On: Endings

If you’re reading this, you’ve likely been part of my journey in one way or another—and for that, I’m endlessly grateful.

This is the first official post of my blog, and ironically, it's about endings. But like any good facial (you know I had to squeeze in a skincare metaphor), endings are just the final step before renewal. This isn’t a story of failure. It’s a story of fierce belief, beautiful connection, lessons earned, and one woman’s decision to walk boldly through the door of entrepreneurship—and eventually, to know when it’s time to close it.

I started eleMINT with a dream rooted in care. Care for skin, yes—but more deeply, care for culture, community, and connection. I wanted to build something that felt like an exhale. A space where self-love wasn’t a luxury, but a lifestyle. Over five years, we did just that. We made botanical facials feel like therapy. We hosted events that turned strangers into friends. We put wellness and representation on center stage. We bloomed.

But as many entrepreneurs know, blooming doesn’t come without the weeds: cash flow woes, staffing struggles, market changes, and the emotional weight of carrying a dream on your back. Over time, it became clear that sustaining the business meant compromising the heart behind it—and that’s a compromise I wasn’t willing to make.

So, I made the tough decision to close eleMINT. Not out of defeat, but out of love—for myself, for the integrity of what we built, and for the future I still believe in.

Closing a business you’ve poured your soul into is no small thing. But what I’ve realized is that success isn’t always about what lasts forever. Sometimes, success is knowing when to let go. It’s in every client who found joy in our treatments. Every team member who blossomed under our roof. Every lesson I’ll carry with me into the next chapter.

This blog is my way of reflecting in real time. Of honoring the messy, magical, gut-wrenching, beautiful ride that is entrepreneurship. I’ll be sharing stories, lessons, tools, and truth—uncut and unfiltered.

So whether you're an esthetician with big dreams, a fellow founder navigating your own pivots, or just someone who’s curious about what happens after the Instagram post… welcome. I hope you find comfort, clarity, and a little sparkle here.

Here's to the end of one chapter—and the brave beginning of another.

Shauntavia