We've been hearing all the stories of couples having to reschedule their weddings due to COVID-19 and they are truly heartbreaking. The stress alone is enough to make anyone's head spin! The team over at The Beauty Studio is here to help. Not only are they available for those who have lost their hair and makeup vendors, but they're also supporting brides with digital content. They're encouraging couples who have had to postpone to still celebrate their original date at home. You can check out their tutorial for an easy updo you can do at-home to get dolled up and celebrate! 

We love a good celebration! And even more than that, we love small business who are supporting folks through this trying time. We couldn't be more excited to feature Marisa and The Beauty Studio as a guest blogger today. 

Hey there! We are The Beauty Studio located in Ludlow, MA! We are a one-stop-shop for all your beauty, fashion, and special event needs! Our location is a full-service salon and spa where you can come and receive a number of beauty services including Microdermabrasion facials, deep tissue massages, lash extensions, lash lifts, any hair color you could imagine- we even offer private tarot card readings! While you are in our little oasis, take a look around and grab yourself a brand new outfit from our ever-growing boutique! The boutique has new arrivals weekly including clothing, shoes, and accessories. Online shopping is always available on our website. Everything is currently 30% OFF until May 9th!

The main service that we provide is hair and makeup for our wonderful brides. We have a full freelance team, therefore, we can accommodate any bridal party size and any popular dates. We travel all across New England to make your day-of-services as easy and smooth as possible. This year we have successfully rebooked every single wedding that has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The main concern is to keep our brides as calm as possible and we have been reassuring them every step of the way with any possible changes that need to be made. We are in contact with a number of wedding planners, mothers, maid of honors to successfully reschedule and adjust dates due to this virus. 

If you have a wedding that was canceled or rescheduled due to COVID-19 and your original hair and makeup team is no longer available, absolutely reach out!! We still have dates open at the end of summer and fall and we would love to work with you. I have an entire Bridal Guide as well and a Bridal Pampering Packet I would love to drop in your inbox.

Here is where you can follow along with us:
Instagram: @thebeautystudioma
Instagram: @thebeautystudio.boutique
My professional Instagram: @artistybymarsia

​It has certainly been a chaotic ride over this past month, hasn’t it? Between adjusting to the new norm, learning 4,547 types of video conferencing software, and making a daily decision to put on pants, my head is spinning. I’m sure most feel the same way.

But there have been a few key takeaways I find myself clinging to; anxious that when things return to (the new) normal, the positive habits I’ve formed will leave with COVID-19. Life has been challenging for many, for different reasons, but I want to hold myself accountable. When I started Chikmedia, it was in part, to create a work-life for myself that would allow me to slow down, smell the roses and reinvest into myself daily. I’m not quite there yet.  Before the pandemic, I found myself circling back to the same stressful, daily mode of operation I had lived inside with other jobs and as the future unfolds, I’m applying the breaks to anything that causes mental anguish in my daily life.

These are my key takeaways, most good, one bad, from COVID-19 that I hope to incorporate into a post-pandemic lifestyle.

Things can wait. I am an anxious person, so when I am given or assigning a task, I feel it needs to be completed immediately. I stress unplugging or heading to bed if my To Do list isn’t nearly complete. As a business owner with multiple clients, this is impossible. There will always be work to be done. Always. However, with our current situation, I am finding that people are much more relaxed, more understanding of timelines and more respectful. Collectively, we are experiencing a worldwide happening together, and compassion is at an all time high. Can we hold onto this? Can we remember what it was like to allow people the time they needed to get work done? Can we allow ourselves to exist in a slower paced life where quality over quantity prevails? I sure hope so.

We need to place a higher value on businesses whose products are intellectual property. I have been guilty in the past of asking consultants to provide free services because something was “for a good cause.” As I watch the pandemic unfold, I appreciate that so many people want to contribute to the community and quickly took to social media to encourage their friends to support local businesses. However, most service-based companies are not considered as part of that equation, and in fact, asked to donate their time and guidance: a key piece of what they sell. It has put a lot of pressure on my fellow consultants to follow suit, and start producing expert content to help guide other small businesses through their own pandemic-related crises. Intellectual property is valuable, ideas are valuable, education and experiences are valuable. I plan to be more self-aware when asking people for contributions and favors in the future. If someone is an expert in something, they should be valued for it.

Meetings don’t need to be in person. As an entrepreneur, with no brick and mortar, I have nowhere to host meetings. This has resulted in a weekly schedule that is virtually unmanageable. On a daily basis, I spend nearly 3-4 hours in the car driving from meeting to meeting so I can give my clients face time. I miss seeing clients and my team, but I have realized what a magical tool video conferencing can be. I can collaborate with my team, brainstorm with clients, and read facial expressions without leaving my home 10 times a day. Of course, I am in no way suggesting that in-person meetings won’t still happen, but I look forward to balancing my schedule so I physically have time to get work done.

Self-care for the mind is critical. This is something that pre-pandemic I was fairly bad at. I’m a decent boundary-setter most of the time, but granting myself permission to relax and unwind is really challenging. Now that I am locked in my home, I am getting work done much faster, and therefore finding time to read books, take my dog on long walks and spend quality time with my husband. For this, I am the most grateful.

People react differently to situations and that’s OK. Some of us have curled up into a ball and cried. Some have leapt into action. Some are a mix of both. Some are enhancing their business offerings, some have closed up shop. There are days I feel good, calm, peaceful. And there are others where I feel like I am crawling out of my skin, longing for something to look forward to. The bottom line is that feelings need to be processed and each individual is unique in the way they do so. So let’s stop trying to force a way of being onto others and just focus internally on how we can be supportive while still maintaining our own mental health boundaries.
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And there you have it, my friends. My (goal) new way of operating as we see this pandemic through. I am hopeful for the future, my business, my clients, for everything. Let’s continue to hang in there together and to perhaps learn a thing or two from this experience. <3

Now more than ever, we could all use the expertise of Kelly over at Macaroni Kid Springfield! Kelly provides a weekly eNews chock-full of great activities, crafts, recipes, and more that are perfect for keeping your kids busy and bringing the family together. When the world isn't in quarantine, she also features local events perfect for the whole family. Did we mention that it's FREE?! With the kids at home for the foreseeable future, we couldn't think of a better resource for mom chiks to take advantage of. You can check out all of Kelly's articles and sign up for her eNews here. 

How did you get started with your business?
This is my tenth year publishing and when I first moved to Western Mass with my family, I used Macaroni Kid Springfield to find events in the area to keep busy with my toddler!

What do you feel is most important for others to know about your business?
Our children are our future and we need to give them a strong foundation through unconditional love, being surrounded by family and friends, and of course - PLAY! My newsletter and social pages help make it easy for families to find their fun. FOR FREE!

How would you describe your leadership style?
I love working together with locally owned businesses to collaborate on projects, events and of course promotions! While I am the only one to run my edition, I enjoy collaborating with others from time to time.

When you were growing up, what is your ultimate dream job? If it's this, how does it feel to have met your dream?! If it was something different, how did your dream change over time?
I wanted to be an actress and a news reporter! This job lets me do that in a way. I get to report and research on all the things happening in our area for families. I can be dramatic and events with the kids like when I host trunk or treats or story times... even when I make videos and go "LIVE" on social!

Every business owner faces challenges. How are you empowered to overcome yours?
It can be challenging to step away from the computer and phone - I always want to be connected and respond to families. Taking time to unplug helps and gives me focus.

Tell us (in one word) how you would describe your boss chik business!
FUN!

If you're running out of things to do at home with your kids, we couldn't recommend Kelly enough! You can find here here:
Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Pinterest | YouTube

Cupcake Charlies  is one of our all time favorite clients! We were fortunate enough to work with Penny and her team last fall with the grand opening of their latest Wareham location. They now have 6 locations across New England and offer a wide range of sweet treats. Those treats include 16 cupcake flavors (cupcakes that were featured on Cupcake Wars, mind you!),  Whoopie Pies, S'mores Bark, Ring Dings, Cake Pops, Push Pops, Cupcake Jars, Frosting Shots, Cookie Dips, Trifle Cups and so much more! It's actually heaven on earth. With all that is going on in the world today, we couldn't think of a better way to make someone smile, than to send them a box of Cupcake Charlie's!