Today we’d like to introduce you to Stephanie Mora.
Stephanie, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I’ve always had a strong interest in skincare ever since I was little. Throughout high school, you’d find me soaking up all the beauty articles featured in magazines and offering beauty advice to anyone who would listen. When I attended a four-year university after high school, I initially decided dermatology was a career I would pursue.
However, because I had always excelled in English, I switched majors and graduated with an English Literature degree. Though I love writing, my love and interest in skincare remained. My esthetician at the time noticed how passionate I was about makeup and skincare and suggested I look into the field of esthetics. Shortly after this conversation, I did a lot of research and found myself enrolled in an esthetician program at a community college.
It was a challenging experience because I was working during the day and attending classes at night four days out of the week, but it was worth it when I finally had my license. After I obtained my license, I interned at a medical spa, have had the unique opportunity to assist celebrity esthetician Renee Rouleau and I continually attend classes at the International Dermal Institute and UCLA Extension to further enhance my knowledge. I also started my blog, Stephie Estie, where I used my writing skills to share my skincare and beauty education with others.
One day, a friend of mine told me that her neighbor, Elly, from Salon Republic was looking for an esthetican to rent her studio two days out of the week. I was nervous because I didn’t have a client base, but I threw caution to wind and went to meet with her. Elly saw the passion I had for the industry and decided to let me rent her studio, and here I am.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Anything in life worth pursuing is never easy, and the road to owning a business is no exception.
It can be very hard to find a job straight out of school because you lack experience and this is exactly what I encountered. The amount of “no’s” I received when I applied to esthetician positions was disheartening. You get so excited to start your career and have so much enthusiasm, but unfortunately, the beauty industry is very competitive, and you can start to lose hope fairly quickly.
During this time, it was important for me to remember that I got into this field because I wanted to help people solve their skincare concerns and help them restore their self-confidence. I definitely learned that you have to strike a balance between being patient and persistent if you want to get anywhere in this field.
Another struggle for me has been building up my clientele. Most people have somewhat of a client base when they decide to start their own business, but I started from zero. I’ve slowly started to build it up by reaching out to people and by recommendations, but it’s not easy. I’m consistently reading books and listening to podcasts on marketing and copywriting to help me grow in this area, but it gets a bit overwhelming and is time-consuming.
I feel esthetic schooling helps you prepare for your exams but learning the day to day operations on how to run a business requires on the job experience as well as investing in continuing education. I try to take it one day at a time and allow myself some grace to know that great things require time and often involve a lot of detours along the way.
Stephie Estie Skincare – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
As an esthetician, I do skin care treatments such as facials and chemical peels as well as a gentler alternative to microdermabrasion known as Derma Disc. I love being able to bring back a glow back to the skin and leaving it more hydrated and bright. Making sure that the skin is healthy and able to withstand anything overly invasive is my top priority, so I’m known to ask a lot of questions prior to performing any treatments.
Something that I’m extremely proud of is my compassionate manner I offer clients. As someone who deals with chronic illness, I know firsthand the importance of taking time to make your well-being a priority. I strive to bring a calming essence to my clients, and when they leave my treatment room not only understanding more about their specific skincare concerns but are also relaxed, that’s the best part.
I believe what sets me apart from others is my well-rounded knowledge in topics such as cosmetic chemistry, nutrition, health and skin conditions and how they affect the skin.
Being able to understand how a product works on the skin or knowing what treatments to avoid when you have certain allergies is something that can’t be overlooked. I also love solving mysteries, so if you’re having a skincare issue that you can’t quite seem to figure out, you can rest assured that I will do my best in finding out the cause and remedy for it- or I’ll refer you to someone who can help.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
The proudest moment in my career so far is being able to take a chance on myself and open up my business. It takes a lot of work, from researching skincare brands you’d like to partner with to picking out what types of linens you want to use. No detail is too small to overlook. Also, starting from zero clients was no easy task but being able to build their trust and having clients who are now regulars is a huge victory for me.
Contact Info:
- Address: 1601 Pacific Coast Hwy Suite 280, Studio 16
Hermosa Beach CA 90254 - Website: www.stephieestie.com
- Phone: 310-486-3297
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: instagram.com/stephieestie
Image Credit:
Zianja Arias
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