We recently connected with Angie Monic Barba and have shared our conversation below.

Angie Monic, appreciate you joining us today. Do you think folks should manage their own social media or hire a professional? What do you do?

Social media has always excited me. Growing up, I would always say I was the least creative in the family but as I explored the social platforms like Instagram and TikTok I realized that my creativity came from creating content online. Social Media has always been a fun way for me to connect with clients and not only market my brand but also stay relatable.

I have a background in Marketing where I worked as a Social Media Manager for 4+ years. During this time I learned that the best way to make genuine connections on the accounts was simply by showing up as your authentic self and interacting. I currently manage my own social media accounts and while it can be time consuming…I love every second of it!

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

My name is Angie Monic a Licensed Esthetician located in Normal Heights, San Diego. Three years ago, I would’ve never imagined I’d be here today as a Business Owner/Esthetician. Before the pandemic, I was working as a Marketing Manager for a small start-up. I always saw myself working for a big corporation long term and living the 9-5 life.

But, when the world shut down during the pandemic, it allowed me to slow down and reflect on my passions I always wanted to pursue. As a young adult, I struggled with cystic acne that made me feel insecure and too embarrassed to leave the house. After multiple dermatologist visits, I only became more frustrated when no improvements were made. To go after one of my passions of becoming an Esthetician meant that I had to go back to school and work full time. Making this transition from a salary employee in Marketing to a first-time business owner was a hard jump to make. But the creation of ‘In the Nude Skincare, LLC’ has been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. To pursue my own business in esthetics gives me the opportunity to help people strengthen their confidence and to forever feel beautiful in their bare skin. I specialize in revision treatments like Chemical Peels, DMK Enzyme Therapy, and Procell Microchanneling.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

Building an audience on social media can be frightening to think about when you start a new account from scratch. While it does take time, it is so rewarding in the long run when you’ve built an authentic audience without having to buy followers.

Here are a few tips I recommend starting with immediately:
1) Build a “Brand Look”: What do you want your aesthetic to look like? Think colors, fonts, layouts, sounds, etc..
2) POST, POST, POST: I find that a lot of people get discouraged because of the few followers they might have starting out or lack of engagement. Regardless, you need to show up and build a presence. This is how you get more engagement and followers. It’s also a great way for you to understand your audience and figure out what works and what doesn’t.
3) Engage: Social Platforms reward you based on your behaviors. Make sure you show up as often as you can and interact with peoples post (Like, comment, share).
4) Hashtags: Sure, they might sound like a thing of the past but they are still a very powerful SEO tool. Not only will people find you through these hashtags, but you can search hashtags related to your niche to find likeminded individuals who might love your page/business.

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

When I first made the decision to go back to school to get my Esthetician License, I knew I had to get smart with my spending. I started saving on rent by getting a roommate so I can pay monthly tuition. Since I was still working full time, I decided to slowly start buying products and equipment with a little bit from each paycheck. Since it took me 6 months to finish up school, I had enough materials to start off doing basic treatments by the time I was licensed.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.itnskincare.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itss.monic/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCm8qc5PmjxpKc5LyOwEVqgw