Connect
To Top

Meet Trailblazer Chelsea Weiss

Avatar photo

Today we’d like to introduce you to Chelsea Weiss.

Chelsea, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
My name is Chelsea Weiss and I was born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona. I began my career in the accounting field shortly after graduating high school. For almost 13 years, I worked in the corporate world and the workload began to become too repetitive for me and was not challenging enough anymore. I was feeling lost and unsure what the universe had in store for me but I knew I was going to figure it out.

In the spring of 2018, I was looking for a quick confidence boost and thought a spray tan would be the perfect thing to get. I looked online and searched for spray tan salons in the North Valley and was not able to find anyone that had a professional salon setup. I thought this was strange because South Scottsdale has plenty of Spray Tan Salons but I was not willing to travel the distance (especially during traffic hours).

I am naturally great with projects and crafts and so I thought, “Maybe I should do some research and see if this career suits me.” I looked up where to get spray tan certified and I found Norvell University. After getting my hair done at the Primp Lounge, I noticed a suite was available within the SPARK Salon Suites (located in the Happy Valley Town Center). I felt like the universe was literally waving so many flags in my face saying, “Here is your opportunity!”

Working a full-time job and starting my own business was the ultimate test for me. I planned on working my corporate 8 AM – 5 PM job for the first year while running COCO GLOW Spray Tan Co in the evening. The universe had other plans though. After three months, the stress level was increasing.

In November, I decided to go to San Diego to get my Contour Certification. This specific class taught me how to define muscle tone on my clients. My husband, Brandon, came with and we would go to the beach after class and relax. This was the first time in my life where I was not able to relax on the beach. I was so stressed about my regular job plus starting my own business… I just couldn’t enjoy myself. This really bothered us because being that sad (especially on a vacation/business trip) is totally unlike me! After hours of talking, we agreed that I would solely focus on my business. This was the scariest thing ever! I had no idea if I would succeed or fail. But I was constantly reminded, “If this fails, at least you can say you tried!”

Clientele began to grow through referrals from family, friends and the women who work within the Spark Salon Suites. But I had to do a lot of other work as well. I dropped off as many business cards as possible in certain locations. And I started an Instagram account (@cocoglowspraytanco) and started to follow people who live within an area.

The reason why I have so many returning clients is because I educate them as to what products I use and help them understand the entire spray tan process. I am 100% judge free as to how everybody looks. We are our worst critics and my job is to help them feel beautiful and more confident about themselves, Being able to conversant openly with my clients is crucial. I want them to feel like they have someone to talk about life while being in their most vulnerable state. People come back to me because I make them feel comfortable. I have met so many beautiful and intelligent women who are hardworking like me and when each of them leaves my salon with a huge smile on their face, my heart gets so full because I did my job! They feel better about themselves and that is what I strive for.

So, am I still scared to fail? Of course… but I am very proud of myself! As Mel Robbins says, “The more often that you choose courage, the more likely you’ll succeed.” So, I choose courage.. it hasn’t been the easiest to practice each day, but I love knowing that I stepped out of the box and can say I tried!

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Every road has its bumps and curves. I think my biggest struggle was trying to figure out how to start a business so I did lots of research online and figured out what I needed to do which required a plan. Spray Tanning is really an art and each body is different. It was necessary for me to create my own spray tan technique while using the basic tools I learned from my training. The biggest advice I can give is to not beat yourself up when things do not go right. Always remember to learn and grow from the struggles that you encounter. Tomorrow is a new day!

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about COCO GLOW Spray Tan Co. – what should we know?
I am a spray tan artist and I help my clients get a beautiful tan without damaging their skin. I use vegan, cruelty-free, gluten free and paraben free products on their skin. What I am most proud of as a brand/service provider is the customer service that I am able to provide. I strive to make the experience inviting, easy and safe!

Do you feel like there was something about the experiences you had growing up that played an outsized role in setting you up for success later in life?
My parents taught me to always treat everyone as equals. It does not matter if someone is the Janitor, treat them like the CEO. You never know what someone could be going through and by simply holding the door (with a smile) for another person can make their day!

Pricing:

  • Basic Spray Tans – $35
  • Rapid Spray Tans – $45

Contact Info:

Getting in touch: VoyagePhoenix is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.

Related Items

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

More in