Today we’d like to introduce you to Ariel Moore.
Hi Ariel, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Being adopted at a young age and experiencing different transitions throughout my life taught me resilience early on. I grew up learning how to adapt quickly and work hard no matter the environment. After high school, I attended college while also making the decision to join the Army. Balancing both experiences helped shape my mindset and taught me discipline, accountability, teamwork, and how to perform under pressure. My time in the Army especially pushed me to grow personally and professionally while exposing me to people from many different backgrounds and experiences.
During COVID, before deploying to Kuwait with the Army, I started a bartending business, which became my first real experience with entrepreneurship. Running that business taught me customer service, networking, marketing, time management, and how to build strong relationships with clients while balancing multiple responsibilities at once. It also showed me the importance of being self-motivated and creating opportunities for myself during uncertain times.
While serving overseas in Kuwait during the pandemic, I further developed the ability to adapt, stay disciplined, and work under pressure in challenging environments. The experience strengthened my resilience and gave me a greater appreciation for structure, teamwork, and perseverance.
Once I returned home and transitioned back into civilian life, I began exploring new career paths and found myself interested in cosmetic dental services like teeth whitening and tooth gems. As I gained more experience and knowledge in that space, I decided to attend dental assistant school so I could build a stronger foundation and expand my understanding of oral health and dental care. Becoming a dental assistant allowed me to work in different dental offices and travel for assignments, which exposed me to many different environments, personalities, and workflows. Those experiences strengthened my communication skills, adaptability, and ability to connect with people from all backgrounds.
Over time, I realized I wanted to combine both my entrepreneurial background and my dental knowledge. I recently returned to focusing on teeth whitening and am now in the process of opening my own suite. This opportunity allows me to apply everything I’ve learned as a dental assistant while also creating an experience centered around knowledge, comfort, and confidence.
One of my biggest passions is education, whether that means learning new skills myself or teaching and educating others. I genuinely enjoy growing through new experiences and helping people feel more informed. That passion for continuous learning and sharing knowledge has played a major role in every stage of my journey.
Overall, my journey has been shaped by resilience, adaptability, discipline, and a willingness to learn. Every stage of my life has helped me become someone who is always striving to improve both personally and professionally. Throughout every challenge and transition, my faith in God has remained a major source of strength, guidance, and motivation in my life.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. I’ve had a lot of moments in life where I had to figure things out as I went. Being adopted at a young age and going through different transitions growing up taught me resilience early and forced me to learn how to adapt quickly to different environments and situations.
One of my biggest challenges was balancing so many different phases of life at once. Between college, the Army, deploying during COVID, entrepreneurship, and later transitioning back into civilian life, there were a lot of moments where I felt uncertain about what direction I truly wanted to go in. Coming back from deployment and adjusting back into everyday life was challenging mentally because everything changes so fast, and you almost have to rediscover yourself again outside of that structure.
I’ve also experienced challenges with grief, mental health, and physical health throughout different stages of my life. There were moments where I had to learn how to keep pushing forward while still taking care of myself mentally, emotionally, and physically. Those experiences taught me the importance of self-awareness, discipline, faith, and not being afraid to ask for help or take time to reset when needed.
Starting businesses also came with challenges. When I started my bartending business during COVID, I had to learn everything on my own through trial and error. The same thing applies now with opening my teeth whitening suite. There are a lot of responsibilities people don’t see behind the scenes like finances, marketing, building clientele, staying consistent, and believing in yourself even before things fully come together.
I’ve never been afraid to start over or step into something new. I went from the Army, to bartending, to dentistry, and now entrepreneurship in the cosmetic dental space. A lot of people are afraid of change, but I’ve always looked at every new phase in my life as an opportunity to grow, learn, and build something bigger for myself. Looking back, every experience connected in some way and helped shape who I am today.
Through all of it, my faith in God has kept me grounded. Even during uncertain seasons, I’ve always trusted that there was a bigger purpose behind the transitions and challenges I’ve faced.
As you know, we’re big fans of Moore Radiant Smiles. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Moore Radiant Smiles is a cosmetic teeth whitening brand focused on helping people feel more confident while also creating a comfortable and educational experience. What sets my business apart is that I combine hands-on experience from working as a dental assistant with my background in entrepreneurship and customer service. I believe people appreciate not only the results, but also feeling informed, comfortable, and genuinely cared for throughout the process.
Before starting Moore Radiant Smiles, I created my bartending business, Mermaid’s Mixes, during COVID. Through private events and networking, I built a brand centered around professionalism, energy, and creating memorable experiences for clients. I still bartend private events today, and that experience continues to shape how I approach customer service and relationship building in all areas of business.
What I specialize in most is creating experiences that make people feel confident and comfortable. Whether it’s through hospitality or cosmetic services, I’ve always enjoyed connecting with people and creating environments where they feel good about themselves.
One thing I’m most proud of is building my businesses through resilience, adaptability, and continuous learning. I want readers to know that my brands are built on authenticity, professionalism, and genuine connection. I understand business on both a professional and personal level, and I believe that balance is what has helped strengthen the foundation of my brands.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
One thing I’ve learned throughout my journey is that growth doesn’t always look linear, and it’s okay to evolve. I’ve worn many different hats throughout my life, and every experience has taught me something valuable that helped shape the person I am today.
I’ve always been the type of person who wants to understand the “why” behind things, whether that’s in business, dentistry, health, or life in general. I genuinely enjoy learning and understanding the science behind things, and I’ve never been afraid to ask questions. I think more people should feel comfortable doing the same. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, stay curious, or continue learning just because you don’t know something yet.
I want readers to know that it’s possible to create opportunities for yourself even during uncertain seasons of life. My journey has taught me the importance of resilience, faith, adaptability, and continuous learning. No matter what industry I’m in, my goal has always been to continue growing, create genuine connections, and help people feel more confident in themselves.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=39214856
- Instagram: Mermaids.Smiles
- LinkedIn: https://linktr.ee/Dejyme?utm_source=linktree_profile_share<sid=751dce4f-b9e3-4bb3-970b-1d64c48f8951
- Other: Dejyme- Personal Instagram and TikTok
