Conversations with Natali Stidham

Today we’d like to introduce you to Natali Stidham.

Hi Natali, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I always say my story started when I was a young girl, and my mom let me start getting manicures and pedicures with her at the age of 8 every two weeks; by the time I was 14, I begged her to let me have acrylic nails, and she finally allowed it, so every two weeks I got my nails done with her and every 6 we got our hair done (I might add, this is early 2000’s, so it was, of course, chunky, brassy highlights against a deep red or dark brown which was so totally in at the time! Haha) around this time facials became a part of our 6-8week routine because I suffered horribly with acne and this amazing Angel of an Esthetician-with the same name as my mother-Mary, helped me get my painful breakouts under control after every other option I had tried failed. Right then, I was in love with all things aesthetics and skincare.
Later, as an adult, I worked at a handful of salons and spas as a receptionist, and eventually, it led me to become a front desk girl at Massage Envy in 2010.

There, I met some of my lifetime best friends who to this day have a special place in my heart & who I credit for wanting to join in on the spa world!

At the time, most of them were Licensed Massage Therapists which I always knew I still wanted to go for more of the beauty world, so I didn’t make my move yet on picking a vocation. Later, Massage Envy moved into the Aesthetics side, and just like years prior with my Aesthetician Mary- there were those beautiful estheticians again.

Fast forward to 2014 I was pregnant with my first son, when I decided to go back to school, I knew exactly the profession I wanted to study, as it was my absolute passion already! There, I met even more amazing friends.

The experience while pregnant was beautiful. I was surrounded by beautiful women inside and out who helped transition me into motherhood and the world of Aesthetics. From there, I returned to M.E. But this time as an Esthetician. Again, I met one of my best friends, and my hiring general Manager, Patty. The group I worked with there at that location was one of those once-in-a-lifetime moments of work where everyone flowed so beautifully, and we were all able to grow both personally and professionally, doing what we love and healing people through the power of touch. I lost my mom this year in February, but I think of her with every ounce of my being, including what I do for a living.

For a while, I had my salon spot where I practiced esthetics independently, but through the life changes I was going through then, I couldn’t keep it going for as long as I would’ve liked to. After losing my mom, my main goal is to get back into my life’s work of esthetics. In her honor, she was always so proud that all the time we spent in the salon and spa encouraged me to become an esthetician. My story is ever-evolving and far from over; it is just beginning. And I couldn’t be more excited! 💖

It wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Not! But In some ways, it has been amazingly smoother than I could have ever imagined! I’ll explain. It hasn’t been the smoothest financial road, especially right before opening my independent spa in the salon of a great friend. Unfortunately, it was only a year and a half out of COVID, and I was going through many life changes at the time, which didn’t allow me the time needed to focus on growing my clientele, so eventually, I had to make the hard decision of going back to the more corporate atmosphere of Massage Envy. After losing my mom, I also had to let my position there go- so I’m not working anywhere at the moment and deciding on returning to an established spa or trying again at my little project. Either way, it is smooth sailing when I’m doing what I love- the bumps In the road are easy to handle because the power of touch heals me as much as it heals the skin of the beautiful face lying on my table, trusting me to help them heal their skin and feel better than when they came in. That part is always smooth.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am an aesthetician by trade, a mother by nature, and an artist by hobby. I’m known for my ability to relate to people of all kinds. My clientele has always been made up of women who love to share stories and experiences of strength and hope and always a good, deep belly laugh. My deep care for what I’m passionate about sets me apart. I give an amazing hand, arm, and neck massage because I listen to the body and give it the love it needs. I specialize in relaxing facials, deep cleaning peels, a focused dermaplane, and my favorite service of all microdermabrasion.

My newest hobby is drawing, and I enjoy drawing all kinds of flowers, mushrooms, and things that require small details. My stationery is one of my prized possessions, and I love keeping it all Instagram organized.

Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
I was raised in Las Vegas and moved here to Phoenix in 2010 for the first time, and permanently since the following year in 2011. I love our city. I love our sunsets, our hikes within town, and the fact you can be in different climates in as little as a 2-hour drive. When I left here briefly between 2010 & 2011, I realized how much this city was calling me. We have to endure a (VERY!) hot summer, that’s for sure, but the purple, yellows, and green after a monsoon rain on the mountains or the 70° winters more than makeup for it! In my eyes, I don’t have much, or really anything at all that I don’t like about our city🙃