What Clients Really Remember (Hint: It's Not Your Technique) with Mabel Machabvunga Butler

Welcome To The Sugar Show

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Welcome to the Sugar Show, the podcast for beauty pros, ready to drop the wax stick, master body sugaring the smart way, and build a career that loves you back. Whether you're brand new or a seasoned sugar pro, there's something sweet for you in every episode. I'm the Sugar Mama. Let's get into it. Hello, all. Welcome back to this episode of the Sugar Show. I think this is we're we've now hit over a hundred mark, and uh, which is actually a really fun um milestone to reach. But uh now we are going to get die, we're diving into the speakers of SugarCon, as you know. Uh, I want to make sure that you really get to know the speakers. Like the titles are great, but who are the speakers that are speaking about these topics? And so I want to introduce you to some of my favorites, which is what I have been doing. This if you've just come on to us a little bit late, um, go back and watch some of the other episodes with Kristina Helleck and Melissa Mercado. Uh, but this time we are going to be talking about uh to Maple Machabunga Butler, who is uh you'll see when I interview her that that her love and gratitude just comes through the camera. And when you meet her in person, she is one of the classiest, um, just most genuine people who really wants all of us to rise up. And I am proud to call her friend. And uh I wish we lived closer. She's on the East Coast, I'm on the West Coast. Um, so I wish we lived a little bit closer, but I just really am thrilled for you all to meet her and uh meet her at SugarCon, but also to spend a little time with us on the topic that she's chosen and a little bit about her. Uh, we I have interviewed her before,

Meet Mabel And Her Giving Back

SPEAKER_00 1:50

so we will uh link that um um episode. I have interviewed her a long time ago before COVID, and she her story is a good one. She has a spa. Um and she also teaches and produces this line. She's been around for a really long time and really is someone who understands the industry, understands paste, how it should work, understands how to stay classy in this industry. And she is also one of the most generous people. She uh does a lot for underprivileged folks in um Zimbabwe. It's where she's from, that's where she learned. Um, in fact, back in the day, uh, she called me up one day and said, um, we were talking about something, and she says, Oh, well, I'm uh raising these this money for um Mama Kufa. I said, Who's Mama Kufa? She raises money for Mama Kufa. We are gonna help her get chickens for her village so that they can have chickens and raise and have eggs, obviously, so that her village can have eggs. Because in order to get produce and eggs, they have to take a bus. It was like for an hour or two, they have to take a bus to get produce. Can you imagine? The only there's no grocery store in your town. And the only place that you can get your food, you have to take a bus to the farmer's market like an hour away in order to get your food. That was this one village that she was raising money for. And so I was like, of course, I need to support Mama Kufa. So I wrote a check. And off she went to um to build uh coops and uh raise chickens, help this woman raise chickens. And she is paying that forward. She talks about this in this episode where she is helping the women of Zimbabwe to um to raise money for themselves, these similar women. And they're making sugar mats. And so you will get to experience those at SugarCon. And so they are making sugar mats and all of the proceeds that go towards from the sale of the sugar mats that you buy. She's got like four or five beautiful colors, that will go back to those women in the village. And so that is the heart that Mabel has. And it is, like I said, it's it's an absolute joy to introduce you to her.

How To Choose Speakers Wisely

SPEAKER_00 4:11

Now, I want to talk a little bit before I introduce you to her about um what you should be looking for at SugarCon or any trade show for that matter, or any conference or summit, is um when you're looking at the long list of speakers, is taking a look at the topic, obviously, but really investigating who's doing the speaking. Because there could be a really great topic and a eh, educator that doesn't really exude um the same values that you that you have, the um the example that you want to learn from. So do your research. Listen to episodes like this. Uh, go on to their uh Instagram, go on, do a little research before you go to a trade show on the speaker that you are interested in seeing, because it's very possible that maybe the title doesn't really do it for you. You're it's kind of a vague title, but the speaker is dynamic. I like to go see speakers that are gonna move me. If I only have a day that I want to go to classes, I want to make the most of that day. It's a busy day to go to SugarCon. It's a busy day to go to a trade show. So if you map your day out and say, okay, I'm gonna watch the opening stuff, I'm gonna go see a couple of sponsors, I'm gonna see these three classes, go do a little shopping at the end, maybe a shopping during lunch, whatever you do. Um, plan out your day and really research the speakers that you want to be inspired by. So the the topic might be like, I don't know about that topic, but the speaker is dynamic. Game changer. The topic might actually blow your mind out of the water, right? Because they're such a good speaker. You might see a good topic and do a little research and say, that person is in alignment with me. And so that's the way that you can whittle down the right speaker for you, not because that person is really great on social media, um, but that they resonate with what you are seeing as a gap in your knowledge. So I will get off my high horse about that. And ladies and gentlemen, Mabel.

Why Mabel Says Yes To SugarCon

SPEAKER_00 6:18

Miss Mabel, you're best I am so excited to obviously everyone knows about Tapira, and if they don't, they need to look you up and look listen to the last episode of the sugar show because we've done a hundred episodes of these, and I'm your um you've already been on the show years ago because we go with this together.

SPEAKER_01 6:41

Um Radio mentions.

SPEAKER_00 6:43

Thank you. We're gonna uh put that episode for you can go old school and look at us old school.

SPEAKER_01 6:50

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 6:51

But today, uh, I really want to chat about you being at SugarCon. This is your first SugarCon.

SPEAKER_01 6:59

So very first time.

SPEAKER_00 7:01

What was it that made you want to come this year?

SPEAKER_01 7:04

You know, just watching from watching you guys last year. Um, I saw how it looked very successful and fun, more the fun part of it. And I really wanted to come last year, really was interested in coming, but it happened at the time where I was traveling to Zimbabwe. So those dates were not going to be changed. But I had an eye, I've been keeping my eye to see what's going on. And just to have something for us. This was the first conference for only sugaring practitioners to get together, talk about what we go through in the treatment room, share ideas, uh, and just fellowshipping, you know, with every with each each one. I've never met every company that owns sugaring company sugaring companies. And I was just so excited to say, okay, I see these people on IG all the time, and I feel like I know them, but to be in the same room at the same time, I thought that was such a great idea. And then, of course, learning, you know, you you you can only know so much. I always say when I go teach classes, I tell my students, I can actually learn something from you as well. So you never stop learning. And I thought, you know, Sarah doing this and her team, what a brilliant idea. And this year I was not gonna be anyway at all.

SPEAKER_00 8:22

I did contact Sarah back in the day, and I said, after it was done, I said, you know what, Sarah, I said, this is the classiest eventually that I've been to in this industry. Like, I mean, you go to big trade shows, right? But the intimate and all of us already, most of us know how to sugar, and and right Sarah, when when we were talking about the end of the event, I said, I know she couldn't make it this year because she was going to Zimbabwe. I said, but you have to get Mabel Machabunga Butler to SugarCon next year because you are you are absolutely the class that SugarCon really, you know, um exudes and you are the perfect person to speak. So oh, thank you so much. Thank you.

SPEAKER_01 9:10

I appreciate that.

SPEAKER_00 9:12

Yeah, no worries. So let's talk about what you're gonna talk about and what your topic

The Untapped Power Of Experience

SPEAKER_00 9:17

is. So share the title of your topic.

SPEAKER_01 9:20

Okay, so I'm super excited to come with my topic. I know we all know how to sugar. I know we want to bet on our technique, and all of that is really, really good. But what separates you from any other sugaring practitioner, what I feel like is missing and what I've seen in my 25 years as an institution, no matter you're sugaring or you're waxing or you're doing facials, it is uh the experience. So my topic, the experience of the customer, of all of a client. So my topic is it's the untept power of customer experience. Your change to becoming a high sought-after sugaring practitioner. So that experience that you're going to give your client, it is going to separate really from them why they're choosing to come to Shannon and not go to Mabel. Because all of us can sugar, all of us can do the same thing, all of us doing using great sugar and products. But what is the reason why somebody is staying fully booked and can have clients back-to-back? It is that experience that we're missing. So we're going to dive into that experience of the client, kind of really wearing, looking into the lenses of a client, what you would like. Because most of the time we look at us as an aesthetician. What would I like to give to my clients? But is it what your customers are looking for? Is it what your clients are really looking for? So when you change it, flip it over, and be the customer, what is it exactly that you like to experience? When you see it, you see little holes that can be filled in to make that experience absolutely amazing. And that's how you build your clientele.

SPEAKER_00 10:59

So true. It really isn't, you know, you get them in with the good socials or the word of mouth, but why it's someone referring you? It's because you have paid attention to their experience.

SPEAKER_01 11:12

Absolutely. Absolutely.

SPEAKER_00 11:14

Yeah. And how long have you had your spa?

SPEAKER_01 11:18

Oh, my spa has been open. This is our 16th year. I opened in 2010, and it was just a little tiny room uh that my table could not actually fit into the treatment room. I remember scooting, you know, like really scooting over to the other side to sugar the other side of the body. And I would squeeze myself because the actual massage table, you know, massage tables are not that long, but I could not fit my, I could not fit straight. It was like at an angle. And to go from there to build as far, I'm I'm forever grateful. So each and every step that, you know, when I'm teaching, I tell my students, each and every step that you're taking, whether it is a small step, it is really adding to who you're becoming. Cherish it and celebrate it. You don't have to celebrate when you have the big wins. Those small steps, they are a part of who you're becoming. And when you when you we stand and see this big company that you shenonly have created, I know there were so many little steps. It's like a puzzle, you know how you you end up having a big tower. It's little things that you put together to have this amazing company that you've built. So it's been 16 years of being an esthetician in the US, actually. It's it's been amazing. It's been an amazing journey.

SPEAKER_00 12:39

Yeah. So you start in this tiny little treatment room 16 years ago. You were put to back up. Congratulations on your 25th anniversary of being an esthetician room. Thank you. And really quick, because we did talk about this on the other episode, but I want to address it here. What were you doing before you started to do that that little tiny treatment room where you started the second part of your chapter? What was an esthetician?

SPEAKER_01 13:05

I was an esthetician. I worked for others. I worked in Spa's uh in Raleigh, North Carolina, in Austin, Texas. That's where we are. My husband is from Raleigh, North Carolina. And I'm still in contact um with the owners, even the people that managed me on the cruise ship. Um mentioning this because I see a lot of people when they when they become whoever they are, they totally forget to acknowledge the people that played a role. You might actually end up doing more than the person who was your mentor. It happens, but to give them that acknowledgement to say, I am here because somebody saw me. I am here, somebody took their time to teach me, to encourage me, to guide me the right way. It's it's amazing. So, you know, we are where we are because somebody put their time in us, everyone, I'm sure you are as well. So I always acknowledge people that were in my life from the cruise ship, from my teachers in Zimbabwe to UK in the cruise ships to Austin, Texas. Uh the spa actually called Viva Day Spa, I still talk about it. I still talk to the owners uh in Rallying Los Trilina instance, I still talk about it because they played a role in my journey becoming where I am now. So it was it was amazing. And on that part, I also encourage students when they leave school, find somewhere else to work before you open your spa.

SPEAKER_00 14:39

Because that's thank you.

SPEAKER_01 14:41

So, so important. Uh, and I'm sure sometimes they feel like we are not wanting them to be great and start their own spa. But it's not as easy as it is. That experience of seeing how spa is run, to actually see what it is like to say hello to a client and looking them in the eye and say, follow me, showing up on time, setting up a room, those are the things that they're not teaching in schools at all, that you actually need hands-on training or seeing the experience in person before you start your own. So those years kind of prepped me before I opened my little tiny room. I think I was doing that for about 10 years before, about 14 years, yeah, before I opened mine.

SPEAKER_00 15:27

I love that you acknowledge and you stayed close to the people in the beginning because I think that I I've watched over the course of time that there's some employees and things that kind of burn the bridge and start their own thing. Or they they don't speak kindly of the people that brought them to where they are. You know, they they don't acknowledge that and have gratitude for that. And then they go on their own thing and they wonder why it's hard and they wonder why they're not doing better. And it's like if you if you in these chapters understand, especially if you start as an employee, some people speak as employees, and it's the best decision ever made. But the things that you learned along the way were so valuable to who you became. Yes, right and wrong. You know, you could see things that you would want to change, and things that you wanted to implement also.

SPEAKER_01 16:23

Absolutely. I I think it's missing in our industry, really missing. It's so it's a homework I'm giving everybody. Like it's not taking away from who you're becoming, it actually adds up to your character as a person who is grateful and thankful for the past. And then when you're grateful for the past, you attract better in your future because you are grateful for whatever little steps, anything, anybody poured into you because it made you who you are today. Some people, you know, they're motivated. I remember that I've had estheticians that became estheticians. They were my customers. I'm sure you have experienced that too. They were my customers and loved what I did and went on to go to school and became estheticians, worked for me, which means after she finished her working to finish school, I hired her with no experience, and then she left and she has her own staff. So so many of them I've had people that came through my hands. So I I really appreciate that. For me, I I do not take that for granted at all. Everyone, even my teachers from high school, if I am to see them, I say, you know, thank you so much, because all of that be made me become who I am today.

SPEAKER_00 17:39

Yeah. Yes, yeah. So so you, your your title is, you know, the untapped power of the customer experience. And if I'm honest, it goes way back those 25 years, right? Yeah. Yes, building what the customer experience looks like. Because we're not talking, um, hi, I'm Shannon. Come on in. I'm gonna give you a great experience because I know how to sugar, right? Yeah, it's more than that. It's the way that you make them feel, it's the smell of your treatment room, everyone else in your treatment room, right? It's the safe place, it's the professionalism, how classy are you know? Um, it's the way you present yourself, you know, look how beautiful your uniform is. It's it's it's the whole experience that you're talking about in your at SugarCon.

SPEAKER_01 18:32

It is that whole experience. And that's makes that makes you you. That makes you, that's why you never compete with anyone, because nobody can do you the way you do you. So when you have all of that together, it becomes a package of who Shannon is. And when Shannon shows up, you just the the clients cannot get enough of Shannon because Shannon shows authentically Shannon in doing what Shannon does. So when they come to see Mabel, there's that little missing, little something missing, like, you know what? Mabel's sugar. It's really not quite like what Shannon, how Shannon does it. I heard clients saying I went so and so, she was great, but it was not you. I'm sure the listeners will agree, it was not you. So that you, when you work on that you and become it, give that you, more of that you, the clients cannot resist you. They will always want that whole experience. So, yes, that's what keeps the business running. It's not the sugary, it is that whole experience.

SPEAKER_00 19:39

Yeah.

Building A Spa And Practicing Gratitude

SPEAKER_00 19:40

I I want to on that note talk about the term highly sought-after. Because there is a difference between being a good sugar pro, a pretty place, keeping all of the elements, and doing the things you're gonna talk about at SugarCon, because we don't want to give up information. But it's the things that make you sought after, right, that builds your business. Because we can teach you technique all day long, and we want to make sure that are learning the right way. Because Mabel and I for 16 years, let's see, I've been doing this for 12 teaching, you're probably about similar. And we can teach you how to how to hurt the clients less, how to, you know, troubleshoot, all of those things.

SPEAKER_01 20:28

Right.

SPEAKER_00 20:29

But it's the whole picture that you'll talk about in your in your talk that makes you thought after.

SPEAKER_01 20:36

Yes, right?

SPEAKER_00 20:37

And it's other things, it's the whole package that makes people talk about it.

SPEAKER_01 20:42

Absolutely. That makes people feel like I cannot go anyway. That makes the people drive an hour to come and see you, even if there's a nearby sugaring place. That makes people say, when you say, I don't have anything, I only have one appointment available at 12 today, they will change their whole schedule to be able to come at that point because they're not going anywhere. It doesn't mean they are not other people that are sugaring around, but they cannot they cannot do it like you do. So that extraness that is what we're going to be talking about. What the that's what we're missing.

SPEAKER_00 21:19

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 21:19

That's what we're missing.

SPEAKER_00 21:20

Rabel is going to show you exactly what she means in her talk, which is why you absolutely should go. And I really love that you are taking your experience from working for others to also owning something that creates the whole experience. Yes. Because you know what it feels like to be a solo in the little treatment room with the little diagonal table and go all the way around. You can still have a little table that is hard to walk all the way around and create an experience.

SPEAKER_01 21:54

Absolutely. Absolutely.

SPEAKER_00 21:55

You don't have to have a big spa. You can have just one room and you can barely get around the table. And the client should have no idea that that's not normal.

SPEAKER_01 22:06

Absolutely. They're coming for that experience. Absolutely. You can actually have basic books more than what the big experience, what the big spars are having because of that experience you're giving them. They they're coming for that. They're not just coming for the sugaring. It becomes a whole package. Yes.

SPEAKER_00 22:25

And I imagine over the course of the years that you have come up with things that you little tips and tricks and ideas in the treatment room that aren't just smile and be nice and have it smell nice. Yes. That's not what this class is. Oh, it smells nice and fun. So you can be highly sought after. Done. No. You have ideas for them, specific ideas.

SPEAKER_01 22:49

There's so much more into that. Yeah, I thought that the four hours. So we go, we go and deep dive when we when we are at the conference, and you get to see how those things implementing those things, how it can actually turn your business around. Because the more you show up and doing it authentically, you're not trying to be somebody. You're not trying to be, because it's harder to keep up trying to be Shannon. I can never be Shannon. First of all, I don't sound like Shannon. I've got my Zimbabwean accent. So I have to show off, show up as me. But if I show up as me, I am putting my all in letting my clients know that nobody in this moment, in this 20 minutes of a brow, in this 15 minutes of a Brazilian, you are the only thing that matters. Only you, right now. So and people want to be seen. People want to be seen, want to be heard, and want to be respected. But when you give that, people are gonna feel like, okay, this person, just no matter how much they spend it with you. So yeah, we'll deep dive into it. And it would definitely change the way you're doing business.

SPEAKER_00 23:55

I love it. I love it. So um, in addition to the talk, you are a sponsor at SugarCon. So talk about your booth a little bit. What do you bring?

SPEAKER_01 24:03

Oh, we are super excited. Of course, people get to uh experience our Tapira sugar paste, which is made with love. And for those who are sugaring in you meet areas, this is the paste for you. So please stop by. We will have, I will be there definitely. So I'm looking forward to meeting you. And of course, my educators also will be there. You can play in our sugar pots and um or pre-post and other products that we have. We are actually working. I hope our product will be out. We are bringing a great product. So please keep us in your pants. I hope you

The “Highly Sought After” Difference

SPEAKER_01 24:41

will be out by August. We want to bring a really amazing product that is made with natural herbs from Africa that actually chits the skin without chemicals. So it's it's a love of putting things that I grew up uh using and things that I know have been used for centuries and centuries, and they've been working. And we are all packaging it and making it a great product that is going to be a supportive product, Tapira. So hopefully we'll be out of production by then.

SPEAKER_00 25:12

And great to experience that.

SPEAKER_01 25:14

I know. I'm super excited about it, Shannon. I'm super excited. I've been working running like a headless chicken all around, you know how it goes. But it's amazing. It just makes me feel like sharing my heritage, sharing who I am with the people that it trusted my brand, that it helped me build this because without our customers, there's no takira. Without you guys, there's no takira. So sharing that little, you know, history of who I am and what I grew up eating and using as skincare products is what I'm bringing and packaging it and letting you try it. So yeah, that's one of the things. So, and then of course, we have sugar means. We have been working with uh Zimbabwean women uh making the meds, and they will be at our table. You can use them, use them for waxing. I know most of them you are familiar with this sugaring meds, but these are coming from Africa, and we are taking part of the process when you buy one med or five minutes or whatever, however, you buy, we are sending the money back to send children to school and buying groceries. And you, Shannon, if you helped me, because this is not our first time doing this. I believe in giving back. I believe or we when when God blesses you, or when you're blessed with so much, you also have to give back in any you know way you can. It doesn't have to be big in any other way you can. It can be teaching someone, it can be uh buying groceries in a grocery store, paying someone who's behind you and saying, I paid for your groceries, little things like that. So it just keeps the world going on. So I'm super excited to help these women in our we have those sugar mints, so please stop by.

SPEAKER_00 26:53

I love it, I love it. Honestly, Mabel, you and I have known each other a long time. Yeah. I'm so glad that I have this platform to say this to everyone. You are one of the biggest blessings, not only to our family and friends and to this industry. Um you really I I can't wait for all of you to meet her because Mabel, you really are grace. You are love, you I can feel gratitude whenever I'm with you. And you really are one of the most special people that I have met on this sugaring journey. So I am so glad that I call you

Tapira Booth And Sugar Mats Mission

SPEAKER_00 27:37

friend. Very genuinely. I always like to call you friend. Thank you, Shannon, man. Really glad to spend time with you in Cleveland because um you are one of my favorite parts of this industry.

SPEAKER_01 27:47

Oh, me too. Uh the spirit, our souls just really kind of connected from the first time I met you and spoke to you. So I'm super excited to meet you and thank you for all you've done for the industry. Thank you and for me. So thank you so much.

SPEAKER_00 28:02

Oh, I love it. I love it. So come see me and Mabel at uh SugarCon and spend some time exploring Tapira if you have a humid climate like they do on the East Coast. She has great uh products for that, new products, sugar mats uh that will support women in Zimbabwe. And Mabel, thank you for being on the show.

SPEAKER_01 28:23

Thank you so much, Sean, for having me.

Final Takeaways And Cleveland Invite

SPEAKER_00 28:26

I really, really, really hope that you felt um the the gratitude and energy in class that I feel for Mabel. She and I've been friends for a really long time. Uh we met in Las Vegas. I think we say that in the interview, but we met in Las Vegas and we sat next to each other and we were we have a very similar story and her experience is so good. And when you go to meet her at the booth, spend time talking with her. She is such a dynamic sugar boss. She is a dynamic human. And I hope that you um got a little bitty taste of her uh so that you can make a really good decision. I think that her course is gonna be one that, especially if you're not highly sought after in your town, that by the time that you're finished with her course or her class at SugarCon, that you will get a lot out of it. You'll feel uplifted and you will want to experience um her even more. So I really, really hope that you are starting to take the pieces and say, yeah, I really want to go uh listen to Mabel or to Christy or to Melissa or come by our booth or whatever it is. I hope I'm helping you to kind of narrow down your day because there's so much to learn uh at this show. And it is, like I said, if it's anything like the first one was, it'll be if I'm sure it's gonna be even better. Um if it's anything like the first one, it's gonna be one of the things that kind of fills your cup back up before you um move on to the rest of the fall and winter uh times. So I look forward to seeing you all as I told you at SugarCon and keep listening to the sugar show. It is the only podcast that we have. Um, but I hope you listen to it because you learn a bunch, not because it's the only one. Um, but that you learn uh a bunch. And if you have anything that you want to know, message me. I'm happy to answer those questions and I'm happy to maybe make some episodes that maybe I haven't even thought of. So I look forward to seeing you at SugarCon. I look forward to seeing you in class, and I look forward to just spending time with you in general. So come by, give myself a hug, give Mabel a hug, and see you in Cleveland. All right, Sugar Tribe, that's your sweet success takeaway for today. And if this episode helped you, do me a favor subscribe, leave a quick review, and send it to a Sugar Pro friend who needs a little extra confidence behind the table. We're getting Sugarcron ready. See you in Cleveland.