It is such an honor and a pleasure to speak with you today, especially during a time when you are celebrating your life and your journey! — Please tell us more about who you are and how you are using your passions and your gifts to pour into the lives of others.
Well, I guess I would start by saying I’m a wife and a doggy mom 1st. I currently live and run my Med Spa in Miami Florida, but I’m originally from Detroit Michigan.
I knew very early on that I wanted to be of service to people…it just took me a while to find out exactly what I wanted to do. About the age of 30 I found that my purpose was to serve women in the health, wellness and beauty capacity. My ultimate goal is to help women to be the best versions of themselves. Clear and glowing skin is the new sexy, so I wanted to give back in that way, to educate and transform women in my local community and around the world.
I feel that what I do is really important, especially now with all the influences that are on social media, movies and in the magazines that tell us we’re not good enough, that we have to change ourselves to be beautiful.
That’s why my goal was to educate on how to bring out the beauty that you already have starting with the basics and then eventually getting up to maintaining that glow and radiance. — Probably the best thing about my job is to see the transformations; these transformations really change lives. When I see a teenager who is bullied in school for having acne and we work together to get her cleared for her high school graduation that’s life-changing… when I see a woman who have been scarred by domestic abuse and we work to change her scars into beautiful glowing, smooth textured skin that’s life-changing…so it’s not just about beauty it’s about confidence it’s about loving who you are and the skin that you are in.
Please share with us a little bit about your experience as a Sergeant and what the transition was like, from Sgt. to CEO?
I graduated high school at 17 years old I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to do but I knew that I didn’t want to stay in the neighborhood I grew up in, in Detroit. With the advice of my older sister at about 19 years old I joined the United States Air Force. I came in the Air Force as a dental assistant. I was in the Air Force for over 20 years and during that time I went from dental assistant to dental laboratory technician to dental superintendant it and by the time I retired I was running the whole clinic and the dental residency program.
When it was time for me to get out, I was ready but, I knew that I didn’t want to continue to do dental anymore and I also knew that I wanted to continue to serve but specifically women in health and wellness and beauty. I retired from the Air Force in 2014 and that’s when I begin my beauty journey. I attended aesthetics school in the state of Virginia and also got licensed in Maryland and then when I moved to Florida I got licensedin Florida. I’ve been licensed andpracticing in Florida for the last few years. In the last year I opened my own luxury spa in affluent area of Miami called Coral Gables.
Transitioning from sergeant to CEO was very different, I had no one over me to tell me what to do or where to go.I had no support system besides my family and I had no professional relationships because it was a brandnew field. As a sergeant in the Air Force I had a support systems and a lot of people over me. I had mentors and professional relationships that I had cultivated over many years.
As an entrepreneur in a new state and new industry I had to basically start over. I had to make a name for myself, cultivate and gain clientele and build professional relationships in the spa industry.
Are there any strategies, patterns or trainings that stuck with you, that contribute to your success as an entrepreneur?
Oh wow, I can’t even begin to list how much I learned while serving my country for over 20 years but, there are a couple things that stand out to me.
I would say discipline and dedication, you know always trying to be the best that I could be..that’sbeen crucial in my life in general.I’ve always been really disciplined at whatever I do. I’ve always tried to give 150% and then I’m dedicated to whatever I’m doing but also I’m always striving to be the best at whatever I doing. Aesthetics became my outlet acne discoloration and anti-aging became my niche and I know that it’s totally made a difference in my career.
Education would have to definitely be on the list. Educating, instructing,and mentoring is very dear to my heart. To pass on blessings, to pass on what I’ve learned, life experiences to younger people, you know trying to come up in the aesthetic game it can be hard especially in Florida or California where it’s pretty saturated so I feel like I’m giving back to my community not just the local community but just the world that’s my gift, to educate train and mentor others who are the future of esthetics not just skill, but entrepreneurship, being a boss, providing for their family, living the dream.
What sparked your initial interest in the health and well-being of the skin?
I guess my initial interest started while in the Air Force, I noticed that my own skin was starting to change. While I was in the Air Force we did a lot of things outside in the elements that I did not do growing up in Michigan and it was very hot in a lot of the places that I was stationed. I would have to participate in parades, trainings and we do a lot of marching and presentations that require you to be out in the sun. After a few years I would say about the seventh year I started to notice a lot of sun damage on my face especially my forehead my nose and my chin so I really started to get interested when I went to go see about it at a dermatologist who also happens to have a connected medical spa. It was my first facial ever and I was just blown away. The esthetician who did my treatments was a facialist who also was a part-time student going to school to be a nurse,so between her and the dermatologist they really cleared my skin up and I was like wow I want to do this.
Soon after, I was on Google trying to see what schools were open but during the time I couldn’t do it because I was trying to get promoted in the military and I also was trying to finish my Master’s degree in Business, so I waited…I waited until after I got out and as soon as I left the military I went to school for aesthetics. I got my license in Maryland and DC and went back to school for advanced medical aesthetics. Shortly after my aesthetics licenses I went back for laser and laser hair removal school…advanced discoloration…advanced acne and the rest is history….my love for aesthetics and changing people’s lives through changing their skin.
Are there any myths you can share about Acne? What are some fun-facts that we should know about it?
One of the main myths that I hear and have to answer to clients, friends and family about is that acne means that the person is dirty and that’s just not true. Acne can be hereditary or it can be caused by an onset of maybe the medication the client has been taking, medical conditions or even stress… so absolutely not that is a false statement acne is not caused by someone who is not taking care of their health or bodies.
Another myth that I would like to mention is that there’s not just one magical potion or product that you can buy to get rid of acne. This is absolutely not true there is no one product that can make acne go away for life. A person who has been affected with acne their whole lives not someone who gets occasional pimples, someone who has been dealing with acne for most of their lives there is no one potion or a product and it is not a short process it involves dedication from the person finding a professional who specializes in acne to give in clinic treatments, having a specialized home care regimen, lifestyle and nutrition changes and maybe even supportive supplements…that is what clears acne and even with all those things it can take months. Acne is a process it’s a lifestyle change so you have to be in it for the long-haul. In saying that…if you are dedicated to it and disciplined, you will see changes and you can get clear and maintain your clarity for the rest of your life.
The last myth I would like to the address is the use of steroids or Accutane. Accutane is a prescribed medication to people who have been struggling with acne, some people or most people see improvement but, it’s only short-lived because once you stop taking that medication the acne 80 to 90% of the time comes back… This can be very very emotional for the patient and they end up coming to see someone like me who clears acne without prescribe meds in time. Also, I’d like to mention that medication’s that are prescribed are pretty hefty medication’s that are not nice to the body and you usually have to be on them for about 4-6 months.
How much do underlying issues affect the severity of Acne and how does that effect the performance levels of treatments and products?
Underlying issues can become a huge factor when clearing acne especially if they are conditions that affect the hormones. PCOS polycystic ovarian syndrome is a popular condition among women that causes hormonal imbalances and causes acne to be severe and resistant. Because of these issues clearing acne for these clients can become complex and progression can be slower. That being said, these clients can get clear and stay clear for life. Another issue that can affect the performance of treatments is eating disorders, vitamin deficiencies and other medical conditions. In these instances, I work closely with the client’s family doctor or specialist to come up with a plan for the client.
But, to be real honest the two main things that affect the performance or level of progression in getting a client clear is a client willingness to change their diet and a client who picks at their pimples.
Nutrition is a huge problem…you’ve heard the saying you are what you eat, well that is absolutely true.
Chantell Mattier
What you eat will present its self on the face…so a lot of iodized salt, sugar, dairy, fat and processed foods will totally stop a client’sprogression. Also, picking can totally derail a client’s progression because of the spreading of bacteria, that is why if you ever picked at a pimple or extracted a pimple on your own at home you’ll go to sleep and wake up and you got three pimples, that’s because the bacteria inside the pimple that you popped spread to other parts of healthy tissue.
As a WOC, what can you share with other WOC that will help them get on a path to healthier skin?
Sunscreen sunscreen sunscreen!!
We as women of color have been brought up in a culture where we believed thatbeing rich in melanin is enough protection from the sun and that it’s just not true. The suns UVA and UVB rays affect darker skin in a negative way as well as lighter skin…in fact because we are rich in melanin we absorb sun very well and that makes it even more dangerous. In general I always suggest to all of my clients to wear sunscreen no matter what, every day even if it’s raining, even if it’s not sunny.
The only time you should not wear sunscreen is at nighttime and you should always cleanse your sunscreen off at night before going to bed. The general rule is a 30 SPF protective sunscreen, skin care know that more is needed. I tell my clients anywhere between 44 to 55 is the sweet spot if it has an added anti-oxidant that will give you protection from not only UVA and UVB rays but free radicals and pollutants in our environment then that’s a plus. These factors is what makes the difference between a $15 sunscreen and a $40 sunscreen.
Another thing I would like to share with women of color and all women actually is it is never too early to anti-age. If you are waiting until you see a line or crease to get anti-aging products you have waited too long. The idea is prevention, preventing the lines creases, sunspots or texture from coming…so that you can look youthful for as long as long as possible. Prevention is key. As we age our cell renewal process or how fast we get new skin slows down. So by the age of 30 we’re not getting as much new skin as we got when we were a teenager and it slows and slows the older we get.
The problem with this is that your skin sits on top of your face longer. It then gets exposed to environmental pollutants sun and other things in our environment longer, which makes the skin seem dull and lack luster, people usually describe it as a feeling of the skin looking not healthy, dull with no glow. So one thing that we must do is to get regular professional facial treatments and have a great skin care regimen at home that includes anti-aging products that will speed up our skin renewal process and plump skin. Some of these products include a good vitamin C a good retinol and a good peptide.
We love that you pay attention to the backstories of your clients/patients. — How do their stories effect your momentum?
The stories of my clients definitely motivate me into working very hard for them. I always try to give a 150% to every client but when you know the backstory of a client and what they’ve been through to that point you really really want to do everything that you can to help them. In most cases when people come to see me they have exhausted all other options, especially my acne clients.
These clients have been through everything, they have tried everything, they have seen every doctor, they have been prescribed every medication and they’re at their wits end and usually are feeling pretty helpless. Those instances totally make me get on my “A” game and makes me want to do the best that I can with a knowledge that I have and the experience that I have to get them where they need to be so they can be the best versions of themselves, so they can love themselves for who they are, and so that they can live healthy lives.
How do you feel about the power of storytelling amongst WOC? – How has storytelling (either as a storyteller or as a listener) affected your personal growth and contributions to the community?
I feel like storytelling is crucial in women of color to share our personal stories about strength and growth, it’s really a game changer, at least it was for me.
I’ve had plenty of mentors and people that I looked up to in the past and it was their advice and their example of success that is what let me know that success as a woman of color was possible, and it motivated me to level up my game and say hey if they can do it, I can do it too. Then, as I progressed through my career I realized that people would ask me…especially women of color, they would ask me how I did things or where did I go to school or what did I think about this or that and so I always feel like that storytelling is a way of sharing and giving back to the community. I learned from it, it inspired me so I would love to inspire others in that way also.
Is there anything you have happening soon or coming up that you would like to share with our readers? And how can we stay connected with you and/or up to date with your news and announcements?
Actually, I have a lot going on in my companies.
We just moved into our new Luxury spain Coral Gables, near Miami Florida.
We are currently leasing some space out looking to hire a Massage Therapist, a Nurse or PA injector and a Permanent Makeup artist.
Anyone near Miami and licensed in Florida interested in joining our team please send your resume and a short introduction of yourself to @thinkinkmicro on IG or email info@thinkinkmicro.com
SM Clinicals
My Medical-Grade product line, SM Clinicals, at SMClinicals.com is in full swing online.
Clients all over the world are loving the results of the products. Every product was curated by me and is botanical based, paraben free and pure in quality.
This is a results-based product line, so that means you’ll see results in as little as 2-4 weeks in most instances.
We have products for those that are just starting up in skin care to our very knowledgeable and seasoned clients who know exactly what they need.
My products specialize in evening out skin discoloration and anti-aging products. We also have many products to clear acne, rosacea, eczema and more. You can even choose products by skin type, skin condition, or by specialty.
Nov 1st our holiday products and kits become available so don’t miss out. Join our email list at SMClinicals.comand get 10% off your first purchase.
SM Academy
We are offering online and in-person training for estheticians and other beauty professionals. Go to @skinmayvenne on IG or visit my Linktree to see everything we offer.
Nov 1st my long-awaited online Acne Course will be available!
Also, “Shadow Days” start back up Nov 1st. DM @skinmayvenne on IG or text786-407-2773 to inquire.
Boss Up Business Coaching
Boss Up Business Coaching is online coaching for Beauty Bosses in the industry that want to level up.
We teach how to consistently gain clients, how to start a business, sales, marketing, growing on social media and more. We also provide 1 on 1 mentorship and guidance.
Check out my FREE webinar “3 Keys ToMy Success” where I explain the 3 key practices I used as tools to make $100K+ in my brand new business in less than a year…CLICK HERE to accesswebinar.
Also, please follow us at @bossup_business.coaching on IG and click on Linktree to see what else is available.
My Contact Info:
Text: 786-407-2763
Email: SkinMayvenne@gmail.com
Email: info@thinkinkmicro.com
IG: @SkinMayvenne
IG: @Thinkinkmicro
FB: @Skinmayvenne
Feel free to reach out anytime we welcome all questions and inquiries!