Today we’d like to introduce you to Mallory Weinmann.
Hi Mallory, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I went to Esthetics School right out of High School in 2005. I had always struggled with breakouts and had been on topical medications as well as antibiotics but I wanted to get to the root of the issue. Going into skin care, I wanted to learn how to heal the skin, not just treat it.
I graduated the Aveda Institute in 2006 and began working at a full service salon and spa. It was (and still is) privately owned by two amazing women who taught me everything I know about professionalism and they really nurtured my growth as a baby esthetician.
In 2010 I decided to sell everything I own and move to Hawaii to live with my sister as she was having her first (and only) child. My plan was to work in a resort spa out there but that never made it to fruition. After almost a year of being the nanny to my amazing niece, my sister and her husband at the time decided to move back to Ohio. I was in the interview process at the Disney Aulani resort but decided to head home with my sister and her little family.
I found another amazing, privately and female owned Spa and worked there until 2016 when I decided it was time to go out on my own. Again, I learned so much from that last job as an employee, became a trainer, managed people and really honed in on my craft and the services I wanted to offer.
I started at Salon Lofts, and in 2019 I moved to my current location that I don’t foresee ever leaving!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Ohhhhh man. The spa service provider world is not easy to break into! I waited tables for the first 5+ years of my career as an Esthetician while i was building up my clientele. This was pre- social media, mind you. Now, everything is so different! I would send out mailers to people who had just moved into the area, really “beat the pavement” as my first boss would say. It taught me so much and got me out of my shell.
After leaving Columbus for a year, coming back and working in a new area, I had to re rebuild my clientele. When I left my last job as an employee, I had to rebuild again. Even when I left Salon Lofts, moved to my current space, still in Grandview, there was a moment of rebuilding then too. None of that would compare to the scariest time in my life, but my career turned out to be my saving grace.
My daughter, Josephine, was born September 18, 2019. We found out at 20 weeks gestation she had a non-genetic related disorder called an Omphalocele. She would go straight to the NICU after birth and we’d go from there. She ended up being in the NICU for 4 months, coming home in January of 2020, then we rolled right into Covid shutdowns. I was so scared to contract anything as she was so immunocompromised, I shut down before Ohio was even mandated to. Looking back, I will always be grateful for that time with her. Joey unexpectedly passed away August 2020.
I obviously took some more time off and slowly went back to work. The amount of love poured into my family was astounding. I probably went back to work sooner than I should have but I just needed some normalcy. I definitely lost some clients from having less availability and frankly, some just didn’t know what to say to me! I totally get that and don’t blame them one bit. But again, I found myself rebuilding my business. The new clients that found me are now some of the most meaningful and special clients to me. The ones who stuck around have become true friends, basically family, who hugged me tight, let me cry, cried with me and truly lifted me out of my deepest depression.
This is the beauty of my industry. At times, I can act as a therapist to my clients, a sounding board, emotional support. But then, when I NEEDED that, they were there to do the same for me. I am eternally grateful for each and every person who steps into my studio. I’ve always known my career is a privilege but now I cherish it so deeply, it doesn’t even feel like a job.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Skin By Mal?
I love offering a wide variety of services to my clients. I am an expert speed waxer for body waxing, I can carve out an amazing eyebrow you never knew you had the potential for. Not just by waxing, I do laminations and tints to really elevate your natural brow. I offer lash lifts as well. My facials are definitely what I’m known for these days. I take professional grade products, mixed with the latest technologies and dermaplane to give you the best skin of your life! If you were to ask me my favorite service to perform, it surprises most because not everyone knows I do them, but it would be spray tans! I’ve been doing them since my early days and I’ve seen the technology improve over the years. I have some super secret techniques to give each person the most beautiful, natural tan.
We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking?
No risk, no reward right? I would say Ive been a risk taker in the past but have since calmed down a bit. Moving to Hawaii was definitely a huge one! I put all my eggs in that basket and assumed I’d just find a job in a resort spa and live the island life. Well, plans change, I came back to Ohio and found the best place to work. Another big risk was leaving that spa and starting my own business. I was petrified but I knew I could do it. Here I am, 9 years later, still going strong with Skin By Mal!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Skinbymal.com
- Instagram: Skinbymal614
