Today we’d like to introduce you to Michelle Caracoza.
Hi Michelle, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
In 2018, I decided to take a lash certificate course to start doing eyelash extensions on the side for extra income. While working full-time in the Corporate America world in project management. What started as a side hobby quickly became a passion of mine. I was taking lash clients after work in my small apartment next to my bed inside my bedroom. Taking clients on my days off from my 9-5 during the weekends, it was my little escape and was able to make extra income this way. I knew eventually I wanted to open my own studio to offer my services and for this, I needed to get licensed. In 2019, COVID happened, and I took a break which was divine timing since I was going through many personal issues and mental health was a big one. During this time of going through mental health, lashing was still my escape and managed to do lashes with my family and close friends from my new apartment kitchen and couch. I was dedicated to making my dream happen no matter what. Towards the end of 2019, I was offered a partnership with one of my clients then, to open a studio together. I was excited, this was my very own little studio ever 400 sqft studio. We managed to renovate the whole thing and sign the lease.
Unfortunately, this partnership ended as I was ripped off horribly. I did not let this stop me. This was my push to sign up and enroll in beauty school, and since it was COVID, I was able to work full-time to pay my bills and manage to do full-time school as well. Working five days a week 8-5pm then going straight to school 6-9pm Monday – Friday and then managing to take clients late at night after school and weekends. That was my life for a full year, yes I was exhausted, but I had a dream. Shortly after, found my dream studio, I always wanted something small and intimate boutique style beauty bar. This is where I took the leap of faith, graduated esthetician school, received my license and signed my lease to my own studio. It was full-on design and renovations from there to really tailor it to my vision. I had managed to take several certificate courses throughout my school journey as well to add more services under my belt to offer at the beauty bar. My vision was to make it “your one stop beauty bar” where you can come get your lashes, brows, facials, waxing, teeth whitening and much more! So that is exactly what I did. I enjoy every service I offer, then my client base started getting extremely busy and started offering training courses to certify woman who want to join the amazing growing industry. It’s been truly a blessing to not only offer services but to train future boss babes in this amazing growing industry.
I rebranded three times, I started as “The Brow, Lash Doll” Then, “The Doll Beauty Bar” and now four years later, Doll Aesthetics. I could not be any more happier of my little sanctuary I have built. My family has been my backbone and biggest supporter throughout this whole process. I have a younger sister who followed in the beauty industry as well and does makeup, nails, and much more and is at the beauty bar with me, and to be able to work alongside her and knowing that if she ever wanted to stop working for anyone else, this is hers. This is for my family, my parents, now my little niece her future. Long can this be a legacy we built to break heritage and generations. I still work full-time as for me, my full-time job I truly love, I am in project management in the health care industry and my business has always been my passion on the side…that grew pretty quickly. Maybe one day when I have kids, I will decide to do this full-time and get some time back (work-life balance) but for now, I truly love my passion as my passion and knowing you can have multiple passions not just one is a dream.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
It has not been a smooth road, from going through a lot of personal issues with depression, mental health, anxiety and many times falling in a dark path (life) has really prevented me to get that motivation sometimes to keep going. Having a business is so many expenses that you really can never prepare for. It’s constant investing, it’s constant spending, and being okay with not seeing a return for a while. It takes patience, but once that return starts coming in, that is your drive to keep going. There are days where I am just extremely burned out and tired. I learned to listen to my body and take the breaks needed and necessary to unplug. As a business owner, you are the admin, the salesperson, the customer support, the IT, the photographer, the photo editor, the marketing coordinator, the accountant, the cleaning staff. You wear multiple hats and you are working nonstop.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I work in healthcare full-time as a project manager, I am part of the finance team and help with the implementation of systems and tool solutions. This industry I love since it is healthcare. Apart from this, I run a business, my aesthetic studio. I am the owner and sr artist. I am growing my team and staff and also offer rental rooms for other small business owners that need a creative space. My beauty aesthetic studio is my second business, my very first business was back in 2016/2017, which was an online boutique clothing store. It was very successful and had over 10k orders. I stopped this when the personal issues, mental health started taking into play, and during the same time, I had already taken my lash certificate course and was shifting focus. I plan on relaunching my online boutique again this year and even started a podcast as well. My plan is to really focus on these two platforms this year. I specialized in eyelash extensions and launched my lash line this year as well. Hoping to fully launch the lash extensions, adhesive and tweezers by the summer of 2023.
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
Yes, expanding (multiple locations) and having a dedicated staff so I can take more of a trainer role while traveling the world.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.dollsaesthetics.com
- Instagram: dollaestheticsllc
