Meet Dashauna Franklin | Nurse Practitioner

We had the good fortune of connecting with Dashauna Franklin and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Dashauna, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
I try to create a space that is inviting and personable. I want my clients to feel seen and heard because so many haven’t felt that way during past interactions with health care providers. When people are seeking services for weight loss or looking to improve their appearance, they feel vulnerable. It takes a lot of courage and vulnerability to sit in front of a stranger and discuss your struggles. I find ways to relate to my clients because I have been in their shoes. I have felt brushed off and rushed when seeing providers in the past. I don’t want my clients to feel that way. I want them to feel like their concerns matter and to trust in my knowledge and experience to develop a treatment plan that will work for them.

What should our readers know about your business?
I am honestly surprised that I am a business owner because I never desired to pursue the path of entrepreneurship. I have been a nurse for 15 years and a Nurse Practitioner for 10 of those years. The majority of my career has been spent in long-term care. I absolutely love the elderly population and had no plans to ever leave that population. Then covid happened and so much about healthcare changed. The nursing homes that were once so full of life went into lockdown for the safety and protection of our patients. It was hard, we lost so many patients as a direct result of covid and indirectly due to the loneliness and isolation that they experienced during that time. Covid also made me evaluate my own professional goals. Although I loved taking care of the elderly, I no longer felt challenged. I was burned out and needed to find something to reignite my passion. So I started thinking about what my next steps would be. I never desired to own a business but I have always desired to own and dictate my own path. So I mediated on what I loved about nursing and found that what I love the most is getting to know people. I love to get to know the people that I take care of and help them to find solutions to their problems. I love knowing their stories and being a part of their journey. Then I thought about who I am today, I am so different than I was 15 years ago when I started my career. I started my career as a 24 year old young, single woman. I am now a wife and mother of three. I understand how difficult it is to juggle a career and family. I understand how it feels to get lost in taking care of everyone but yourself. So I channeled my personal and professional experience to create The Aesthetics & Wellness Lab. My goal is to help people to rediscover themselves whether it be through weight loss, hormonal balance, or through making them feel confident about how they appear on the outside when they show up in the world. I strive to make people feel unjudged and comfortable and to create an environment where their concerns can be heard without feeling as if they are being dismissed or rushed.

Becoming a small business owner was not easy. Nursing school teaches you how to become a clinician but we are not taught how to start or operate a business. I try to utilize resources such as fellow business owners, podcasts, and internet resources. It is also difficult because I decided to start very small to keep operating cost down therefore I am the healthcare provider, receptionist, marketer, accountant…all of the roles that keep the business operational. Overall, I love it. I love the challenge of learning so much about operating a business. I love that I can provide the type of care that I believe in. I love to celebrate with my patients as they start to feel their health improve. I love that there is no ceiling in entrepreneurship. I just hope that my patients feel my passion and that I make a true difference in their lives.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I love DFW. I grew up in Louisiana and would visit the metroplex often as a child. I knew that I wanted to live here so I moved from Louisiana to the metroplex one week after graduating from nursing school. I love that there is so much to offer here. There would be so many places to visit. Paradiso in Bishop Arts has an amazing patio and cute photo ops. I love shopping at Legacy West in Plano. There’s a restaurant in Mansfield, The Vault, that has amazing food, the best cocktails, and great piano bar. It’s a great place for a date night or girls’ night out. I love the spa at The Thompson hotel in downtown Dallas. We would definitely have to incorporate some family friendly activities since I am a mom. The Perot Musem is one of my favorites. I love our city parks and splash pads in Mansfield. There is so much to do in the metroplex, we definitely would not be bored!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Neowell Aesthetics training program in Plano for providing an awesome aesthetics training and mentorship program.

Website: https://www.theaestheticsandwellnesslab.com/

Instagram: @theaestheticsandwellnesslab.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theaestheticsandwellnesslab/

Image Credits
Terica B. Photography