The Freelance Star, Fredericksburg, Virginia
Business Section:The Deal
VALERIE KEMPER- SIMONS.
THE LOOKING GLASS
Date published: 8/4/2010
EDUCATION: Bachelor of Arts, Political Science: California State University-Fullerton, Fullerton, Calif., 1992
Basic and Master Esthetic Credential: Institute of Advanced Medical Esthetics, Richmond, 2007
PCASkin Certified Practitioner: PCASkin, Scottsdale, Ariz., 2007, 2008, 2009 2010
CAREER HISTORY: Here are my top three experiences:
Pre-, during and post-college, I worked for a developer in Laguna Beach as an administrative assistant and project manager for commercial and private construction. The best part was that we had a restaurant under our umbrella that I got to manage.
After college, I was fortunate to work as a designated rep for Compaq. This is my first and most important experience in a fast-paced, competitive environment where polish, grooming and cutting-edge business development for all sales associates was as high priority as hitting numbers.
I spent 10 years supporting an active-duty Marine and his subsequent West Coast F-18 command. During that time, I learned about facilitating mandated morale programs, fundraising and nonprofit efforts as well as learning to live and work with hundreds of people as we were thrown together with the common cause of getting our families through a wartime deployment, let alone four peacetime deployments.
WHERE DID YOU GROW UP? So Cal, Tustin, Calif.
HOW DID YOU END UP OWNING THE LOOKING GLASS? I found myself at a crossroads when I was 39; there was a 'finish your master's' voice playing over and over. The idea of starting back up the public administration path left me feeling heavy. I made a call to a high-ranking military friend of mine. He advised that life is short, do something that fills me with light, not heaviness.
I hadn't before had the luxury, as a wife and mother, to ask, "What did I want?" After several months, I put the whole thing on the back burner, looked in the mirror and looked old, tired and beat. I'd been to see plastic surgeons or med-spa people before and never bought into the whole thing, so I'd done nothing. I realized, clearly, that the only thing I would pay retail for is skin care or cosmetic treatments, but I didn't 'trust' or know enough about what was 'out there' and that was it.
I went into my savings, which was terrifying, but decided to do something as a grown-up, for me, and decided to go back to school to learn about skin care and master-grade protocols.
I worked through some numbers, identified the need for integrity in this niche and concluded that even if I only treated myself it was a great investment for life.
WHAT MOTIVATES YOU? A challenge. A deadline. The gym and knowing I'm accountable for my actions.
WHAT'S YOUR MOTTO? You get what you put into it. Incremental improvement over time. It's in your hands.
HAVE YOU EVER WORKED WITH A NOTABLE PERSON OR CELEBRITY? IF SO, WHO? The most notable person I have worked with has also greatly influenced my perspective of designing my space and creating and protecting the experience of those who enter it. What a privilege to have worked for and with Michael Willms, of Entertainment Design in Beverly Hills (entertainmentdesignevents.com). He's currently airing on The Learning Channel's "Battle of the Wedding Designers: Wedding on a Shoestring Budget."
I have never been more broken down and then built up anew by anyone, except for God, that is, than Mr. Willms. To never compromise the integrity of your vision, to work with an air of humility iced with opulence at all times. His is a high bar and I think I'm glad he's not closer!!
WHAT ARE YOUR CAREER GOALS? To be so blessed as to be able to not only make a living doing something I love, but that that something is important, positive and a blessing to others.
--As told to Craig Schulin
