We were lucky to catch up with Leslie Gomez recently and have shared our conversation below.

Leslie, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Was there a moment in your career that meaningfully altered your trajectory? If so, we’d love to hear the backstory.

Growing up, I always had a deep love and passion for all things beauty. I was indecisive of the career path I’d one day pursue, but my heart knew where it always belonged. Early highschool, I struggled with teen acne, and I attempted every single acne remedy in the book -from Pinterest DIYs, clay masks, Clean and Clear, you name it! Oh my poor skin barrier was so damaged. I was so insecure and the only fix that gave me temporary gratification was makeup. Since then, I grew a love for makeup as it displayed an artistic side of me. Shortly after, I began to take clients and that’s when I unleashed my inner girl boss. After highschool, I enrolled into El Camino College and encountered many career path changes- I was afraid to commit to a future I’d be unhappy with, however, the beauty industry always called my name.
In 2021, Covid hit, schools closed, and we were now required to stay home for what seemed FOREVER.The transition to online classes was smooth, leaving so much time in my hands. I spent countless of hours on TikTok learning how to make whipped iced coffee, do my own gel nails, and DIY brow laminations. I felt like a baddie with my dry over processed brows, but it was so therapeutic to me! Shortly after, I decided to invest in a brow training with the vision of learning more and possibly taking clients and starting a side hussle. Fast foward, I began to take clients and was getting booked out! I spent countless of hours working on this “side hussle” and I LOVED IT! Words couldn’t describe how sane this made me feel between a time of confusion, fright, and hopelessness.
My one year brow anniversary came fairly quickly, and my “side hussle” was doing AMAZING. I grew confident in the services I provided and in myself. This confidence alongside with much research, and consultations with mentors, gave me the push I needed and I decided to pursue a degree in Business Administration and enroll in an Esthetician program. After months of hard work and juggling both studies, I proudly graduated with my Associates in Business Administration and received my Esthetician license! My side hussle became my full-time job, and it felt like a dream come true!
It was a scary but exciting step, and I’m so glad I took the risk. Today, I run a successful beauty business where I offer a range of services- from brows to corrective facial treatments. I’m grateful for every step of my journey, and I’m excited to see where my passion for beauty takes me next.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My name is Leslie Gomez and I am a licensed esthetician + educator based in Los Angeles who specializes in eyebrows and facial treatments. I focus on natural brow laminations and bringing brows back to life after being over-plucked. My goal is to make their brows look as symmetrical and full as possible. Additionally, I perform facial treatments that are both relaxing and corrective. I enjoy doing facials on all skin types to get their skin to the most healthiest state, however I am a certified acne expert. I educate my acne clients about their skin, build a customized treatment plan, and navigate them through many lifestyle factors that may contribute to their acne like nutrition, environment, and more. I support my clients one on one through every step of their journey because I once suffered from acne and I understand dealing with acne may be difficult and can take a toll on their mental health. I want them to know that they are not alone and WE CAN DO IT TOGETHER. I currently offer in person 1:1 trainings for brow lamination + wax, but will be launching an online brow lamination course + taking virtual acne clients soon!

If you could go back in time, do you think you would have chosen a different profession or specialty?

If I could go back, I would choose the same profession 100000x! Working in the beauty industry is a dream come true and something I’ve dreamt about since I was a child. Never did I think I’d end up specifically doing eyebrows and facials, but I enjoy it so much that it’s crazy to think this is MY JOB. Running your own business is hard and I often find myself never mentally “clocking out”. I may be at a party enjoying family time -physically, but sometimes I’m mentally absent and my brain is going 100mph thinking about my next business idea. It’s challenging to be present and just enjoy life outside of work, but I am getting better at it! It’s truthfully so hard to set boundaries between work life and personal life because I genuinely love my job and what I do. In my perspective, it’s a challenge I don’t mind facing because I always feared not loving the career of my choice. It’s a matter of being firm with the boundaries being being built and respecting them. You often times hear “ leave your 9-5” , “ running your own business is the key to financial freedom” , “ be your own boss, make your own schedule”.. Yes, having a 9-5 is hard, but running your own business is also hard. It’s up to you to choose your hard. I chose mine.

Training and knowledge matter of course, but beyond that what do you think matters most in terms of succeeding in your field?

Building your brand is important in order to succeed in the beauty industry. To be able to stand out from other businesses and attract more clients, you must give your business an IDENTITY. Branding is top priority because it makes your business memorable and gives your brand a human side. Show your audience who is behind your business doing all the work. They want to get to know you and it is more likely for clients to relate and build a connection with a person than a company. Choose your aesthetic + branding colors, build a connection with your audience, and find your niche within the beauty industry. From personal experience, at one point I was offering multiple services but the moment I found my niche and cut my services down to brows and facial treatments, I found my ideal clients and my bookings were more consistent. I focused my energy,time and money to these services to target a specific audience and offered top quality work, and this is what helped my business bloom!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://bylesliegomez.com
• Instagram: @bylesliegmz

Image Credits
Irene Samayoa — @throughireneslens