Meet Rachel Duplessy | Spray Tan Artist & PMU Artist

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

Hi Rachel, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
It was always a goal of mine to start a business since I was in college. I remember being curious about starting a franchise business at one point. I did not know anything about running a business or what kind of business I would get into so in the meantime I took some introductory business courses at a local community college to get basic knowledge.

I went on to pursue nursing and worked as a bedside & clinic nurse for many years before I realized I wasn’t happy with what I was doing. I knew starting a business would be my way out of the 9-5 crap and everything it comes with, especially the lack of time freedom. I hated having to work nights/weekends/holidays and not be able to spend time with loved ones. I hated having to ask someone for time off because of the possibility of it not being approved. I needed a way out ASAP!

In 2018, one of my cousins reached out to me about an opportunity to start my own Spray Tanning Business; something I never imagined doing. She referred me to a Spray Tan Course hosted in NYC by Celebrity Glow Queen Isabel Alysa of Dolce Glow, based in Los Angeles, CA. She is the Kardashian’s go-to person for their amazing tans. Her work is amazing! Her spray tan course was reasonably priced and would allow me to start a business immediately so I considered it. However, when my cousin initially reached out to me about it, I couldn’t afford it quite yet so I waited for the next NYC course and was able to save money for it.

In August 2019, I signed up for the course. Best decision ever. Side gig turned into my very own business; which has always been one of my goals in life. And what’s more interesting is I had no idea I would end up starting a business in the beauty industry. Starting my spray tanning business literally just fell on my lap.

What should our readers know about your business?
Aloha Glam & Glow Artistry is an LLC operated business established in 2019. We’re a beauty studio specializing in permanent makeup (ombré powder brows, color correction, microblading cover-up), spray tanning (in-studio & mobile, contour tan, bridal tan), brow lamination, brow tint, brow shaping, lash lift, and ear piercing. We are primarily located in Long Island, NY but also see clients in Los Angeles, CA and Miami, FL.

My love for beauty was not something I questioned or decided I would do one day. I feel like it has always been a part of who I am. I am a perfectionist, detail-oriented, and naturally have an eye for beauty, but also in making people comfortable and bringing out their confidence. I myself have dealt with insecurities of not having the same brown complexion as my brothers and not being able to tan easily. I was also insecure with my own eyebrows – I had none lol. Therefore, I am happy to be able to provide a solution to my clients – whether it’s to give them a little color for their vacation or give them some brows because “Brows is LIFE!”As a teenager, I used to do my friend’s eyebrows all the time – she always asked me to do it because I just knew how to shape her eyebrows how she wanted it. Little did I know that was my calling lol.

Fast forward, I LOVE what I do now and truly passionate about serving my beautiful clients, growing as an entrepreneur, and learning ways to master my craft. For any business owner, your level of success depends a lot on what you put in. There will always be opportunities to level up; it is up to you to decide what to do with those opportunities. Consistency is key to success. You must be willing to put in the work daily if you want your business to stay open.

I think what sets me apart from other spray tan and PMU artists is my experience as a Registered Nurse. I have been a Registered Nurse for 12 years now and have worked in various specialties (pediatrics, women’s health, college health, school nursing, dermatology, medical aesthetics, case management) and in various settings (hospital, clinic, student health center). Being a nurse, I have strong knowledge of the human body and it’s processes (especially the skin); I have good bedside manners (think compassion, empathy, and rapport), good communication skills (think client education), critical thinking skills (think outside the box); I am organized and detail oriented…I could go on. My point is that my clients trust me that much because they know they will be in good hands. They see my work and they see that I know what I am doing. That is one thing that I am very proud of – my knowledge and experience.

I have been in business for 3 years now and it definitely has been a roller coaster ride. There have been many highs and lows. Running a business is definitely not easy especially when it’s a one woman show. As an entrepreneur, it’s important to know that every week won’t be a great week. You’ll have slow days, slow weeks, and slow months. We have to remember not to be so hard on ourselves and remember not to be so quick to give up. I have learned that you have to be proactive when encountering slow season. I use this time to improve and grow – improve marketing strategy, improve business operations, take a class, create content, do a giveaway, and think of ways to scale your business. No matter what, there will always be room for improvement.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I used to live in Miami for 5 years so I definitely have a lot of good spots to recommend. There are so many things to do and see in Miami – from the beach, pool parties, nightlife, art, and food. I’ll begin with a list of my favorites:

Favorite beach: Miami Beach (anywhere between 20 & 30)
Favorite hotel: The Palms Hotel & Spa
Favorite pool parties: Clevelander Hotel, Hyde Beach at SLS Hotel
Favorite places to hang: Brickell (around Mary Brickell Village), Wynwood (for fun art work and little restaurants)
Favorite Cuban restaurant: Puerto Sagua, Versailles
Favorite burger spot: Kush/Lokal
Favorite breakfast/brunch spot: Greenstreet Cafe
Favorite Thai spot: Lung Yai Thai Tapas in Little Havana
Favorite fine dining restaurants: River Oyster Bar, Komodo Miami
Favorite spot for Cafecito: Latin Cafe 2000, Mary’s Cafe, Publix Cafe
Favorite bar/lounge for drinks and dancing: Blackbird Ordinary, Ball and Chain

When I used to live in Miami (and whenever I come to town), I always stay around Brickell. You get a lot of the local crowd (which is my preference) but also get a mix of people visiting from other places. There are always exciting people and places all around Miami. I miss it so much. One day my plan is to purchase a home in South Florida so I can come often for business and pleasure.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Since I started my own business doing spray tans and PMU Brows, I have come across a plethora of other business babes in my industry from all over the world. The support, love, and encouragement has been nonstop. And there are too many of these boss babes to mention, however I do want to give recognition to my mentor and friend Jackie Kaiklian at Allure Ink Academy based in Anaheim, CA – she is the reason for my level up! Not only did she teach me how to tattoo brows, she taught me everything I needed to know about running a small business. She has been there every step of my entrepreneurial journey. Because of her, my Instagram grew from 500 to 2K within just one year! After taking her online business course Hustle & Motivate, I revamped my Instagram business profile aesthetics and became more consistent and strategic with my content especially creating reels. And just like that, I started to see growth. She has been such a positive influence in my life and I will always be grateful for her mentorship and friendship. I love you Jackie!

Website: https://alohaglamglow.glossgenius.com/

Instagram: @alohaglamglownyc

Facebook: @alohaglamglownyc

Other: Instagram @_missleikela_

Image Credits
Anthony @pixelmedianyc