Please introduce yourself!

I am Mr Finch of Mr Finch & Skin! Based in Ashton Under Lyne.

Before Mr Finch & Skin what were you doing professionally, what roles in the beauty industry have you experienced?

I have been in the industry for 10 years since 2010. I have had my clinic/salon for the last 8 years. I worked for a lady that was a tutor at the local college for about 3 years before that and that’s where I got my experience. I then decided to flourish and spread my wings and here I am 8 years on.

Amazing, what were you doing before you came into the industry, Chris?

I was a market trader. I used to sell cakes, sweets and bakery. When I was busy running the market stall, I was at college full time as well. So, in the mornings I used to be on the stall reading my textbooks, studying for my exams.

Tell us more about your current position at Mr Finch & Skin. Do you have any tips you can share for others who are thinking about starting a business venture in the beauty industry?

My position in the industry has changed over the years. Initially had more of a beauty background, whether that be massage, pedicures, facials, brow waxing, things like that. As the years have progressed and my knowledge has increased, I have expanded into different areas and that’s why partnering with Silhouette has been a great advantage to my business. 

The main tips I’d always like to think of is to be brave and to be bold. Take calculated risks, don’t stay in a box, don’t except the glass ceiling you can always break through it.

You purchased our Dermalite IPL machine 3 years ago. Tell us, how did you decide on this specific machine?

I had already had previous machines from Silhouette, and I knew the quality and the standard of the machine would be there. As soon as Silhouette announced the launched of their IPL machine it was naturally the company I wanted to purchase from.

In what way do you feel this machine has changed your business? What has the response been from your customers?

The main way it’s changed my business is how people perceive me in the industry.  I’ve been in the industry 10 years but the more advanced you go people will look at you as the industry leading expert. So, they no longer look at me as the person who does nails or your general beauty treatments, they look to me for those specialised treatments.

At Silhouette we offer lease purchase as an option to buy our machines. How quickly were you able to pay off your machine and do you have any tips on how you were able to do so?

We paid our IPL machine off in just over a year. We did that in organic growth of sales through our client network. The first thing that we did was look at our client list and sieved through and we got everybody booked in for a consultation. We did days of nothing but back to back consultations. Even if the client had never contemplated IPL they were still invited to have a consultation. They might have had some thread veins that needed addressing or hair on the chin. It just opened up that conversation with clients that maybe had never thought of having IPL before.

And did you charge for the consultations?

At that point, we didn’t charge because it was a brand new machine and we wanted to get the word out to as many clients as possible. We wanted them to have the demo of the machine, have the patch test so that we had their medical history on record, so we knew who was suitable for possible future treatments. Going forward now we do charge for consultations purely because it is a professional treatment and it does take our time and we believe it helps to sieve out anyone who is not that serious about having IPL treatments.

Social media marketing is one of the most cost-effective ways to reach potential customers and increase sales. How important is marketing through social media for you? How do you split your time across treatments and marketing your business?

This is a very good question; it might be a big answer. Social media is a huge part for me. I find that when we post more corporate videos/images it doesn’t get a lot of engagement. The more lifestyle, fun images of me interacting with clients are the ones that get more traction and more engagement. So, my advice would be to position yourself on the less corporate side.

Last year I took the decision to step away from treatments a little bit. I decided to split my time between treatments and marketing, so I worked a bit of a rotation in the week. I would work half the week on marketing and the other working with clients. I found that combination really helped to push the business forward. It was the best thing to do all round. Anybody that is in the industry that is technically head down with clients all the time it’s okay to take your foot off the gas a little bit and step away to work on the business. You don’t always have to be the operator doing the servicing.

As a Silhouette customer, we’d love to know more about your experience with us.

1. How long have you been a customer for?

I’ve been a Silhouette customer since around 2014. My very first machine was the Dermalift Microface. I had some previous experience with another company using a similar machine to the Dermalift and I have to say the minute I got my hands on the Dermalift I could immediately see the difference. The Dermalift is much more stronger than other competitor brands that I’ve used.

2. What do you love most about Silhouette?

I love that it is a local business for me. It’s not a huge corporate company so the is more support. If you need anything you can just pick up the phone, everyone is always happy to help.

3. What’s your favourite machine or product to use?

I have four of the key machines within Silhouette, but my favourite would probably be the Dermalift Microface Intense because I’ve used it the longest. It’s the most popular facial treatment in my business and it’s also changed the fortune of my business, in the sense that in the very early days when I bought that machine it elevated me to a different level. My clients saw me in a different light, and they understood that it was more than just a standard facial and I was offering something more advanced. My favourite product would have to be the Dermafusion mask. I think it’s a great addition to the Dermalift. It’s great for all different skin concerns and it helps boost the effects of your Dermalift treatment.

Are there any memorable moments that have reinforced your business choices? Do you have any rewarding customer stories you can share?

I have a client that has been a Dermalift client of mine from the very beginning when I bought the Dermalift machine, but she used to have treatments with me before that. That client has been with me for 8 years total and she never misses a treatment. Every four weeks she has her Dermalift treatment. She’s obsessed by it; she’s petrified that her jaw will start to sag and drop if she doesn’t have it every month. Whenever I get a new client, I always refer back to this one particular client, she’s had it for 6 years religiously.

Lastly, what’s next for Mr Finch & Skin? Do you have any exciting news coming up?

What’s most exciting for me at the moment is that we have just bought the Dermatherm Radio Frequency machine and it’s been a great addition to our collection. I’m really looking forward to using all the machines in combination with each other. The one thing I’ve really noticed in the last few years is clients who come through the door don’t just need a one step approach they need a combination of IPL, Dermalift, Radio Frequency so I’m really excited to working with clients with multiple machines to create different results, that’s the thing I’m really looking forward to. Creating bespoke facials rather than just doing a Dermalift as a standalone treatment.