Today we’d like to introduce you to Margarita Bentley.
Hi Margarita, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
I have been a Nurse Practitioner in the ER for the past 10 years. With that job comes long hours, overnights, Holidays, and many missed family events. I have a very supportive husband who is a big reason I have been able to have a thriving career for these many years. The ER was all-consuming: Someone calls out, you go in. Your patient’s CT scan is not back, you wait the three hours until the results are reported, and then you spend another hour or two speaking to the patient, educating them, or admitting then to the hospital. With all that craziness, I LOVED the ER; it was my jam. If you asked anyone, I was born to work in the ER. Heck, I thought I would be buried in the ER somewhere, but all that came to a screeching halt.
In December of 2019, on an odd day off, I was invited to a Christmas party with a bunch of the neighborhood moms, and I was so excited to get to go. While I was there, I met a lovely woman, and we chatted about life, jobs, and kids’ sports. At one point, she yelled, “OH MY GOSH, YOU are Max’s Mom. We all thought your husband was s single Dad because we’ve never seen you at any of the games!” that was a direct punch to the gut, but I realized she did not intend to offend me and so we chatted some more over a nice glass of wine. Later that month, we were at our youngest’s Christmas play, and my 11-year-old daughter, who never ever has asked me for anything, who always rolled with our crazy schedule and who was content when we were all together asked me: “Mom, can you stay home more?” The agony, I felt I had failed her as a mother, so that night, I typed up my letter of resignation and sent it in. Due to the nature of our job, once they receive our resignation, they still keep us on the schedule for 3 months until we finish all our scheduled shifts. Those three months were brutal. While I was winding down on ER shifts, I took a Botox training class in January of 2020, and with the support of my Collaborating Physician, I started my mobile Botox business. I really did not do anything with the business; I was worried I didn’t know anyone who actually used Botox (or so I thought). In March 2020, I purchased supplies and decided to take the plunge and start advertising my Botox business, and then COVID hit, the world shut down, and my business was a bust even before I really started. After weeks of COVID coverage and with all the shutdowns, I prayed for answers. I really thought about what to do next and started telling my friends and family I was still offering Botox. A few of my friends told other friends, and I started getting calls from women who were unable to get an appointment or did not have daycare; but who still needed to do Zoom meetings and keep up their skin routine. I took the opportunity to consult them and treat them with personalized follow-ups, touch-ups, and interesting conversations. I began to feel the rush of helping women and their husbands find the right products for their skin concern.
As 2 years came and went and as COVID is now a part of our every day, I have come to appreciate my service to others. I have come to love educating my clients and seeing them come back with improved skin and with the confidence to ask questions. I have clients I see in Memorial, Magnolia, Austin, Katy, Conroe, River Oaks, and the medical center, and it has become difficult to see everyone in one week, even if I saw clients every day.
In January of 2023, I wanted a central location where clients came come to me, and I can see them for other services such as facials or IV hydration after an exhaustive search, I came to find a great spot here in Hedwig Village. As of now, many people do not know I am here, but with some time and a little patience, I hope I become a staple in this community. I want people to have a boutique experience without feeling like cattle just passing through. I hope I can meet the people in this area, and I hope they can come to trust me with their weightloss or skincare needs.
Alright, 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?
COVID was a big bump in the road. It was difficult for me to be able to go see clients and for them to be comfortable to allow me in their homes to be able to treat them.
At this time, the difficulty is getting people weaned off of concierge services. All my clients have grown accustomed to texting me for a last-minute appointment, and once they book, they don’t have to worry about driving through Houston traffic to come see me. I have a few who are amenable to coming to my office; others are still resistant, but I feel they just need a little time.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about SKINny Wellness LLC?
SKINny Wellness is a small boutique-style wellness center where clients can come in and get help managing their weight and skincare. I love being able to help both men and women love their skin and kickstart their health journey. I have been able to educate and suggests products to clients that may help with their specific skin concern. I have been privileged to get to know many of my clients if not all of them on a personal level. There is so much information out there, and it becomes difficult to straighten it all out, so I have become a person they know they can come to and be comfortable asking questions too and not feel like they are on a timer. I want to be a part of this community and be a helpful source of information and wellness for those people seeking to jumpstart or improve their wellness.
Do you have any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
We are a large family, and we were poor, but my siblings and I never went without. My favorite memory was piling into our family van and DRIVING to from Chicago, IL to Mexico. Several days on the road with no air conditioning, no seatbelts, and overnights in a rest area so that my dad can take a nap before getting back on the road. THOSE. WERE. THE. DAYS.
Pricing:
- Botox $12/ unit
- Semaglutide $300/ month
- IV therapy starts at $200
- Lips $725
- Juveau & Xeomin $10/ unit
Contact Info:
- Website: www.Skinny-wellness.com
- Instagram: @Skinny_wellness
- Facebook: Skinny Wellness
- Linkedin: Skinny-wellness
- Twitter: @SkinnyWellness
