[Interview with a Beauty Salon Owner] What is the online salon for eyelash technicians run by an owner who has been requested by 140 clients a month for 5 consecutive years?

Starting as an unknown eyelash technician, Ms. Kawase, representative of LUNE Co., Ltd., built a salon that cannot take new bookings in just three months.

In the highly competitive beauty industry, what she arrived at was marketing and simple, highly reproducible customer acquisition techniques to become an eyelash technician who is chosen by clients. The online salon she operates, 'Eyelist Quality Lab (EQL),' is already attended by over 120 eyelash technicians. The enrollment slots, which are limited every month, are so popular that they fill up in just three days. The learning content, which can be continued even while busy with salon work, has received a great response and is supporting many eyelash technicians.

This time, we will delve into what is necessary to survive as an 'eyelash technician who is chosen by clients' and the thoughts put into EQL.

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An unknown eyelash technician builds a 'salon that cannot take new bookings' in just 3 months

—Ms. Kawase, you run an online salon while managing an eyelash salon. Could you tell us about your background again?

Kawase: After graduating from beauty school, I gained field experience at an eyelash salon. After that, I started as a sole proprietor with almost zero customer acquisition. I achieved a fully booked salon in 3 months, and as a result, I was promoted to manager overseeing 3 stores, where I did education and management for eyelash technicians. Later, I became independent and opened the eyelash & eyebrow specialty salon 'Rill.' While managing the salon as the representative of LUNE Co., Ltd., I am still working in the field as an eyelash technician who receives requests from over 140 clients per month. I value proposals that suit the client by utilizing my Level 1 Face Type Diagnostician qualification and thorough hospitality, and thanks to that, I am blessed with many clients.

Since 2024, based on my experience, I have been operating the online salon 'Eyelist Quality Lab' (hereinafter EQL) that supports the independence and management of small-scale salons. In addition to marketing such as targeting and branding, I teach practical customer acquisition techniques utilizing SNS.

—A fully booked salon in 3 months from zero customer acquisition.
Specifically, what kind of initiatives did you take?

Kawase: Instead of jumping into customer acquisition techniques, I solidified the basic foundation such as branding and targeting. Salon management is not chosen based on location or technology alone. I thought I had to clarify the reason why people would think 'I want to ask Ms. Kawase 'only'' among many eyelash technicians.
So, I thoroughly crafted the 'salon brand' regarding what kind of salon it is, what kind of worries the customers have, and which part I solve.

- What kind of customers do I want to visit?
- What are the anxieties and ideals that person has?
- What kind of finish are they expecting?
- Care and habits at home

I dug deep into these and set a persona.
And I decided to have consistency in everything, including menu design, word choice, photo presentation, and reviews that resonate with that target, and establish it as a 'brand'.

Next is dissemination on SNS. Focusing on Hot Pepper Beauty and Instagram, which are essential for customer acquisition for eyelash technicians, I continued dissemination with a sense of unity that has consistency from reviews and blogs to coupon content. I didn't just create a page, but designed it down to the details so that no matter which page or post the customer touches, they would think 'If it's Ms. Kawase, I can trust her.'
I analyzed and verified with numbers every day how that dissemination resonated with the target and which flow was most effective. As a result, I achieved a fully booked salon in 3 months.

—That's wonderful...!
Even after becoming fully booked, was there anything you kept in mind?

Kawase: I thought that becoming fully booked was the real start. I thought that if I couldn't make people who came once think 'I don't want anyone but Ms. Kawase next time, I want to ask 'only' Ms. Kawase,' I would become dependent on new customers and continue to worry about customer acquisition. Therefore, I never cut corners on hospitality (customer service) and continued to thoroughly provide 120%. From the first second the customer visited until I saw them off, they experienced the highest level of hospitality with technology plus alpha. Thanks to that, the number of people who wrote 'it was beyond my imagination' in reviews increased, and those reviews led to further new customers.

—Listening to you, it feels like you had a special talent from the beginning, Ms. Kawase...?

Kawase: I'm happy to hear you say that, and it makes me sound like an amazing person, but I never had any special talent. I just continued to practice customer acquisition techniques that anyone can do. If you put in the right effort, results will surely follow. I wanted to convey this, so I launched the online salon 'Eyelist Quality Lab' (hereinafter EQL).

—What is the reason you can say with certainty that it is 'something anyone can do'?

Kawase: What I have done is very simple. The most important thing is to find your own strengths. Next, you must communicate those strengths to your target audience, and then keep communicating. If you cannot continue these three things, you won't get repeat customers and will end up relying only on new ones. You will be buried among other eyelash technicians.

—Being buried despite having the skills... Why did you become aware of that problem?

Kawase: Because I was like that myself. At first, no matter how much I polished my skills, customers wouldn't come. I realized painfully that even if you have the skills, if your recognition is low, you won't reach customers. There are places like vocational schools where you can learn techniques, but there are very few places where you can learn 'how to connect with customers' after becoming an eyelash technician. That's why I wanted to make it an online salon like a 'graduate school' where you can learn how to acquire customers after graduation, which vocational schools don't teach.

—What kind of worries do the eyelash technicians who take your course usually have?

Kawase: Many are eyelash technicians at home-based salons run by individuals, or employees who want to own a salon in the future. What they have in common is the worry, 'I have the skills, but I don't know how to make myself known.' Specifically, there are many voices saying, 'I opened an Instagram account but don't know what to post,' 'Customer acquisition from Hot Pepper Beauty is unstable,' 'My followers aren't increasing,' or 'I'm anxious about whether this is okay.' At EQL, we provide content that can resolve those worries.

To become an eyelash technician chosen by everyone

—Please tell us what triggered you to start the online salon.

Kawase: I started my life as a sole proprietor with almost zero customer acquisition, but I was promoted to manager in less than a year. That was the starting point of my teaching, as I began to educate others on customer acquisition and hospitality. When I gave advice while thinking together about flow lines to get reservations and Instagram posts, the number of requests for those eyelash technicians increased, and their schedules filled up. Seeing that, I thought, 'It would be a waste to keep this knowledge only to myself.' I felt I could support eyelash technicians who have high skills but are struggling with customer acquisition.

—How did you design the learning content for EQL?

Kawase: First, I wrote down all the knowledge and know-how in my head on paper and organized it. To broaden the scope, I read dozens of books on hospitality, customer service, marketing, and management, and adapted the concepts and practices I learned for eyelash technicians. Instead of just stuffing them with knowledge, I designed it focusing on 'things that can be practiced immediately in the field'.

EQL's learning flow and 36 pieces of content that create a 99% repeat rate

—I imagine many eyelash technicians are busy with salon work, so what are the features of EQL?

Kawase: I also study daily while working in the salon, so I made it possible for even busy eyelash technicians to learn without strain. Therefore, I chose an online format so that they can learn from anywhere, even while at the salon. Specifically, it is a style where you learn by viewing content posted on a private Instagram account dedicated to EQL. Each piece of content consists of 7 to 8 slides, and there are 36 pieces of content in total. Furthermore, there are videos where I provide explanations, so I think the volume of learning is substantial. That said, there is no limit to the enrollment period, so you can learn at your own pace during your free time. Students at my salon also use their time between appointments or in the evening after salon work is finished to learn.

*The account is private because we carefully select and deliver useful information, but eyelash technicians are welcome to send a follow request. We will approve it immediately after verification.

—What is EQL's strength?

Kawase: EQL's strength is that instead of just listing know-how, it focuses on content development centered on marketing and management elements. While many online salons tend to focus on technical theories like "the latest customer attraction techniques" or "how to increase followers," EQL teaches from the basics. Some people feel that marketing and management are difficult, so I have created a

curriculum that allows for step-by-step learning so that skills can be acquired without strain. Like school classes, it is a system that progresses from basics to application, just as you first learn numbers, then move on to addition, subtraction, and multiplication. The first thing we tackle is the "Basics of the Basics" section. This is a

step to clarify your own strengths and target audience. It is simple, but since it is the most important part, we take our time to organize it. Many eyelash technicians struggling to attract customers tend to focus on increasing reviews or followers, but if you haven't built a "foundation" of targeting and branding, no matter how much you post, it won't resonate with customers. That is why you need to solidify the basics.

—How do the students utilize what they learn at EQL?

Kawase: They immediately output what they have learned and review their Instagram and Hot Pepper Beauty profiles. Also, at EQL, we create opportunities to post what we have learned and share our impressions. Seeing other students' posts is stimulating, and sharing knowledge helps organize your thoughts and makes it easier to take action. Students who previously had no one to consult with have said, "Having peers with the same goals makes me feel like I can do my best."

—What kind of changes can be expected by practicing what is learned at EQL?

Kawase: The biggest one is being able to secure a stable repeat rate. The staff I have trained recently have a real repeat rate of 99% for new customers in less than half a year. They are all customers who book their next appointment at the time of payment after the treatment, and I hear "I'll come again" almost every day. It is truly a joyful thing. Common feedback from students is "I have become able to
get next-visit bookings" and "my repeat rate has increased." For example, I often receive happy reports like, "After I narrowed down my target and rebuilt my Instagram and Hot Pepper Beauty as per the content, I immediately started getting new bookings," or "Customers started booking their next appointments." Some students say, "Once I became conscious of the hourly unit price, I was able to stop unnecessary discounts and properly retain profits." Many students are affiliated with salons, but customers judge not by the salon, but by "who they want to ask." How you brand yourself is extremely important.

—So, it is important to brand “yourself” rather than leaving it to the salon.

Kawase: That is correct. When working as a company employee, it is easy to think, "It's okay because the shop will attract customers." However, in reality, it is not about being chosen by the salon, but whether the eyelash technician themselves is chosen. If you brand yourself instead of relying on the shop's sign, you should be able to become an “eyelash technician who doesn't get buried”.

To make being an eyelash technician a dream profession

—What kind of eyelash technicians do you want to reach with EQL?
Kawase: I want to reach eyelash technicians who have no one to consult with and are wandering around without knowing what to do. I was the same way, with no one to consult about attracting customers, and continuing to worry alone without knowing the right answer. That time is truly painful, and it wears down your heart. I really understand the feeling that "there is a limit to what I can do alone." That is exactly why I want them to come to EQL.

—For eyelash technicians who are carrying it all alone. What kind of eyelash technician do you want them to become through EQL?

Kawase: I want them to aim to be an
“eyelash technician who is chosen”. When you worry about attracting customers, you tend to lower prices to increase the number of customers, but that makes it painful for yourself. I have valued a "system that can be fully booked even with high unit prices" for 5 consecutive years, and I am also teaching that way of thinking at EQL. If you can maintain your unit price, you don't have to force yourself to handle a large volume, your sales will stabilize, and you can value your own time. It means you can create your own value. I want to reduce the number of eyelash technicians who think, "I might not be able to continue anymore," and increase the number of eyelash technicians who can value their private lives while continuing the work they love. Because of this thought, I also teach about work-life balance and how to maintain motivation.

—I understand you are currently preparing learning content specialized in design proposals.

Kawase: I am preparing to launch "I Fit Theory," a learning program on matching theory that utilizes my expertise as a Level 1 Face Type Diagnostician.I Fit Theory In "I Fit Theory," we analyze not just eyebrows and eyelashes, but the entire face, including parts and shapes, and compile design proposals in a theoretical format that even incorporates hairstyles, voice tone, and body type. Additionally, it features the ability to offer design proposals tailored to current trends, seasonal feelings, occupations, and lifestyles. Recently, the term "matching" has been used loosely, and there are many proposals without any basis. That is precisely why I want to increase the number of eyelash technicians who can propose "truly matching designs" for their clients based on theory. I want them to learn both "I Fit Theory" and EQL, and aim to become one-of-a-kind eyelash technicians who are chosen by their clients.

—Finally, what kind of future do you want to create in the eyelash technician industry?

Kawase: I want to make it a profession that children aspire to be in the future. To achieve that, I believe it is important for eyelash technicians to have confidence and carefully communicate their own value. To that end, I first want to increase the number of "chosen" eyelash technicians.

If you aim to be a chosen eyelash technician, start here.

If you are interested in EQL, follow us on Instagram now.
We deliver free customer acquisition know-how and the latest information exclusively to our followers. Our account is private because we carefully select and deliver only beneficial information, but please feel free to send a follow request if you are an eyelash technician. We will approve it immediately after verification.

Furthermore, EQL accepts new students only once a month.
Since spots often fill up within three days of opening recruitment,
we recommend checking in advance so you don't miss the timing.

Interview, Composition, and Writing by Ayaka Kimata (Tashikana Koto Solo Editorial Department)