The Art of Glowing Up | Interview with Things We Do CEO Vanessa Lee, RN

Today we got to sit down and talk with the highly respected medical aesthetic provider and CEO of the famous beauty concept bar, The Things We Do, Vanessa Lee. But before we dive into what Vanessa has been up to as of recent, let’s give a short backstory of how she began her rise to success. As early as the age of 12, Vanessa had her head in Cosmopolitan magazines, learning all the latest tricks for skin and beauty, and even preparing face masks at sleepovers for her closest friends. In an interview with VoyagerLA she tells everyone that this was the beginning of her career. Fast forward to her college years, her parents had encouraged her to pursue a career in the medical field which ultimately led her to become a cosmetic nurse, bringing her back to her passion of “helping others feel good about themselves through beauty treatments.” As she developed her craft and found what injecting style fit her best, she realized her style of emphasizing one’s natural beauty and highlighting unconventional beauty just as much as conventional beauty, was an idea very different from her peers she worked with. She goes on to tell VoyagerLA “ I developed techniques to highlight the features of women of color, instead of the typical Eurocentric formulas I was taught and focused on skin treatments that were safe for all skin types.” Since then she decided to create her own environment that would staff providers that advocate for their patients in the beauty insider world, resulting in opening her own business which has multiplied into 3 highly booked and successful locations in the Southern California area (and possibly more locations which we will get into later). Now let’s catch up with industry icon, Vanessa Lee, to see how she’s been living beautifully inside and out. 

In a field that praises overdone lips, highly augmented surgeries, and unattainable body proportions / features, what was the “lightbulb” moment that caused you to focus on natural, conventional, and unconventional beauty?

I grew up thinking that I had a type of alternative, unconventional look. I went to a predominantly white primary school and stood out as a Filipino kid. And even as a Filipino girl I stood out amongst my Filipino friends who were much shorter than I was and had straight hair. I was always considered tall for my age, had curves and curly hair, and I was always very outspoken. However, because my mother had always instilled confidence in me from a young age, praising my features and living boldly in her own skin, I always felt comfortable standing out and did not try to downplay what made me different. This is what I wanted for all of my patients. I want them to feel great in the essence of beauty, helping them improve skin health and focus on facial balancing instead of complete augmentation. We celebrate all kinds of beauty instead of trying to fit everyone into a measurable mold.

Was it difficult to turn away clients who may have wanted more work done than necessary? If so, what went on internally to stick to your resolve and not just “do what other injectors are doing”?  

I have never been afraid to say no to patients and I don’t pay attention to what everyone else is doing in general, which helps me focus on what my internal compass and intuition is drawing me towards. In fact that is in large part how The Things We Do grew so quickly in such little time, by saying no. I teach injectors and I love to teach how to say no gracefully but say yes to something else that a patient would truly benefit from. For example, a patient may come in and ask me to fill their lips because they want state that they want to look more youthful. I feel great about letting them know that the most youthful appearance usually comes from rejuvenating the eye frame and reducing shadows around the mouth in the lower face because that truly is what will bring them closer to their goals and help them look healthier and happier. Bigger lips isn’t going to get them where they want to be. Word started to catch on in Southern California that we were the place to go to where injectors didn’t just do what you wanted. We created a reputation of integrity and artistry and it allowed us to soar in a very saturated market.

Through the growing pains of developing your own business, what was the best “mistake” you made that turned into a valuable lesson?

In our earlier days I allowed someone to work in my company who was a family friend and even though I had a gut feeling about their work ethic, I tried to make it work. It very quickly backfired and reminded myself to hold closely to my instincts. I like to surround myself with people who are several years ahead of me in business and listen closely to their stories, wins, and losses. When I was expressing my frustration to a mentor of mine who has a business evaluated at several billion dollars, she told me, “If you want to keep your friends as friends, don’t hire them.” I think that there are exceptions to this rule, but in business it is so important that the people you work with have something weighty to bring to the table that is evident from the jump. It isn’t enough that someone just wants to be a part of what you are creating.

You’ve spoke in the past about the difficulties of being a mom of two, wife, and wokring as a private contractor, and now that you have 3 kids, and multiple locations, has your workflow made it easier to balance out all those things? What tips and tricks do you use to still fulfill your role both as a mother and as a wife?

I like to be brutally honest about what balance in my life there is. There are weeks that I am a great mom, there are weeks that I am a great business owner and injector, and there are weeks where I champion for myself and indulge in self-care, but there is never a time where I am achieving all of these things at once. Life is much busier than it was even five years ago, but I have come to realize that I thrive in the chaos of it all and I am lucky enough to have a partner that enjoys the hustle and bustle of the life we created just as much as I do. I don’t think this kind of lifestyle is for everyone, because I do work quite a bit. When I am not in the clinic injecting, I am teaching, having meetings on marketing and strategy and developing products so this isn’t for someone who enjoys a lot of leisure time or someone who likes to be able to step away from work completely once they are off the clock- I often am replying to emails at 1am and scheduling them to send at 8am. The flip side to that is I play just as hard as I work and it is what I consider a balance, even though I am painfully aware that it looks crazy from the outside.

Both in your personal life and your business life, what are your proudest accomplishments in each?

In my personal life, my proudest accomplishment is that I am in a relationship with my husband that I deeply enjoy. I relish my time with my husband Kenny and I am completely in love with him and this is something that didn’t just happen to us, we worked very hard to get here and stay here. In business, I am proud to have created spaces where people can come to work and enjoy a positive atmosphere, help ignite confidence in others, and create lasting meaning in the beauty industry.

What advice would you give to a new blossoming CEO wanting to create an empire from the ground up, just like you did?

Get ready to feel a sense of isolation because you are throwing everything you have within you to make your business successful. That isolation will be temporary but it is real and it is absolutely okay to feel but know that at the end of life, none of us will wish to have made more money or to hit certain marketing goals, but instead we will all wish we had more time to spend with our loved ones. Start your business and do everything you can to do well, but know that the connections to those we care about the most is what matters most at the end of the day. Draw out your goals so they serve what fulfills you the most instead of working towards a dollar amount.

Lastly, are there any new projects or events that you’d like us to highlight?

Yes! We are opening The Things We Do on the island of Oahu in Hawai’i next and I am so proud for the opportunity to serve the community there soon! Keep up with us on IG and Tiktok for the latest on that opening and new products later this year. 

To learn more about Vanessa and The Things We Do team, visit their website or follow them on IG @thethingswedo.co.

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Written By Niko Del Rey

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