We were lucky to catch up with Savanna Reliford recently and have shared our conversation below.

Savanna, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Risking taking is a huge part of most people’s story but too often society overlooks those risks and only focuses on where you are today. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – it could be a big risk or a small one – but walk us through the backstory.

I have always been a risk taker long before I even knew what risk meant.

One of my favorite stories about myself isn’t something I remember clearly, but something my late Granny Barbara didn’t let me forget. She kept a drawing I made when I was four or five years old. While other kids were sketching stick figures and sunshine, I had drawn what I confidently explained was my “plan.” It was a fashion line complete with designs, pricing ideas (which made no real sense), and what I now realize was my earliest version of branding. I didn’t know what a business plan was. I didn’t know what entrepreneurship meant. But even then, I was dreaming in blueprints.

That childhood instinct, to build something of my own, never left me. Years later, that instinct led me to take one of the biggest risks of my life: moving to South Carolina and opening my own business with almost no safety net. When I made the decision to relocate, I didn’t have a strong network waiting for me. No large extended family. No built-in clientele. Just a vision, a skill set, and a belief that I could make it work. From the outside, it probably looked impulsive. From the inside, it felt terrifying and necessary.

Shortly after moving, I opened The Complexion Cave.

Starting a business is challenging under the best circumstances. Starting one in a place where you are essentially unknown is something else entirely. There were moments of doubt and wondering if anyone would trust me, book with me, or even notice I existed. There were long days of marketing, networking from scratch, introducing myself over and over again. Every client earned felt monumental. Every small win felt like confirmation that I wasn’t crazy for trying.

But here’s the thing about me: what some people see as “risk,” I see as “challenge accepted.”

The Complexion Cave is still growing. I am still building. I am still stretching myself. And I am still taking risks every day whether that means investing back into the business, expanding services, furthering my education, or writing novels alongside it all. I don’t wait for perfect conditions. I move when I feel the pull.

Moving to South Carolina and starting over taught me something important: courage doesn’t mean you’re not afraid. It means you’re willing to bet on yourself anyway. I may not have had a network when I started, but I had something more powerful. I had belief, resilience, and a track record that started with a crayon-drawn “business plan”.

And if history has shown me anything, it’s that when I see a challenge, I run toward it. Not away.

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

My name is Savanna Reliford. I am a licensed esthetician and nurse, and I am also a novelist. At first glance those may seem like very different callings, but to me they are deeply connected. Both skincare and storytelling are about transformation. Both are about helping people see themselves more clearly and sometimes more kindly than they did before.

I own a skincare studio called The Complexion Cave in downtown Columbia, South Carolina, where I specialize in customized facial treatments. I got into the skincare industry because I have always been fascinated by the way skin reflects not just health, but stress, confidence, environment, and lifestyle. As a nurse, I understand the science of the body. As an esthetician, I get to work hands on to support the skin barrier, acne conditions, hyperpigmentation, and overall skin health in a way that feels nurturing and restorative.

What sets my studio apart is the experience. My treatment room is not just a room. It is an atmosphere. I use a projector to transform the space into whatever peace looks like for my client. If peace is a beach at sunset, I create that. If it is a quiet forest, falling rain, or soft ambient light, we build that environment together. Skincare should not feel clinical and rushed. It should feel immersive, intentional, and deeply personal. My goal is for clients to leave not only with healthier skin, but with regulated nervous systems and a renewed sense of calm.

The problems I solve for my clients go beyond breakouts or irritation. Yes, I help repair compromised barriers, calm inflammation, and create consistent routines that actually work. But I also help overwhelmed women slow down. I help clients who feel disconnected from themselves feel cared for again. I help people build sustainable skincare habits that fit into real life.

When I am not working in the treatment room, I am writing. Storytelling is my other great love. My long term goal is to become a New York Times bestselling author while also expanding my business into a successful medical spa. I want to build something that merges clinical excellence, aesthetic beauty, and creativity, a brand that is as thoughtful as it is transformative.

What I am most proud of is that I built my brand identity with intention. It reflects who I am, creative, analytical, immersive, and deeply people centered. I want potential clients, readers, and supporters to know that everything I create, whether it is a facial treatment or a novel, is crafted with care. I believe in excellence. I believe in atmosphere. I believe in transformation. And I am building a life and a brand that honors all three.

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

Funding my business was a very intentional process. I worked full time as a nurse, and I still do, to fund my business. From the beginning, I made the decision that I did not want to take out loans or rely on crowdfunding. I wanted to build on a foundation that felt stable and sustainable.

I bootstrapped The Complexion Cave using my personal resources. Every piece of equipment, every supply order, and every detail of my studio was funded through the income I earned working in nursing. I leveraged my clinical degree to create the financial margin necessary to pursue entrepreneurship. Nursing gave me both the scientific foundation for my esthetics practice and the income to bring my vision to life.

It required discipline and patience. Instead of expanding quickly with borrowed capital, I chose to grow steadily and intentionally. That approach allowed me to maintain full ownership and creative control over my business. It also strengthened my confidence because I knew I had built it with my own hands and my own resources.

I am proud that The Complexion Cave stands on a foundation of hard work, strategic planning, and faith. Bootstrapping was not always the easiest route, but it ensured that my business began debt free and deeply rooted in stability.

How did you build your audience on social media?

Building my audience on social media has been a journey that is still unfolding. I am still actively growing my brand online, but recently I have experienced a noticeable increase in both my following and engagement. What surprised me most was not that a certain strategy worked, but why it worked.

The posts that received the most engagement were the ones where I was simply being unapologetically myself. In an industry that often leans heavily into pink, glitter, and ultra polished aesthetics, my brand is different. I am moody. I am creative. I am immersive. My space reflects depth and atmosphere more than sparkle. When I stopped trying to match what everyone else was doing and leaned fully into my own tone and style, people responded.

One of the most impactful things I did was create posts encouraging bartering between other local businesses in Columbia. That single idea opened the door for real community building. I connected with other entrepreneurs, collaborated, and built genuine relationships. Not only did that expand my network, but it also brought in new clients who discovered my studio through those connections. It reminded me that social media works best when it mirrors real life community.

Another strategy that helped was offering model calls. This allowed me to create content, showcase my work, and bring new faces into my space at the same time. It gave potential clients a behind the scenes look at the experience while also making my page feel active and dynamic.

If I could give advice to someone just starting out, it would be this. Show up as yourself. Trends shift constantly, but authenticity builds longevity. Do not be afraid if your brand does not look like everyone else’s. The right audience is not looking for a copy. They are looking for something that feels honest and distinct.

Social media growth is not only about algorithms. It is about alignment. When your online presence truly reflects who you are, the engagement feels natural rather than forced. I am still building, still refining, and still learning, but I have learned that the most sustainable growth comes from clarity and confidence in your own voice.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://thecomplexioncave.com
• Instagram: @thecomplexioncave
• Other: Tik Tok @thecomplexioncave