Welcome to Blue Moon Wellness!
Welcome to my very first business blog post! My name is Shaley. I am the owner of the studio spa Blue Moon Wellness. I’m a licensed esthetician and massage therapist in Rhode Island! I am also a singer in my Family Band DR.SLICK. I have 3 older brothers and a twin sister as well!
I have been in love with all things beauty and makeup since I can remember. I’ll never forget the first makeup kit I got for Christmas as a little girl. I lived in blue eyeshadow...and so did my sister, my friends, and probably my brothers, too!
All throughout my high school career I was faced with the dreaded question, “What colleges are you applying to?” or “What’s your plan for the rest of your life?“.
Like, back off people! I’m only 17, how the heck am I supposed to know!? Although, I kind of always knew that the traditional “4 year college plan” wasn’t really on the agenda for me. Mostly because I come from a family of five children (with divorced parents) and we didn’t exactly grow up wealthy, so I just assumed it wasn’t even an option for me.
I watched my mother struggle her way through cosmetology school while battling a dysfunctional marriage/ divorce and raising five children all by herself. So I kind of thought, “Oh yikes, I probably won’t be following in her footsteps... maybe I’ll get a job in the medical field!”
Although I witnessed more struggle and grief than anything, the most important thing I observed was a BADASS single mother of five children rising from the ashes, pulling herself together, working five jobs seven days a week, and HUSTLING like I’ve never seen anyone hustle before and she made it work! All whilst being an amazing mother.
So that kind of changed my perspective on pursuing a career in what I love. She wanted it, and so did I, and I still do! It took me about two semesters of community college to realize “Yeah this ain’t for me, my passions lie elsewhere.”
So I immediately started researching local beauty schools. Within a few weeks, I was enrolled and sitting in class with women I grew to love and cherish, while learning all things makeup and skincare! And that was about 8 years ago.
I worked for quite a few day spas after graduating and receiving my estheticians license. Some good, some bad. I just wanted to get my hands on all the work I possibly could! I worked for a wedding makeup company traveling all over New England where I was
beautifying brides and bridesmaids for their big day. Meanwhile after I was singing in my band on the weekends at night, then reporting to my day spa job at 8:00am the next day to sling facials and makeup. I was half awake but loving my new career and independent lifestyle at just 19 years old!
At 23, I landed myself my dream job as an esthetician at The Marriott in Newport! It was amazing. I loved it! I finally found a beautiful facility to work in with great staff and an awesome boss as a full time position. It couldn’t get any better!
Within the first year of working there, I realized how BUSY the massage therapists were, and I wasn't as busy. My boss strongly suggested that I go to massage therapy school. She told me how great it is to be dually licensed in this industry, and boy was she right!
Within a month of that conversation I was sitting in another class surrounded by new faces, wearing the ugliest puke green polo and khakis (GAG!!😂) nervous as hell to be back in school at 23! But, I was optimistic and excited. Lincoln Technical Institute was one of the best experiences I had academically and on a personal level. I absolutely adored my instructors, gained some life long friends, and learned so much my head could have exploded! Damn you anatomy!!
Emerging from Lincoln Tech a year later licensed and ready to go, I went right back to work at The Marriott while searching for other opportunities as well. I've always been the type of person to have multiple jobs. I like to keep it interesting.
After a couple years of doing this and still not being fully satisfied financially or with my schedule, I realized that I am worth so much more than being bound by other business owners’ expectations and schedules. My skills, talent, and level of knowledge could be better suited elsewhere. So, I started my search for my very own commercial office space! I found a space I loved and saw so much potential in.
During my startup, the global Pandemic Covid-19 hit the world, and I was terrified. For so many reasons obviously, but my main thought was, “How the f*** am I going to open a business during this sh**?!".
But my boyfriend, family, and I continued to renovate and keep a positive outlook. Night after night, ripping up old moldy carpets in hazmat suits, hammering, sawing, painting, dancing and singing (fighting too, of course) ... till the sun practically came up. It was about 2 months, and I had freakin’ spa!!! 🙌🏼🙌🏼
I opened my doors in May of 2020 nervous and excited with so much uncertainty with everything going on pertaining to the virus. I was so ready for my new chapter! I’ve been working really hard every day. Never looking back at working for other people. I won't lie, there have been struggles and bumps, and I anticipate many more along the way. But the last six months have been the happiest and most rewarding times for me. Having full control over my schedule and my life has been such a weight lifted. I’m able to provide my services the way that I see fit, use the products that I like, and work with clients that I trust!
Opening a business has been such a huge challenge, but I wouldn’t change for the world what I have built over the last few months. I can’t wait to see what my future brings! I hope to have all of my clients along for the journey with me, and I hope to meet more amazing people every day!
If you’ve made it this far, I can’t thank you enough for reading my career journey! I hope you find yourself relaxing on my table receiving one of my awesome services very soon! 💙
Xoxo
-Shaley
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