Meet Cynthia Yoshikawa of tikitibü in Marina del Rey and Mar Vista

Today we’d like to introduce you to Cynthia Yoshikawa.

Cynthia, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Going it alone was one of the biggest leaps of faith anyone can ever make. Like tightrope walking without a net. It was scary but I was too busy moving forward to be afraid.

I was walking down the street and saw a license plate. It read Tiktboo. It really captured my imagination. My British boyfriend explained that it was British Colonial slang for the Hindu phrase, “Everything will be alright Sir…” I knew that it would be the name of my studio and it’s been my mantra ever since.

I worked at a large spa to start and learned so much. I had quite a few regular clients, which piqued my curiosity. If I could build a following there, would I be able to do that on my own? With that question in mind, I began to look for a space to start my own business. I had no business plan to speak of but that didn’t matter, I was stuck on the idea.

My first space was between a General Contractor’s office and his yard, full of heavy machinery and scaffolding. It was quite industrial and I often had to walk out front to find my clients because they couldn’t find me. I loved that space and my contractor landlord. He was awesome! I truly found myself in the industrial vibe that was tikitibü and for me, it was the beginning of a dream — and very much me, unexpected and rather quirky. I never wanted a Buddhist Temple, I didn’t want to call it a Spa, it was a space for my clients to come to relax and recharge in very practical and industrial surroundings.

Every job that I have had and loved I fell into with no actual intention of pursuing a dream. I started working with kids because I needed a job that allowed me to be with my own child. I fell into acting and then I went to Esthetician school because I needed to be a more credible presence for work. It was at school I found that I really loved working with clients in the treatment room way more than selling equipment!

When I found my first space it was as if the Universe gifted me with so many positive signs that it would have been foolish to say no. So I said yes. I am very happy that I did! I am blessed with the most awesome clients, with work that I really love and with a business that I built from scratch on my own.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
At the beginning, building a client base was difficult. I was still working at the spa when I opened tikitibü. I always felt that my focus was split and I couldn’t put 100% into both endeavors at the same time. I ended up putting all of my energy into the spa. I finally decided that I had to invest in my business and left the spa. My first day after leaving my job I thought I would have some time to reflect and recharge. Instead, I received my first phone call asking to book an appointment for that day. That shift in focus changed everything.

One of the biggest challenges of being a solo Esthetician is filling the appointment book. I tried advertising and that didn’t work. It was just money wasted. I decided not to advertise and to just use my free Yelp presence. I needed to have faith that people would find me. I found that word of mouth and referrals have worked the best for me.

Finding a space to rent that is reasonably priced is a really big obstacle on the Westside. I was incredibly lucky to have found my first space. My rent was really low which gave me the time to build my client base. My landlord was amazing! He was just a great human being so that was a plus on two fronts. I was so sad when I had to leave. The cost of my rent now makes it really difficult financially. You pay more and get less out here. I found a new studio that is more cost effective and the management is really great. I am pretty sure that sole proprietorships will be few and far between in the future. Investors are buying up everything they can and don’t seem to want to give the little guy a chance anymore.

Finding time for myself is always challenging. There is always the temptation to take just one more appointment and then you end up not having any time off to rest physically and mentally. I struggle with this every day still. I have pushed myself to exhaustion especially on days when I am teaching. I have not found that balance yet.

Allocating resources is pretty challenging. There are so many new products and services to explore and really I just want to try everything! I have some equipment I probably shouldn’t have gotten so I really have to take a step back when I am enamored with something and think objectively about whether I really need it or just want it.

So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the tikitibü story. Tell us more about the business.
I am an Esthetician and Certified Massage Therapist. Facials and Body Sugaring are my most popular services. I have clients who love the massage and facial combinations that I offer, too. I do have some clients who come to me primarily for massage. I don’t give the typical elbow in the back massage. I combine different modalities and tailor each session.

Everyone who comes in for a facial wants to see results. That can be achieved by choosing the right products for the service. What my clients comment the most about after a facial aside from how great their skin feels, is how relaxing the experience was. The best compliment I ever received was from a client who said, “I reached another level of consciousness.” That blew me away! I also believe that my time and undivided attention is the greatest gift I can give to my clients.

Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I have never considered myself to be a lucky person. I had a tough childhood and I always wished that I could be one of those people for whom luck shines brightly. I don’t think luck has played a part in my life or business at all. Hard work and a lot of patience have played a bigger part of my life. Faith, but not faith in a religious sense, has weighed heavily as well. I love the words Serendipity and kismet. They seem more fitting for the life that I have experienced thus far.

Contact Info:

• Address: beginning January 3rd, 2017
  tikitibü
  13101 Washington Blvd., Suite 107
  Los Angeles, CA 90066
• Website: www.tikitibu.net
• Phone: 310-562-8228
• Email: [email protected]
• Facebook: tikitibu
• Yelp: tikitibu

 

Image Credit: Nick Mead