We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Megan Robinson a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Megan, so great to be with you and I think a lot of folks are going to benefit from hearing your story and lessons and wisdom. Imposter Syndrome is something that we know how words to describe, but it’s something that has held people back forever and so we’re really interested to hear about your story and how you overcame imposter syndrome.
I feel like imposter syndrome is never fully overcome. I don’t mean that in a bad way, I just think even the most successful people on paper sometimes doubt their abilities or achievements. When I’m on social media seeing posts from others in my industry taking about being six figure solo estheticians, or how crazy booked their schedules are, I sometimes get that little voice in my head that pops up and says “oh your not fully booked three months out”, or “oh you aren’t making as much as x,y,z esthetician on social media is”. When these moments happen I like to take a few minutes in my studio. I’ll sit and take some deep breaths and look around the space I have created. The space that feels like home not only to myself but for so many of my clients as well. I reflect on everything that’s happened in my years since deciding to go to esthetician school. When I got the email to do this my first reaction was “Me? Am I really knowledgeable or good enough to be interviewed?”. But then I thought about what brought me to this point. Becoming an esthetician was what jumpstarted my journey to finding my soul path. I lived in Los Angeles for many years and never really had any sort of direction. When I got my first spa job as a receptionist everything clicked into place. I spent several years aiming to work with the best of the best in my industry and building my skills and the road of life eventually moved me to Montana. Montana is where I decided to finally start on my dream of being a solo practitioner. It’s been three years now on my own and there are lots of days where imposter syndrome pops up. I use these moments as a growth moment. Where am I thinking that I am lacking the skills? Is it bookkeeping? Great let’s learn more about that. Is it a facial technique? I’m a huge fan of continuing education and take at least two classes per year to continue my skills and knowledge. Starting my career later in life I think has given me more of a go-getter and tough attitude, but it also leads to feeling like I am behind from my peers. Being able to reflect on how much I have grown my business in three years is my way of keeping myself in check. I started with zero clients and a tiny room in a salon to a very busy solo practice in the most incredible old house. My clients are the absolute best and I am so beyond lucky to get to do what I love everyday. I called my mom before I started typing this and she told me a story about imposter syndrome. She worked in the film industry for many many years and she said a director she worked with, who had done several major blockbuster films, came to set everyday feeling like he wasn’t good enough or skilled enough as a director. I liked that as a little nudge again that you never know who is feeling just like you are feeling. And guess what? You can use it to power yourself up to another level.
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 am a solo esthetician in Whitefish, Montana!! Last year I started renting the coolest old house from the 40’s that has so much character. Instead of opting to decorate like most spas and studios I saw online I opted to match the style of the house by finding local vintage furniture pieces. When a client walks in I want them to be able to imagine that the studio is their home and not an office. I offer waxing and facial services with my main focus being my facials which I like to call “intuitive skin health” facials. I use Botnia Skincare’s apothecary style plant based products with a dash of Korean skincare mixed in. I am certified in Reiki so I mix a little Reiki in with a lot of facial massage, fascia work, Gua Sha, and lymphatic work. For me it’s not just a “facial”, I make my intention for each session that our service time is a reset for your nervous system and a recharge for your soul. I never go into any service with a pre-planned idea of products to use. I instead tell my clients that their skin will guide me and let me know what it needs most each visit. What I find the most exciting about my industry is the opportunity for learning and the many directions you can go in esthetics. For me, I have always been drawn to a more natural and holistic approach so I choose my continuing education to match this. I absolutely love taking classes and aim for at least two per year (sometimes I take more). There is an endless amount of learning out there!
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
One of area of knowledge I think has been most impactful in my journey is my continued study into facial anatomy and muscles. I worked at a company called FaceGym while living in Los Angeles that’s main focus was on facial massage. I saw the firsthand results from releasing facial tension, increasing blood flow and oxygen, and working the facial muscles. During covid I was able to work virtually for them teaching on-line classes and hearing testimonials and seeing my own results in self facial massage increased my desire to learn more. I feel that’s one area I really focus on and love helping educate my clients on. I think a skill that has been most impactful in my journey would be customer service skills. Working in restaurants for many years, as well as spas and hotels has taught me how to create experiences for guests. I think that has helped build my business the way that it has. I really try to think of every aspect from the guests perspective not only with the service and studio, but with the website and booking as well. I aim to make each guest feel appreciated and well taken care of no matter what services are booked. I think a quality that has helped in my journey would be determination. I am not afraid to put myself out there to reach a goal. When I first graduated school and was looking for a job I wrote out a list of my dream places to work. None of these places hired new graduates but I was determined to get an interview anyways. I was able to interview at one spa and got amazing feedback that I used to learn and another landed me an amazing job. When I decided to move back to Los Angeles I knew I would want to work with the best of the best in the city. I took jobs to land me in the right circles so that I could meet those estheticians and I got to work with two of the celebrity estheticians on my list! I landed my job with Facegym by sending a DM on instagram saying I wanted a job there and why I was so passionate about joining their team and that got me a life changing position. My advice for anyone early in their journey would be to really try to hone in on what your passion in this industry is. There are so many avenues which I love about out industry, but once you know your direction you can really started to buckle down on learning and skill development. If you love brows you can dive in a thousand percent perfecting your craft and becoming an expert in that field. Another piece of advice would be to know it is a lot of work being a solo practitioner but also so worth it. You will work 7 days a week and you will have days you cry and want to give up. Staying focused on your passion and your why will keep you going in the trying times.
Tell us what your ideal client would be like?
My ideal client is someone who loves the idea of skin health. I don’t offer strong chemical peels or one size fits all facial options. My dream clients are looking for a place to reset their nervous system and recharge their soul. They are searching for skincare that is nourishing to our skin and not looking for a quick fix or aggressive home care routines. They are looking for a place they can spend an hour each month that holds space for them to fully rest and let go of anything they are needing to release. I had a client tell me my facial studio is where “skincare meets soul care” and I thought that fit perfectly.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.bohoesthetician.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bohoesthetician/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bohoesthetician/
Image Credits
A Rose Photography
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