Meet Marcela Avalos of Brave Kitty Waxing in Silver Lake

📅 16 de noviembre de 2024 ✍️ By Amy Jones ⏱️ 5 Mins Read 🗂️ Blog 🕒 Last updated: 16 de noviembre de 2024

Today we’d like to introduce you to Marcela Avalos.

Marcela, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I always dreamt of opening my own business one day. I just didn’t know what kind of business. I got my first Brazilian wax when I was about 25. A friend of mine became an esthetician and needed someone to practice on, so naturally, I volunteered myself. Having never been waxed, I was very nervous. Knowing that she had never waxed anyone, made me extra nervous. I laid there in my birthday suit from the waist down baring my very grown out lady beard. The owner of the salon, who was doing the training looked at me and said, “Wow, you are brave”. And so ensued a grueling 30 minutes of self-inflicted pain. I wanted to scream and cry all at once. My mantra was that I was a brave kitty and that I could more than handle it. I was hooked, in love, with the results. I immediately thought that opening a waxing studio would make a great business and that if I ever opened one, The Brave Kitty, would be the perfect name. Several years later, after struggling to find a decent paying job with the failing economy, I decided it was a good time to start over. I was let go of my last ever desk job where I was working as a purchasing agent for a home builder and started school full time within 48 hours. The class I wanted was already full as I had registered the day before classes would begin. I committed to showing up to the class anyway in the hopes that I would be added on. As if this was my life’s calling, I was added! 3 semesters later, with a 4.0 GPA and landing the Dean’s List, I graduated and set on to achieve my biggest life goal. The opportunity presented itself at a luxurious hotel in Beverly Hills. I decided to focus on advancing my skills as a skin therapist. I performed advanced facial skin treatments for the next 3 years. I whole heartedly knew that I had found what I was meant to do and still dreamt of opening The Brave Kitty. As luck would have it, I was able to locate a decent location in the popular “east side” of Los Angeles with very affordable rent. I never imagined in my wildest dreams that my dreams of opening a studio would come true so quickly. With very little money borrowed, I threw in all my cards and opened the tiniest waxing studio and decided on calling it Brave Kitty Waxing. I had started growing my clientele on the west side so I had zero clients on the east side. I created a lovely space and started a yelp page. From one client to another, my little business has continued to grow exponentially each day.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
The biggest challenge was sharing the space with another person in the beauty industry. My half of the business continued to grow and flourish while the other persons did not. This created a negative energy between us and I was terrified thinking I would have to close my business and start over at another time. I wasn’t confident I would be able to find a new location that I could afford on my own. Moving a business once you’ve started building a clientele in a specific area is also a big risk. I had already established myself in the neighborhood and if I did find a space, it would have to be close. I was sitting on my patio one day meditating on finding a new space; I opened my eyes to see a big FOR RENT sign directly across the street! In shock at this amazing opportunity that presented itself to me, I called immediately. The owner was nearby and I was able to see the space that day. It was perfect! Although it was in shambles and would need a lot of work, the rent was just the right amount. I took the space and just like that, I was no longer sharing my space with anyone else.

So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Brave Kitty Waxing story. Tell us more about the business.
I am in the business of removing body hair with wax. I am a licensed esthetician and specialize in the popular Brazilian wax. I like to call myself an “intimate grooming artist”. I’m known for the least amount of pain felt during a Brazilian wax. I’m most proud of the way everyone feels when they’re in my studio. I’m proud that I have created a space where people feel comfortable, at ease and relaxed. I call it my happy place and I want my clients to feel the same way. I decorated with the intention to evoke a relaxed and intimate, Zen-like setting. I have a large wall mural in my wax room of a tropical beach to inspire that amazing sexy smooth feeling. My clients have said that it’s their favorite place to go to and that also makes me proud. Because who says they can’t wait to get waxed again? My clients do, that’s who! What sets me apart is my style. I use sage the cleanse the space of negative energies. I always play great music. I display body positive art. It’s a beautiful space and people love it!

Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I don’t necessarily believe in luck, as much as I believe in creating one’s own destiny based on personal choices and the words we use to create the life that we live. I definitely met the wrong person to share a business space with and one could call that bad luck. But, then again, I learned so much from that experience and in hindsight, could also be looked at as GOOD LUCK. I feel that I manifested this life for myself because I always knew without a shadow of a doubt that one day I would. I truly believe in that.

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