn how to read and talk to people, and we surprise ourselves about things we can do that we did not know we could. We see people grow, cry, and laugh... but the most important is to never forget ourselves and take care of ourselves physically, mentally, and spiritually.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.labeautyboutique.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/labeautyboutiqueto/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/labeautyboutiqueto/
LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3yGg2Hn


If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solopreneur that you'd like to share, then email community@subkit.com; we'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

Feel inspired to start, run or grow your own subscription business? Check out subkit.com and learn how you can turn "one day" into day one.