Let's Talk Business with Natalie Gee

Alan Gee:

Best advice:

Believe in yourself. Not naïve belief, but belief born from a personal passion that you have for something you love to do. Turn that into your lifelong quest for personal success.

Worst advice:

Stop dreaming!

Best advice I could offer:

Be creative in all that you do. Creativity for me is defined by making the strange familiar, and the familiar strange!

Miriam Gee:

Best Advice:

The best advice is, Do what is right, not what is easy.

Worst advice:

The worst advice I received was “Don’t start your business, the US is in a recession and we will be in one shortly, and banks won’t even look at the Spa industry." We knew we were not a spa and had a very unique concept.

Best Advice I Could Offer:

What advice I would give is to ask for help. And whatever industry you choose, work the frontline first and learn everything.

Natalie Gee:

Best advice:

Health is new wealth. Kindness is the new cool. Inner peace is a new success. Happiness is the new rich. I absolutely love this advice and believe a peaceful self makes way for stronger business, no matter what career you have.

Worst advice:

Advice that is unsolicited. 

Best advice I could offer:

The best business advice I can offer, as of today, don’t allow yesterday to dictate today (unless it was a kick-ass day). The way you start your day paves your way, so own your choice to begin each day with exactly what you need to feel successful. 

Celene Gee:

Best Advice:

Find people to work with whose skillsets balance and play off your own. For example if you're creative but finance or numbers aren't your strong-suit, don't beat yourself up about it or even overlook this crucial part of your business - focus on finding someone who is strong in that area. Find your weaknesses and strengthen them with good support. Find people you trust and ask for good referrals with what you need.

Worst advice:

Don't work with family!

For us, it works. Of course this doesn't apply for everyone or every situation. In terms of advice, it's always important to remember that most of the time, people are offering advice based on their own experiences. So evaluate it with a grain of salt, and that their POV is really their own, and might not directly reflect your own situation. Decide yourself how it applies to you and your unique situation.

Best advice I could offer:

Try to be as laser-focused about what you're creating or offering. Write down a mantra or philosophy, and really think about what makes you unique or what your point of difference is. We always say, "we can't be everything to everyone". It's just impossible and you dilute what you're trying to do by making everyone happy, and you loose your focus. Stick to the core of what you're trying to do - while always being open to adapting or evolving as your industry, technology or culture is changing.

We wrote a mantra almost 20 years ago and it's still the core of what Gee Beauty is all about: offering modern, time-sensitive and result-driven beauty solutions with education, the best products, and world-class care and attention.

Stephanie Gee:

Best advice:

Showing up is half the battle. 

Showing up every day for my career, business partners, team and clients is why I am who I am today. By showing up energetically, mentally, and physically I am given the opportunity to grow, learn, engage and deepen my commitment to what we do. Especially on the days when you don’t feel like it, showing up is the most important thing you can do to show yourself you are committed to greatness!

Worst advice:

Always say yes.

While I’m a very positive person, yes is not always the best answer for me or the business. I have learned through experience that saying no is extremely valuable in protecting yourself, your brand and your people. When I say yes, I really mean it and put my all behind it and when I say no, I am honoring myself and my experience. 

Best advice I could offer:

Be true to you. Honor who you are are. Be proud of who you are. If it doesn’t feel right, then it probably isn’t. Most importantly, have faith!