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Meet Joy Kozak of Do You Know Joy in Park Hill

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Today we’d like to introduce you to Joy Kozak.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I wasn’t sure what I wanted to call my business — the name Do You Know Joy stemmed from when two of my clients, unknowingly were talking at a bar and they started talking about brow waxing. When one asked the other where they went, they realized they were both seeing me! “Oh! I go to Joy–do you know Joy?” The rest is history!

Owning a business and being an entrepreneur has always been in my blood. It became a family joke — that no matter what field I was in I was always working towards ways to better the business and make it more efficient. I blame my summers as a kid, disappearing in my local library reading book after book after book. I couldn’t get enough.

When I was about 15, I was starting to work in salons, after being inspired by Kevin Aucoin I began shaping my friend’s eyebrows by the way of tweezers over our after school snacks. I always knew that this field would take me places, and I was lucky enough to attend beauty school while still in high school. I wasn’t sure yet where I wanted to put my focus in the field, but I knew I was on the right path.

After working in the field, from haircutting and styling, barbering, nails, skin care…I couldn’t get enough. I was given the opportunity to work for an up and coming waxing franchisee and traveled around the country, training estheticians on not only how to remove hair by waxing, but how to make a connection with their guests. I fell in love helping fellow estheticians reach their goals, and also learned a lot helping salon owners build their business and make a profit.

When I moved to Denver three years ago, I knew that I wanted to open a boutique studio where everyone would feel welcome. I wanted it to feel like you were just coming in to chat with an old friend. Helping people feel good about themselves is always my goal. Sometimes you only have 15 min in your day to just lay down and breathe — I want people to be able to relax in their time with me — even if I am removing hair from their body.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
People will often tell you that success rarely happens in a straight line — but you don’t realize how wavy that line is until you are in the thick of it.

I have been in the industry for almost 20 years — and have been working towards building my own since 2017. I have switched locations 3 times, starting off in the Rino neighborhood, experimenting in Lohi and finally ending up in Park Hill. There are so many things to consider — parking, heat and air control, visual aspects, partnerships…the list can go on and on. I am the type of person who needs to figure things out myself, so I can have a why behind what works and what doesn’t — I always learn by trial and error.

Some days you end up questioning if its all worth it, wondering if you will ever be able to really pay yourself what you are worth and have freakouts when things develop hiccups. However, when you trust the process, keep working daily towards your goals, and keep investing in yourself the sky’s the limit. I am thankful everyday from the support of my clients, who go with the flow with me and follow me wherever I go.

Do You Know Joy – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I am often told that my name fits me perfectly — I wanted to make sure that came across in my business. Because what I do can be so personal, I want to make sure everyone is at ease. That starts from the complimentary beverage when you walk in, to the positive affirmations scattered around and the music that I constantly curate for each type of service. I like to explain everything in detail, and believe that education is so important.

Supporting a small business like myself means that you get more personal attention, more value for your time and money and that friendly vibe that makes you want to come back. I am known to bake for my clients, text about restaurant recommendations or just to talk about life. I am always attending classes, educating myself on new products or techniques. I also am always on the hunt for the best products, and really take pride in using those products in the treatment room. Most of my services include some sort of massage — a quick third eye massage after a brow wax or a scalp massage with some essential oils can really make someone’s day.

My clients are not just a client to me — they are what makes my dream a reality and I am forever thankful.

I offer waxing, facials and lash extensions-which can mean so many different things. I specialize in full body speed waxing — especially Brazilian bikini waxes and brows. I am told that I offer a pain-free and quick experience — a methodical technique that I have developed over years and years and thousands of clients.

With my facials, I believe that good skin starts with good skin care — and that can mean actual skin care products as well as learning how to de-stress your body, eat well, and relax. I specialize in dermaplane facials — which involve a scalpel that I use to gently scrape the dead skin and hair off of your face. This will allow any topical products penetrate and get to where they are needed, instead of sitting on dead layers of skin. It also makes your makeup apply smoother, and really makes your skin glow. Have I mentioned that it also helps prevent wrinkles? All of my facials involve some sort of massage, maybe some quick cupping or energy balancing using crystals. You should feel lighter when you leave and ready to take on the world.

Last but not least, I offer lash services. I specialize in creating custom lash extensions — everything from just adding a little length and thickness to creating dramatic sets. I really feel for my lash sets — its a tedious few hours but you will wake up feeling like you are effortlessly put together with no makeup at all. I spend countless hours practicing, always taking new classes and trying new styles. My goal is to make your eyes pop and leave you feeling confident — so when people see you, they can feel the confidence radiating from you. If extensions aren’t your thing, I also offer lash lifts which opens your eyes up and can be done every six weeks… I also can tint your lashes darker so raccoon eyes from mascara can be a thing of the past.

What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
The proudest moment for me is to finally see everything start to come together.

When you wear so many hats, building everything from ground zero, it can be hard to see the forest thru the trees.

Every time I watch someone smile after opening their eyes from their lash extension service, it makes me proud that I can help give them that confidence.

Every time I get a referral or a new review, I feel proud that that client chose me. I love getting to know my clients. Hearing about their story really makes me feel proud that they trust me enough to not only get naked and have their hair ripped out by me, but that they feel relaxed enough to talk to me and share their life trials and tribulations.

On days when I am struggling, I like to call my Dad. He has always been my number one supporter and has always shown me that success will come from determination. I feel proud to be his daughter and am thankful from having him as a role model — I get my entrepreneurial spirit from him.

I also like to think of my Mom, and how proud she would be if she knew I finally followed my dream to open my own studio. I know she is smiling down — and that makes me proud.

Pricing:

  • I would like to offer a complimentary brow wax to anyone who mentions this article

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Getting in touch: VoyageDenver is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.

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