We were lucky to catch up with Negin Niknejad recently and have shared our conversation below.

NEGIN , appreciate you joining us today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

I wouldn’t even call it a risk. It was more about listening to my intuition. I was the head aesthetician at a well-known boutique health club and spa and things had been stale for a while. My aunt in Iran was diagnosed with terminal cancer and I dropped everything to go see her and visit my home country after 26 years. I quit my job and began to prepare for my trip. To make extra money for my long travel ahead, I thought to offer some facials in my kitchen to a few close friends. I had just purchased a massage table and I thought why not?

With each facial, everyone also received a cute organic lunch bag. Since I love to give and receive presents, I thought to make some products and give them as gifts. That was the first time I made products. While I was away, someone asked if I sold the products and I said no, BUT that I could. Suddenly I was thinking, “What am I going to name my skincare line.” And the rest is history! All of this began in 2008

NEGIN , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Well, they say there are no accidents and when we are ready, the teacher arrives. After graduating from college, was taking the LSAT’s and as I was sitting in the great hall room with everyone wanting to do the same thing as me, I thought, what am I going to do with my life?? And so the journey to self-discovery began. After many years of searching, studying acting (which I love and still go out on auditions) partying, and traveling, there came a dark time when I felt so empty. I was working as a bartender and going on auditions, living in a loft with eight roommates, and trying to keep going. One day a customer asked if I wanted to come in for a free haircut as a model. There, on that day, was someone from Aveda giving product education to the staff and everything she was mentioning was intoxicating. At that time, I was already on a spiritual path but I didn’t know it. I had been in therapy with someone who introduced me to meditation and reiki, and I was also really into herbal and natural medicine. And so after my haircut, I went to the Aveda Institute and applied for the esthetic program. I don’t even know why I did that. Isn’t that wild? I was terrified I wouldn’t be able to wake up to go to school and show up. But I got sober, told myself to graduate with a high grade, and hoped for the best. In school, I knew so much about skin and I had no idea how. My teacher called me a natural. I graduated top of my class and the rest is history!

When we wake, one can truly begin to see there are no accidents. I see everything, hear, and feel everything. There is so much magic and beauty waiting for our attention.

Today, I practice as a holistic aesthetician and offer holistic healing. I founded JustBe Skin Line, a natural and edible skincare line derived from organic and wild botanicals and edible ingredients. JustBe Skin Line is handmade by me in small batches. When I went to Iran to say hello and goodbye to my aunt, I decided to also go to India, a place I had dreamed of visiting. In India, I named my skincare line, and since then it is the place I go to put myself together and find answers. I am grateful for not giving up on finding my calling. Now that I look back at the last 51 years of my life, I see I have been the same human all these years :-) The best part of losing ourselves is finding ourselves in a new light.

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

Making connections personal. My clients are my friends. We are very close. I always leave a lot of room in between appointments so there is no rushing and it feels personal. My business grows from word of mouth and everyone who comes to see me, it feels as if we have already met. Feels warm and welcoming.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

Honestly, every day NOT GIVING UP. There are so many things I still want to do with my business. When I opened my first studio in Nomad, I did it with nothing. With a few thousand dollars from my father and my savings, I launched my business. I remember I took my first client’s check and opened a bank account. Sometimes it still feels like a start-up. BUT NEVER GIVE UP because we never know when that big hit is gonna come.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.justbeskinline.com
• Instagram: justbeskinline
• Facebook: justbe skin line