Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Aleena Hoang. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Aleena, appreciate you joining us today. So, let’s start with a hypothetical – what would you change about the educational system?

There are so many things that I would change about the educational system, but if I had to pick one, it would be helping students find opportunities to intern or shadow in the industry that they are interested in to help them determine if they want to potentially spend four years pursuing that career.

I remember being in high school and getting asked, ‘What do you want to do when you grow up? Where do you want to go to college? What is your dream job?” While in high school, the jobs I held were in fast food and retail, I had no knowledge or experience in what a “grown up” job was like.

Being the oldest in an immigrant family, I had no understanding or guidance in navigating college applications, loans, or picking a major. I eventually graduated with a degree in accounting, where I spent 5 years working in different corporate roles. It took a lot of encouragement and support from my husband for me to start dreaming about going back to school for something I would enjoy doing every day, which does not involve my degree.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers?

Hi, as you mentioned, my name is Aleena Hoang. I am a practicing Advanced Esthetician of over 5 years, operating out of my salon in Champlin, MN. I have been married to my husband David for almost 7 years and we have two wonderful little boys.  My journey started in the 90s when my parents immigrated to the US as Russian refugees.  They would end up having seven children, with me being the first born.

Although I had dreams of going into the beauty industry when I was younger, as the oldest child to immigrant parents, I was heavily encouraged to set a good example for the rest of my siblings by obtaining a college degree. I chose accounting.  I would end up working in corporate accounting for the next 4 years, where I was miserable and unfulfilled.

My husband and I got married in 2016 and the following year he received his military orders and encouraged me to go back to school for something I would enjoy doing while he was away. It was a difficult and scary decision to make, but I knew I wanted to be an Esthetician. Now after being an Advanced Esthetician for the last 5 years, I am so glad I made that leap of faith.

My goal is for every single one of my clients to walk out my door more confident than when they walked in.  These simple services can create a big change and can help accentuate someone’s natural beauty.

How’d you meet your business partner?

My co-founder and business partner is my husband, David.  We have been together for over eight years. This has been a wondering, yet challenging journey full of growth for the both of us. We met almost nine years ago now working together in banking, where we eventually would go out with our coworkers. We both came from large families who immigrated to the US and luckily, we shared many similar interests and values.  We dated for a little over a year and a half before he proposed, and we were married 6 months later. David works in technology on the civilian side while serving as an Emergency Care Sergeant in the Reserves, so naturally it took us a while before we decided to go into business together.  Mixing family and business is not easy, we’ve faced a lot of obstacles but have grown tremendously through our journey.

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

The most effective strategy for growing clientele has been asking for honest feedback on the services I provide.  By getting honest feedback, I can identify any deficiency in my work and improve my skills or process to provide a better experience. My wonderful clients have not only shared their experience with their friends and family, but many have taken the time to leave me honest reviews on google, square, etc.  I have had many clients tell me they were either referred by one of my current clients or chose me over a different professional because of the reviews I have.  Most clients will choose a personal recommendation rather than searching for a new one to try.

Contact Info:

• Website: Aleenaslashes.com
• Instagram: @aleenaslashes
• Facebook: Aleena’s Lashes & Spa, LLC

Image Credits
Anita Jane Photography & Francis Xayana Photography