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

Vanessa, 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 quit my corporate retail job where I worked my way up to managing a 80 million dollar plus a year store after growing with the company since I was 16 years old. I worked my way up to Store Manager, but one day I realized the biggest risk wasn’t leaving — it was staying. I walked away from stability, a steady paycheck, and a familiar path to build something of my own. I chose my vision. I chose my future. I chose growth over comfort. Starting my business was the scariest decision I’ve ever made… but it’s also the best one I ever made. Because sometimes the “safe” choice is actually the one that keeps you from becoming who you’re meant to be. I was working 55–70 hours a week. Sun-up to way past sundown. I barely saw my own child — at the time I only had my daughter at the moment who now 18. I have had recently twin babies and my 3 year old toddler I don’t want to miss. And I missed so many moments I can never get back. I didn’t even remember what a sunrise or a moon looked like. I was exhausted, overworked, and pouring everything into someone else’s dream.

One day I realized… if I’m going to grind this hard, it’s going to be for my dream, not someone else’s company. So I walked away. From “security.” From a steady paycheck. From the path that was never meant for me.

Now I work for myself. I build for my family. And every sunrise I see now isn’t a reminder that I’m tired — it’s proof that I bet on myself and won. And I’m living not just alive.

Vanessa, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I didn’t come into the beauty industry by accident — I came into it with intention. I wanted to create a business that didn’t just offer a service, but created a feeling. I wanted a space where women could step inside and feel like they had been transported somewhere else — luxurious, modern, feminine, high-end — something our city hadn’t seen. Not just a wax appointment, but a full experience. A vibe. A moment to themselves. A space that feels as beautiful as they deserve to feel.
Pink Waxing Co. is more than a waxing studio. We are a beauty experience and a confidence destination. We specialize in professional body waxing, brow artistry, and advanced skincare — but our mission goes deeper. We help women feel beautiful in their own skin.
Something that truly sets us apart is our commitment to aftercare education. We don’t just wax you and send you out the door — we empower you with knowledge. We teach our clients exactly how to care for their skin after their service, and we hand-select every product we carry. We want to be known not only for our flawless technique, but for creating long-term skin health and confidence through proper aftercare.
We are also brow specialists — shaping, sculpting, and enhancing brows is one of our signature services. Brows frame the face, and we take pride in delivering results that enhance natural beauty with precision and artistry.
From our highly trained waxologists, to our beautifully curated space, to our warm hospitality — every detail at Pink Waxing Co. is intentional. Cleanliness, professionalism, communication, and comfort are non-negotiables for us. There’s a reason so many clients say once they come here, they never want to go anywhere else.
I’m most proud of creating a brand that supports women (We love our Men clients too)— both our clients and our team. This studio has given women confidence, careers, and community. And every time a client leaves glowing — not just from smooth skin, but because they feel seen and taken care of — that’s the real success.
What I want people to know about Pink Waxing Co. is simple:
We’re not just removing hair — we’re elevating confidence.
We’re not just another studio — we’re a women-led, locally owned luxury experience built on passion, education, and heart.
We’re here to raise the standard — and make beauty feel empowering.
And the best part? We’re just getting started. Pink Waxing Co. was built from grit, sacrifice, vision, and love — and now I get to show my children every day what happens when you bet on yourself.

Can you open up about how you funded your business?

Funding my business was a journey built on discipline, sacrifice, and long-term vision — nothing about it was handed to me.
I’ve never had handouts, never had investors, and never had anyone open doors for me. Everything I’ve built came from working hard, making smart decisions, and betting on myself.
I bought my first home at 18 — then later purchased another home. When the time was right, I sold that second home and used the equity to fund my business. On top of that, I spent years saving from my corporate career as a store manager. While many were spending and living for the moment, I was stacking, preparing, and building my foundation quietly and intentionally.
I didn’t open this business with luck, loans, or outside money — I opened it with grit, sacrifice, and every ounce of belief I had. My entire life is in this business — my heart, my finances, my time, and my future.
And because of that, I’m manifesting something huge. Pink Waxing Co. is going to be a franchise — mark my words. This isn’t just a waxing studio; it’s a movement and a legacy in the making.
I built this from the ground up, and I’m not done yet.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

One of the biggest lessons I had to unlearn was thinking that everyone around you will support you just because you support them.
I used to believe that if I poured into people — friends, other small businesses, people I genuinely rooted for — that same love and energy would come back to me. I thought support was reciprocal. I thought loyalty meant something. I thought people would clap for me the way I clapped for them.
But the truth is, when you start to grow, not everyone grows with you. Some people disappear. Some people get quiet. Some people watch but don’t cheer. And some people you thought were your circle don’t celebrate you at all — yet strangers will show you more love than people you’ve known for years.
That was a hard pill to swallow.
I had to learn that everyone isn’t meant to come with you. That support doesn’t always come from where you expect it. That sometimes the loudest energy isn’t hate — it’s silence from the people you once held close. And yes, sometimes it feels like a competition… not about how good you are, but about who knows who, who sits at what table, who’s connected to who.
But here’s the backstory:
When I walked away from my corporate job and sacrificed everything — selling my home, investing my equity, using years of savings — I did it believing my circle would clap the loudest. And when they didn’t, I had to stand on my own faith.
I built this business from belief, not validation. I learned that support isn’t guaranteed, but self-belief has to be. I learned that strangers can become your biggest supporters, and people you thought would be proud of you may just feel threatened by your growth.
And you know what? That’s okay.
Because that lesson didn’t break me — it built me. It taught me independence. It taught me resilience. And it taught me that I don’t need everyone to believe in me — I just need to believe in myself.
And I do.
And that’s why I will keep going, keep building, and keep manifesting something bigger than anything I ever dreamed — even if I have to clap for myself along the way.

AND I HAVE ALWAYS TOLD MYSELF I’M NOT AVERAGE!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://PINKWAXINGCO.COM
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pinkwaxingco/
• Facebook: HTTPS://WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/PINKWAXINGCO