Today we’d like to introduce you to Becca Booka.
Hi, Becca; we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My story actually originates in Minnesota – I’ve only been in Dallas for a year and a half, and it’s been a true testament of my passion for the beauty industry and being of service to others! When I was a teenager, I started breaking out really badly, and this was way before YouTube or TikTok was even a figment of anyone’s imagination, so I had zero idea of how to take care of my skin. This led to me relying on makeup to attempt to cover up my acne and to find any glimmer of self-confidence. As my interest grew, I started practicing putting makeup on friends and unsuspecting classmates – basically, anyone who would let me put a blending brush on their face, I was in! I made a last-minute decision to join Esthetics school after graduating high school, telling myself that if I was awful at it, I could always do something else, and that was now 20 years ago! I started off working at a prestigious salon right after receiving my license, and I’m forever grateful for the bootcamp mentality of the owner. She had a strict vision of how she wanted us all to look and operate, and it really helped to mould my standards for how I carry myself and conduct business with others.
Once I had a few years’ experience under my belt, a few coworkers and I decided to leave and go the self-employment route. We helped a former coworker open a salon, and those years were a massive learning curve for me as far as promoting myself and listening to my intuition. A different rental space opened up at one of the best salons in Minneapolis and I had multiple people urge me to up level and make the move. I was hesitant, but whenever a massive shift in my life happens, and it’s effortless, I know it’s meant to be, and I need to follow that feeling, even if its nonsensical to others.
That salon was my home until moving to Dallas. I loved everything about my job there, but I had outgrown Minnesota and needed a change. Like most people, I was searching for answers during COVID. I had a friend invite me to come and visit Dallas, and I actually had zero desire to ever go to Texas, but I felt that intuitive nudge to say yes. Needless to say, I fell in love with this lovely city, and visited multiple times before I decided to make the leap. Everyone thought I was crazy for leaving an incredibly established clientele and starting from scratch in a new state, but I knew it was the right thing to do. Having no clue where to start, I came to a skincare trade show in Dallas and connected with a Fort Worth esthetician, Lacey Salas, and she was an absolute angel to me, giving me tips on where I could find my salon home in Dallas. Using her advice, I was able to find my place, The Society, and wouldn’t you know, the process and timing of it all fell into place perfectly as well.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Definitely not, but I wouldn’t want it any other way! I always try to find the wisdom in any bumps along the road, and ultimately it makes you appreciate your success even more. Overall, my biggest struggle has been impostor syndrome – comparing myself to others, which led to me finding it hard to promote myself and advocate for my talents. I’m going to show my age here, but social media wasn’t a thing for a large portion of my career, so pushing out of my comfort zone and networking while being more of an introvert was definitely a struggle, especially when you’re self-employed, and your success only comes down to yourself.
Moving to Dallas and starting from scratch has been my most recent challenge. At this point in my career, I’m super confident in what I have to offer, not only in my services, but my value as a person, but the issue was how to get people to know me, especially being in an industry that’s notoriously oversaturated here. I’m super grateful for all the amazing organizations here that I’ve utilized, which encourage networking, such as Dallas Girl Gang, Dallas Hot Girl Walking Club, and all of the wonderful people I’ve met here thus far who have told a friend about me, left me an amazing review, followed me on social media or even just said my name in a room that I’m not in – I’m forever appreciative. And I can’t forget about my amazing coworkers who have sent their clients my way, especially Amber Garton, who was sweet enough to nominate me for this interview. Without all of these people and organizations, I would probably be lip-synching to TikTok’s, hoping to catch people’s eyes!
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m a jack of all trades in the esthetic industry, doing makeup, waxing, lash lifts, and facials, however I’m most well-known for my brow work and my makeup applications as far as services go. I’ve never been a traditional esthetician, personality and appearance-wise. I find most estheticians to be more serious and subdued. I rocked a mohawk for years and even had a buzzcut for a period of time. I’ve always worn a full face of makeup, and I tend to be quite chatty. I like to focus on creating a fun environment with my clients. Even though I know my services are great, I really pride myself on my ability to develop relationships with my clients and to be a day-maker. The fact that people come to me not only to spend their hard-earned money but to confide in me about their lives and hopefully leave feeling better than they did when they walked in is not something that I take lightly. People have always opened up to me effortlessly and have said that they feel like they can talk to me about anything. The energy I put out to make people feel welcomed is definitely a gift of mine that benefits me in this career. As much as I love making people look beautiful on the outside, I love even more when I can make people laugh and bring joy into their world on any level.
I’ve also expanded my brand to include hosting a podcast where I interview people I find interesting (Beckoning Brilliance), and I work with a mineral makeup company (Saint Minerals), creating content for them and working at trade shows. The shows give me a bigger platform to educate people on the benefits of clean makeup and how simple it can be to make yourself look polished while also taking care of your skin!
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
I love that there’s no shortage of things to do! People are generally really chill and laid back here, and I find people to be really warm and welcoming! I also appreciate that there truly is something for everyone in Dallas to enjoy. On the flip side, I don’t love the lack of nature, and the driving here is insane! As chill as I just said people are, they definitely like to take their aggression out on the road!
Contact Info:
- Website: beccabooka.glossgenius.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/becca_booka
- Youtube: YouTube.com/@beccabooka
Image Credits
Chey Dawn
Melissa Oholendt
Heather Marshall
