Issue link: https://www.ascpskindeepdigital.com/i/1482182
Use your upgrade discount to become an ASCP Professional member today! ascpskincare.com 9 "My big secret is this: Jump over the highest cliffs. Try new things, even if you fail. Push yourself. Never stop learning. And show everyone you are a sprinkle doughnut." MY CAREER IN THE SKIN CARE business has been a wild ride—really wild—but I love it and wouldn't change a thing. Before I even earned my license, my boss and mentor was pushing me off cliffs—or at least it felt like it. For example, she had me schedule clients for the day after my state board exam. She told me, "If you pass, you get paid. If you don't, you'll get more free practice." Gee, no pressure there! Today, I train estheticians and speak at schools about holistic skin care. As I become more successful in my career, people want to know the secret recipe to my success and how I did so much in such a short time. Here's what I tell students who are just coming into the industry. WHEN YOU GRADUATE, YOU KNOW NOTHING I literally chanted to myself, "You know nothing, Shawna Rocha," as I signed up for several educational courses shortly after graduation. Don't get me wrong, esthetician school prepared me to pass the state board and I knew esthetics at a very basic level. That was their job. Now, what was mine? CONTINUING EDUCATION IS KEY Education is the key to success. I watched Associated Skin Care Professionals (ASCP) videos, took classes, went to nearby trade shows (which have tons of free education), researched online, and subscribed to magazines and websites. I did everything I could to learn. My best advice is to take advantage of all the education offered. There is free education, paid certifications, places you can find research and answers, and people who will help you find what you need. FIND YOUR NICHE Here's what I ask the students I train: Do you want to stand out and be a pretty sprinkle donut or be a plain donut? In other words, find a way to make yourself unique. BE HUMBLE Leave your ego at the door because you know nothing, remember? Find a mentor or even a group of mentors. Ask questions and listen to the answers. Observe and absorb knowledge wherever you can. I am most grateful for my powerhouse group of mentors and fellow estheticians. They helped make me the esthetician I am today. BE REALISTIC You will be broke, begging for clients, and eating off the dollar menu for a while. Full bookings take a long time to create. It took about a year and a half before I had a full book. For me, working for someone else really helped me get started. I didn't have the money or the knowledge to have my own treatment room right out of school. REMEMBER, YOU'RE THE BOSS Even today, with a full book and a wait list, vacation pay still does not exist for me—and it most likely won't exist for you, either. You will work long and hard, but it will be worth it. STAY BALANCED The most important thing to learn is balance. Honestly, I'm really bad at that. I am still learning lessons on scheduling too many people, giving too much of myself, and not saying no to people when I should. To this day, it's still a learning process. So, my big secret is this: Jump over the highest cliffs. Try new things, even if you fail. Push yourself. Never stop learning. And show everyone you are a sprinkle donut. Shawna Rocha is a licensed esthetician and oncology- trained educator who specializes in holistic facial treatments and sugaring.