The unexpected lessons from a trip to Mecca with my daughter.
Having passed at least 3 sales assistants that were in equal parts immaculately presented, friendly and with an ‘I’m here to help’ attitude, there we were scanning shelf upon shelf, aisle upon aisle of brightly coloured lotions and potions, cosmetics and brushes in what can only be described as a beauty explosion- minus the mess. It was Mecca.
Having no idea what we were looking for, I dutifully followed Josie, my 14 year old on a mission: to spend her Mecca vouchers.
It’s probably the only shop that makes eye contact and addresses the teenager before the mum standing next to them. They know their target audience when they see it: tweens and teens +/- acne, with a wishlist saved on their iPhone after hours of conscientious study. On TikTok.
To be honest, it was hard to stay focused. I wanted to buy something (anything!) To pick up makeup brushes and delight in how soft I knew they would feel on the back of my hand. I dipped my finger into a Bum Bum cream tester (because, I could) and with zero intention of ever owning it. That was before I realised there were products closer to $1000 to ‘test’. At which point I shunned the mediocrity of Bum Bum creams and untwisted the lid of a $925 La Mer eye cream, smoothing it over my skin wishing it would work it’s (very expensive) magic on the aging backs of my hands, while simultaneously knowing it most definitely wouldn’t.
The lip glosses, the eyelash curlers, the concealers and masks. The shampoos and conditioners. The Dyson air wave. Oh my, it was everywhere.
How does one stay focused in here?!!!!
For most people, they don’t.
The truth is, if you want to stay on track you need to:
- Know what you want
- Identify what you need so you’re not at the whim of whichever product is marketed best
- Know yourself well
- Ask for help when you’re not sure
Josie wanted a concealer but wasn’t sure of the shade. I’m nothing if not a GD woman on a mission if I feel like someone can make life easier, simpler, or get us from A to B faster. Whether it’s a Bunnings aisle, navigating an unfamiliar Westfield, or in the heart of Mecca, I’m all about asking for someone who knows how to help.
The rest of my family? Not on your life.
Anyhoo, after careful jawline application of shade 469 called Siberian Princess (kidding, but it wouldn’t be a stretch) and suitable ‘mmm, that’s perfect, you can’t even see it’s there’ from my girl, amazed that a shade could be so right, she was sold. The list was now complete and we headed for the till, knowing another colour-popping bag would be handed over to replace the empty space on her window sill where the sun faded ones had recently been retired to the recycling.
But what does all of this have to do with you, my friend.
Well, aside from being a reminder not to walk into Mecca without a plan, (nor to bother trying any of the skin care testers except those over $600), it’s about how to tune out the noise as a business owner and stop getting distracted by the next shiny thing that isn’t right for you.
It’s the wrong texture or colour or will almost certainly lead to buyer’s remorse when you get the hot pink (Fall in Love) MAC lippy home and realise it’s just not you and has way too much blue base to be complementary to your warm skin tone. (Not that I’m talking from experience or anything).
You waste your time, your money, your precious energy and your focus, much like a teenage girl with mum or dad’s credit card unleashed in Mecca.
This is how to avoid falling into the same old trap time and time again:
- Know who you are: what is authentically YOU, and importantly, what isn’t. Where are you trying to be more of something that just isn’t you?
- Stay focused on what works for you – Human Design teaches us how to use our energy wisely; how to attract the best opportunities; how to market in a way that feels right AND lands with your audience; and how to make the right decisions for YOU. Among many other things. Grow you biz and love your life would sum it up.
- When you know that? You shut out the noise. You filter out the distractions. You do you.
If you don’t yet know your Human Design (and no, I’m not just talking about ‘oh I’m a Manifesting Generator’ but with absolutely no integration of this information, and NFI beyond that), this is what will change it all.
I want you to know and implement what that actually means for you.
- Been overwhelmed? I can help.
- Distracted? You can see why. And in the words of every rookie coach, ‘it doesn’t need to be this way’.
- Want more opportunities or clients? This is your signature process (Strategy) that is specifically designed for YOUR client and opportunity attraction.
- Exhausted? We can revealwhy and how to become energised.
- People pleasing? This shows us where it’s coming from and how to create effective boundaries.
- Creating offers that people jump on? Craft them in a way that’s uniquely you and will convert.
- Feeling stuck in your marketing? Let’s inject YOU into it and do it your way.
You can sit and tell yourself you don’t need it. You can muddle through and ChatGPT it. (You wouldn’t believe how many errors come up. And if you don’t know the difference, you won’t even know it’s wrong).
You can stay ‘happy browsing’ and say sayonara to many things. More time, energy, being noticed for all the right reasons, money, confidence and joy. It’s like walking out feeling smug with all the shopping bags only to get home and find nothing’s right.
Or you can reach out to the ‘sales assistant’ who will really listen when you tell them what you’re looking for. Who can let you know what ‘shade’ will work on YOU. The one who will point you to the precise ‘shelf’ and pull the specific product you need from the cute drawer down the bottom just when you thought your shade was out of stock. And they can tell you how to apply it best.
I currently have some amazing VIP offers available as part of a Black Friday promotion. You won’t find them anywhere right now as they’re only going out to those who request to be on the VIP list.
If you want that to be you, get in touch here, before they sell out (with no bottom drawer to save you). I’m here to help (just don’t expect flawless makeup). Kylie x
Tags: Human Behaviour
