Today we’d like to introduce you to Jodi James.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I am originally from southeast Montana. I grew up on a farm so I was a little country girl running around barefoot, playing with animals, helping out with chores, tossing hay bails & other farm things. I was definitely a tomboy! I also loved playing sports; predominantly basketball, volleyball & tae kwon do. I received a volleyball scholarship at a private university in Montana. Prior to college, I wasn’t concerned about school as much as I was with volleyball so I didn’t even bother to check what degrees were offered when I signed on. I went two years without declaring a major until I was forced to decide — I was torn between art, business or computer science. Eventually I decided on a major in computer science & minor in graphic art.
After graduating, I moved to San Francisco to pursue a career in the tech industry. However after a few months working a job in IT I quickly realized that the M-F, 9-5 world wasn’t satisfying for me. Another few months after that I decided to quit completely & started waitressing part-time at a jazz club in Oakland. During this time I also freelanced some web design work – randomly fell into modeling eventually signing with an agency – & found a fourth job at a spa as a receptionist. Yes, I juggled four jobs at one time! In fact, modeling was actually was the inspiration for me to seek out a job at a spa because I wanted to learn how to take better care of my skin. Being in heavy makeup for shows & shoots, sometimes multiple in one day, was starting to really have an effect on my skin.
At the spa brands would come in to train us on their products & I realized there was a science behind skincare, which intrigued my nerdy side. I moved to Los Angeles after the tech boom made everything insanely expensive in the Bay Area. By that time I decided I wanted to pursue a career in spa/wellness but I was hesitant because I had just graduated with a bachelors degree I wasn’t really using. Though a few years later, it was still on my mind & I was able to find a school that classes fit around my work schedule so I finally went back to school for esthetics & here we are!
I have now been an Esthetician for six years & it’s been very fulfilling.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Initially, it feels like it has been an easy path overall because I love what I do… but when I think about it, it always hasn’t. One of my biggest challenges initially was when I was first licensed holistic skincare wasn’t as popular as it is today. It was challenging to find a spa that also aligned with my approach & carried products I liked to work with. A few times, the spa I was working at actually ended up closing & I remember feeling like I had worked at every spa in LA that I would be interested in &/or they closed. So this was the really the reason I decided to venture on my own, & created Ohmbiance! As of now, I do everything myself when it comes to Ohmbiance. Being a solo entrepreneur comes with it’s own challenges as well, but my biggest challenges have also been my biggest blessings & learning experiences. Without those learning opportunities, I wouldn’t have been able to grow to be where I am today or to where I am going in the future.
Ohmbiance Holistic Skin – what should we know? What do you do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
What defines Ohmbiance, is the holistic approach. Which ‘holistic’ can be defined differently depending who you ask — for me personally it is to approach with focus on seeking balance between our state of mind, our body & our environment to create harmony in our skin & address the root cause of a concern rather than relying on topical products to treat your bodies expression of an imbalance (acne, sensitivities, accelerated aging, muscle tension, etc.). Every aspect of our existence is connected which influences our state of being, ultimately expressing itself through our skin. Everything from ingredients in our products or food — air & water quality — fabrics we drape on our bodies — people we surround ourselves with — the emotions we suppress or foster — all of these and more have an impact on our health & well-being.
I specialize in customized facials. I don’t offer a menu of services as most spas would (with the exception of a few specialized offerings). Rather, I book clients for a block of time & I do whatever I can within that timeframe. With new clients, I always start with consultation to get an assessment of where their skin is today, products they have been using, what they’re unhappy with & discuss our options from there. I then develop their facial as we go through each step seeing how skin responds throughout the session. No two facials are ever the same.
I am certified in Advanced Face & Neck Lymphatic Drainage on the Dr. Vodder method as well as taken advanced facial Gua Sha & massage courses — many of my facials include a variation of the two. I am also certified in Dien Chan Zone which is an Italian adaptation of Vietnamese facial reflexology. I may utilize some technologies that I believe are holistic such as Oxygen Infusion, LED light therapy & Ultrasonic Exfoliation.
I also want to add that I don’t love to consider other esthetician’s as ‘competition’. It really just comes down to aligning in philosophy & approach. In the holistic community, I have been fortunate to connect with many other esthetician’s & there’s a great camaraderie between us. We are able to ask each other questions & support each other. I feel the work we do is intimate & very personal, what I have to offer & what another esthetician has to offer can be magical all the same.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
Probably the proudest moment of my career would be going out on my own! I can truly curate what I want to offer & it’s been fun. It hasn’t been easy always — but I’m happy to be in a position to not only make others feel good about themselves but also help them to navigate their wellness & find their peace in a busy city.
Pricing:
- New Clients
- Initial Consultation + Embrace Facial start at $195+ depending on length of time booked.
- Returning Clients
- Restore Facial start at $160+ depending on length of time booked.
- Dr. Vodder Face & Neck Manual Lymphatic Drainage (45 minutes) – $120
- Gua Sha Facial (45 minutes) – $120
- Celluma LED Light Therapy (30 minutes) – $75
Contact Info:
- Address: 1615 Lucile Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90026 - Website: www.ohmbiance.com
- Phone: 323-963-4032
- Email: jodi@ohmbiance.com
- Instagram: @ohmbiance
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/ohmbiance
- Yelp: www.yelp.com/biz/ohmbiance-holistic-skin-care-Los-Angeles-2
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