Inspiration behind the Interview It was a day, not quite unlike this, in October 2019, the year I joined my PhD program at the University of Manitoba. I had just finished up my volunteering shift for the science open house and had joined my new colleagues and peers at the Hub (now VW Social Club) to quench my thirst with ginger ale and snack on some fries and happened to sit beside Dr. Teri De Kievit. Our introduction had been easy, and conversation had flowed seamlessly, with Teri being equally enthusiastic about my research endeavors and my passion for poetry and story-telling. Our connection sparked spontaneously, as our discussions bridged the gap between science and creativity. Now five years down the line, I couldn't imagine having a better mentor and guide on my Ph.D. journey. Dr. Teri De Kievit, a powerhouse in research, and a professor in the STEM field, who had taken the leap into entrepreneurship by founding Ethereal Glow Skin Studio, is an inspiration for many aspiring scientists and budding entrepreneurs at the fulcrum of science and business. I have had the wonderful opportunity to sit down with her and let my curious cat out of the bag (or should I say paper?). At Ethereal Glow Skin Studio, Dr. De Kievit melds scientific acumen with a love for cosmetology, offering transformative services like photo facials and FORMA. These treatments, grounded in the science of using pulsed light and radiofrequency to stimulate collagen production, exemplify her innovative approach to skincare. In this exclusive interview, we unravel the science behind these revolutionary treatments while exploring the remarkable academic and entrepreneurial journey of Dr. Teri De Kievit. Jigeesha Mukhopadhyay PhD Candidate Hausner Lab 1. Hi Teri. Congratulations on transitioning over to your business from academia and running your boutique skin clinic. What has that transition journey been like for you?
It has been challenging, nerve-wracking at times – but mostly exciting! To launch into something entirely different from what I have been doing for over 35 years, and that I am deeply passionate about, makes you come alive. 2. What does a day in the life of Teri look like? If you have to name five things you look forward to the most, waking up every day, what would they be? When I get a hug and “I love you” from my son Colin. He’s very expressive so I’m lucky to receive that several times a day. Spending time with my husband Rich –my rock and partner for almost 35 years. I’m fortunate that the person I married happens to be my favorite person to be with. We laugh a lot and have fun together. Having play time with our goldendoodle Bella. She is super interactive and a total goofball. 80% of our family photos have Bella as the center of attention, doing crazy things. Clients – I develop a strong bond with my clients and love helping them achieve their skincare goals. On days when I don’t have any clients booked, I feel unmoored. My friends and family – I am extremely lucky to have an amazing community of positive people who love and support me. There are no words to express how grateful I am for having them cheering me on through this exciting chapter. 3. Having the honor of knowing you throughout my academic journey, I know that you are one of the fiercest, yet most caring and encouraging individuals. How did that translate into your business life and your relationship with clients? First off, thank you for that huge compliment. I do develop an almost instantaneous connection with most of my clients. For client comfort, I would break it into two parts: Physical – I’ve created a serene space with a comfortable treatment bed and soft blankets; I try to make our time together as enjoyable as possible. Most of my clients are caregivers so it’s important that they feel relaxed and pampered. Emotional/spiritual – I would describe my approach as extremely client-centric. I start by understanding my client's skincare goals and devising a treatment plan to achieve those objectives. During the treatment, we have lots of uninterrupted time, which is a great opportunity to get to know each other. We’re all just flawed human beings doing the best we can; when you reveal your authentic self it almost always leads to meaningful interactions. 4. You have mentioned, explaining to your clients the details about the services. You have been a researcher and teacher throughout your academic career. Is it the teacher in you who seeps into this educational role of ensuring that your clients are aware and thoroughly informed about the services? Absolutely! I’m constantly learning about the science of skincare, and I like to impart that knowledge to my clients. Having been a scientist for the last 37 years, I’m very curious about how things work, and what can be done to make things work better. When I’m giving treatments, I frequently chat about how various technologies work or my latest discoveries regarding skincare, and general wellness. Typically, my clients are interested in these topics and ask me to continue, so I’m fairly confident I’m not boring them. 5. How has having a scientific background impacted your treatment strategies? How do you stay updated on the latest advancements and trends in skin care and dermatology to provide the best possible services to your clients? The two companies I’ve partnered with– InMode and DermaSpark – supply top-of-the-line equipment used in premier medical practices around the globe. Additionally, they have a huge supply of educational resources that are available to providers. These materials allow me to stay current with the latest discoveries and to understand how I can best use the equipment. Honestly, I could spend all day watching training videos and taking notes – they are informative and really exciting! 6. You have told me about your personal journey through a medical hardship and I cannot emphasize enough how much you inspire me as a strong woman in STEM who has been a mentor to many. How has that particular period in your life impacted your personal and professional goals? Yes, I will start by talking about my health - in January I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I’m very fortunate that it was caught early through mammography and my prognosis is excellent. My mother died of breast cancer when she was 47 - I was 20 at the time. I have always tried to embrace the motto “Carpe Diem” because you never know what lies ahead. I am beyond grateful that I can pursue my ultimate dream and spend every waking moment doing what feeds my soul. As a professor of Microbiology at U. Manitoba for the last 22 years, I’ve had the thrill of running a research lab and teaching both undergraduate and graduate students. This has been an amazing career, but my soul was yearning to challenge myself with something different, that is more in line with my other passion – the science of skincare. After my first photo facial 2 decades ago, I knew that working in the arena of skincare and beauty would be in my future. Long before the breast cancer diagnosis, I had decided to retire from UManitoba and start up my skincare business. This recent healthcare challenge has underscored that I only have a finite number of days on the planet. I am beyond grateful that I can pursue my ultimate dream and spend every waking moment doing what feeds my soul. 7. You have talked about your inspiration behind the skin clinic and shared your transition journey. While the treatments and services were something that you already took a keen interest in, how was delving into the more business side of things and how different was that to any of your past career roles? Oh my gosh, where to begin? Becoming incorporated, filing corporate taxes, purchasing and operating a point-of-sale machine (POS), and developing a website – it’s all been such a huge learning curve. One of the biggest challenges has definitely been social media. I’m a total novice – never did FB, or IG so navigating those platforms has been so challenging! I’m 100% outside of my comfort zone, but fortunately, I have just employed the most amazing social media guru to assist me. They are incredibly talented, creative, and sooooo energetic. When I see their amazing posts, it is super exciting - definitely the shot in the arm I needed. 8. Are there any parallels or unexpected connections between your previous academic role and your current role as a skin care service provider and practitioner that you’ve discovered in your professional journey? In terms of parallels, I would say the value of really listening to students and now my clients. Students would come into my office and share details of their lives, revealing what’s going on behind the scenes and how that affected their performance on a test, or why they missed an assignment. Everyone has their own story, with ups and downs, so when they are willing to share some of those details, it’s much easier to show compassion and forge a mutually agreeable path forward. I extend that same sentiment to my clients – during our 60-90-minute sessions together with no interruptions, it is quite magical how much you can learn from one another, especially if you feel secure enough to share the good and the bad. No one’s life is perfect and it’s when we are vulnerable and share what’s really going on, that a deep connection is formed. The other parallel is learning and teaching. I love to learn, so I’m constantly watching tutorials on skincare, nutrition, exercise, and lifestyle, focused on things we can do to look and feel our best. I then pass on that knowledge to my clients – they are excited to discuss these topics - I think living your best life is a goal for most people. 9. In very simple terms, could you give us an overview of the different services you currently offer? Laser hair removal – this platform is amazing!!! For example, after just one or two treatments, armpit hair is gone for good. We can use this on just about any part of the body from the face to the toes. Silky smooth skin is easily achieved in just a few short sessions and while we can’t remove 100% of hair, what does grow back is fine and baby soft. IPL photo facials – remove brown pigments (freckles, sun damage, age spots), and redness (rosacea, blood vessels). The energy from the handpiece enters the skin in the form of light and gets transformed into heat energy which breaks up the pigments, resulting in a clearer skin. It also stimulates collagen production, so pores are minimized. Overall, the skin has a lit-from-within glow, that is fresh and totally rejuvenated. Forma radiofrequency (RF) skin tightening – this is a super relaxing treatment; most clients say it’s like a hot stone massage. We use a wand to heat skin to around 41C – typically the areas we treat are the face and neck. The heat energy stimulates the formation of collagen and elastin resulting in firmer, more taught skin. Cheeks are sculpted, jowls and eyebags are diminished and the neck becomes firmer and tighter. One can easily erase a decade from their appearance using Forma by stimulating their own natural collagen elastin production. Recently, I’ve introduced micro needling into my services. Using small needles to generate microchannels in the skin, also known as “collagen induction therapy”, the body’s immune system repairs the damage by filling in the channels with new collagen. This is similar to when you have a break in the skin which gets filled with new cells. Skin is firmer and plumper, with a smooth even complexion. It’s great for eliminating hyperpigmentation, deep pitted acne scars, and wrinkles. 10. You have always talked about your supportive community of friends, who are women in your age group. Is this reflected in your clientele as well? Is there a specific target clientele for your services? I have amazing clients! They are always doing so much for other people in their lives, including ME! Lots of my clients refer my services to their inner circle, and amazing clients tend to have amazing friends, family, and coworkers, so I’m super lucky to have benefited from word-of-mouth referrals. In terms of target clientele, I have some younger people who are usually interested in laser hair removal, or microneedling and IPL to even out skin tone. For my 40-plus clientele, who are starting to see the signs of aging, Forma is very popular as it deals with sagging and lax skin. It’s a great way to turn back the clock by stimulating your own collagen production I love that Forma and microneedling are available for people who don’t feel comfortable injecting foreign substances into their skin, and prefer a natural, non-invasive approach to rejuvenation. 11. What aspects of your work in the skin clinic do you find most rewarding? Are there any specific patient success stories that stand out to you? Definitely the connections I form with my clients are the best part of this adventure. When people tell me they are thrilled with the results – that’s the icing on the cake. I have one meaningful client success story I’d love to share. This individual, who we will call Sandy, came to me after having gone for a consultation for a facelift. Sandy shared that it was a horrific experience because they put an enlarged photo of her face on the screen and discussed in detail everything, they felt needed fixing. Sandy wept throughout the whole process. In the end, she was quoted 22K, which she couldn’t afford so a facelift was not an option. Another one of my clients recommended me and so Sandy came for a consultation. She definitely did not need a facelift – her skin was a bit lax, and her pores enlarged so we did a series of 6 forma treatments and 2 micro-needling sessions. I was absolutely astonished by how well her skin responded. Her cheeks were sculpted and lifted, her under-eye bags were completely gone, and her pores were diminished – I would say she looked at least 15 years younger. The best part is that Sandy told me she has never felt better about her skin. She no longer wears anything on her face besides moisturizer and sunscreen. When I see such dramatic transformations – inside and out – I know that I have the best job in the world. 12. As an entrepreneur and skin care professional, what advice would you give to someone considering a career change into this field? If you are passionate about skincare and love working with people – go for it! The connections you make with your clients, in an ever-evolving field that allows you to learn and grow are the best! 13. Give me a Teri skin care tip of the day, I’m sure our readers would want to learn from the expert. Around age 25, our collagen production diminishes by 1% every year. Fortunately, diet, exercise, and various treatments, such as the ones we’ve been discussing, can combat and even reverse collagen loss. However, if you regularly expose your skin to UV radiation, collagen loss doubles to 2%/year. Not to mention upping your risk of skin cancer. Wrinkles, age spots, enlarged pores, and broken blood, not to mention skin cancer, can all be minimized by being sun-savvy. 14. When you are not running your clinic or immersed in academic pursuits, how do you like to relax and unwind? I really enjoy spending time with the family around our home. Travel is wonderful, but I’m pretty much a homebody. We have a spacious backyard with a waterfall and a hot tub. It’s my personal sanctuary where we can spend time together. I also try to work out at least a few times a week to de-stress and get the endorphins going. 15. Is there a particular quote, saying, or mantra that has guided you through the ups and downs of your journey from academia to entrepreneurship? Fortune favors the bold. This mantra helps me to be brave and silence the inner critic, who questions whether something is too risky. Interview conducted by Jigeesha Mukhopadhyay
0 Comments
|
AuthorWe are graduate students at the Department of Microbiology, University of Manitoba Archives
October 2023
Categories |