Meet Seung Szczechowski | Owner and Technician of Tashi Brow & Skin Studio

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

Hi Seung, how has your perspective on work-life balance evolved over time?
As a small business owner, finding the proper work-life balance can be challenging. When I first founded my business, I accepted every appointment I could, often working until eight or nine o’clock in the evening. I would spend as much of my free time with my family as I could, but there weren’t enough hours in the day, and although they completely supported me, I often regret not getting to spend more quality time together while all of kids lived in the house.

At the same time, this time investment was what allowed my business to take off, and allowed me to support my family. I’m fortunate enough now that I’m in a solid position to take time off when I want to, and to work when I want to. Earlier in the year, my daughter graduated from Cambridge, and I was able to clear my schedule and watch her graduate in person, before spending family time together in Italy.

So, I suppose what I’m saying is that sometimes it might be necessary to work yourself harder in the beginning in order to plant the flowers and trees that will grow fruit for you in the future. However, if you’re going to spend so much time doing something, make sure you truly love and believe in what you are doing. I’m blessed to work in a field that constantly excites and inspires me, and I think I’d have a very different outlook on work-life balance if I didn’t genuinely love doing what I do.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Tashi Brow & Skin Studio opened in 2010. In the very beginnings, I did a lot of traditional brow design – i.e., a lot of waxing, tweezing, and plucking! People say eyebrows are the most important feature of your face, and it’s so true – you might not always notice a good pair of brows, but you’ll definitely notice a bad pair! I spent years learning about brow design, and how to measure facial dimensions in order to customize the arch and tail of the brow to fit each client’s unique face shape. It wasn’t just a passion; it was an obsession. At the end of many sessions, clients would express their love for their new brows, but also their sadness that it was only a temporary situation. It made me start to think…what if it didn’t have to be so temporary?

The answer to this question led me to Permanent Makeup – makeup that is applied with needles and ink to mimic the look of natural makeup, but with results that last for years instead of hours. Although I was already well versed in brow design, mastering the tattooing component took a lot of time. In addition to reading everything that I could get my hands on, I invested money upfront to get the most professional, high-quality training that existed. I learned how to identify a client’s undertone in order to match the color of ink I chose; I learned the different types of needles that existed and their sizes and which to use on a client with old and dry skin, and which to use on a client with young and oily skin; I learned to feel the subtle vibrations that travel up your hand when you’re hitting the exact right spot in a client’s skin for optimal color retention. It wasn’t easy, but I loved it every moment of the way. And once I had read and trained and practiced on models, I finally accepted my first clients.

I suppose if I had something I wanted the world to know about me and about permanent makeup in general, it would be this: permanent makeup education is a lifelong journey. The field is ever evolving, and there is always more to know. Just as a basketball player doesn’t stop working out after he makes it to the NBA, permanent makeup technicians must stay on top of their training as well. Education is not a once-and-done thing, but a lifelong effort.
When you choose a permanent makeup technician, you are trusting them with your face. Correction work is time-consuming and expensive (I should know, as about seventy-five percent of my appointments are spent helping clients who went to other technicians but weren’t happy with the results). Because of this, choosing someone who will go above and beyond to make you happy and provide the upmost quality of care is essential. And that is exactly what we provide at Tashi Brow & Skin Studio.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
What a delightful question! While my business is located in Plano, Texas, I live about a twenty-minute drive away in Frisco, Texas, so if I had a friend in town, I would definitely show them the best of both cities.

One warm and sunny days, I would take my friend to the PGA distract in Frisco, where we would grab snacks and leisurely pass the time practicing our golf skills on the public putting ground. I’m a big lover of sunlight and the outdoors, so I’d also suggest walking around the many parks and trails that exist in both Frisco and Plano. Frisco Commons has been around since I moved to Frisco, but it remains a delight to this day.

If it was a rainy day, I would take my friend to the Frisco Public Library. I’ve always been proud of our town’s beautiful library, but a couple of years ago it moved buildings, and the new space is even more magnificent. It’s also right next to the National Videogame Museum. Afterwards, I always love checking out a new movie with friends, no matter what city I’m in. I used to love going to the Angelika Film Center in Plano, but I was so devastated to hear that they closed down earlier this year. I do enjoy going to the CUT! by Cinemark – you order food and snacks from your seat, and employees bring it out to you before and even during the show.

For food recommendations, I love going out in Plano – either to Legacy West or the Shops at Legacy. In Legacy West, I like going out for lunch at Legacy Hall. It has an eclectic mix of individual businesses offering everything from crepes to fried chicken sandwiches. I stick to savory foods, and then cross the street to Amorino, which serves beautiful Italian gelato shaped into Instagram-worthy flowers. When I visit the Shops at Legacy, I like to eat at Del Frisco’s Grille if I’m in the mood to impress, or Seasons 52 if I want something flavorful and high-quality, while also being a little more accessible to the wallet.

Truly, both Plano and Frisco grow more and more each day, and this question is a good reminder to me to go check out all the new restaurants out there!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
There are many people, trainers, and organizations that I owe thanks to, from the Society of Permanent Cosmetic Professionals, which helped me become certified to train others in permanent makeup, to my loyal clients, who help spread the word about my business and are the foundation of my success. However, there is one book in particular that got me entranced with permanent makeup, and that is Permanent Cosmetics: The Foundation of Fundamental Applications by Marjorie Grimm.

Published in 2008 – just when I started to shift my interest from doing brows to doing permanent brows – The Foundation of Fundamental Applications is as dear to me as an old friend. It provided the basic knowledge that made me believe I could learn how to do permanent makeup – and not just learn how to do it, but to excel in it. I’m a firm believer that in life, the littlest things can cause huge ripple effects. One conversation, one connection, one compliment can change the path that your life is heading down. And for me, that ripple effect came from the encouragement and education of this small but mighty book.

Website: https://www.tashibrowstudio.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tashibrow/

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

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/tashi-brow-and-skin-studio-plano

Other: Booking Website: tashiseung.as.me