"I saved my business in Covid, doubled my income and turned a garage start-up into a Sheffield success story"
Sheffield mum Rebecca Elsdon refused to give up when Covid hit. From a garage start-up to a booming clinic on Ecclesall Road, her determination turned a crisis into a success story.
Treatments stopped overnight and her plans to grow suddenly seemed out of reach.
“Lockdown could have finished me,” she recalled. “I remember thinking: ‘what now?”
Instead of walking away, the Sheffield mum-of-three took a leap of faith that would change everything.
She started going live on Instagram every morning, sharing her expertise and giving advice to those who tuned in.
“It was terrifying at first,” she said.
“I didn’t know what I’d talk about, and I was nervous that people I knew would judge me. But I kept at it — and then people began tuning in, booking consultations, and trusting me with their skin,” she explained.
Rebecca says looking back, she does not even know how she found something to talk about every day, but her determination to help others and grow her business, spurred her on.
By the end of lockdown, Rebecca was earning the same as before the pandemic — and soon after, she had doubled her income.
Some of the clients she first connected with virtually are still with her today, booking both online and in-person appointments.
It was a bold turnaround for a business that had started in the most humble of settings - Rebecca’s garage at home.
With three children under three, including twins, she had been training as a beauty therapist and skin specialist while building her business from scratch.
Now, just a few years later, she runs Re/Skin Clinic on Ecclesall Road, one of Sheffield’s most respected skincare clinics.
The move to the high street proved transformative, and within two years she had doubled her income again.
Since then, Rebecca has also become a co-author of a book sharing the stories of 22 professionals who stepped out of their comfort zones - a philosophy she credits with saving her business during the pandemic.
“Nothing fabulous happens in your comfort zone,” she said.
And Rebecca’s journey certainly has not been without sacrifice.
In the early days, she worked late into the night after putting her children to bed, giving up sleep and downtime to push her business forward.
“It was harder than having newborns,” she laughed. “But I knew what I was working towards.”
Now with nearly 20 years of experience in the beauty industry, Rebecca has built a Sheffield business that combines science with a holistic approach, offering both in-person and online consultations.
And her advice to anyone dreaming of starting their own venture is simple.
“Believe in yourself and don’t let the fear of what others might think hold you back. If I’d let that stop me, I wouldn’t be here today,” she shared.
But for Rebecca, success isn’t just measured in figures - it’s in the impact her work has on people’s lives.
“We don’t do quick fixes,” she explained.
“Our approach is about lifestyle as well as treatments - finding the root cause of skin issues, creating personalised plans and giving people the confidence to love their skin again.”
From acne and pigmentation to rosacea, Re/Skin Clinic specialises in complex skin conditions that can have a huge effect on wellbeing.
“The biggest transformations I see are with people who’ve struggled with their skin for years,” Rebecca said.
“When they finally feel comfortable looking in the mirror, it changes everything.”