The inspiration to start a business can come from many places: to showcase a unique skill set, to make more money, to have the freedom of being your own boss. But starting a business to simply make people feel special is a feat that many seek out and that also can be difficult to accomplish. The Sparkle Bar, a makeup studio in Scottsdale, Arizona—through hard work and intention—began with this exact mission in mind. In this week’s episode of Behind the Review, we hear how The Sparkle Bar makes their in-studio experience so special and what other businesses can learn from it.
Alex Bradberry, founder and owner of The Sparkle Bar, focuses on the feel-good customer experience above all else. “It’s about building that culture. We really believe that it’s just like the Maya Angelou quote: ‘People may forget what you say, they might forget what you do, but they will never forget how you made them feel.’ And it is with that principle that we lead at The Sparkle Bar.”
And that shines through with its customers. This week’s reviewer, Kimberly Vickers-Martin, is a retired flight attendant who typically loves reviewing her travel experiences, but one specific encounter inspired her to leave a Yelp review for a completely different type of business. Vickers-Martinvisited the makeup studio before a wedding and was impressed by every step of the process—from the original booking to her post-wedding reception glow, where her “fabulous face lasted well into the night.”
While a top-notch customer experience and lasting impression are important parts of running a successful business, there is another very important element that Bradberry shared: creating a space that celebrates diversity and uniqueness.
“We use a number of products to ensure we have something for everyone,” Bradberry said. “What makes people feel super comfortable is when they see that we carry an extensive amount of shades. We want everyone to know that we have something for you. As a woman of color, a black woman, I have had experiences where my makeup wasn’t the right shade or matched appropriately. It was with that in mind that we made it a point to ensure we source all products so that would never happen in the studio.”
Here are a few exemplary takeaways from episode three:
- Creating an energetic and positive culture goes a long way—from your staff to your customers—it emanates
- Celebrating diversity and uniqueness is always a winning strategy
- When your business is a service, rather than a product, focus on the way you make people feel—they’re much more likely to remember you
Interviews by Emily Washcovick
These lessons come from an episode of Behind the Review, Yelp & Entrepreneur Media’s weekly podcast. Listen below to hear from Alex and Kimberly, or visit the episode page to read more, subscribe to the show, and explore other episodes.
The information above is provided for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice and may not be suitable for your circumstances. Unless stated otherwise, references to third-party links, services, or products do not constitute endorsement by Yelp.