Today we’d like to introduce you to Veronica Colon-Lopez.
Hi Veronica, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Some people grow up knowing exactly who or what they want to become. Others go through adolescence with uncertainty and feeling a lack of passion. I was the latter. I felt that my minor interests were not sufficient enough to pursue a financially lucrative career. In high school, accounting seemed to be okay and led me to pursue a career in accounting in my home state of New Jersey. However, as I was finishing my first year of college I was offered an opportunity to study abroad. During this transition, I switched to business administration. After thoughtful contemplation, I moved to Europe and was living on my own away from family submerged in a culture foreign to me. Not English, Spanish, nor Spanglish remotely helped me get around in a place called Trenčín, Slovakia.
During my stay there, I was challenged in many ways. I did not allow the language barrier to prevent me access to basic necessities. This may not be super exciting for some but learning foreign public transportation was daunting task but in the end a success for me. Even the student visa government building, health insurance office for foreigners and the bustling downtown area were minor adventures for me. A simple grocery trip turned into a tricky task when faced with unfamiliar brands and products with euro pricing. Fortunately, my classmates helped me navigate the essentials of life abroad and this experience helped me blossom into a more outspoken independent woman.
In the three years I spent in Slovakia, they were full of meaning and accomplishment. I volunteered in a Youth in Action trip in Macedonia, traveled to many European countries and got my bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. However, I did not know how to proceed in life. I was just as foggy in career advancement as I was moving to North Dakota after returning to the U.S. Though I had accomplished obtaining my degree, I was feeling apprehensive with the pressure that it was time to be an adult and make grown-up decisions; yet, the thought of living a life at a desk sounded mundane. As I searched for an entry desk job, I found a sales position at Sephora nearby. I remember my first time ever entering one of their establishments. It was like a candy store but for all things beauty. I couldn’t pass up the exciting opportunity to be part of this community. Barely knowing how to do my own makeup but learning from the Sephora curriculum and reinforcing with Professor YouTube, I went from newbie to professional with full face makeovers from prom to weddings. And though when I started, I wasn’t much of a skincare believer, as I gradually learned about special ingredients and formulations to help correct issues and seeing the difference, I soon became passionate for it.
With my beauty passion in tow, I transferred to Sephora in Florida and there I decided to go back to school in esthetics. Under this license, there is an abundance of skills to master. I extended my education with lash extensions and lash care. The experience of working for several beauty companies, along with my life abroad and overcoming struggles helped me feel ready with the courage and confidence gained to open my own little studio. Just like that Douse Skin Essentials was established!
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
At first, the real struggle was the confidence in myself through enhancing my skills and taking extra certifications boosted my abilities to resolve this issue. As I progressed, I wanted to find products from reputable brands that fit my business model of being high quality and eco-friendly. I had to learn how to build relationships with these companies and keep them accountable for certain standards and wholesale requirements.
Just like most businesses starting out, having consistent clientele can be challenging. The constant questions of how to get more people through the door. Where should I promote? How much should I spend on advertisement? What forms of ads should I have? Not everyone that sees my ad will be a potential client as it’s difficult to target that niche of future clientele.
I started my business during the late summer of 2019. When the Covid chaos hit in early 2020, I felt unsure where my business was going and how soon normalcy would return. I even had to close my door for a number of months and wondered if they would open again. Five months later on a limited basis, my door were open in a new location. Over time, I have been able to slowly regain new and returning customers. Covid-19 has to be the largest struggle of them all.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am an esthetician with a focus on facials, skincare treatments and lash extensions. My skincare menu currently includes facials, back facials, microdermabrasion, dermaplaning, chemical peels and microneedling using organic superfood and clinical skincare ingredients. My lash menu currently includes hand-made classic, hybrid, volume, mega volume extensions. The products I chose to use for my business lean more on the eco-conscious and superb quality. What is good for my clients should be good for the environment as well.
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
I am fortunate to have family and friends to support me during my first days of being open and continue to support me.
I am fortunate now a days where social media allows me to reach the public beyond the cycled newspaper.
I am fortunate to have interviews that allow me to reach out further to an audience that may have been hidden to me before.
I was lucky to have my lease end just as Covid-19 struct to avoid a position of financial burden during months of no business.
I was lucky during quarantine where I was able to learn more and progress my business skills.
Contact Info:
- Email: DouseSkinEssentials@gmail.com
- Website: DouseSkinEssentials.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/douse.skin.essentials/
- Facebook: facebook.com/douseskinessentials/
Image Credits
Destiny Perez Photography – Profile Photo
