How to prepare for maternity leave and ensure you return to a healthy business

Having a baby and running a business are two of the biggest challenges any woman faces, and getting the right balance between the two can be a juggling act. From navigating through complex maternity leave rules and concerns about the future of the business to worrying about how to retain a client base built up over years, let alone planning for the nine-month mark – it’s all a bit of a minefield. But with careful planning, it can be done.

First and foremost, practitioners should take time out of the day-to-day running of their business to plan for both their maternity leave and their return. DeMorrow(2) advises women to write a maternity business plan before the birth, a simple one page document that outlines how they will support themselves and the business financially while on leave. Many businesswomen feel apprehensive about taking time out of their business, worrying that they may lose clients or that their business may no longer be viable. There may feel concern at missing out on training, conference or networking events and their ability to keep up-to-date with what’s happening in the industry. In addition, they may also worry that they will miss out on the valuable information shared during informal conversations with colleagues, as well as opportunities to strengthen working relationships. Maternity leave can also be a time for other members of their team to learn new skills and take on more responsibility. It can be helpful to treat it as part of the team’s training and development rather than simply a time to delegate tasks because the leader is absent.

This is one of the toughest decisions to make. The reality is that if you take a year off, you are quite likely to lose clients unless a practitioner can cover treatments in your absence. However, there is a lot at stake in this particular scenario. The harsh reality is that, sometimes, business trust can be broken when a practitioner decides to take your client base. So, what is the least amount of time to take off? It’s entirely your choice, but I personally took three months maternity leave. The cycle in my practice for repeat treatments is around three to four months, so my regular clients were able to see me on my return. I didn’t go back full-time and it took a while to get the routine right, but one of the advantages of being self-employed is the ability to have flexible working hours to fit your lifestyle. 

While self-employment offers women obvious benefits, such as the flexibility to work the hours that suit them, it also has drawbacks. For example, women who are their own boss have to claim their own Maternity Allowance (MA)1, the equivalent of Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) (4). They also have to work out how to keep their business afloat while they take some time off to be with their baby.

Advising clients about the maternity plans and keeping them in the loop is important. It is recommended not to take on any new clients three months before going on maternity leave. In addition, be prepared to lose clients through this process. If this does happen, try and view this with positivity and see it as an opportunity for a fresh start. Women should look at their maternity leave as an opportunity to define their target clients. This will help them develop more effective marketing strategies and strengthen their business in the longer term. Losing a few clients can help practitioners identify their most loyal customers and discover the kind of client base with whom they want to work with.

In the month before you go on maternity leave, only treat regular clients so there is enough time for review 

• Avoid administering invasive treatments 
• Communicate with your clients 
• Use social media for updates 
• Hire a virtual PA to answer calls, texts, and emails 
• Plan a proper routine for your return 
• Remember, the most committed clients will stay

Many patients will be loyal to their favourite aesthetic practitioner and may be afraid of change, so be sure to introduce your patients to the practitioner taking over for the maternity period so clients can feel comfortable. In addition, allow the practitioner to take the time to understand the results your patients want to achieve. Regular patients are not going to enjoy being surprised at the last minute by an unknown person entering the treatment room. Patients will feel more at ease if they know their procedure is to be performed by an equally experienced practitioner, and one who understands what they want to achieve. 

Aesthetic practitioners build a long-term relationship with their clients based on trust, so it’s understandable that clients may be reluctant to let anyone else treat them. Some may even feel panicky at the thought of another practitioner injecting them. However, you can help reassure clients and maintain their loyalty if, as early as possible, clients are introduced to the covering practitioner who is going to overseeing their care while you are away. You should be in the room when their client meets the new practitioner and talk about their client’s treatment preferences and routine. 

When choosing a practitioner to delegate to while on leave, you must be satisfied that the individual has the appropriate qualifications, skills and experience to provide safe care for the patient (5). In addition, the GDC states that patients must be informed if a treatment plan changes, and are provided with an updated version in writing (6).  

An experienced support network is vital, and it is important that practitioners connect with other businesses to gain valuable insights into how to keep running a business while taking some time out to have a baby. In addition, if relationships haven’t already been built, it is advisable to reach out to other aesthetic practitioners in the area. If they share the same ethics and approach to practice, they can offer ongoing support, something which does not have to be restricted to the period of maternity leave. 

Women who claim MA are entitled to work for 10 keeping-in-touch days during their maternity leave. They can use this time to keep in touch with clients and colleagues, to take part in training, or to attend conferences. These days will help practitioners stay connected to their business and remind people they won’t be away for long. However, practitioners shouldn’t work for more than 10 days or their MA payments will stop. Another good piece of advice is to review tasks that are important to help promote and build the business that don’t involve meeting clients. For example, it could be a good time to overhaul the website or refresh the marketing plan. Practitioners should attend conferences or take part in training to refresh their skills. This will help them get back into a work mindset so they can return feeling confident. Industry events like training, CPD, and conferences will also help practitioners build a network of support they can turn to, and who can turn to them (7,8). 

Having a baby and running a business are two of the biggest challenges any woman faces, and getting the right balance between the two can be a juggling act. From navigating through complex maternity leave rules and concerns about the future of the business to worrying about how to retain a client base built up over years, let alone planning for the nine-month mark – it’s all a bit of a minefield. But with careful planning, it can be done.

First and foremost, practitioners should take time out of the day-to-day running of their business to plan for both their maternity leave and their return. DeMorrow(2) advises women to write a maternity business plan before the birth, a simple one page document that outlines how they will support themselves and the business financially while on leave. Many businesswomen feel apprehensive about taking time out of their business, worrying that they may lose clients or that their business may no longer be viable. There may feel concern at missing out on training, conference or networking events and their ability to keep up-to-date with what’s happening in the industry. In addition, they may also worry that they will miss out on the valuable information shared during informal conversations with colleagues, as well as opportunities to strengthen working relationships. Maternity leave can also be a time for other members of their team to learn new skills and take on more responsibility. It can be helpful to treat it as part of the team’s training and development rather than simply a time to delegate tasks because the leader is absent.

This is one of the toughest decisions to make. The reality is that if you take a year off, you are quite likely to lose clients unless a practitioner can cover treatments in your absence. However, there is a lot at stake in this particular scenario. The harsh reality is that, sometimes, business trust can be broken when a practitioner decides to take your client base. So, what is the least amount of time to take off? It’s entirely your choice, but I personally took three months maternity leave. The cycle in my practice for repeat treatments is around three to four months, so my regular clients were able to see me on my return. I didn’t go back full-time and it took a while to get the routine right, but one of the advantages of being self-employed is the ability to have flexible working hours to fit your lifestyle. 

While self-employment offers women obvious benefits, such as the flexibility to work the hours that suit them, it also has drawbacks. For example, women who are their own boss have to claim their own Maternity Allowance (MA)1, the equivalent of Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) (4). They also have to work out how to keep their business afloat while they take some time off to be with their baby.

Advising clients about the maternity plans and keeping them in the loop is important. It is recommended not to take on any new clients three months before going on maternity leave. In addition, be prepared to lose clients through this process. If this does happen, try and view this with positivity and see it as an opportunity for a fresh start. Women should look at their maternity leave as an opportunity to define their target clients. This will help them develop more effective marketing strategies and strengthen their business in the longer term. Losing a few clients can help practitioners identify their most loyal customers and discover the kind of client base with whom they want to work with.

In the month before you go on maternity leave, only treat regular clients so there is enough time for review 

• Avoid administering invasive treatments 
• Communicate with your clients 
• Use social media for updates 
• Hire a virtual PA to answer calls, texts, and emails 
• Plan a proper routine for your return 
• Remember, the most committed clients will stay

Many patients will be loyal to their favourite aesthetic practitioner and may be afraid of change, so be sure to introduce your patients to the practitioner taking over for the maternity period so clients can feel comfortable. In addition, allow the practitioner to take the time to understand the results your patients want to achieve. Regular patients are not going to enjoy being surprised at the last minute by an unknown person entering the treatment room. Patients will feel more at ease if they know their procedure is to be performed by an equally experienced practitioner, and one who understands what they want to achieve. 

Aesthetic practitioners build a long-term relationship with their clients based on trust, so it’s understandable that clients may be reluctant to let anyone else treat them. Some may even feel panicky at the thought of another practitioner injecting them. However, you can help reassure clients and maintain their loyalty if, as early as possible, clients are introduced to the covering practitioner who is going to overseeing their care while you are away. You should be in the room when their client meets the new practitioner and talk about their client’s treatment preferences and routine. 

When choosing a practitioner to delegate to while on leave, you must be satisfied that the individual has the appropriate qualifications, skills and experience to provide safe care for the patient (5). In addition, the GDC states that patients must be informed if a treatment plan changes, and are provided with an updated version in writing (6).  

An experienced support network is vital, and it is important that practitioners connect with other businesses to gain valuable insights into how to keep running a business while taking some time out to have a baby. In addition, if relationships haven’t already been built, it is advisable to reach out to other aesthetic practitioners in the area. If they share the same ethics and approach to practice, they can offer ongoing support, something which does not have to be restricted to the period of maternity leave. 

Women who claim MA are entitled to work for 10 keeping-in-touch days during their maternity leave. They can use this time to keep in touch with clients and colleagues, to take part in training, or to attend conferences. These days will help practitioners stay connected to their business and remind people they won’t be away for long. However, practitioners shouldn’t work for more than 10 days or their MA payments will stop. Another good piece of advice is to review tasks that are important to help promote and build the business that don’t involve meeting clients. For example, it could be a good time to overhaul the website or refresh the marketing plan. Practitioners should attend conferences or take part in training to refresh their skills. This will help them get back into a work mindset so they can return feeling confident. Industry events like training, CPD, and conferences will also help practitioners build a network of support they can turn to, and who can turn to them (7,8).