Today we’d like to introduce you to Stephanie Reynoso.
Hi Stephanie, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I first started my journey in the beauty industry when I graduated from Cal Poly Pomona with a Bachelors in Sociology and realized graduate school was out of reach. My major was an insight on how much I enjoy helping others, and wanted to find another career path where I could still obtain the same fulfillment. I decided to turn to another passion of mine… skincare. I enrolled in Cerritos College and graduated in 2020. With the pandemic slowly approaching I knew my career choice was once put to the test. I went back to being a server in the restaurant industry and left my dreams of becoming an esthetician on pause. After some time, many of my close friends started to ask me if I would ever return to skincare as they were following my journey online and it sparked my interest in becoming a solo esthetician. I decided I couldn’t let both my degree and license just sit as I weighted tables, and started to look into renting my own space. My studio was first established in 2020 in the city of Baldwin Park where I struggled to grow due to self doubt. Once I build up my small clientele I decided to move locations to a space where I felt was more my aesthetic, and my self esteem also grew. I have figured out all business legalities and endeavors on my own which makes me very proud to be running my business to this day. I wouldn’t be here without my resilient mindset and drive to open a studio where I can help others feel confident and gift themselves some self luv.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
As someone who was born in another country, my career choice to be a solo esthetician came to me as a way to provide self-employment. When I graduated I wanted to work for a franchise and I was hired fresh out of school. The pandemic shut us down and I was let go one month in making me feel lost and in all honesty angry that every career choice I made left me felling stuck. Once I realized that the desire for my services was there, I looked into renting out my own room instead of working for someone else.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
My studio is a safe space where we find the balance between skincare and relaxation. When deciding a name for my business I wanted to make sure the message was clear and Self Luv was the end goal . I specialize in facials for all skin types raging from stress-free services, as well as acne and anti aging. I allow my services to be budget friendly as well as provide at home skincare kits to help my clients reach their skincare goals. My ultimate goal is to teach and personally show that self love is more than an idea, its an action . My services and care for others really shows in my attention to detail and dedication to providing a relaxing service from the moment they walk in until the moment they leave. What sets me apart from the others, is that I educate and encourage my clients to not only work on their physical appearance but their internal as well raging from both mental and diet. My love for skincare was what started this brand, but my passion to help others is what continues to push it forward.
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
For the new estheticians, I recommend doing thorough research on the business aspect and also insuring your practice. I was pretty lost on that part of the industry and focused more of my energy on how to decorate my studio. When tax season hit, I felt anxious and scared that my business wasn’t ran properly. I now have my business as an LLC and kept track of all my spendings and earnings by having my own business bank account. Organization is going to be crucial in keeping a studio running when it comes to accounting and keeping your space nice and clean.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://selfluvstudio4.as.me/schedule/8a48c000
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/self.luvstudio
Image Credits
Professional head shot photo by Jonathan Macias
@photosbyjmacias
