Meet Stephanie Bell Kelsey

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Stephanie Bell Kelsey. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Stephanie, appreciate you sitting with us today. Maybe we can start with a topic that we care deeply about because it’s something we’ve found really sets folks apart and can make all the difference in whether someone reaches their goals. Self discipline seems to have an outsized impact on how someone’s life plays out and so we’d love to hear about how you developed yours?

I believe effective self-discipline comes from experiencing loss and failure. Allow me to explain… My parents put me in dance at the age of 8. I enjoyed it, so I started taking more styles of dance and also began competing by age 9. As with any sport, dance provided me structure, friends with common interests and a physical outlet. For this reason, I would say dance initiated my ‘self-discipline’. But there was a key moment in my life when I noticed a more dramatic transformation to my self-discipline. My parents divorced when I was 11 and (as most children would be) I was very sad about it. However, in reflection, my performance both at school and at dance markedly improved (likely because these were areas of my life where I could control the outcomes). I could control how hard I trained and prepared for a competition. I could control how much I studied and prepared for an exam. On my first day of 6th grade, I decided that I wanted to be a “straight A” student. From that moment on, I received A’s on every report card. It wasn’t until my final semester of my senior year of high school that I received my first B. In addition to my school studies, I trained up to 35 hours per week taking dance classes, practicing technical skills and rehearsing competition routines. Every year, I got better and stronger. I started to receive recognition at my dance studio as well as at competitions. Ultimately, I saw early in my life what persistence, dedication to growth and a commitment to myself and my goals could yield. Though, it did not always yield success. And, quite frankly, I think that was a good thing. Here’s why. There are so many lessons that can be learned during and after failure–the biggest lesson being figuring out what to change and how to keep going when everything you’ve done so far is not or is no longer working. Growing up I was surrounded by some exceptionally talented young humans. They excelled in dance and always won at competitions. However, after years of winning, when they were finally presented a loss later in life, those same talented humans were quick to give up. They didn’t know what to do with themselves in the presence of failure and, therefore, didn’t know how to move forward. They were still exceptionally talented! They just hadn’t learned their lesson from loss yet. What failing taught me is that it’s not the end, it’s a chance to learn, to grow and to pivot. Self-discipline isn’t a special skill that is only reserved for certain people with certain personality types. It’s a result of learning through loss and failure, discovering what works and persevering. I am a firm believer that life presents us with the same lesson (possibly in different ways) until we finally choose to learn it. You can, of course, turn away from failure and move in a new direction, avoiding the discomfort and insecurity. But you’re also turning away from the gifts it presents–the essential skills that will ultimately make you the best version of yourself.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

I moved from Chicago to Las Vegas in August of 2012 to join Donn Arden’s Jubilee! as a professional dancer and iconic Las Vegas showgirl. After more than 8 years performing in various shows on the strip, I transitioned into nursing with a primary focus in medical aesthetics. It was important to me that the work I chose following my career in dance not only challenged me but continued to be an outlet for my creativity as well as an expression of artistry. After 5 years working under the supervision of some of Las Vegas’ most reputable surgeons and at premier medical spas, I made the bold move to become an entrepreneur and open my own business.

As of January 2025, I am the founder and lead aesthetic provider for Showgirl Aesthetics: A Las Vegas Medspa. We provide aesthetic treatments, like Botox, dermal fillers, Sculptra and microneedling, as well as wellness treatments, such as IV infusions and vitamin injections.

There are many talented injectors and beautiful medspa clincs in the greater Las Vegas area. What makes our clinic so special is our dedication to the overall experience. Visually, the space is glamorous and vibrant in color. We have embraced the fact that getting stuck with needles is rarely serene and relaxing. All the same, our goal is to make every visit comfortable, energizing and enjoyable. No one’s appointment is ever rushed—there is always time for questions about our services, what to expect during and after a treatment as well as time for a catch up on what’s going on in each other’s lives. Making the sale is never our priority—safe and ethical treatment is. Saying no to providing a service, or referring patients out to other practices or providers who will better serve their needs, may not build up our bottom line, but it builds trust and contributes to the overall quality of our patients’ relationships with our providers and the clinic. As I discovered when working as a professional dancer in Las Vegas, working in community far exceeds what you can achieve when working in competition.

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?

Know your worth and always ask for what you want. The fear of hearing ‘no’ often keeps people from asking for what they want and deserve. However, not asking at all yields the same result as asking and receiving a ‘no’. So just ask! Because what if it’s a yes?? The universe very often rewards the bold.

Take calculated risks. The first BIG calculated risk I took was at age 25. After graduating with a BA degree in Philosophy from the University of Florida, I moved to Chicago. I was working an administrative job and teaching ballet in a northwest suburb of Indiana a couple days per week as well as working a supervisor shift at Second City’s improv training center. I was burned out, salty, and uninspired by everything I was doing. In January of 2012, with $4000 in the bank, I quit my full-time office job and committed myself to taking several dance classes per week and auditioning for as many dance companies and production shows I could. After 7 months of getting cut and hearing ‘no,’ I finally got my ‘yes.’ I attended an audition in New York City for a Vegas production that required both tall and classically trained dancers. In true New York fashion, the Brooklyn train into Manhattan ghosted me, and then my plan B cab that I jumped into was halted by a 7th avenue shut down. I jumped out and ran 28 blocks to Pearl Studios, arriving 30 minutes late to the audition, SWEATING. I watched one girl go across the floor doing the audition combination and jumped in line. Absolutely certain my late arrival would disqualify me from earning the job, I was mind-blown when I received a call one July evening offering me a contract as a dancer, known as a Bluebell, in Donn Arden’s Jubilee! So, to sum it up, my dream was to work as a professional dancer; and by taking the terrifying risk of going all in, I made it happen. The reason why I say take “calculated risks” is because you still have to do the work to get the payoff. I knew that my almost 20 years of dance training prepared me to be the professional I wanted to be. Additionally, you also have to consider what you can and are willing to sacrifice. In the moment, sacrificing your steady, predictable pay and routine stability feels intense and inconceivable. But time passes anyway and you will likely never feel “ready” to be uncomfortable. Again, the universe very often rewards the bold.

Understand your finances. We often fear the things that we don’t understand. Banking, taxes and even our own paychecks can be overwhelming; so, often times, people avoid handling or looking at any of these items at all. They check to make sure there’s money in their checking but not if the paystub itself is actually correct. They utilize credit cards to improve their credit score but don’t fully consider the effects of accruing interest and debt in comparison to their earned income. They pay extra in income taxes throughout the year in order to get a bigger refund of the money that, in fact, already belongs to them in order to create savings. Ultimately, it will cost you more to not understand or ignore your finances. It can be daunting but there are unlimited resources online to help educate you. At this point, you can even have a conversation with ChatGPT to discuss and/or answer questions. Financial literacy is empowering. It will certainly save you money. And it will very likely relieve you of the limitations that come with money scarcity thinking.

Tell us what your ideal client would be like?

At Showgirl Aesthetics: A Las Vegas Medspa, our ideal client is the bold and energetic human who makes our Las Vegas community ICONIC–the entertainer, the executive, the entrepreneur, the content creator and the many other fearless leaders of their own brand. This individual prioritizes and invests in both their appearance and their wellness in order to feel and present the best version of themselves. Because quality aesthetic medicine is holistic and a continuing commitment, our ideal client is in a longterm relationship with our clinic and its providers. We look forward to preparing you for all of life’s biggest moments.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.showgirlaestheticsmedspa.com
• Instagram: @showgirlaesthetics
• Other: Website design and launch is on March 1, 2025

Image Credits

Photographer: Killer Imaging
Models: Dani Elizabeth Sawchuk, Lora Kelsey, Susie Bell
Hair and Makeup: Shayla Chiaverini, Enlightened Entertainment
Showgirl Costumes: City Katz