Exploring Life & Business with Melissa Avila of The Wax Flinger Esthetics

Today we’d like to introduce you to Melissa Avila

Hi Melissa, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
In 1992 I unexpectedly ended up enrolling in Paul Mitchell Academy of Beauty in Seattle, WA and quickly fell in love with esthetics and makeup. I got my first job part time in a private skincare clinic and then a year later I was hired to work a the PNW’s premiere Day Spa in Seattle. In 2004 I left to open my own Waxing and Skincare business and in 2002, I attended The Blanche McDonald Film and TV special f/x school in Vancouver, BC.

In 2018 I opened a second Waxing and Skincare location in a suburb of Seattle. In 2020 I started working with Transwomen and Crossdressers as an Image Consultant assisting them with Makeup, Wigs and Wardrobe. In June of 2024 my husband and I decided to relocate to Arizona for sunshine and warmth and I decided to open another Esthetics business in Tempe. I’m also working part time for Sephora as a Licensed Beauty Advisor so I can meet people and get my name out there as well as being able to do Makeup services there as well.

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?
No! I opened my business in 2004 with 150 clients that followed from the Day Spa but I couldn’t get a loan so I had to charge 5k on my credit card to pay for it all. The housing crash hit me hard as well and the ones that kept supporting me were a lot of teachers, university faculty, doctors and nurses. I made it but it was rough and I had to really cut back on spending. When Covid hit that was again very scary but I had the best clients that waited for me to re-open and support my small business. Now I am back to the challenge of rebuilding in a whole new State and culture and trying to be patient to see the growth but it’s really scary as well.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
My skill for waxing ALL body parts for ALL genders is where I’ve always thrived. I am extremely confident in my services and have 31 years of experience. My facials are all about relaxation, massage and hydration, I take great pride in making sure the client is relaxed and not stressed no matter what the service is.

Since working closely with the Trans community over the last 4 years, I receive so much gratitude from those individuals and I make sure I am giving them a safe space to be open and authentically them.

Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
The Beauty industry in Arizona is extremely saturated, like I’ve never seen anywhere before. You have to find a niche and be really good, personable and hungry to suceed.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://TheWaxFlinger.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/thewaxflinger
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/thewaxflinger

Image Credits
I filled this out on my laptop but my images are on my phone which I can email separately if you give me an email to do so.