We recently connected with Joann Vanié and have shared our conversation below.
Joann, we’re thrilled to have you sharing your thoughts and lessons with our community. So, for folks who are at a stage in their life or career where they are trying to be more resilient, can you share where you get your resilience from?
Last year 2023 I had to face one of the most life changing experiences of my life. Before becoming a business owner, I worked as a licensed esthetician for other spas. At the same time, I had a part-time job as a receptionist at another company. I did this so it would be easier for me to transition as a solo-esthetician and also have the financial security I needed. During this time, I lost my senior dog, who was my sweet companion. This was a great set back for me and I had to experience great sorrow and grief. Months later, I found the perfect space to become a business owner and start a journey on my own. Little did I know that a week after finding my current studio spa, getting it ready and opening it to receive clients, the company where I worked part-time as a receptionist closed. We all lost our jobs and there I was, owning a business for the first time with a lot of uncertainty and with almost nothing in my bank account.
I was very scared, stressed & anxious. But something that kept my sanity was this Bible verse:
“We can make our own plans, but the Lord gives the right answer. People may be pure in their own eyes, but the Lord examines their motives. Commit your actions to the Lord, and your plans will succeed.” Proverbs 16: 1-3
I believe resilience looks different for everyone. I feel resilient the most when I’m at peace. Our belief system & core values will dictate and greatly determine how we will overcome life’s challenges. I always say that life is a constant adaptation to change. We are always evolving, improving, growing, learning & experiencing transformation. With that in mind, it becomes lighter to understand and process difficult events.
Little by little new clients after new clients started to arrive to my studio spa. I understood that God had a plan and I decided to let go of my desire to control. Just trust. This gave me the serenity and the strength I needed to overcome this new challenge. Months later, the business was awarded and voted “best of florida 2023” regional winner. I was also determined to ask for help when needed, educate myself where I lacked of knowledge, create habits that would get me close to my goals and balance my work and life. Peace of mind is the new resilience.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
Society sometimes can place a pressure on us to choose and to be just one thing. One career and one job to do for the rest of our lives. However, this was not realistic for me. I consider myself a highly creative individual who refuses to be placed in a box. I have a bachelors in Social Work, which I completed where I’m from; Puerto Rico. Although I practiced the profession for a while, at 30 years old I changed my career and became a Licensed Esthetician in Orlando, Florida. At the same time, I’ve always been passionate about music and singing, which gave me the honor and privilege to share stages as a background vocalist with grammy award winning and nominee christian artists, both in English and Spanish. What an amazing experience!
I now own a skin care business named “Vanié Complexions” where I perform facials and skin treatments. My commitment is to provide a complete and thorough service that is not only an enjoyable experience, but possesses real skin results. The skin is an organ and should be treated as a whole; skin care is health care. From acne, sensitivity, dryness, fine lines, hyperpigmentation to any skin color/complexion and gender. Every skin need is welcomed. This business was awarded and voted “best of Florida 2023” regional winner. This was exciting! And for it I’m greatly honored and humbled.
I also published a book titled “I’m ‘ok'” and “Estoy ‘bien'” in Spanish, where I share my story with loss, grief and tragedies. My goal is to help others navigate through losing loved ones, process their emotions in a healthy way and overcome the deep challenges of grief. I am a very empathetic person, hence why my desire to help others in any way that I can.
The word “Vanié” is seen a lot in my brand. There’s a lot of hispanic culture behind Vanié. In the hispanic community we get to inherit both of our parents’ last names. Also, when a woman marries a man, she gets to keep her father’s last name and not her husband’s. My father’s last name is Vázquez and my mother’s last name is Nieves. I put both of them together to create Vanié (VAzquez – NIEves).
Although I enjoy being on stage and leading others in different ways, I consider myself an introvert. I’m usually the reserved woman who’s almost always in deep thoughts. I’ve known grief, sorrow and anxiety very closely, this is why I’m a mental health advocate. I love my familia, my dogs Zac & Toby, food and anything that requires beauty, art & creativity. My first language is Español and I enjoy being a latina. I know that my life isn’t the most impressive and achievable one, but I hope that what I have to share with you and my community serves as inspiration, value and guidance towards purpose, growth & wholeness.
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?
Three qualities and skills that impacted my journey have been persistence, creativity & humility. I say persistence because things won’t come and happen easily. Failure is an inevitable part of success and although I don’t claim to be the most successful person, understanding this will save you from giving up. There will be mistakes, lots of “no’s”, humiliation, rejection and closed doors. But staying persistent leads to hope and great things in any area of your life. I mentioned creativity because that’s how my mind works. I see beauty in everything. God has given me the capacity to solve problems and generate ideas. Creativity opens the door for innovation. I also allude to humility because we never stop learning. We need others, we don’t know it all and we’re not better than anyone. This will keep you growing and with your feet on the ground.
How would you spend the next decade if you somehow knew that it was your last?
I have been diagnosed with ADHD at 33 years old. My mind is incredibly hyperactive. Receiving this information was a pivotal moment in my life. It opened my eyes to better understanding in how my brain works, my emotions and behavior. I struggle with perfectionism & anxiety. I also get easily bored and have a hard time focusing for a long time on tasks. These symptoms and many more became bigger and more evident when more responsibility was placed on my plate. As a business owner, there are a lot of things that need to get done. I have to work very hard to stay organized in order to avoid getting overwhelmed and burned out. But, it is possible!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.joannvanie.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joann_vanie
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joann-vani%C3%A9-4632804b/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCb_iVOQtlPJEtMU2K3_y7jQ
