We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Etoshia McFarland. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Etoshia below.

Alright, Etoshia thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Setting up an independent practice is a daunting endeavor. Can you talk to us about what it was like for you – what were some of the main steps, challenges, etc.

My early days when I decided to start my own spa business began with my experience as a makeup artist. As a makeup artist, I worked with many women who had skin concerns which makeup only concealed for a limited time. To further help women address their skin concerns and feel confident in the skin they were in, I enrolled in Esthetics school. This was the first milestone step that opened the door for me to establish my business and still be in business 6 years later as an esthetician, spa owner, and educator. As a business owner, there are many ongoing steps I had to take in order to establish my business. Some of those steps were establishing business logistics such as licensing, permits, brand development, finances, team building, establishing clientele, ongoing education, and more. Some challenges I experienced with my business were establishing access to business funding along with knowing what resources were available to me as a business owner and the overall short-term and long-term vision plan for business growth. I overcame all of these challenges once I sought out a mentor. Having a mentor is key to helping you propel yourself in your business endeavors. An established mentor will help you identify your business goals, help you with strategy, provide effective advice, and help you make connections. My advice for young professionals is to be tenacious and follow through on their goals.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Hi. I’m Etoshia McFarland, Licensed Esthetician and spa owner of Faces By Etosh based in Columbia, SC. As an esthetician of 6 years, my mission is to empower clients to prioritize self-care through personalized skincare solutions and regular relaxation treatments, resulting in healthy well-being. At Faces By Etosh we are the absolute best at providing memorable spa experiences to our clients and also have our very own skincare line that can be shipped worldwide to help clients maintain their skin in between their spa treatments.

With years of experience as an esthetic educator, and working esthetician, I educate and empower other spa professionals around the world. I am most proud of being an educator at various trade shows such as IECSC and Face & Body. My passion is to help other estheticians boss up in and out of their treatment rooms and implement passive streams of income with digital products. Offering the best mentorship opportunities to help spa pros become successful, I created Faces By Etosh University. F.B.E University is a mentorship platform to help spa pros propel in their business and provide educational strategies and resources while navigating the esty world. When I’m not working on clients in my treatment room or teaching, I host various esthetician meetups around the world. Stay connected with me and subscribe. Text “estymeetup” to 855.947.5371. For chic esthetician apparel, shop Faces By Etosh merch at yourgotoskingirl.com

Other than training/knowledge, what do you think is most helpful for succeeding in your field?

In my experience, networking has been the most helpful for succeeding in my field. Networking in and out of your city and amongst various social groups and organizations opens up the door to meeting new people and getting access to new opportunities. Think of networking as a referral. When clients visit your business and enjoy the services, they are more likely to leave an amazing review and tell other people about you. Whenever you are presented with the opportunity to attend networking events, make sure to bring business cards or use technology that will allow you to exchange information with others. It’s important to work the room and see who you need to form new partnerships with and vice versa. Overall, networking has opened up many opportunities for me to continue to succeed in my field.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

Consistency is key along with being authentic when it comes to building your reputation within your market. When I first became an esthetician, the industry was new and many people didn’t know what exactly an esthetician was. Over the years I showcased my real life as an esthetician consistently through storytelling and consistency. My audience was able to relate to me because they followed my journey from when I first started to now. When building your reputation you want to show up as the expert in your niche and have the content to support what you are doing. Over time when you are consistent and show up with confidence and authority you will build your reputation and be known as the go-to person within your market.

Contact Info:

• Website: yourgotoskingirl.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/facesbyetosh
• Facebook: facebook.com/facesbyetoshmua
• Youtube: youtube.com/facesbyetosh

Image Credits
Henry Jones Photography The Lashay Price Agency The Book of DJ