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

Alright, Shanika thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.

Taking risks means leaving your comfort zone to achieve greatness, That doesn’t always mean we get it right, and that’s ok, failure oftentimes equate to growth. I’ve always tried to bet on myself when it comes to accomplishing my goals. Growing up I was taught to play it safe, go to school, get a job, and retire with a pension. For me, that didn’t seem too rewarding but, leaving that comfort zone is scary. When I became a Licensed Esthetician, I knew I didn’t want to work for anyone (especially because I already had a traditional 9-5 what sense did that make?) I researched, hit the pavement, and acquired a space to provide my services. No experience, no clientele, no funding. Just hope that It would work and it could be a success. guess what? it did, I couldn’t believe how fast my business catapulted. I convinced myself that I was always going to maintain my traditional 9-5. Why? because the economy is tricky, and I had a son to provide for. So every day I would try and tell myself that staying at my 9-5 was safe. I hate safe! My next step, was to quit my 9-5 and pursue my passion full time. Everyone I knew tried to convince me to wait, but no one knew how overwhelming it was to work a 9-5, then go straight to my business. I was barely spending time with my child, barely having time to myself working 7 days a week. 7/1/22 I gave Mount Sinai Hospital my letter of resignation, and never looked back. When I look back at how many risks I took to make my dreams come true, I’ll tell anyone on any given day to take a risk and bet on themselves.

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

Hi, I’m Shanika Henry a Licensed Esthetician, Acne Specialist, and Teen Empowerment Coach. I’m in the skincare industry providing waxing, body treatments, chemical peels, and facials. I transform my client’s skin, and boost their confidence. I work closely with acne clients, to discuss diet, and lifestyle habits to help them transition their skin from the inside out. Watching my clients come defeated not expecting no real change in their skin, to sending me pictures 100%confident, and no breakouts brings me close to tears. I want people to know that, skin transformations works when we work closely together. it doesn’t happen overnight, it takes discipline, and consistency. My clients are apart of my family. When they walk in my space, It’s like visiting a family member.

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

For me, transparency will be the most helpful. People want to feel like you can relate and you’re human. They want to see who’s behind the pictures you post. They want to connect with the business. This has been a huge lesson for me, because I’m extremely private.

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

Word of Mouth. Yo can post a ton of content on social media (which can help your following) but when you leave a client satisfied they will refer you to any and everyone. My strategy is to give each client a top tier experience, so that they can tell everyone.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.maskdnyc.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/maskdnyc
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/maskdnyc