We were lucky to catch up with Stephanie Shields recently and have shared our conversation below.

Stephanie , appreciate you joining us today. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?

I have always loved learning and teaching others new concepts I find interesting. When I was about 25 years old I took the trade of electrology that I learned from my mother and my interest in education to the next level. I was given this great opportunity to mold a career by volunteering for the American Electrology Association while helping others bring their careers to the next level. I did this all while still servicing my clients for electrolysis and laser hair removal.

As my time with the association grew I realized I had my original calling of teaching brewing in the background.

As I spoke for association meetings, organized speakers for continued education events, and trained new electrologists within my family’s business, self-fulfillment was happening and the people I had the opportunity to train kept saying “you should teach more people”. Well In 2014, something unreal happened in my career and I was honored with the ‘Gold Probe’ award. This award is nominated by my peers in the electrology community and they all felt and saw that there was a fire within for teaching. At that association meeting, I looked at my mom and said, “I want to open a school”. However, when we arrived home there were so many roadblocks facing me that I again put it on hold and drove deeper into my work with clients, volunteer work, and continued education events. It wasn’t until 2020 that the whole world paused and all I had was time to create my education content, and format what a school would look like.

When we returned from our state covid closure, I was ready to start taking on students, I was given 6 phenomenal apprentices to help grow my family’s business again after the shutdown. It was what I needed to get re-energized. Each student’s journey helped me shape where the flaws were in my program and where our mutual success stories were growing. It all seemed to be going well and then in June 2022 something in me said it was time to make the jump. The relocation was due to access to care however the re-opening and launch of the school was inevitable because now I had no other excuse. I had the time and now the energy to focus on it. People ask me all the time now, “why now?” And the best answer I can give you is “I had to”.

Stephanie , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

“Zap Master Electrology” and “The Zap Master” was fondly named from a couple of items, I was once called a “Wookiee Zapper” so my love of sci-fi and the love of the zap kinda stuck. This mixed with the fact that I am a 90s HipHop fan and “Zap Master” sounded like a hot DJ name, and the professional side of it all being that I started teaching through Master & Apprentice work. It was like it was a fun mash-up of who I am.

I have been an electrologist and laser hair removal specialist for almost 20 years. Not only do I practice Electrolysis & Laser Hair Removal, but I began teaching electrology approximately 10+ years ago on the national level. for over five years I sat on the Board of Directors as Delegate at Large and on the executive committee as 3rd Vice President for the American Electrology Association; stepping down to focus on building my Electrology program Zap Master Electrology.

I fell into this career to get me through college and spend more time with my mother. She is a 40+ year veteran zapper herself. She showed me the electrology industry, which was a great way to support my family and make people feel better about themselves. Being taught by my mother’s apprentice-style electrology was an incredible honor. She also pushed me to seek my laser training which was provided by my dear friend and mentor, Lorenzo Kunze, of Rocky Mountain Laser College. I choose electrology and laser hair removal for many reasons but it is my work with the PCOS community (I too have PCOS) and my work with the LGBTQIA+ specifically my specialty in Gender Affirming Care, bringing me a community that means so much to me.

Zap Master as my brand, I really wanted people to know they are here for finding peace & self-love as we work away at unwanted hair. This is why you always Hear me say, “peace, love, and hair removal” online. It is my words of advice to all, that you may be here to permanently remove unwanted hair, but it is only so you can see the beauty within yourself minus the distraction that hair brings you.

As a teacher in this industry, I am here to find a way to reach my potential in this career. I want students to see they hold the key to their success through fun, focused learning in an environment that breathes positivity. Students are encouraged to be themselves, that their branding is themselves but their education is Zap Master style.

How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?

Let’s talk about funding this dream. My grandfather and my dad would always say, “Stephanie, you have to pay yourself first in your savings” and that is exactly what I have been doing. While self-funding doesn’t bring in a big space and classroom, to begin with, it has allowed me to have a decent return on investments in the business.

Each speaking engagement I hosted and spoke for that income went to growing this dream, each time a client gave me gratuity it helped to grow it further. Long hours of electrolysis on my clients helped to put aside funds to begin. Over the next year, I will be back at the savings plan to help expand our availability to students and clients of the Pacific Northwest and beyond.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

Over the last couple of years, I had to learn new ways to expand this dream. When June of last year hit I had to figure out what it would take to grow in a new region and make sure with a market analysis that there was a place for me.

I feel as though luck and skill were on my side, using my reach on social media and my ability to explain how electrology can help others become their own boss or overcome their unwanted hair issues helped me see where I was needed.

A few months ago I was on a walk with my friend and she said, “how did you get to this point in your career?”,

Responded, “The fact is every time I faced a roadblock, instead of stopping the journey, I looked at the map to how to get back on track”

So when you look at the timeline of my career it’s just that.

… I stepped back from college to get really good at understanding electrology.
… I got really good at teaching electrology to my clients and other electrologists heard that and hired me to teach continued education.
… During my time teaching continued education, got me closer to other teachers and I was able to perfect my understanding of electrology.
… Covid hit and I found a way to translate that for future electrologists
… Each of those students helped me reach the next batch of students better.
… When I needed to make a shift again I did and built from there.

The fact is these are all evolutions of the original me, they helped create the electrologist, laser tech, and teacher I am right now. When the next pivot in life happens I will again come at it with the same understanding that we are meant to grow when life hands of pivots

Contact Info:

• Website: www.thezapmaster.com
• Instagram: @the_zap_master
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheZapMaster
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanie-shields-a6b607117/
• Youtube: youtube.com/@zapmasterelectrology
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/zap-master-electrology-centralia
• Other: @the_zap_master on TikTok