Inspiring Conversations with Lindsey Westendorf of Smoothe

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lindsey Westendorf. 

Hi Lindsey, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Over a decade ago I became pregnant and did not have any sort of career. I knew I had to do something fast to support my soon-to-be child. I had always been interested in cooking, and esthetics. I looked into the culinary program at Wake Tech first but would not have been able to finish the program before giving birth to my son. Next option was esthetics. My best friend was in school for cosmetology at Mitchell’s Academy so I placed a call and was in rolled in just days. I started the esthetics program in January of 2012 and finished just a few short weeks before giving birth to my son. I was hired at European Wax Center about ten or so months after my son’s birth. I started in July of 2013 and opened the Cameron Village location. I loved waxing, and I was great at it. I loved the people, the conversations, and the owners of that particular location. Four or so years go by, and the burnout was real. Training and waxing all day every day was becoming so monotonous. I dreamt of the day I could use every aspect of my esthetics license and do facials, lashes, and skin again. Fast forward to December 2017 I was let go from EWC and the family who I grew to truly love. It was heartbreaking and scary, but I knew it was time to spread my wings and fly. I left with $938 in my bank account, and two kids to support, and on top of that my grandmother died just days after I was let go. My dad offered a flight up for her funeral, but I knew I had to grind and hustle fast. A few days later I posted on social media that I was no longer with EWC. I had 72 clients reach out to me almost within days. BLESSED is an understatement. I found a spot quickly (thanks to my best friend) and on January 2, 2018, I opened Smoothe. I started on pen and paper, “a wing and a wax pot”… literally. I had just enough wax to get me through a few days’ worth of clients, one wax pot, bought a used massage table, some gloves, some sticks. I didn’t’ even have a trash can the day I took my first few clients I was slinging my wax sticks into grocery bags. After the very first day of clients, I went out and bought a trash can, and some trash bags (lol) I’ll never ever forget it. Week after week, client after client I bought, I saved, I reached out for help to anyone and everyone who would hear me. The support system I had made through networking, family, and friends was truly incredible and still is to this day. Clients became more than friends, they became who I did business with, friends became my cheerleaders, and people who helped grow my business. Most of all my family are the ones who pushed me and stood by me every step of the way. Word of mouth was the best thing that happened to me (thank you, clients). Within six months I was booked out several weeks in advance, and working six long days a week. Smoothe introduced a booking system (thanks Marissa), and things started to run more “smoothely”. Mid-summer I knew I needed to hire again so the search began. Months went by and many interviews, and I could not find the right fit. The very last interview I KNEW I had found the one. Her passion, her drive, her love for the hustle and esthetics. I hired on Erin Carver in November of 2018. We have grown so much together, she is my left hand, she is my social media guru, she is the calm to my storm. We were rocking it. Loving every minute of it, adding new services, taking new trainings, flying out to get certified on our favorite brands. We grew as a team. A team I had longed for so much since leaving EWC. We knew we needed to hire again in 2019, but then COVID hit. We put the breaks on that made it through the storm, and fought like hell to keep Smoothe afloat. Our clients are truly amazing, they reached out, continued to pre-book even though we didn’t know when we were going to open back up, supported us by buying gift certificates, and product online. At 5:00 pm on May 22, 2020 (a day I will never forget) we were allowed to reopen. Don’t you know we were there will bells on! READY! What a week it was, best ever of my career personally. We continued the search for another teammate. In January of 2021, I hosted a 1:1 Speed Waxing Course (I missed training so much that I introduced my own 1;1 trainings on the weekends for estheticians and cosmetologist back in 2020) to a spitfire named Deirdre Newport. I knew after that training that if I could wait long enough to hire that I would love to have her as a part of our team at Smoothe. Months go by, she reaches out and she was hired on in May of this year (2021). Again, her passion, drive for learning, and education on skin is remarkable. I am so lucky to have grown my little baby…”my wing and a wax pot” into Smoothe, a true powerhouse of ALL things esthetics. We now offer an array of services at Smoothe specializing in speed full body waxing with hard wax, chemical peels, facials, tinting, henna, lash lifts & infusions, vajacials, and the Skin Classic. We use high-end products for facials, waxing, and the like. We are personable, fast, and friendly giving you the best beauty services the Triangle has to offer. ALL of our services are offered to all clientele regardless of race, color, gender, national origin, age, religion, creed, disability, veteran’s status, sexual orientation, gender identity, and/or gender expression! We pride ourselves on excellent customer service, a comfortable environment, and a fantastic experience. We will be celebrating our four-year anniversary on January 2, 2022. 

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Every day is a struggle. Small business ownership is NO joke. The amount of backend work that comes with it all is exhausting. I had no idea what I was stepping into prior to opening Smoothe. I have had a baby since opening Smoothe, and running a business and a family is WORK. We went through an entire shutdown with COVID and had no clue what our future held at the time. Growing and scaling your business is VERY hard especially when your love is esthetics. I loathe working from home and sitting behind a computer (and my clients know that lol). No one taught me how to be a manager or an owner. I did not go to school for business, I don’t have a degree in accounting, computers, technology, or marketing. I am learning as I go and taking everything, I can in. 

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
We are known for quality services, great customer service, and professionalism. Smoothe uses high-end products on all of our services. We are known for results-driven skincare, efficient speed waxing, and relaxing treatments. We love reconstructing Brows, educating you through a quick painless Brazilians, bold lifted lashes, treating minor skin irregularities, and rejuvenating the skin with a chemical peel. We have several skincare lines we use in-house and sell to treat all Fitzpatricks, skin types, and conditions. 

I would say that I am most proud of giving back to the community that has supported me through my toughest times. My life has not always been easy, and I made a lot of wrong choices in my life when I was young that still impact me to this day. I choose a few different organizations here in the Triangle every year to donate too. I have spoken at a few events about my past and the impact that that particular organization had on my life. I am very thankful to be in a position I never dreamed of being in and able to give back that the community that has helped mold me as an individual. 

Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
I would definitely say I am a risk-taker in ALL aspects of my life. From a toddler to a teen to now a mom/business owner/employer/entrepreneur. In my opinion, what is life without risk. I live my life by asking myself “what are the risks” versus “how sweet is the reward”. The higher the risk the higher the reward, I think. Every reward far outweighs the risks I have taken and will continue to take in my life. I took the risk of going out on my own four years ago. I could either fly or I could flop. I had no choice in my mind, I had a family to feed, and children who were watching me. They are my drive and my purpose. My motto… “a wing and a wax pot”, and it hasn’t failed me yet. You have a learn to fly in order to be successful, and learn from your mistakes in order to succeed. Life is like hurdles, in order to go onto the next one, you must overcome the one in front of you first, but taking each one in stride. Every time we bring on a new service or employee is a huge risk, a liability in fact. It is always scary, but if you face your fears they will disappear. 

Pricing:

• Brow & Brazilian Combo: $95
• Brazilian & “Soothe” Vajacial- $109
• Brow Henna & Wax- $83
• Brow Lamination, Henna, & Wax – $113
• “Refine and Renew” Facial – $105

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: www.smoothellc.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/llcsmoothe
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/smoothellc

Image Credits
Katy Bauer Photography