Bella Schneider is the founder, clinical skincare pioneer, and paramedical esthetician behind Bella Schneider Beauty Cosmetics and LaBelle Day Spas & Salons. She leads a team of more than 200 esthetic professionals at two premier spas and her wholesale division of professional cosmetics. For more than 35 years, she has traveled the world to bring service providers the best in esthetic science; as a groundbreaking formulator, successful retailer, and respected educator, her mission is to help professionals enhance their practice and grow their business. Winner of the Nouvelles Esthetiques lifetime achievement Crystal Award for contributions to beauty science.

https://www.labelledayspas.com/

https://www.bellaschneiderbeauty.com/

Can you tell our readers about your background?

I took an interest in skincare as a teenager when I was breaking out. My mother took me to have my first facial at a European facial salon. When I moved to the United States, after growing up in Ukraine and Israel, I was shocked at how limited the beauty offerings were in San Francisco. I came to San Francisco on my own. My parents were deaf, and my brother had severe cataracts and was even blind at one point. I came to America to complete my education and find a job to send money back home. I managed to secure a scholarship and complete a joint Political science and Economics degree at UC Berkeley. I worked in cosmetics and makeup to support myself.

What inspired you to start your business?

Once I graduated, I realized it was time to bring European quality esthetics to the San Francisco area. Quality European facials, cosmetics, waxing, and makeup were missing here at the time. What I would call vanity and beauty culture, with high in-depth skincare were less prevalent. I decided to take the economics acumen I acquired at Berkeley and combine this with my passion for beauty and skincare. I opened a small boutique salon in the heart of San Francisco’s shopping district. It was instantly a success; I couldn’t keep up with the business and appointment requests! I had clients travelling from an hour away for appointments. That’s when clients asked me to open another location in Palo Alto, CA that was an hour away.

Where is your business based?

Today it is in Palo Alto, California. 

How did you start your business? What were the first steps you took?

I had a small sum of money I had acquired but I needed more funding. I spoke to people I knew and approached the banks for additional funding. This was the hardest part, acquiring money as a woman in the late seventies and eighties, particularly in the beauty industry, was just unheard of. I had to rely on other strong women who had made it in banking to network and secure the loan in a male-dominated creditor field.  

What has been the most effective way of raising awareness for your business?

Communicating the message that beauty and vanity are healthy forms of self-love was big in the beginning. Also, sharing this message later on with men, that taking care of yourself and grooming are important personally and professionally, became an important message to convey later on. Today it is less necessary as the current generations thrive on self-care, beauty, and image. From picture taking to me-time, our current culture really appreciates salon and spa-time.

For me, the best ways to increase awareness have been by providing high-quality services and products as well as having central locations in popular shopping centers that have easy parking and access to other stores. Our clients refer my spas to their friends and family because they know we prioritize excellence and convenience. I found my niche by creating full-service spa-salons that offer everything under one roof and by creating my own products based on my years of experience and client feedback. They simply can’t get this from our competitors. 

What have been your biggest challenges and how did you overcome them?

I would say that the biggest challenge is developing loyal employees that are hard-working and meticulous. I have high expectations and so do my clients, so I require this level of devotion from my employees. It makes it harder to hire, as I look for long-timers, but it has also been the strength of my business. I have employees who have worked with me for as long as 20 or more years. I run my business as a family in this way. This can open me up to disappointments. My work has been to not take challenges personally and to realize that people will do as they do. 

How do you stay focused?

I am naturally a driven person. I have discipline and know that I always must be one step ahead of the rest. I never shy away from change or re-modeling my brand to keep up with the newest discoveries, technologies, and market trends. With this said, I know how to indulge in the things that cause me pleasure at the end of the day. To stay focused, I disconnect from the emails and phone at the end of the day. I also focus on optimism; I don’t indulge in feeling sorry for myself or imagining worst-case scenarios. I simply believe in my and others’ ability to overcome difficulty and come out stronger.  

How do you differentiate your business from the competition?

I focus on uniqueness. As I mentioned earlier, I offer a full-service experience. Clients can get all their services under one roof. Most spas don’t have this today because it’s more work for them. But my priority is what’s best for my clients. I make sure that our techniques, technologies, and products are always the best. By formulating my own products, I know that clients simply can’t find what I offer elsewhere. I personally train all my esthetic staff and only hire someone I would go to myself. My corporate culture is one of a family. From Christmas parties to one-on-one time, I treat my staff as my family. This is the atmosphere our clients love.

What has been your most effective marketing strategy to grow your business?

It’s important to contribute to the community you live in. I focus on Public Relations. I actively donate to the community and participate in my client’s passions and community service. More recently, I’ve focused on actively engaging my clients through an email newsletter. In this way, I keep them abreast of new developments and stay in constant touch.

What's your best piece of advice for aspiring and new entrepreneurs?

Do what you love. Put all your efforts into what you do. If you don’t love the subject matter, the product, or the service you are providing, you won’t be able to put in the time it takes to be competitive, successful, or happy. 

What's your favorite app, blog, and book? Why?

Because of my diverse background growing up in a communist country than in Israel, traveling the world, and living in the U.S., combined with my degree in Economics and Political science, politics are a passion of mine. Had I not chosen the beauty industry; I would have pursued a career in international journalism. I read news from around the world. Not so many blogs, but hard news from the Balkans, Europe, and the Middle East.

Truthfully, I prefer personal relationships with communicating online or on paper. Particularly, some of my personal clients, that are leaders in the political arena such as Condoleezza Rice, George Schultz, and others. I have the privilege of having in-depth discussions with them on current affairs. That’s what I find the most interesting. As far as books, I love Hemingway. I read all his books.  I have also read all of Elena Ferrante's books. They are brilliant!    

What's your favorite business tool or resource? Why?

I use my laboratories and my raw ingredient suppliers as my guiding light for quality ingredients that are effective and innovative. I continually read about new ingredients in trade publications and then create new formulations with my chemists in the function of my discoveries. I take the information that I learn about ingredients from the lab to practice; My true "laboratory" is my work with clients. I question them, experiment on them, and then come up with my new ideas and formulas based on their feedback. 

Who is your business role model? Why?

My main role model in life was my grandmother. I received my strength from her. She escaped and survived the holocaust and hid her family including a deaf child while her husband was in a labor camp. Her words and guidance are always fresh in my mind whenever I face opposition. She taught me to be strong and trust myself above everything else.

How do you balance work and life?

Spending time with my partner, daughter and grandson are especially important to me. I also make time to have coffee dates with my friends. I also love going to musicals and the ballet. I always plan ahead so that I know I have already scheduled in time for fun. 

What’s your favorite way to decompress?

I love to exercise, read a wonderful novel, watch international romance, and travel to Europe. Nature and esthetic there please all of my senses.

What do you have planned for the next six months?

I plan on observing what happens to the marketplace and keeping up with the trends. If we need to have less people in the spa due to COVID, that’s what we’ll do. If clients or professional estheticians need home services or home kits, then that’s what I’ll offer. I keep my fingers on the pulse of my clients’ needs and the actual marketplace.

How can our readers connect with you?

By emailing us at service@labelledayspas.com