Today we’d like to introduce you to Monika Tep.
Monika, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
My parents are entrepreneurs and business owners, which influenced my decision to follow suit. However, my story would lead me to America, whereas my parents and immediate family remained in Cambodia where I was born. I came to Los Angeles to realize my dream of developing a business in the beauty industry.
Growing up in Cambodia during a historically volatile period in the country’s history and seeing my parents work so hard in spite of it was important to nurturing my own sense of what was possible through perseverance, hard work and of course, a vision.
In Cambodia, I enrolled in classes, worked various jobs and studied everything I could to learn more about the beauty industry. More importantly, I was motivated, I had my “why”: I’m not unique in that I was teased and sometimes bullied as a child but on some level, it motivated me to pursue a profession where the client ends up feeling good about themselves.
Has it been a smooth road?
No, it has not been a smooth road. Early on, I had to basically leave everything I knew for a new country and a new life. This was not easy, and I certainly had help along the way, but all decisions in life and business involve risk. Simply put, I had a basic plan and believed that America, particularly California and specifically Los Angeles was really the best place to do it.
Part of my moving to America meant there were cultural cues that I needed to learn. Also, English is not my first language and so that was a constant struggle early on and but in the end, it actually strengthened my resolve. Until you have skin in the game, it’s hard to know what you’re capable of and when you do, you realize what “paying your dues’ actually means. Now, with Covid-19, business owners are dealing with something so challenging that everything or almost everything that came before it pales in comparison.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Monika Day Spa story. Tell us more about the business.
Monika Day Spa is a luxury spa/salon providing numerous facial and body care needs. We specialize in providing our clients the very best in technique, technology and products within the spa industry in a comfortable, relaxing and professional environment. I’m proud of being able to provide a service that I believe has a positive impact for the individual client, the community and of course Monika Day Spa. We stay on top of the latest advancements in technology, technique and products across all of our services, but at the end of the day it’s my relationships with clients which have developed over time that are a constant source of pride. I’ve also had many clients tell me that my facials are the best they’ve ever had because of my technique (some clients say I have magic hands!) and most importantly, they tell me they can feel the positive energy and care from me during the treatment.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
This is the question that really is on everyone’s mind given the pandemic. While it’s difficult to know for sure what’s going to happen, we can look at what changes are already being proposed or implemented to see that the focus on public safety has increased the responsibility of all spa and salon owners, and rightly so. There may be some consolidation in the industry since it is not obvious that all spa and salon businesses will return from the shutdown in the same business structure. Some may get bought or partner with another to continue operating in this current economic situation.
We have had to pause some expansion plans, and one reason for that is that people are more cautious about working in spas and the like due to potential health concerns, so that makes hiring more of a challenge as a general matter. That being said, one of the reasons we’ve been able to continue delivering excellence to clients is by staying ahead of the Covid-19 wave, making sure we have what is required to keep everyone safe at all times using social distancing, masks, etc. and keeping growth plans somewhat flexible.
Contact Info:
- Address: 8817 W Olympic Blvd
Ste 204
Beverly Hills CA 90211 - Website: www.Monikadayspa.com
- Phone: (310)299-6668
- Instagram: @Monikadayspa
- Facebook: Monika Day Spa
- Yelp: Monika Day Spa
Image Credit:
Steven Pressler
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