Today we’d like to introduce you to Jenella Mariano
Hi Jenella, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
ToothFairySD was actually never an idea I’ve always had in mind. In September of 2023, my mom went to get her teeth whitened one day and came back ecstatic about her results. She went on about how I could also train to learn the technique, as well as add tooth gems as another service to provide. I didn’t think much about it and initially told her I wasn’t interested until I started to do my own deep dive into the teeth whitening/tooth gem world and became so fascinated with the before and afters and the creativity of the gem designs. After doing my research and contemplating on it for awhile, I took the chance and got certified in early October 2023, then officially opened up my business later that same month.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It was definitely slow at first but I took that as an opportunity to keep practicing and perfecting my skills, especially when it came to doing tooth gems. With whitening, it’s a pretty straightforward process that you can’t mess up but with gems on the other hand, you are dealing with dental grade primers, composite/bonds that you can’t just put onto a tooth and call it a day. I struggled with either putting too little glue or way too much which would then result in terrible retention and the gems not staying on for long. I became discouraged for a bit and even considered taking gems off my service list which is ironic now because I do tooth gems more than whitening! It was definitely a lot of trial and error in the beginning but I’m so thankful for my support system and the clients who gave me a chance and were so patient and understanding with me.
Another one of my struggles was trying to put myself out there. If you know me personally, I’m someone who usually likes to keep to myself so opening up a business was something completely out of my comfort zone. I did have a lot of doubt but at the end of the day, I’m just having fun meeting new people and being creative so I let go of the “I can’t do it” mentality and became more active on my page.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
ToothFairySD is built on the idea of wanting more people to embrace their smiles through tooth gems and whitening! I offer 40-60 min whitening sessions and have a huge variety of Swarovski crystals, opals, microgems and 18kt gold to bling out your smile.
I’m most proud of the growth, not only in my business but as an individual as well. ToothFairySD pushed me to get out of my comfort zone, led me to meet so many amazing people, and opened up opportunities to showcase my work! In November I was a vendor at Wicked West for @the.good.neighbors 1 year anniversary and it was so much fun.
I am home based but also do mobile appointments, pop up shops and different events/markets which makes it convenient for those who have always wanted whitening or gems but haven’t had the chance to go.
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
Don’t be afraid to ask for help! There have been so many times I’ve asked for advice from other whitening/gem techs or other business owners in general regarding content ideas, products, etc. The learning never ends and you should always be open to acquiring new skills and gaining more knowledge.
Having a supportive community helped me gain more confidence and security within myself and it’s also just motivating to see others succeed in their own ways. It’s definitely super helpful to surround yourself with like-minded people who genuinely enjoy doing what they do.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://toothfairysd.square.site/
- Instagram: @toothfairysd
