Today we’d like to introduce you to Takiya Williams.
Hi Takiya, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I was born and raised in Northern California and relocated to Houston, Texas at the age of 16. Ever since I was a little girl, I always knew part of my purpose was to help people. In 2017, I thought I wanted to help people by getting into the criminal justice field and becoming a forensic scientist… but I soon realized that that was not the field for me. I also realized how self-conscious I was about my appearance in school. Every morning I would pile on makeup in order to hide my hormonal acne and scarring… and deliberately avoid Texas Southern University’s Tiger Walk, taking the long ways back to the dorm to prevent anyone from interacting with me.
After coming to terms with the fact that I did not want to start paying to be in school for something I no longer had interest in (my freshman year of college was paid for via my high school Valedictorian scholarship and Honors College program), I started browsing my options. Because I was already self-taught with makeup application, I figured I could do peoples’ makeup on the side to bring money in to support myself, just until I knew what exactly I wanted to major in. Within two weeks of discovering what an esthetician was, I left TxSU and started my mission. I went to school strictly for makeup, but after learning there is actual science behind skin and skincare, I fell in LOVE! I absolutely adore educating those about the skin and its functions because through education and consistent professional treatments, I am able to change lives! Being self-conscious about your appearance can lead to depression, anxiety, and other disorders, and I would know first hand what that feels like. Being able to make people love themselves in their own skin is the reason why I get up and do what I do every single day!
After finishing my Esthetics program, I landed my first spa job at a threading salon. After a few months, I transitioned to a newly opened MedSpa in the Westheimer area. I was soon promoted to manage the establishment, where I was able to pick up on plenty of skills. After the owner decided to close the location, I moved on to yet another spa job, which I loved! I was already pretty well versed about skin, but I learned so much about the business side of this industry. About seven months in, I began to feel like I was being limited, and I KNEW I could do more. Within two weeks of that, I got my ducks in a row to get my LLC and open up my very own business, Complexxions Skin Lab & Studio.
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?
Nothing truly worth the effort ever comes easy. Before I even made the decision to leave TSU, I was having panic attacks on what my family would say. College had been what I dreamed about for years! I didn’t want to be labeled as a dropout or a quitter. All throughout the esthetics program, I faced car troubles. Financial troubles. Mental health troubles. After I graduated, I was so scared to test that I procrastinated and put it off for four and a half months. Finally, one day, I decided that it was time to suck it up and schedule my licensing exams. I passed both with flying colors, the first time around!
The beauty industry is very saturated, so it was becoming increasingly difficult to find a new job after the Med Spa I was working at closed down. I was relieved to get hired after being without a job for two months. Then boom, almost three months into starting work at my last spa job, the pandemic happened, which started to slow business down in the beginning. Business picked back up, but I felt like I couldn’t exercise my skills the way I wanted to, so I felt like I was trapped in a box. It just seemed like there was a speed bump on every street; my future looked pretty dim until I took it back into my own hands and opened my own business. Being a solopreneur, I still face struggles on a daily basis, but I will not let them get the best of me!
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
At Complexxions Skin Lab & Studio, we specialize in a multitude of services, including facial and body treatments, body waxing, teeth whitening, chemical peels, yoni steaming and facial threading. What sets us apart from other spas is, we strive to educate our clients on ingredients and other important factors so that they are able to truly understand how the skin works and ways to keep it healthy. I think a lot of spas tend to focus just on the beautification of the skin, not necessarily how treatments and ingredients work to achieve that beautification. I am most proud of when my clients return for their monthly treatments and talk about their experience with new products they’ve tried because it contains some of the ingredients we talked about during our last session together. I love that I can make a positive impact on the way people go about their daily activities in less than an hour!
What was your favorite childhood memory?
My favorite childhood memory would be any family event that all of my cousins came to. No matter the circumstances, we always found SOMETHING to do, so we were never bored around each other.
Contact Info:
- Email: info@complexxionsskinlab.com
- Website: www.complexxionsskinlab.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/complexxionsskinlab
- Facebook: facebook.com/complexxionsskinlab
- Twitter: twitter.com/takiyamonaie
- Other: www.complexxionsskinlab.bigcartel.com
Image Credits
Jade Horton
