Daily Inspiration: Meet Taylor O’Leary

Today we’d like to introduce you to Taylor O’Leary. 

Hi Taylor, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers?
When I was younger, I use to go with my mother to her waxing appointments. I use to ask her esthetician all sorts of questions and watch as she waxed, tweezed, and pull my mother’s hair out. I started coming along to her facials and laser appointments too. My mother always thought it was odd but said I have always been this way. Learning new ingredients to facial creams and mixing them in the bathroom at night. Looking up videos of the best way to extract something or new methods to help treat a family member’s skin issue. (I would like to give a quick thanks to my family and their patience for all of the soaps, creams, and experiments I concocted when I was younger). So, after finishing high school I spent a couple of year working and dabbling in the dental world before finally making the jump into aesthetics. 

My first job aesthetic job was at a local waxing franchise near my house. There I learned the ins and outs of waxing but I always wanted to know more. So, at the end of 2019, I had made the decision that in October of 2020 I was going to move to South Korea, which I like to compare as the holy place of all skincare. I wanted to expand my knowledge and know everything and anything about skincare but unfortunately, we all know how 2020 went and that plan was cancelled. 

In the midst of my 2020 plans of going to South Korea were stopped fully, I had friends and family encourage me to open my own place. My own place to expand as much as I want in aesthetics. So, in April of 2021, I opened my business Smooth Secrets, and having been enjoying it ever since. 

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has definitely not been a smooth road. This kind of journey has been more of an internal journey than anything. Knowing to when to slow down, or knowing it’s okay to ask for help. What can I do to give people a more relaxed experience? Am I doing enough? What can I improve in? Do I have the right tools and knowledge to help my guests when they need it? Though I would say so far, the biggest struggle I’ve encountered is being a boss. I started my business as mainly a waxing studio and within in 4 months I expanded into medical aesthetics; laser hair removal, tattoo, removal, Botox, vitamin injections, etc., etc. Then 2 months after expanding I started feel the effects of burnout but was too stubborn to stop. I was working 7 days a week and thought I could keep going. It took a mentor to tell me I needed to slow down before I did burn out. This was after I got sick for 3 days after overworking. So, in November of 2021, I hired my first 2 people. It was a weird and new feeling for me. I never thought I would be the boss to anybody. I expected to stay a one-man show for maybe 5 years before even thinking of hiring anyone. I still ask myself what else I can do to be a good boss and leader for my employees. I had experienced some really bad management personally at past jobs and I have learned that a place that doesn’t treat their employees well, is a place that most likely fail. 

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
My goal is to become a one-stop shop for my guests’ beauty and relaxing needs. We do most basic aesthetics like: waxing, eyebrow, and eyelash tinting, brow lamination, and facials, On the medical aesthetics end we do: laser hair removal, tattoo removal, IPL, skin resurfacing, permeant makeup, botox, and fillers. We are take pride in being transparent and offering flexibility with our guests and their needs. We always listen to what our guests want and their goals and like to offer different treatments. We take our time and truly figure out how we can give our guests their best results. 

What sets us apart from others I would say that we make each service personalized based on our guest’s needs. We make sure to adapt to our guest’s needs because everyone is not the same so a general treatment or service may not work for everyone. 

Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc.?
There is an app that I personally use and recommend to my guests to help build healthy habits. It’s called Fabulous and helps a person build a healthy foundation to create good habits in your life. Which is how I approach to creating a good skincare routine for my guests. Starting out simple instead of just dumping a bunch of stuff and expectations on them. Get them use to a couple of new things and slowly build upon them so their skincare routine becomes a relaxing and natural part of their life. 

Contact Info:

• Email: smoothsecretsinfo.com
• Website: https://smoothsecretsmedspa.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smoothsecretsmedspa/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/smoothsecretsmedspa