Business, May 2020

How I Built My Business

May 1, 2020 | by Vicki Morav

Vicki Morav shares tips on growing an esthetics career

Having grown up in Soviet Georgia in Communist times, living with all six members of my family in one room with no frills, it never really crossed my mind that I would end up in New York City on Madison Avenue. I never really had a dream to be a business owner. It all happened as a destiny of some sort. It took its own course, and here I am.

I learned about skincare at a very early age. Not because I had a passion for it, but because it was “girly.” It never crossed my mind that this would be my journey for the rest of time. I developed a great interest after seeing so many different skin issues and experiencing results for them, which is why I have a very hands-on approach with my clients.

In my mid-twenties, I developed very severe acne that led me to take doctor prescribed antibiotics. Eventually, the side effects of the medicines ruined my digestive system, which led me to explore and investigate the inner and outer systems.

I began searching for answers that took me to naturopaths and herbalists, as well as inside-out wellness such as yoga, meditation, understanding hormones, elimination, and genetics/predispositions. My passion was growing, and so was my interest in my profession.

“I started my business without planning it. It was a bold move and a scary one, a complete surrender to trusting the unknown.”

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Starting my own business was a step that allowed me to share more without restrictions. I didn’t want to have boundaries when working with clients. I wanted to give more than to receive, and the more I learned, the more giving I experienced.

I have so much gratitude for all of my teachers and all that have crossed my path, as all of these experiences have brought me to where I am today!

In my 32 years of practicing skincare and coming across thousands of different kinds of humans, my thinking regarding what I want to give and how I want to serve has not changed.

Passion for my work and in my life has always been the driver. It takes one on a journey of self-discovery through all circumstances and all humans that cross my path. Curiosity is a forever expanding quality that is a must in this business or any other. Being curious about acquiring knowledge and being able to self-express as well as listen to one’s needs and concerns really matters.

This is what I find really works:

Getting up in the morning with the purpose of doing something extraordinary for someone.
Bringing positive energy into the workspace.
Doing my work without counting what I get back for it.
The art of giving is everything.
Serving with knowledge, creating awareness, giving unconditionally, feeling a deep satisfaction at the end of each working day.

I started my business without planning it. It was a bold move and a scary one, a complete surrender to trusting the unknown. I worked without an assistant for six years. I handled every aspect of my business. I think it is so important to know all of the simple things of this business, as well as everything else it takes to achieve success. It makes me appreciate all of the jobs I have created as every detail matters.

I have to say I’m a snob when it comes to ingredients. I pick them carefully, not because they’re trendy but because they work. I test every product for six weeks to see how I feel about it and how I can incorporate it with different types of skin. I question everything as I find experiencing products and treatments far more efficient than just reading materials. I also encourage my clients to be inquisitive and not robotic about their choices regarding not only health and beauty but also life!

I find I am very much a unique individual in this industry that looks at a very large picture. I analyze the skin thoroughly. I take into consideration body, mental health, genetics, lifestyle, nutrition, energy work, reiki, and so much more.

It takes an army to understand the aging process as well as understanding that we are unique individuals. Some of us thrive in stress, and others deteriorate.

Treating skin is a chemical experience. One must know how to create friction and then bring it back to balance. There is so much to say about skincare, wellness, and beyond…perhaps someday, I will have a book out with all I have experienced. No one experience is ever enough. My advice: never stop learning and putting it into practice!

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