Hi Tavia, thanks for joining us today. How do you think about vacations as a business owner? Do you take them and if so, how? If you don’t, why not?

Absolutely! I’m a huge believer of balance in all areas of life, that includes not burning myself out with work. I love what I do and I’m so grateful for my business but it’s not all that I am. I love traveling and experiencing new places too! My husband is a part-time professional photographer, so traveling often is something we both value deeply. Our trips bring me so much joy, I feel very lucky that I’m able to schedule time off for myself- the perks of being my own boss!

Tavia, 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?

I’m Tavia Hartley Fisher and I’m an esthetician & business owner in San Antonio, Texas. My business is called Work of Hart and I specialize in full body waxing and lash lifts. I’ve been a licensed esthetician for 10+ years and I started my business in 2019. I’ve dabbled in basically everything in the esthetics world but I’ve always gravitated back towards waxing. I knew that when opening my business, waxing was the perfect niche for me since I have many years of experience with it. I think having a specific niche is best when opening a business because you’ve established that you are a master of that skill, which creates trust and loyalty from your clientele.

My business is a little different because I actually only see clients 9-12 days out of the month. My husband is military so we no longer live where my business is located, I travel back & forth every month to see my clientele. They have been so understanding and loyal! I’ve maintained my clientele not only because of my quality work but because I maintain genuine relationships with them.

I truly think getting to know my clients and establishing trust in our conversations is what sets me apart from my peers. The services that I perform can be pretty intimate/vulnerable and I always like to be mindful of making every client feel very comfortable and at ease with me. I think waxing is only half of my job, the other half is being a compassionate listening ear for whatever they are going through in life; whether that be a shoulder to cry on during hard times or celebrating their joys and achievements, making them feel confident and emotionally “lighter” when they leave me.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

I opened my business with debt and not much savings. That probably wasn’t the smartest move and I don’t recommend that for others, but for me, it’s what I needed to keep going. I didn’t have a “plan B”, I needed my business to succeed. My first month in business, my schedule was basically empty with not many clients at all, I’m talking 1 or 2 clients a day, and zero clients some days. But I kept going. I kept handing out business cards, I kept promoting myself on social media. I just kept telling myself to not give up because that was the only way my business would grow. And with time and determination, it got REALLY busy, my schedule was loaded with clients! It’s really important to not listen to anyone who may doubt your dreams. They can only see as much potential in you as they see in themselves. Sometimes that doubter could be your mind, but let that thought pass. Do not give up on yourself. Hard work and discipline will set you apart from everyone else.

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

I listened to so many podcasts when I first started my business. I think it’s what kept me the most motivated and disciplined. My favorite podcasts (that I still listen to every week) are The Skinny Confidential and The Ed Mylett Show. Both of those podcasts cover so many topics of business, motivation, resilience, wellness, and mental health. I’ve taken so much advice from them and continue to implement their tactics into my life & business. I think when you first start a business, it can be very all-consuming and lonely in a way. Listening to those podcasts made me feel understood and reminded me to never give up on myself!

Contact Info:

• Website: workofhart.glossgenius.com
• Instagram: work.of.hart

Image credit:
LunaStellar Photography