Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Stephanie Truong. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Stephanie, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What do you think it takes to be successful?
Everyone measures success to what their goals and aspirations are and if they’ve met them. So what I believe to be success won’t look the same for another, which is to be expected and that’s okay. However, I believe that to have what it takes to be successful is to switch the narrative of your subconscious. I’ve watched and read articles from many successful individuals and I noticed every time the common denominator was always your mindset. It’s a known fact that you are what your thoughts are. If you consistently think negatively, your outcomes have no choice but to be negative. Therefore, when you decide to flip the script and think positive, meaningful thoughts, the actions will always follow through. You give exactly what you want to get. Now you are actively making the choice to show up for yourself. Those dreams, goals, and milestones that you set out to achieve will then become your reality. This is what will set you apart from people who want to be successful from those who ARE successful.
What helped me develop this view was because 2023 was just the year I got tired of being upset with the person I was looking at in the mirror. Nothing was quite wrong, but nothing was right either. As the oldest daughter of an immigrant family, I was living on autopilot and living out the dreams of my parents. I wanted to make it a goal to become my own dream girl instead. So I made the active decision to flip the narrative and did the inner work. I started off with small changes and accomplishing daily tasks. If I set out to go to the gym in the morning, I have no choice but to go. If I said I was posting content for my business social media, I was going to do it with no questions asked. I ultimately gave myself no room to let myself down and at the end of each day, I was always so proud of all I was able to realistically get done. There’s a quote that says, “Love is not about finding the right person, but becoming the right person.” At the end of the day, you will have family, friends, acquaintances, etc. that come in and out of your life. Some are meant to stay and some are not. But the only person you are forced to live with for the rest of your life is yourself so you at least owe it to YOU to see what you are capable of.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
My name is Stephanie and I’m the founder of Smiles By Steph. I have always had a passion for dentistry but most importantly, I wanted to help people improve their confidence starting with their smiles. I started off as a registered dental assistant with the intention of going to dental hygiene school. After multiple rejection letters, I questioned if hygiene was the route I wanted to go through. These were thoughts that always lingered but I assumed hygiene would’ve been the most stable and realistic career path to make my parents happy even if I wasn’t. Some time had passed, I finished my undergrad and ultimately made the decision, for myself, to take the non-traditional route of life. Instead of starting a 9-5 career or pursuing dental hygiene school, I was going to start a business in teeth whitening and tooth gems. As mentioned before, dentistry was always my passion. It just took me some time to think outside the box and realize that there was so much more opportunity outside of your typical dentistry roles. I started in January of 2023 and have been growing alongside my business since then. I’m most proud of the progress I’ve made in such a short time span. This has been the biggest proof to myself that I am capable of anything I set my heart and mind to.
At Smiles By Steph, I provide customized teeth whitening treatments to suit your needs and help you reach your dream smile goals. Another service I provide are tooth gems, which are dental-safe swarovski crystals that can be placed on the tooth to enhance your smile. All of my products and services are dental grade and dental safe. I offer a one of a kind, personalized experience whether that is at my suite in Arlington or by traveling to your choice in location. You might also occasionally find me at pop up locations offering tooth gems on the spot. What I find that sets me apart from others is that I will always strive to create a safe space for each client to relax or express any thoughts or feelings they’d like to share with me. You will never have to worry about leaving my chair unsatisfied. I look forward to servicing you soon!
Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?
The most effective strategy for growing my clientele has been through the use of social media. I’m currently working on expanding my knowledge and navigating through the business aspect of the internet. However, from what I’ve learned thus far, aesthetically branding and posting content has been beneficial to the growth of my business. The algorithm will do half of the work for you as long as you put the time and effort into what you post in order to reach your target audience.
Another effective strategy that I personally love is doing pop-up shops (if possible). Of course everyone is on social media, but what better way to connect with a potential client than building that connection in-person? You’re able to showcase both your work and your personality which will always gravitate someone into learning more about your business. These two strategies have been the most beneficial when growing my business. However, it’s important to note that life is all about trying different things and finding what might work for others, might not work for us. So don’t be afraid to be uncomfortable and take risks.
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
The lesson I had to unlearn is that you only have yourself in this world. It’s true that the only person that will remain as a constant in your life is yourself. It’s true that you will always be sure to have your own back in all times of need. And it’s true that you have to love and put yourself first in certain situations. However, it’s not true that you have to do life alone, because what is life without the beautiful connections you make along the way?
I used to be one of those people who never let anyone close to me so that I could prevent myself from the possibility of being hurt. I was shown time and time again that when I opened my heart, I was always disappointed. However, I realized I was limiting myself from so much more by being closed off. I started viewing life with a more open approach when it came to making connections in both personal and business. Anything that didn’t work out was just a lesson to be learned, because what is meant for me, will never pass me. I had to unlearn that I needed to fend for myself and instead learn that being open to making connections would get me so much further in life. There’s a saying that the five people closest to you, ultimately represent who you are. Therefore, in creating and strengthening those connections, you are solidifying your support system and what you want to be remembered for. Allow for beautiful connections to stay if they choose and leave if they don’t.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/smilesbysteph_
- Instagram: @smilesbysteph_
- Other: Tiktok: @smilesbysteph_
Image Credits
Tiffany Truong