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

Hi Jessica, thanks for joining us today. Are you happier as a business owner? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job?

I absolutely love being a business owner. Although I do contemplate regularly what it would be like to have a “normal job” with good hours, retirement and a steady income, I love my freedom. I am a single mom with 2 children full-time. I need to be able to work as much as possible but also be able to be here for my kids for all of their activities, school, social lives and family time. Also I am the walking definition of neuro”spicy” so part of that is that I absolutely love the crazy day to day that I have where no hour is the same. Every client who comes in is dealing with different issues whether it’s with their skin to their personal life. I can be doing a facial one hour helping a teenager navigate that time of their lives (and acne) but the next hour I am helping a male client treat his skin tags and come to terms with the fact that his 30 year marriage is falling apart. Helping people is why I do what I do.

Jessica, 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?

Hi new friends! My name is Jessica Hudgins and I am the Owner & Glow Specialist here at Meraki Skin Studio in the gorgeous Marion, North Carolina. I am a single mom of 2 crazy, free-spirited children (and a ferret named Churro). One of our favorite things to do is just be outside in nature. It is a complete reset for me when life is feeling overwhelming. We are lucky to live I the most beautiful place in the world full of trails, waterfalls, pretty rocks and literally anything your little hippy heart could ask for.

Now a little about my business, Meraki Skin Studio LLC. I became interested in Esthetics honestly for selfish reasons. I had horrible acne as a teenager and unfortunately being a teen with acne in the 2000s was the worst time. Our media was full of misinformation and companies just looking to get you hooked on their brand to make the big bucks. None of them taught education. We were taught instead that if we had acne it is because our skin was dirty, that we weren’t washing enough. We were taught to use horrible things like SeaBreeze and Apricot Scrub. We were taught to use hot water to “open up those pores.” All of this creates the perfect storm for my acne not only to survive but to thrive. So, after having my kids and being 26 years old I decided to buckle down and actually go for it. I got my license and opened Meraki Skin Studio April of 2019 without ever working for someone else in the industry. It took ALOT of work, of mistakes, of stress, of learning but we are here 6 years later and thriving.

Here at Meraki Skin Studio I help transform your skin to its healthiest & most glowy state thru product education & customized skincare treatments. I’m all about getting your skin to its healthiest state through a progressive journey rather than aggressive. Using our own professional botanical-based skincare line, Meraki Skincare we can create the perfect skincare regimen and treatment plan for you to get you the skin you dream about. Meraki Skincare is the perfect blend of nature and science, formulated for results and it does just that. I have clients from all over the world and they get their skincare delivered to their door.

At Meraki Skin Studio we offer fully-customized skincare treatments at each appointment. Your skin changes monthly and your treatments should reflect that to focus on the issues that matter. We also offer: Dermaplaning (DermaplanePro-certified), Microdermabrasion, Microchanneling (NanoStamp360 certified), Back Facials, Scalp Treatments, Microcurrent Treatments, Nanoinfusion, LED Light Therapy, Lash Lifts, Brow & Lash Tinting, Brow Mapping, Waxing and Skin Classic Irregularity Treatments. Skin Classic Treatments can treat skin tags, broken capillaries, cherry anigomas (moles), sebaceous hyperplasia, sunspots, seborrheic keratosis, milia and cystic acne. If you have any questions about my skincare line or the treatments mentioned feel free to contact me anytime via email at: [email protected].

You can also find Meraki Skin Studio on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok or my website https://merakiskinstudiollc.glossgenius.com.

What’s been the best source of new clients for you?

In a world of technology, I 100% feel that word-of-mouth is still #1. If you’re doing what you’re supposed to as an Esthetician, your clients skin and their results speak for itself. I love having everyone come into their appointments telling me they fully trust in me and my process on treatment choices. I love seeing them tell their friends on their social media about their experiences with me and about how their confidence is coming back. I love waking up to the tags and reviews of people feeling better in their skin. Your friends and family can see the difference and trust your opinion more than they trust a Google Search, so word-of-mouth completely outweighs any other source for finding clients out there.

How do you keep in touch with clients and foster brand loyalty?

I do not really think of what I do as “fostering brand loyalty.” I tell my clients regularly that we are blessed to have amazing Estheticians in our area and I am fully aware that I am not everyone’s favorite cup of tea. All I ask of them is to be honest with us about treatments going on because I do not want to mess up anything one of my fellow Esty-Besties is working on with them.

My clients turn into my friends very fast. I go out to lunches, coffee, hikes and just enjoy every minute I get with my clients/friends. I touch base with them and see how their skin is reacting to their new regimen, take notes during their treatments if a family member is sick so that I remember to check on them during their next appointment. We take turns bringing each other McChicken Biscuits before their facials and remember each others coffee orders. It’s the little things that offer a sparkle of happiness in this day and time that I hold on to.

In the world we life in today small business owners in small towns have to watch what we put out there to the world on social media because unfortunately you will lose clients over having different views. I am completely an over-sharer about my past and daily struggles being a DV survivor and single mom of LGBTQ+ children. I make it a point to stand up for my woman’s rights, along with the rights of my friends and family in the hispanic community. Life gets harder for many when people stay silent because the issue does not affect them directly.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://merakiskinstudiollc.glossgenius.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themerakiskinstudio
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theMerakiSkinStudio
• Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@merakiskinstudio

Image Credits

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