We had the good fortune of connecting with Sandra Amaya and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Sandra, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I am a cancer survivor and surviving such a horrible disease gave me a different perspective on life. From that newfound perspective I gained incentive to become an entrepreneur. I had worked in the corporate world for so many years, I really needed a work/life balance. Having more time with my family is such a powerful motivation for me. When I first decided to start my own business, I wasn’t even sure what my passion was. My work history has been in medical, payroll and Human Resources and that was not my passion. I started out with pursuing certification in teeth whitening and have been growing ever since. I fell in love with making people feel confident and good about themselves. I then began to pursue certifications in other beauty services and obtained certification in Jet Plasma and Body Sculpting.

What should our readers know about your business?
I am so proud that I have taken the risk to become a business owner. My cancer battle made me realize that time is so precious, it’s the one thing we can never get more of. The conversation my family had with me about quitting the corporate world was so frightening to me. They wanted me to take time to enjoy life and find my true passion, but I really didn’t know what my passion was. In my entrepreneurial pursuit, I started courses for Life Coaching but shortly after I started my classes I realized that this was not for me. I was lost. Fear and doubt began to cloud my mind. I knew that being a stay-at-home dog mom wasn’t what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. This is when Melissa Martinez Guillen CEO of MM Aesthetics, opened my eyes to a whole new world. I had a tooth whitening session with Melissa and felt so good about myself afterwards. I thought to myself, I can do this! I saw how happy and successful Melissa was in running her own business and being an educator. She gives joy and empowerment to women, and I knew that I wanted to make people feel that good and that empowered too. My entire life I have enjoyed making people happy. I had no idea that being in the beauty industry would fulfill such a purpose for me. This is such a satisfying adventure. I jumped all in with cosmetic teeth whitening and it was such a quick success I wanted to add other services. My next certification was in Jet Plasma. I did my research and I found that Jet Plasma is a tool that helps with hair loss, dark spots on skin, acne, fine lines, and skin tightening. I flew to Lodi, California and under the instruction of Evelyn Borjon owner of Bloom Fibroblast Studio I received my certification. I then became certified in body sculping through MM Aesthetics. Body Sculping allows me to help my clients with stubborn fat, skin tightening, cellulite, and overall body confidence. I wanted to offer services that I could relate to with clients needing help with improving self-image. I want the world to know that my brand, my vision, and my work ethic will always be authentic and from the heart. I am not just in it for the money, I am in it for the purpose. Making people happy is my joy. Enjoy life, make a difference, and give yourself freedom to be authentically you. I feel like I make a difference for my clients, even if it’s just something as simple as brightening their smile.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
One of my best friends lives in California and I have been dying to show her a week in Jerome. Jerome is my favorite city in Arizona with Bisbee being a close second. There is something that is so exciting about being in an old, haunted mining town. I would take her to the Haunted Hamburger for an amazing lunch of burgers and fries. Haunted Hamburger has the Midas touch when it comes to making a tasty burger. After lunch we would explore the city and check out all the unique stores and sights. We would have to stop in and get some fudge or ice cream from OJ’s Copper Country. A trip to Jerome would not be complete without a ghost tour!!! I would like to check out the Jerome Cemetery and the famous Husband’s Alley. The evening would probably wind down at the famous Spirit Room where we could have some whiskey and cokes and listen to live music. We would end the night at the infamous Jerome Grand Hotel but hopefully we wouldn’t have any ghost appearances while we are trying to catch some zzzz’s. I just love all the old, haunted history in Jerome!!!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My family is my biggest motivation and my mom is my hero. I always want to make my husband and children proud of me and they are 100% supportive of my dreams and goals.  My mom is my example of a hard working and compassionate woman, she is my everything. During my corporate days I began to follow Cornia Burton on social media. Corina is the cofounder of CPR Construction and founder of Unstoppable Media. I remember watching her success and listening to her words of wisdom and knew that someday I wanted to have success and be fearless like her. Once I left the corporate world, I was beyond blessed to have crossed paths with Melissa Martinez Guillen. Melissa has changed my life forever. Melissa is the CEO and founder of MM Aesthetics and is who I obtained my Teeth Whitening and Body Sculpting Certifications with. Melissa gave me the courage, direction, and inspiration to start my own business. I am forever grateful for her wisdom and encouragement. Her belief in me along with the support of my family has given me so much joy. I am lucky enough to now be working out of her Spa and feel empowered to know such a great businesswoman and mentor. Someday I would also like to meet Corina Burton because she has also been someone who started that entrepreneurial spirit within me and doesn’t even know it!

Website: www.selfcarestudiosaz.com

Instagram: @selfcarestudiosaz

Facebook: Self Care Studios

Other: Tik Tok – selfcarestudiosaz

Image Credits
Justice Davis – 12th Street Studio

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