Meet Yolanda Robinson of EstiBlack Aesthetics in Glendale

Today we’d like to introduce you to Yolanda Robinson.

Yolanda, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I was born and raised on the east side of Detroit, MI. Just a city girl who always dreamed of being more than just a girl from Detroit. I graduated from one of the top 3 schools in Detroit, Cass Technical High School. Later attending Wayne State University. I wanted to get out of Detroit and see more, I transferred to Saginaw Valley State University to major in Electronic Media Broadcasting. Until Health issues occurred that forced me to have to move back home.

After being healed, I decided to move out of MI and move to OH where I didn’t think I would call home for ten years. Had my beautiful baby girl and began working for different companies, I landed a job at Ventra Plastics (Ford Motor Company), worked there for the last seven years of living in OH and I just remember saying to myself “this can not be my life.” I was unfilled, unmotivated and just content. Knowing It was a great job with benefits and able afford myself and my daughter a comfortable lifestyle. I knew that wasn’t my destiny; my dreams were bigger. That is when my PUSH came. After my boyfriend (now fiance) many flights to OH he asked me if I wanted him to move to OH. I told him there is more to US than OH. He said “I didn’t think you would want to leave, will you move to AZ?” My answer was YES! We packed up and drove to from OH to Phoenix in January of 2018.

When I got AZ, the air was different, the vibe was different, I knew I was truly home. Having struggled with skin issues myself and loving things all beauty related, I enrolled into Penrose Academy Aesthetics School in April of 2018 and graduated with honors. The road to excel in the beauty industry was not easy because getting hired at a spa straight out of school was unheard of. So, I had to change the plan. It was time to work for myself.

In 2019, I reached out to multiple people in the valley to mentor me. Being new to the valley, I knew it would be a struggle, but my persistence finally paid off. One spa owner named Devette, gave me my first chance and allowed me to work alongside her in her spa as I built my brand and my business. She inspired me and encouraged me to give entrepreneurship a chance. And so I did, I started taking clients at super discounted rates, studying my craft, studying my audience and studying skin health as it pertains my community. I kept learning because the beauty industry kept changing. What I saw was there weren’t many black estheticians that focused on skin. I realized my community (demographics) needed to be focused more on skin health, instead of the trend that wearing makeup can just cover their imperfections. My motto is simple, Skin Care first Make up Second, having Healthy Skin is the new Trend. So, now I have clients whom I refer to as EstiBesties, from all over the valley that I have either treated in my (then) home based spa or who I have traveled to with my mobile services, whose skin I have been able to analyze and treat accordingly.

Some of my EstiBesties are in need of being pampered. Some are in need of being educated/guidance and some who has major skin concerns that needs to be corrected, I have been able to fulfill all their needs. All my facial services are relaxing AND beneficial. Through corrective and preventive skin methods, I have been able to change how they view the current state of their skin and assist them on a journey to healthy skin. Through education, I am able to read EstiBesties skins past, analyze the present state of their skin and together formulate a plan to a future of healthy skin.

During the 2020 Pandemic, I offered free virtual skin consultation to educate EstiBesties on products that should be used to address their skin concerns, Proud to say during that time, I was able to help 40 EstiBesties from all over on their skin journey and grow my business. To date, I have opened EstiBlack Aesthetics Studios. A nice corner of the universe that allows me to treat my EstiBesties in an even more relaxed environment. I’ve expanded my reach and been able to network! I did it nervous, I did it scared but i did it! The road wasn’t easy but it sure is rewarding.

Great, 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?
Road, not smooth at all. I went on countless interviews after graduating to hear the same line “we need you to have two years experience” Also, in the beginning, gaining clientele was very hard. I am an introvert by nature so it was hard to talk about my business. Being new and exuding confidence within myself, always steered me away from promoting and advertising. Not to mention, having to transition to a being home based made me feel like people wouldn’t take me seriously. So, struggling constantly with am I good enough, Am I knowledgeable enough, Am I truly capable of running a successful business? I am sure I stunted my own growth in the beginning with self doubt. But I overcame it.

EstiBlack Aesthetics – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
EstiBlack Aestheics Studios is a multi service treatment room. Offering customized facials, dermaplane, microdermabrasion, collagen induction therapy (microneedling) small body waxing, chemical peels, education and relaxation. Also, offering retail for my clients to be able to use the same products that is used in my treatment room for their at home use to maintain their healthy skin. Also providing the with a customized weekly skin routine so they are not confused as to when, where and how to use their at home products. I am known for my dermaplane facials and the instant results that it provides. I’ve coined myself as the dermaplane duchess. No vellus hairs(peach fuzz) is left behind!

I think I am also known for the comfort I give EstiBesties that there is hope to be able to correct their skin concerns through dedication and consistency, I’m open and honest with how their treatment is gonna go. I am most proud of being able to move thousands of miles away and still make a difference in others lives. Getting inspiring inboxes and countless reasons to keep pushing forward makes me most happy. I not quite sure if I’m necessarily setting myself apart from others. But I do think my kind spirit and approach is what makes EstiBesties keep coming back.

What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
My proudest moment was getting the keys to my Treatment Room!

Pricing:

• Please check our website for pricing.

Contact Info:

• Address: 5334 W Northern Ave.
  STE. 317 Glendale, AZ 85031
• Website: estiblack.com
• Phone: 602-545-5118
• Email: estiblackaes@gmail.com
• Instagram: estiblack_aesthetics_
• Facebook: EstiBlack Aesthetics

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