Tati! You personally know that your journey has always been inspiring to me. For those of you who don’t know, I have been blessed by her connection since I was TWELVE years old. I have seen you conquer many obstacles, and now live out your passions walk into the unknown. It is so worthy of sharing to many other women who seek to do the same with their life.

Speaking of wonder and living your life full of wonder, can you share more about your story?

After high school, I worked several odd jobs, with the hopes to pay the bills. I finally started community college when I was around 22 and attempted nursing. While it sounded good, I’m horrible at math and science, so that was a fail. After dropping out of school, I was left unmotivated and honestly had no clue what I wanted to do. My mom was an esthetician and after one of our hearts to hearts, she mentioned that I may want to try esthetic school. I guess you can say that Mom always knows best, because 10 years later, we are still here!

Can you tell me more about your mindset and your feelings you felt before taking the leap? 

When I initially started my business I was a new mom. Caring for a newborn has it’s own challenges and starting a business t was basically like having a second child. For some reason, I’ve always been the type to do better and be more productive with a lot on my plate. And because there was a lot on my plate, I didn’t have time to be scared. I just knew I had to make It
work.

What felt right to you? Why did you understand that this was meant to be?

If I am being honest, I’ve always doubted myself. That’s been one thing that I still to this day have to be mindful of and work on. I knew I was meant to be an esthetician when I made real meaningful connections with other women. Each connection confirmed that I was in the right place. Women who would tell me they looked forward to our appointments not just for the service, but for a chance for us to connect authentically and just vent as women.

After taking the leap, what were the obstacles that you faced? How did you handle it?

At first, every business is slow. It’s all trial and error, and you learn to see what works and what doesn’t work. When I first started, I didn’t have any clients. It was hard but I would have to constantly remind myself that it takes time and to be patient with myself. No matter what you are starting, you have to learn how to give yourself a pep talk and trust the process.

How have you had to pivot during the pandemic as a business owner?

Geesh, I think this pandemic was a shock to everyone. Things can really change so quickly and so many businesses were impacted. I applied for the PPP loan and it was honestly 10x harder because I wasn’t organized. Let’s be real, I’ve always lacked in the bookkeeping area and this was the first time it kind of bit me in the butt. I have now realized that whatever I’m not good at, I can delegate that for someone who is an expert in that area. It’s not worth the stress and definitely worth the money.

Looking back at your journey now, do you have any regrets? How do you maintain inspiration?

Looking back, I wish I would have celebrated my small victories more. I was so busy “maintaining” that I didn’t even realize how many goals I was crushing. I now make sure that I take the time to applaud myself for win. When it comes to inspiration, I have a great circle of other business owners and estheticians on social media platforms that inspire me. We feed off each other and it truly does make an impact. It is SO helpful to have other like-minded women around you who share the same goal.

What would you say to any woman who desires to live a life full of wonder?

I would tell other women to stop waiting for the “right” time. There is never going to be a perfect time to start. Find your tribe and go for it!

How can we stay connected to you?

If you’re in the DC area you can book with us at vwaxstudio.com and also follow us on
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/vwaxstudio/