Key factors of success in brow business (research results)

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1. Background

This article addresses a frequently asked question: what factors contribute to success in the field of Powder Brows and microblading post-training? The insights provided here are based on interviews with 78 PMU artists, primarily from EU countries. These artists have consistently grown their businesses from 2018 to 2023 and have become high-earners within 18 months following their training. Their experiences are contrasted with data from 202 students who experienced moderate or no success post-training; most of these individuals either discontinued offering the procedure or were undecided about continuing in the field.

Our research is ongoing and supplemented with findings from an additional study involving more than 432 artists focused on artistic success. We have also incorporated information from other case studies, increasing our data pool to include over 600 PMU artists from the EU, the UK, and the US.

2. Findings

In our analysis, conducted using tools developed by Holistic PMU, we examined four criteria to identify their role as catalysts for success. These criteria are the trainer's experience, length of the training period, group size, and student motivation. The objective was to ascertain which of these factors are crucial for success and to what extent they influence outcomes.

Target Group Examined

We evaluated the actual impact of each criterion based on the performance of students 18 months post-training. Our focus was on those students who continued to offer the service as their primary source of income. According to our ongoing study, since 2017, there has been a growing discrepancy between the number of students enrolling in courses and those still performing the procedures 18 months later. This suggests that a diminishing percentage of students have found enough success to continue in the field. Furthermore, an even smaller subset gains the lion's share of earnings among artists in their local regions, specifically in Powder Brows (across all styles) and microblading procedures.

Considering the aggregate statistics from 2015 to 2023, approximately 3.5% of students entering classes today become top earners within 18 months. In simpler terms, for every 100 students, roughly four will become high earners within a year and a half.

Factors for Success

In interviews with these top earners, a remarkable consistency emerged across age groups and geographic locations, indicating that the influence of these factors is pretty universal. To summarize, when asked about what they believe contributed most to their success, the results were as follows:

Motivation: 71%
Trainer’s Experience: 59%
Group Size: 41%
Length of Training: 12%

Next, let's delve into each of these criteria in more detail, starting with the least influential one.

3. Length of Training - 12%

Among those who succeeded, the "length of training" was consistently deemed the least significant factor for success. The most common format for learning Powder Brows or microblading was a two-day intensive course, typically led by a highly experienced and reputable trainer.

This two-day class was the most popular and the shortest available option. Additional training durations included 3-day, 5-day, and even 10+ day courses. What set-top earners apart was their level of preparation before attending the class. They usually reviewed the course materials and sometimes even practiced using free or paid online training resources. During the course, these individuals were highly focused on making as much progress as possible. A universal tipping point emerged around the 20-24 hour mark when assessing progress relative to training time.

Rapid Skill Acquisition in the First 20-24 Hours

Contrary to what one might assume, the 20-24 hours do not signify progress achieved in a single day. Instead, it indicates the cumulative time of focused practice that led to the confidence to perform the procedure on models. Both Powder Brows and microblading showed similar trends in this respect. Skill acquisition experienced a rapid "hockey stick" trajectory within these hours, often spread across a timeframe of a week or less. In simpler terms, when students committed to intensive learning, they could reach a level suitable for practicing on models within 20 to 24 hours of total study time.

The Importance of Coming Prepared

Further analysis revealed that pre-course preparation was crucial. Students who had spent 16-18 hours on pre-study—whether it was reading materials, familiarizing themselves with terms, or hands-on practice—found that their time with the trainer, including practical exercises, fell into the "sweet spot" of 16-24 hours of total practice. This resulted in optimal learning outcomes, mainly when training was conducted in smaller groups or individually.

Conclusions on Training Length as a Factor

Based on these findings, most successful students estimated that they had reached 75-90% of the skill level required within the initial 20-24 hours of intensive study, assuming adequate feedback from an experienced trainer. As a result, the length of the training constituted only 12% of the critical factors leading to their success. It's worth noting that the skill-level development did not ultimately plateau after the first 20-24 hours; however, the growth rate did decelerate significantly, becoming approximately five times slower.

4. Impact of Group Size - 41%

Over 41% of artists who achieved high-earner status within 18 months considered the size of the training group to be a crucial factor for success. Specifically, the focus was on the level of attention they received from the "main trainer." In more extensive group settings, feedback was often dispersed among multiple individuals, diminishing the quality of instruction. Peer feedback or that from "training buddies" was primarily found to be irrelevant and, in some cases, even detrimental to skill development.

The Importance of Time with the Main Trainer

Moments spent receiving feedback on practical exercises from the primary trainer were considered invaluable. These instances provided the highest return on investment for participants. The more advanced the students considered their skill level to be, the more they valued feedback from the leading trainer rather than from assistants or co-trainers.

The Optimal Group Size for Accelerated Learning

Another noteworthy point was the optimal size of the training group. Groups consisting of three students or fewer appeared to be ideal for efficient learning. In such smaller settings, the constraints of waiting for feedback from the trainer were virtually eliminated. Consequently, the pace of skill development saw a considerable increase.

Eliminating the Upper Limit in Smaller Groups

In smaller training settings—consisting of only two to three students or even individual sessions—an additional benefit emerged: the complete removal of any "upper limit" on skill development. Unlike larger groups, where advanced students may be plateauing, these intimate settings allowed unrestricted progress. If the trainer could accommodate this pace, the student could gain significantly more high-level expertise within the same training framework.

Attention Bias in Larger Groups

In larger training groups, advanced students often experienced a decline in attention from the leading trainer after reaching a certain skill level. This appeared to be due to the trainer's focus on slower learners, aiming to ensure a minimum level of skill development for everyone. As a result, those who had come well-prepared and had exhibited accelerated skill development often found that their progress began to stall due to diminished personalized attention.

The Takeaway

The implications are unambiguous: smaller group sizes—of three students or fewer—allowed for quicker progress, minimal waiting time for feedback, and eliminating any skill "glass ceiling" inherent in more extensive group settings. Therefore, 41% of successful students identified a smaller training group size as a key contributing factor to their success.

5. Trainer's Experience - 59%

The importance of a trainer's experience and expertise became particularly evident for students who arrived at the training well-prepared and with high expectations for progress. Upon diving deeper into the nuances of this, we uncovered several key insights:

Depth of Real-World Insights

Successful students reported gaining valuable information about rare and atypical situations directly from trainers who drew upon their own real-world experience. Conversely, less experienced trainers either glossed over these situations or relied solely on theoretical or hypothetical explanations, lacking the practical anecdotes that come from actual experience.

Value of Unconventional Approaches

Almost unanimously, successful students highlighted the trainer's "unconventional approach" as a critical reason they rated their competence and experience highly. This was particularly true in smaller training settings, where trainers felt more free to discuss the nuances of "bending the rules." In simpler terms, these trainers taught practical techniques that deviated from universally accepted norms, providing insights students couldn't find elsewhere. Students who experienced slower post-training progress reported little to no exposure to such unconventional wisdom.

This approach carries inherent risks for the trainer, as it puts their reputation on the line. However, their ability to confidently share knowledge that might contradict conventional wisdom becomes a unique value proposition. It expands the scope of what students can learn and implement in their own practices.

Anticipatory Guidance from Experienced Trainers

Another facet that underlines the importance of a trainer's experience is their ability to provide anticipatory guidance. This refers to the trainer's skill in predicting and explaining potential pitfalls a student may encounter in the future, even if those mistakes haven't occurred during the training. This phenomenon is often elusive and is colloquially described as "death by a thousand paper cuts." It pertains to the gradual degradation of a student's performance post-training, often leading them to abandon the practice altogether because they can't pinpoint what they're doing wrong—and neither can an inexperienced trainer.

Despite their excellent intentions, inexperienced trainers operate under the limitation of not knowing what they don't know. This means they often provide feedback reactively only after mistakes have occurred. Experienced trainers, on the other hand, can provide proactive guidance. Many successful students have reported that such anticipatory advice has been a lifesaver, preventing future missteps and eliminating the need for second-guessing their strategies in real-world situations. Unfortunately, this level of guidance is virtually absent in feedback from less experienced trainers, who tend to offer vague or even misleading advice for similar situations.

Pedagogical Skills and Business Acumen

Many successful students also noted the pedagogical expertise and broad practical business knowledge experienced trainers bring. A tangible benefit of this was the trainer's ability to boost both the students' motivational level and confidence. Given all these advantages, it's unsurprising that 59% of successful students cited the trainer's experience as a critical factor for their success.

6. Decisive Factor: Motivation - 71%

Somewhat surprisingly, one element overshadowed everything else, from group size to the trainer's experience: motivation. Essentially, this factor is individual and straightforward to understand. Roughly speaking, all students entering the training can be categorized into two broad groups: those who stand to gain much by learning the new skill and those who risk losing significantly if they don't acquire the skill.

The worse the situation - the better the chances

As stark as it may sound, most successful students fall into the latter category. The ideal circumstance for success was a complex web of potential failures in various aspects of life, should the student not master the procedure. This could range from financial instability to familial discord, relationship troubles, and even issues related to public image. When faced with an "all-in" situation, these students had no ceiling to their potential. Their need to succeed was tied to avoiding a cascading failure in multiple areas of life, making the mastery of the procedure a matter close to a "life-or-death" situation. This was generally coupled not merely with a desire but an urgent necessity to make the business work.

Conversely, students with much to gain but didn't face any immediate repercussions for failing to monetize the skill quickly showed a significantly lower propensity for success. Contrary to conventional wisdom that advises a slow and steady approach backed by a reliable safety net, this study revealed the opposite. The stronger the safety net or the more extensive the savings, the less pressure the student felt, resulting in a decreased likelihood of breaking into the top earners' category. In conclusion, motivation was overwhelmingly identified as the most crucial factor for success. A staggering 71% of students considered it the linchpin of their achievements.

7. Conclusion

Based on ongoing research that began in 2015, a mere 3.5% of students enter the elite circle of top earners in the field within 18 months following their training.

When these top earners assessed the contributing factors to their success, only a tiny fraction—12%—attributed it to the length of the training. Across the board, they reached the required skill level by investing 20 to 24 hours of high-intensity training to hone their abilities.

Group size also played a significant role. In 41% of cases, small groups of 1 to 3 students were identified as crucial for success. This is mainly because skill development speed was directly correlated with the quality of feedback from the trainer. Furthermore, smaller groups removed the ceiling on skill development, allowing for unlimited progress.

The trainer's experience was another factor that couldn't be ignored. Among successful students who ascended to top-earner status, 59% deemed the trainer's experience as pivotal. Seasoned trainers had the ability to share insights from their real-world experiences, teach unconventional approaches, and anticipate potential pitfalls that students might encounter in the future. These trainers also demonstrated advanced pedagogical skills and provided more comprehensive business advice, grounding it in a broader range of practical examples.

However, the most critical determinant for success was motivation, cited as the key factor in an overwhelming 71% of cases. Specifically, this motivation was tied to the tangible risk of suffering severe setbacks in multiple aspects of life if the students did not begin practicing the procedure regularly. This sense of urgency, driven by the fear of loss, outstripped any aspirational motivations related to the pleasure of gaining something new.