Odd businesses that shouldn’t have succeeded, but did (via smallbusiness.co.uk)

I was recently asked to feature in an article for smallbusiness.co.uk on odd businesses that shouldn't have succeeded, but did. You can read my full interview below -

Today’s business world is competitive. The incredible idea you’ve just had for a steam room dehumidifier or velcro court tennis club has, in all likelihood, already been done. However, that didn’t stop these three wacky visionaries from unfurling their odd businesses on the world and making their mark. Hopefully, you can learn from their outside-of-the-box thinking to come up with your own insanity that might just make some money.

Reconstructive medical tattooing

For El Truchan, a stockbroking career represented great money but provided no emotional satisfaction. One day, while waiting for her mum to get her eyeliner done at a salon, El had a Eureka moment.

‘I felt strongly compelled to the idea of recreating or improving people’s facial features: eyebrows, lips, as well as helping them with more medical-related conditions like surgery resulting in nipple/areola loss, Vitiligo or hair loss.

I decided to look into it, and within a few weeks I had signed for my beginners’ training with a cosmetics academy,’ she says. After the first week she knew this was her future job and went through further training. Perfect Definition was born.

‘I have never looked back since then. Microblading, semi-permanent makeup and medical tattooing became my passion and I am excited every time I go to work.’

In the beginning, it was hard to get people enthused about the company; it may have been seen as one of those odd businesses. ‘Changing from finance to beauty and the sub-medical field was a huge step but the hard work, continuous professional development and education, and most importantly client satisfaction has helped me become established,’ she says.

El found she was working even longer hours now while working for herself than when she was in finance, which she didn’t think was possible. ‘The difference is I absolutely love every minute of it and every time I hear from my clients how happy they are with the difference I’ve made, it makes my day, and makes everything worth the effort.

‘Medical tattooing for reconstructive or recovery purposes is still very unknown and that’s why raising awareness of it is so important.

‘But it is a work of love and only people with a great deal of compassion and understanding of the emotional effect medical conditions can have on patients should uptake the niche and specific training,’ El says. ‘For others who just like beauty – this will probably be too hard to deal with.

‘Offering niche services is great but companies should make sure they have enough core services to assure their financial health.’