Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashley Akins.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Ashley. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I’m originally from a very small town in Ohio. I grew up with hard-working parents who owned multiple businesses throughout my childhood in our small town and also kept a 9-5 jobs through the week. I loved having my parent’s businesses to go to after school. Growing up as an only child, the employees became my family and I felt like I had brothers and sisters to play with. I started working as an employee at their pizza shop at 11 years old. Work and sports came first in my life and school was just a place for me to socialize, which didn’t do well for my grades. When it came time for everyone to look into colleges, all I knew is that I wanted to leave my small town and move to a big city. After graduating I moved to Akron, Ohio and shortly after was introduced to the Paul Mitchell Hair Academy. I took a tour of the school and immediately fell in love with the atmosphere and the creative people I would be with. The program was 16 months and I figured when I was done, I could move out of state. Three weeks after I graduated, I moved to LA.
I bounced around a few salons until I decided to get into skincare. What was going to be a temporary job, working as an esthetician doing sugaring, ended up being my home for two years and I loved it! The people I worked with became my extended family and my clients became my friends. The majority of my clientele were moms and other busy working professionals. A lot of the time they had to cancel because of other obligations. A few of them started asking me to do a house call as a favor. Before I knew it, I had all of their Mommy and Me friends asking for a mobile sugaring service. It was then that I started to think how this could become a business and how it could also help other estheticians have flexibility and independence in their job. A year later, I added on spray tanning and started bringing on other beauty professionals. I’m very thankful for how it all worked out. It was very unexpected but things fell into place as time went on and I kept doing what felt right. Something really cool that I just learned is that I’m 4th generation entrepreneur from both sides of my family. So I guess being an entrepreneur is in my blood.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It definitely hasn’t been an easy process. I feel that any time someone steps outside of their comfort zone and takes a chance on themselves, you’re going to have obstacles to overcome. Not only do you doubt yourself, but my biggest struggle was hearing people close to me also doubt my plan. However, along the way I’ve been blessed to meet incredible people who pointed me in the right direction and stood by me throughout the process.
Bare Essentials LA – what should we know? What do you do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Bare Essentials LA is a spray tanning and sugaring hair removal business that offers mobile services in the Los Angeles area, along with servicing guests out of the Jonathan Antin Salon in Beverly Hills and From Head To Toe, a private spa studio in Beverly Grove. Sugaring is a sweet alternative to waxing, used with a water soluble paste that consist of three basic ingredients: sugar, lemon and water. Our airbrush tanning solution is also used with organic, vegan, and cruelty-free ingredients. These ingredients are doctor formulated to help prolong your spray tan and leave you with a natural-looking tan for any occasion. As far as what sets us apart from others, we are more than a “mobile spray tanning business.” I’m excited to also offer sugaring on our menu and have two beautiful locations to offer people if it’s more convenient for them to visit us. Most importantly, myself and my team will always be what truly sets us apart from other businesses. Being the positive experience that uplifts someone’s day and adds confidence to their life is the most rewarding feeling. Having the ability to work with other like-minded beauty professionals who support each other is why I am so grateful for Bare Essentials LA.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
I define success by being able to do what makes you happy. I feel that can be overlooked at times. I see a lot of people staying in jobs because they feel like they have to or have worked in that field for so long and all different kinds of reasons. I’ve learned that doing what makes you happy may require a lot of risk, a big change and a lot of uncertainty. But when you face your fears and challenge yourself, you will find that you’re more capable of accomplishing things than you and anyone else that has doubted you would expect. When you’re able to wake up everyday, loving what you do and feel that you’re making a difference in someone’s life, that is true success.
Pricing:
- First time spray tan – $60
- Spray tan – $75
- Brazilian/Bikini Sugaring – $65
- Brazilian Maintenance (once a month) – $55
- Underarm Sugaring – $30
Contact Info:
- Address: Jonathan Antin Salon – 9635 Brighton Way, Beverly Hills, CA 90210 From Head to Toe – 7466 Beverly Blvd. #203, Los Angeles, CA 90036 And your location 🙂
- Website: https://www.bareessentialsla.com/
- Phone: (323) 880-6622
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bareessentialsla/
- Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/bareessentialsla
- Yelp: https://yelp.to/qTKq/Vu4vHCBoD3
Image Credit:
Carla Olivas @carlaemilian; Margo Graff @itsmargograff; Darian Corbellini @darian_demi; Amy Morgan @amymorganforreal
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