Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Desiree Wilson. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Desiree, thank you so much for joining us today and appreciate you talking about a sensitive topic. It’s unfortunately relevant to so many in the community as layoffs have been on the rise recently, and so we’d appreciate hearing your story and how you overcame being let go?
I remember this day like it was yesterday.I showed up to my job that I had been at for 3 years and as I walked in,clocked in,and proceeded to walk to my desk there was another person sitting there at my desk.Next thing I remember happening was my supervisor at the time pulling me aside and telling me I was being terminated due to the company deciding to downsize my department which couldn’t have been true if I was already being replaced.He told me I could “hang out” until the end of the week but after Friday I would no longer be employed there.At that moment I decided to leave right away only taking a couple of items that I could grab the quickest and I headed back to my car.As I drove off I felt the weight of the world lift off of my shoulders and took a big sigh of relief as I headed back home.That chapter in my life was completely closed and I could totally reinvent myself which is exactly what I did.At this time I was already attending esthetician school and now I was free to focus on schooling without working.I left that job with one lesson that I learned and that was “dont give your life up for a job because if you die one day you will be replaced by the next” and I saw that take place right before my eyes and I wasn’t even gone yet so from then forward that saying always stuck with me.There was alot of backstory that led up to me being fired and maybe one day I’ll get the chance to tell the full story but for now I wanted to share what happened to me just a few short years ago and what led up to me finding my passion and pursuing my career as “Desi The Esthi”(esthetician).
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I was born and raised in Dallas,Texas by both of my parents and I have 2 sisters one younger and one older.I’ve always been the black sheep of the family both different and unique .I never wanted to do what the average person was doing ,I always wanted to do more and I was always dreaming and thinking about my future.By the age of 15 I became disconnected from friends and family and I kind of did what I wanted to do,when I wanted to,and how I wanted to.At the age of 25 I realized that the path I had chose for myself had led me nowhere and I had nothing to show for my life except for my son who is now 13 and the reason why I never gave up along my journey.I remember 25 being the year I really dug deep and started to figure out what I wanted to do in life and it was mainly to help others.I always loved helping others and it never bothered me to help the next person rather it would be selling them something that would benefit them,teaching them something,or telling a joke to make them smile or laugh.I just wanted to help people.In 2018 I started esthetician school and I absolutely loved it.I then knew I was at the right place and that I had found the career I was most passionate about.After I graduated school and became licensed i continued my education.I took extra courses,earned new certifications like body contouring,microneedling,teeth whitening,and laser hair removal which helped me advance more into the medical aesthetics side of the field.At the time COVID-19 was in full effect so online webinars had became the best thing to do since there were none in person.I wanted to become great at being an esthetician so I worked long and hard to learn everything I could and apply in my everyday practices.I was licensed in July 2019 and taking clients in a salon by august.I wanted to get my foot in the door as fast as I could and I’m so glad that I did because I met some amazing people along the way and became highly skilled early on in my career.I now specialize in corrective facials,waxing,and body contouring.Although my main focus is body contouring right now I still love performing each and every service alike and I have no favor towards one or the other.I’m focusing on continuing to grow my name and marketing myself to clients and business owners at the moment.Although there have been many challenges along the way,if I would have given up every time I felt like it then I wouldn’t be where I’m at now.I will always pick up and keep going and you should too!
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
I would say learning how to cope with everyday stressors in a positive manner helped me in my journey.Once I started my career in esthetics I had to get to know myself all over again.I was no longer the person I once was and I did a lot of self care to go inward and learn what I liked,what I didn’t,and what to do to keep me balanced and grounded on a daily basis.Me time is essential to me and I love spending it at the gym,going to get a massage,or just simply taking myself out for ice cream or a treat from time to time.I definitely spend alot of time alone and it helps me full up my cup so that I’m able to pour into others so strongly.It also helps avoid frequent burnout.
Always being a student helped me early on and still helps me to this day to learn new things about the industry and keep me humble along my process.There is always someone who knows more than you do or has been doing the same thing that you do but longer,I always form genuine relationships with people like that who don’t mind sharing their knowledge and experience and at the same time I share mine and help them.I love working in team settings and always make sure that I’m closely connected with other estheticians and beauty professionals.Attending trade shows,networking with other business owners,and supporting others at pop ups definitely helped me make important connections and helped with learning more about the beauty industry as a whole.
And lastly being consistent has brought me a long way quickly.I remember the days I had no routine,no motivation,no drive.I would just move from day to day with no direction but as soon as I picked up a pen,took notes,made to do lists,planned out my calendar,batch created content etc. was the time when everything changed and my work was starting to be recognized and recommended.My clientele went up and so did my self confidence and the confidence in my work.You only perform as well as you feel so if you feel nice and put together it will show outwardly.On the days you are not feeling it I advise you to still stay consistent whether that be going to the gym to workout,posting content,or studying a new course.Always keep going!
Before we go, any advice you can share with people who are feeling overwhelmed?
When I feel overwhelmed I try to take a breath if I’m busy or working and after I’m no longer busy I take a break.I go somewhere alone where I won’t be bothered and I think of why I’m feeling overwhelmed and what I can do to make things easier.If I have to cry I let it out or if I must talk to someone about it I make a phone call or plan a dinner date with one of the people I’m closest to.I write down my new plan and to do list and I prioritize it with the most important tasks that need to be done first at the top of the list.The top 3 things that overwhelm me these days is being a single mother to a teen and having disagreements with my son,feeling like I’m working so much and having no energy for myself on my time off,and lastly trying to balance being an entrepreneur,staying healthy,keeping my mental health under control,having a social life,and wanting to enjoy the fruits of my labor while I’m still young.My advice is stop to breathe and then keep Going!Thank you everyone!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @desitheesthi
- Facebook: Desiree Wilson
- Linkedin: Desiree Wilson
- Youtube: The Skincare Connection
Image Credits
@96peaces
