She took a leap of faith, quit her job, and pursued her dream of educating aestheticians on a new modality.
Rikki Kusy, founder and CEO of DermaplanePro, graduated Summa Cum Laude from Arizona State University with an honors degree in education. She is a certified yoga instructor and PSIA certified ski instructor with over 10 years’ experience teaching both. She has been an aesthetician since 2006, worked for several prominent plastic surgeons, and owned a medical spa in Scottsdale, Arizona. She founded her non-profit, Arizona Aesthetics Association in 2006 and DermaplanePro, Inc. in 2009.
In 2009, Rikki discovered a strong need in the marketplace for a professional training program on dermaplaning. At the time, she was the founder and president of the Arizona Esthetics Association and members were asking if she would train them and help them get dermaplaning blades. Her degree in education, experience working for plastic surgeons, and time owning a medical spa enabled her to create a comprehensive training program that included hands-on experience tailored to the working aesthetician – DermaplanePro.
Rikki decided to step away from her job with an ocular surgeon to commit to DermaplanePro full time, establishing herself as a leader in the industry from the start. The decision ultimately led to Rikki becoming a forefront veteran, not only in dermaplaning innovation, but also in training skin care professionals in the new methods and treatment forms.
When developing her training programs, Rikki focused on creating a comprehensive, multi-faceted approach to student success. The idea was for all learning to be experiential, didactic, and provide for a real-world, hands-on approach that could be easily implemented post-training.
Rikki is continually inspired by her students and loves to see others succeed. She says, “Our students come in with a nervous excitement about learning to dermaplane. Seeing the success of aestheticians when they get it at each step of the process is the ultimate joy. We hear so many stories of how dermaplaning has taken an aesthetician’s business to a new level.”
Today, Rikki holds over 25 years of aesthetic and education experience. She continues to foster an education-centric experience that empowers aestheticians through top-tier products and training.
Looking forward, Rikki hopes that more state boards will continue to see the benefits of dermaplaning and that courses can continue to be taught for skin care professionals who want to learn. Her goal is to enhance dermaplaning treatments and tools and bring the business into the future.
In her free-time, Rikki has the beautiful mountains and rivers of the Sierras and breathtaking Lake Tahoe as a backdrop to immerse herself in nature. She also enjoys working with artists on large scale art pieces and spending time with her friends.
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING ABOUT RIKKI
“When I think of outstanding educators in the professional beauty industry, Rikki Kusy always comes to mind. I have witnessed first-hand that she embodies the qualities that great educators possess. Her ability to connect with her students and her talent at teaching are both truly superior.” Dave Waggoner, director of education for Skin Script Skin Care