We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jenna Kapitan a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Jenna, thank you so much for joining us today. Let’s jump right into something we’re really interested in hearing about from you – being the only one in the room. So many of us find ourselves as the only woman in the room, the only immigrant or the only artist in the room, etc. Can you talk to us about how you have learned to be effective and successful in situations where you are the only one in the room like you?
You HAVE to accept yourself. Fully, with every ounce of your being, you need to sit with yourself and realize every flaw and every positive thing you have to bring to the table. I grew up very much as an outcast, and never fully felt like I belonged anywhere. I was the weird kid growing up in middle school and high school, the socially awkward 16 year old in college, and then continued to stumble my way through various jobs trying to find out who I was and where I fit in. But honestly, you MAKE where you fit in. You build it. And your people will come to find you. They’ll be drawn to everything about you including your diversity, your weirdness – everything! I have always wanted to prove myself wrong more than anyone else. We all have that imposter syndrome, or that little devil on our shoulder telling us we aren’t good at what we’re doing, or we’re going to fail. I refuse to let that little voice win.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I run Beyond the Binary by Jenna Leigh Skin, which is a safe space for all my LGBT+ community to come and have gender inclusive skin treatments and full body hair removal done. I focus on creating a fun and welcoming environment while providing knowledge and education to my clients, whether they are getting a Brazilian wax, or working on a scar revision treatment. I want any and everyone to be able to come into my salon and feel like they’re coming into a friend’s home. Throw down their belongings, hop on my table, and feel their worries about life essentially melt away. As a part of the queer community, I know how important it is to service my LGBT+ clients, because in a lot of big box or corporate esthetic places, we don’t feel welcome, and we don’t feel comfortable having any kind of intimate services provided. And I am here to change that!
I truly do not know anyone that provides exactly what I provide. Not only can I clear things like acne and pigmentation, but my newest addition to my treatment room has been adding in scar revision. Scar revision that I provide can be for any scar, of any shape and size, anywhere on the body. Clients with top surgery scars, self-harm scars, mastectomy scars, C-section scars…the list goes on! I treat it ALL.
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?
Determination, relentlessness, and the want to fail. Now the third one may be startling, but honestly, you have to not be scared of failure, and welcome it with open arms. How else are you going to learn and get better, not only in your business, but in your personal life as well? Failure tells you everything you need to know. But to keep going through those failures, you have to have determination, and you have to be relentless. What do you really want? Are you here to change the world? Figure out your WHY. And do not stop until you have fully reached that potential. I’m three years into my business journey, and I am just getting started. The learning never stops! You have to be determined to reach your goals, whatever those may be, and you have to be determined to keep learning. Never stay stagnant in whatever field you are in – that’s where you will lose yourself.
How would you describe your ideal client?
I love this question! My ideal clients are all extensions of myself. Someone who wants to learn about their skin, take direction, and be themselves. To be a client at Beyond the Binary you absolutely do not HAVE to fall underneath the queer umbrella – I take MANY heterosexual clients – but any queer person is more than welcome in my space, because we automatically have such a bond. My ideal clients fall under so many categories too – drag entertainers, artists, nurses, teachers – truly anyone that has empathy for others, wants a fun time during their service, and ultimately is consistent because they want to see results!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.jennaleighskin.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/jennaleighskin
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/jennaleighskin
Image Credits
Madison Truscan.
