Bringing the World a Little Light and Relaxation: Still Waters Spa
After a 25-year career working as an esthetician, Tara Lackey never imagined she'd be without a spa, without a job, and giving facials out of her car to make ends meet. But three years ago, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, that's exactly what happened. But with her determination and good energy, she now owns Still Waters Spa and spends every day doing what she enjoys.
Tara’s career started over two decades ago when she moved to High Point to take a job at About Face Day Spa.
“I wasn’t even sure what About Face was,” Tara says. “I just saw an ad for the job and went for it."
Even though she wasn't immediately hired as an esthetician, they did have a spot for her at the front desk.
“I love people, so that was a great job for me,” Tara says. “I was able to meet the clients and make connections before they even got on my table.”
But two weeks after Tara was hired, one of the estheticians decided to leave and start their own business. That’s when an opportunity fell right into her lap. Tara’s boss at About Face came up to her at the front desk and asked if she was an esthetician. When Tara said yes, the response was straightforward. “What are you waiting for?”
From that moment on, her success began to pick up. Tara was starting to make a name for herself and well on her way to building a loyal clientele.
At About Face, Tara not only fell in love with her job, but with the friends she made through her client interactions. But in a sad turn of events, during the COVID-19 pandemic, About Face closed its doors, and Tara was left wondering what to do next.
“I have always been at the top of my game, so waking up one day and not having a job, I wasn’t sure what to do,” Tara admits. It was during this period of uncertainty that she leaned on her faith and personal skills to connect with others to accomplish her goals.
“I had clients calling me directly and asking for their services, so I decided to go on a whim and work out of my car to save money to start my own business,” explains Tara.
In order to start taking her show on the road, Tara bought some equipment from Amazon and reached out to clients to see if she could do house calls for their skincare treatments. Bouncing from one house to the next, Tara spent her time waxing eyebrows on kitchen tables and doing facials in people's living rooms.
“I would literally spend all day being gone,” she shares. “It was amazing and crazy.”
By keeping a positive attitude, Tara was able to continue growing and sharing her business which ultimately led her to open a space of her own.
“Working out of my car was how I made money to pay the rent for the business. If it weren’t for my customers, I wouldn’t be where I am right now,” Tara says. When navigating the next steps and deciding to start her own business, Tara was constantly questioning her own abilities and trust in the Lord. Until one night that all changed.
“I had fallen asleep praying and woke up in the middle of the night and sat straight up in bed. The verse Psalm 23 was stuck in my head. I turned and said to my husband ‘I think the name [of my business] is going to be Still Waters.’”
During the construction process, Tara needed to declare a name to open the business. Despite roadblocks with registering the name and guidance to choose something different, Tara dug her heels in. She wasn’t willing to part ways with Still Waters.
“The good Lord said this is the name of my business, and I'm not doing it any other way,” Tara remembers saying.
After another two weeks of back and forth with her business license and her lawyer’s support, Tara was able to secure the name, Still Waters Spa.
“Once this process was over, my lawyer said to me ‘I’m really proud of you. You have such a passion for what you believe in and it shows,’” she shares.
By leaning on those around her and building those relationships full of trust, she was able to dip her toes into the business world. She even constructed her business plan from scratch.
“I had no clue where to start, so I reached out to my friend who worked at the bank. After some guidance and research, I sent out a 27-page business plan a week later,” Tara says.
Four years later, Tara is up and running at Still Waters Spa. This year alone she has doubled her business and her hope is to expand soon. From college students to retirees, Tara makes sure to provide services that are customizable, accessible, and affordable for everyone. The first thing she always does for every customer who books an appointment is a consultation. She always wants her clients to feel reassured before they even get to her table.
“I want my clients to feel in control of their sessions and that their expectations are met by the time they walk away,” Tara explains, “My job is to meet your needs and help address the things you're worried about with your skin.”
Now having opened her own business from the ground up, Tara wants to encourage and uplift women with the same dream. She says that for anyone looking to open a business of their own, “sky’s the limit.”
In the process of opening Still Waters, Tara found that the most impactful and helpful thing was to lean on those around her.
“Don’t be afraid to ask someone who is doing bigger and better than you for help,” she shares. “By having those people and a strong support system in your corner, it makes everything easier.”
“It was a lot of self-motivation and just telling myself that I can do this, I’ve learned that if your dreams aren’t big enough to scare you, then you’re not dreaming big enough.”
Tara Lackey, owner of Still Waters Spa
For her, the most difficult was having to let go of the reigns and learn from those who knew best.
“I’ve always wanted to be a line leader, so it was hard for me to take a step back…but in the end, it’s all worth it.”
Throughout this entire process from start to finish, Tara was diligent and committed to accomplishing her goals. While the process of starting her own business wasn’t easy, she knew she could do it.
“It was a lot of self-motivation and just telling myself that I can do this,” she says. “I’ve learned that if your dreams aren’t big enough to scare you, then you’re not dreaming big enough.”
But beyond the success of her spa, Tara is grateful to be surrounded by clients and a team that has supported her through this journey. After spending 25 years in the business, she knows that showing up for your customers every day is crucial.
“I want all of my customers to feel cared for…and I'm committed to doing it,” Tara explains. “I’m such a people person and I love meeting new faces. I enjoy being able to build that trust and make everyone feel comfortable in my space. I really believe that’s my God-given gift.”
And that desire and her well-known character of intentionality, care, and compassion has not only made her a successful esthetician; it has made her a good friend.
“I always have a running notebook of things that I hear in a service,” she shares. “Things like someone’s having a baby or getting married. I like to do that to bring the world a little light because sometimes that's all we’re missing.”
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