We recently connected with Steven Pugh and have shared our conversation below.
Steven, looking forward to learning from your journey. You’ve got an amazing story and before we dive into that, let’s start with an important building block. Where do you get your work ethic from?
I have always believed that if you pay for a service you should get what you pay for. In my early years, I learned from growing up in a very rural area that your reputation is always very important. I have always been driven to give my patients, the absolute best bang for the buck that I can give. Everyone works hard for the things that they want in life. I feel you should never look into someone’s pockets to see what they can afford, but give them the best value, make a profit, and everyone is happy. I have a 97% retention rate for my clients which I am very proud of. This is always my motivation to make sure I always do the right thing.
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 absolutely love what I do! Every time my next patient sits in the chair I have the same enthusiasm as if they were the first patient of the day. I love making people feel good about themselves and helping them to overcome what they may feel is a flaw or less than perfect part of their appearance. There is beauty and everyone, more than physical beauty, but when you look good, you feel good! After years of getting my Botox and fillers from professionals, who would usually leave me dissatisfied or just a generic outcome. After spending a small fortune, I decided that I would learn everything that I could and excel. I began my business Meraki by Steven several years ago, and I have always given my best work to every single client. I never want someone to leave my chair and feel that they did not get the desired outcome. Having said that, there are many times that will very honestly tell a client that what they are asking for is unrealistic or point out something that they may not see that is really more Attention grabbing than the area they are focused on. Kindness, honesty, and empathy are always my strongest traits. Making people feel good about themselves. Makes me feel good as well.
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?
find your passion, find something you really love to do, and make a living doing exactly that. This is the best advice I could give anyone starting out. If you begin a career strictly for the monetary rewards, that does not ensure your happiness. Doing something that makes you feel good inside and helps others is always rewarding. In my very young years, I watched family members who did not get the care they deserved from medical providers. I knew from a very young age that I wanted to be different and give the best possible care that I could give. Showing people that they are more than a paycheck, more than a number… Is one of my top priorities.
Who has been most helpful in helping you overcome challenges or build and develop the essential skills, qualities or knowledge you needed to be successful?
Many years ago, I was the Director of nursing for the largest plastic surgery center in the United States. I worked with 24 board certified plastic surgeons at the facility. I would shadow each one of them and try to learn everything I could learn from their techniques, when they would do injections and such. Some of these people I am still in communication with on a regular basis. I also have two mentors that are board certified physicians and if I need reassurance or question a new technique, they are the first people that I reach out to. I keep myself up-to-date and educated on the most recent techniques and developments in aesthetics. I have created several unique styles of my own that have been very pleasing. Having worked with many celebrity figures in Beverly Hills, I learned rather quickly that expectations and the way people view themselves can be as different as night and day. What you may see as a flaw in your appearance someone else may see as beauty. Find the beautiful in everyone.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.merakibysteven.com
- Instagram: @merakibysteven @stive3
- Facebook: Meraki by Steven
