We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful FERNANDA Ferreira. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with FERNANDA below.
Hi FERNANDA, appreciate you sitting with us today to share your wisdom with our readers. So, let’s start with resilience – where do you get your resilience from?
I think my resilience and drive come from growing up in a single-parent household in Brazil. I started working for necessity at a shop at a very young age, 13, and wound up managing the store by age 15, then went on to own my own business at 18. Being immersed in business at a young age taught me there will be obstacles no matter what you do, but you can overcome anything that comes your way by not giving up and committing to finding a solution, there’s always a way forward. I definitely applied that thinking when I came to the United States in my mid-20s, and had to start over from the ground up. Not compromising and knowing your value is really key as a female business owner, and that has instilled the confidence in me that it takes to go the distance.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
Studying body aesthetics and physical therapy in Brazil was the beginning of my journey. I’ve always been driven by the ambition to establish a space where people could feel great about themselves and their well-being. Creating an environment where clients feel genuinely cared for and valued has been my mission from the start. Offering affordable prices has been a key part of this vision, allowing for accessible luxury reminiscent of the culture back in Brazil, where massages and facials are regular indulgences. It’s essential to me to promote holistic well-being, and this commitment defines the core of my business.
I opened my first location 15 years ago, and since then, I’ve had people asking to partner with me and open more locations. However, I’ve always been concerned about finding partners who share the same beliefs as me, so I’ve never gone through with it. About 3 years ago, I opened my second location and began partnering with doctors to offer med spa services as well. In 2024, I opened my third location in Beverly Hills, focusing on med spa services and Brazilian lymphatic drainage, which is one of the most popular services in Brazil. Over the years, it has become popular here in Los Angeles as well. My goal is to start offering franchise options in 2025 to those who share the same beliefs as me.
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?
At first, being hands-on with most of the services I offered gave me a unique perspective—I wasn’t just the owner, but also a provider. This dual role allowed me to see both sides of the business. Empathy for my employees naturally followed, and I found that teaching them new services made them feel appreciated and understood. In my view, employees are the heart of the business.
Secondly, prioritizing people over profits is essential in this line of work. These services are all about making people feel loved and cared for. My advice? Always do right by people, have a genuine passion for what you do, keep doors open for opportunities, and treat everyone with respect. It may sound like a cliché, but doing good deeds often leads to good things coming back to you.
Any advice for folks feeling overwhelmed?
Breathe! I try to work from a center of calmness. A medi-spa has lots of personalities to deal with, from the staff to the clients, and being pulled in many directions at once can be taxing. I try to find a space to clear my head, even if it’s just for 5 minutes, and return to the issues at hand with fresh eyes. Sometimes when you’re overwhelmed you just need to reset, but sometimes you need to ask for advice and help from those around you. Having been a “one woman band” in the past and having everything fall on my shoulders, I see the benefits of delegating and talking it out before making a rash decision under pressure. So I would say when feeling overwhelmed remember that calmness is power. I also advise surrounding yourself with employees you can lean on as well as lead. And if all else fails, pamper yourself with a massage!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.escapedayspala.com
- Instagram: @escapelaspa
- Facebook: Escape Day spa
- Yelp: Escape Day Spa
- Other: @fernandasaldanhaferreira
