Today we’d like to introduce you to Felicia Mercado.
Hi Felicia, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I have always had a passion for beauty because I was exposed to the beauty industry by my mother while I was growing up. My mother was a hairstylist for 30 years and owned a hair salon back in the Dominican Republic. When we moved to Georgia, my mother bought her second hair salon. While in my last year in high school, I decided that I wanted to go to a beauty school. So I went to beauty school for Master Cosmetology. When I graduated and got my cosmetologist License, I started working at my mother’s salon. Later I realized that my real passion was Skin Care because I struggled in my teenage years with cystic acne. I realized I really wanted to help people with their skin to feel confident and beautiful inside and out. In 2011, I decided to go back to school for Esthetics and graduated a year later, and got my license right away. After that, I went on to work in different spas and also went to be a manager at an eyelash extension franchise. While working at the lash franchise, I would work 9-5 pm there and then do facials and skin treatments after. I remember some days I would finish at 10 even 11pm. After 3 years in the lash extension salon, I decided to go venture out on my own and it has been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. Today I own Beauty Fountain Esthetics, and my mission of helping people correct and maintain their skin health to build confidence is my primary focus. I also specialize in eyelash extensions and very soon powder brows.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It wasn’t a smooth road in the beginning, it was hard to build clientele, although I’ve always been confident of my skill set. But with consistency, hard work and excellent customer service my clientele started growing. Another struggle that I think was the biggest to overcome, was the business side of my craft. I struggled because I was so focus on doing a great job on the treatments and making sure I gave the guest the results they were looking for. But little by little I worked on it and was able to get my affairs in order. They don’t teach you that in beauty school. You learn from experience.
As you know, we’re big fans of Beauty Fountain Esthetics. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
I offer skin care treatments such as microneedling, dermaplaning, microdermabrasion, chemical peels, deep pore cleansing facials, bb glow, eyebrow waxing & shaping. I specialize in corrective treatments and eyelash extensions, and soon will specialize in powder brows. At the end of last year, I attended the most prestigious academy of semi-permanent makeup in the US. To me, in order to offer a service, you must master it. My clients desire the best, and I love delivering it. I believe what sets me apart from others is the passion for what I do and great customer service. I try to build a relationship with all my clients. They are like my friends and family. I wake up every day and want to deliver the best of the best to them.
What I want readers to know is that I offer a wide variety of services for all skin types and conditions. Most of my drive comes from personal experiences as a young lady, frustrated with skin challenges difficult to overcome. I want to help every person I have the opportunity to reach, so they don’t go through what I went through. I want to help build confidence. I offer high-quality natural home-care products to help my clients reach their desired goals. With over 15 years of experience in the beauty industry, I understand that proper treatment in combination with a correct home-care regiment, and high-quality products, delivers results every time. Some easy, some difficult, but non impossible.
Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
One of the biggest risks was quitting my job as manager in an eyelash extension salon. I had everything one could ask for. Great pay, paid vacations, insurance, good atmosphere, etc. It was difficult to make the decision to venture out in my own. But I also felt that I was not using my skills to their full potential. It was good, but I wanted better. And in order to do better, I had to put it all on the line. In return, I could have the fulfillment of helping people, I could have the freedom I always wanted, and the opportunity to grow. So I took the leap of faith. I bet on myself, because I believed in myself. In order to grow you need to take risks and get out of your comfort zone. It was scary, and very uncomfortable at first. It challenged me to be a better me. Not just for me, but for my clients. And I would do it all over again if I had to choose. I would just do it sooner.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.beautyfountainesthetics.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beautyfountainesthetics
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/beautyfountainesthetics
