Jaclyn Peresetsky is a master aesthetician, educator, speaker, makeup and micropigmentation artist, and instructor. She started her journey in aesthetics after studying portrait artistry in art college and retail sales at a cosmetic counter. She later studied at Aveda spas then received an position as the lead aesthetician at OSU Plastic Surgery practice. In 2007, she opened Skin Perfect Spas and developed Colore Me Perfect Analysis & Cosmetics and now she is up to her new challenge: Skin Perfect University for advanced aesthetics, eyelashes, eyebrows, makeup, and color opening March 2019.
Why aesthetics?
I love the form and the beauty of the face from my passion for portrait artistry. It led me to the aesthetic field as I wanted to interact with people, so I could help them learn to embrace their unique traits and skin tone as well as improve the health and integrity of their skin.
What have you learned about yourself running your business?
I have learned that running a business was more challenging than I ever could have dreamed of but the rewards of seeing the progression of our vision and the growth and development in your team keeps you going each day. I had to learn to adjust to the continual fluctuation process of continual challenges, successes, and setbacks. I am a perfectionist and a definite overachiever, so not having constant control and falling short gave me an ulcer my first year. But, after 11 years, I have built strength, fortitude, and a drive that will never allow me to give up! “The school of hard knocks” for sure!
Can you name a person who has had a tremendous impact on you as a leader? Maybe someone who has been a mentor to you? Why and how did this person impact your life?
I would say my husband, who believed in me no matter the doubts I had in myself. He always pushes me to just go for it and gave me the money to start my companies. A very close second is my business coach Meredith who really pushed me to learn to do camera work, live television segments, and step into the world of speaking. She set up events or segments and said, “Okay, now just do your thing and be yourself. Imagine that you are speaking to your clients and let people see your authenticity.” This has taken me very far in my career!
What is the biggest risk you’ve ever taken?
The biggest risk I have ever taken is opening my third location of Skin Perfect Spa in Naples, Florida and moving my family there to build a new life. We were so connected and comfortable in Columbus, Ohio, but we knew it was time to shake it up and grow!
What are you doing to ensure you continue to grow and develop as a leader?
I am in the Beauty Biz Club Master Mind group and I have a business coach and mentor. I am obsessed with podcasts and I attend motivational events with pioneers like Tony Robbins and, my new favorite, Lewis Howes, creator of the School of Greatness Podcast.
What motivates you each day?
I am motivated by relationships with loved ones, my team, and my clients. There is a huge reward in working through challenges and celebrating successes with the people you admire.
How do you approach change/the unknown?
I approach change with excitement! I get bored if it is repetitive routine every day or if there are not enough challenges. I thrive off of challenges. I have clients that ask me if I get tired of change and I always reply “never!”
How do you keep yourself grounded? What to you do to unwind?
My two boys (Misha 13 years old and Maksym 11 years old) keep me grounded. I love seeing their love and joy for the simple things in life and it reminds me why we are here on this earth. I must do yoga to unwind or my newest obsession, buti yoga!
What is your favorite spa treatment?
My favorite spa treatment is dermaplaning, followed by peel, then completed with 45 minutes of microcurrent. My skin glows and is lifted in as little as 45 minutes!
If you could go back in time to when you first were starting out, what advice would you give yourself?
Know your numbers! I hate math and I tried to avoid it; however, it was the cause of many frustrations early on in my business. I took a Tony Robbins business mastery course a few years ago and I realized I just hated it because I did not understand how the numbers needed to work. I wish I could go back in time and learn what a profit and loss sheet meant from the very beginning of my business.
What advice would you give to your 18-year-old self?
That you are okay just the way you are and not to be embarrassed about not having new clothes or family support. At times, this prevented me from not going to class as I became depressed or fearful people would know my family past.
What’s your most irrational fear?
As a busy entrepreneur, I fear letting my family down with not meeting their needs, but, in all reality, those that love you will always be forgiving and understanding because ultimately that is what family does.
What’s something you wish you’d written?
I wish I would have written the story of my childhood that was filled with trauma, family plagued by addiction, and the loss of my parents. I had no safety net growing up, so I had to figure out how to make it by my academics, extra-curricular activities, part-time jobs, and support of my grandparents, which gave me the courage to move forward in my life. I think it could have helped a lot of others that may have gone through something similar.
How do you stand for what you believe in?
I get up every day and keep fighting towards my goals, no matter how tired I am or how beaten down I feel that day. I believe in living each day and giving it 100 percent! Walking through each door and giving it all you have will support your beliefs and vision, thereby keeping your stance strong!
What do you love most about your job?
I love every part! If I had to choose, it would be creating products that make our clients feel beautiful and have glowing skin and training other aestheticians and spas to carry on the mission of beauty education.
If you could ask another leader any question, what would it be?
I just love hearing other leaders’ stories and about their journey. It is so challenging to lead and, at times, you feel like you are on an island by yourself. When you get to share with other leaders and ask them questions, you feel not so alone and learn that we all go through similar things.
How do you measure success?
I measure my success by my personal and professional growth. I feel if I can work on improving myself, then I can help influence and encourage others that anything is possible.
Early bird or night owl?
I am a total night owl from my late nights finishing up projects in art school; however, now I am trying to learn to be an early bird CEO!
Sweet or salty?
Sweet all the way! I love desserts!
Laundry or dishes?
Laundry! I love the warm clothes from the dryer!
Camping or glamping?
Glamping! I love comfort!
What is your proudest accomplishment in the industry?
Hosting the International Congress of Esthetics shows in all four cities!
What’s the biggest myth in the industry?
That only medical, more invasive treatments achieve results for clients. I think combination skin therapies are where it is at to stimulate and revitalize the skin.
What hurdles have you had to overcome?
I have had a huge hurdle being a female CEO of four companies. It is hard for banks and investors to take you seriously.
Where is the brand headed over the next 5 years?
My brand Skin Perfect is opening an advanced aesthetic school in Columbus, Ohio to offer intensive and advanced training for aestheticians that want to be leaders in the industry. I hope to open multiple locations of the school, specifically in Texas and Arizona. I am determined for my cosmetic and color analysis line Colore Me Perfect to be a leader of cosmetics in the medical spa, spa, and salon market. I think the industry needs healthier makeup that brings out the natural beauty of spa clients, embracing their unique heritage and skin needs.
Where is the entire industry headed?
I feel the entire industry is headed for reconnection of clients and beauty professionals. I feel social media is wonderful to introduce your brands and for informational content, but the real connection is through relationship building. I think the industry will go back to its roots.
What distinguishes your company from others in the industry?
We value each client or professional account. We strive to treat each person we meet as important to us, as well as their skin or spa goals.
What are your current goals?
My current goals are getting better systems in my spas to support the ongoing growth. I just partnered with an equipment company and a new skin care manufacturer to have increased support for our new university opening. I am focusing on our social media accounts this next year and executing our marketing blueprint to clearly define each company. My final goal, of course, is the opening of our first advanced aesthetic school: Skin Perfect University in March 2019. We want to be the leaders of advanced aesthetics in the industry!
How would you define your company’s culture?
Our company’s culture is based on a team and family environment. We keep our spas boutique-style to maintain a tight group of team members. We strive to help develop each employee to bring out their strengths and improve their weaknesses. Our company culture focuses on high level education for every position and we continually invest in continuing education. We do not work off of a hierarchy format but instead work on leadership development and an open-door policy, so everyone feels equally valued and important.
What has been the hardest lesson learned in business?
There have been so many lessons learned! If I had to choose the absolute hardest lesson, it has been to not let other people’s choices and actions effect you personally where you carry it home to your family. It is necessary to clearly separate what is work and be peaceful and forgiving even when people may betray you.
How do you motivate your employees/team?
Training and nourishing our employees’ minds are key to keeping them motivated! I will often offer leadership and motivational events for them to attend and recommend podcasts or YouTube videos to inspire them. We do performance-based gifts and bonuses and just implemented a yearly yoga getaway that any employee that has at least two years with our company will be able to attend. This helps us strive to keep the connection with the group as well as offer them something unique to experience and remember for years to come. This year, we are also implementing a benefit package that will help give us a long-term employee to settle in with our company.
Gut instinct versus expertise: which is more important and why?
My gut instinct always tells me the reality that I may not want to see or try to talk myself into believing what I want to see versus what is. To quote Maya Angelou, “People tell you who they are; believe them.” Business is about building relationships, so this is incredibly important to follow your gut on who to develop relationships with and who to let pass on.
How do you encourage creative thinking within your organization?
We give challenges or contests at our monthly meetings to encourage our team to think outside of the box. It may be to create a new treatment or research new ingredients that could be impactful for client results. We also have a policy that if you approach our company leaders with a problem, you must have an idea for a solution.
Where do the great ideas come from in your organization?
I have never ending ideas for our organization that I will bring to my key members of my team and they just make them even better. I try to push each employee to contribute ideas as well, even if the pieces are not all there yet, as it may be the catalyst that helps the idea come to fruition.
What are the most important decisions you make as a leader of your organization?
The key decisions I make are the direction and vision for our organization and to keep our vision moving forward and fearless to tackle whatever may seem insurmountable and, instead, look at it as everything is doable.
How do you stay relevant/current?
I have had the pleasure of attending or speaking at all the tradeshows, contributing to trade magazines, as well as reading them cover to cover, and connecting with other high-level thinking colleagues that continue to inspire me to stay on top of my game.
What is the hardest thing about being a leader?
The hardest thing about being a leader is not taking things personally and seeing above the day to day challenges to stay on our mission and vision. Others may not see things as important as you do or give 110 percent and understand they have a different life experience and work ethic. As a leader, I have had to recognize you need all different types of people to create a well-balanced organization and not everyone will think the same way you do and that is okay.