At the age of 35, Shaghayegh Daneshvar turned her can’ts into cans and her dreams into plans, when she left Iran, her native country, and moved to Canada to start her own business.
“I love my country, but the results of my hard work were not fruitful enough because of the whole situation in the country,” Daneshvar said.
“So, my husband and I decided to immigrate.”
(Kriti Thakur/ Spoke News)
Daneshvar is one of those whose name is either “mispronounced or misspelled.”
According to her, pronouncing her first name is as tricky as remembering a rhyme made in a dream.
She found a solution to the problem when she changed her baffling name to a facile one, Shauna.
Based in Waterloo, Daneshvar is an incredibly knowledgeable medical esthetician. She has been passionate about beauty and skin care since she was in high school.
The shrinking separation between humans and machines was enough to get Daneshvar interested in using technology on individuals.
“I always found the combination of technology with biology (the study of life and living beings) interesting,” she said.
“The study of machines in medicine, I think, is beautiful.”
Already having a master’s degree in engineering, her passion for learning about advancement in the field of science in correlation with the human body is immeasurable.
Mandy Hale, the New York Times’ bestselling author, once said, “There is nothing more beautiful than someone who goes out of their way to make life beautiful for others.”
This is exactly what Daneshvar does.
The 42-year-old is a laser therapist who owns the Rose Laser Hair Removal clinic in Waterloo.
It was not easy to start a business at this age, but she trusted her instincts and was ready to accept challenges, she said.
Daneshvar moved to Canada with her family, sure that she could make a living as a laser specialist, but she wanted a foundation in the study of beauty first.
“I convinced myself to be patient and to go to college at the age of 37, which was not easy,” she said.
After graduating from an esthetician program at Anderson College in 2015, she completed a one-year laser technician course at the Canadian Natural Therapies and Aesthetics Academy in Toronto.
To Daneshvar, the three years after completing her diplomas felt like a roller-coaster ride until she founded her own business in 2018.
At the time she was a mother of a five-year-old, initially spending her days in Toronto before shifting to London, Ont. All the while she was gaining experience while working in different spas and salons.
“Working full time for three years helped me to get rid of my fears about communicating with the locals,” Daneshvar said.
After years of learning and hard work, the esthetician who specializes in beautifying skin finally moved to Waterloo.
Daneshvar opened her licensed laser clinic in the basement of her house on New Hampshire Street in Waterloo.
Her idea is to “become a bit more stable … and then buy a place outside.”
She designed her five-star-rated clinic with the help of her husband, Sam Abdi, who is an architect, creating a refreshing and peaceful environment where her clients can sit and have a friendly one-hour consultation session with her.
To get to the business, you have to go down a curving staircase from another entrance door. The long narrow room is painted as white as snow, with some fabulous wall art, framed diploma certificates hanging behind her desk, and a $106,000 laser hair removal machine toward the corner of the room.
The first eight months were intimidating, not because there were not enough clients, but because she bought an extremely expensive laser machine that put her in debt.
“The amount I spent on the machine was equal to a down payment for our newly purchased house,” Daneshvar said.
“I was only given 12 months to pay it back.”
Apart from all the hardships, her confidence and skill sets were enough to attract clients.
Her prices that were “tremendously low as compared to other laser outlets in the entire province,” helped.
Though Daneshvar caters to all, an exception that sets her apart from all the other laser clinics is that she is the only esthetician in the entire city who provides student discounts.
She understands the expenses post-secondary students have, which is why she gives special laser packages to them.
Farzaneh Khajoei, one of Daneshvar’s clients, said, “Her style of working is completely different from other laser therapists. She spends almost four hours with a single client.”
“She is a real professional.”
Daneshvar charges $220 for a full body laser. The lowest price for that treatment elsewhere in Waterloo Region is $800.
“I work for my passion, and I am not here just to make money,” said Daneshvar.
She is fortunate to have a partner who supports her work and lifts her spirit. Abdi is her backbone.
“My journey couldn’t have been possible without him,” she said.
Abdi, however, is proud of his wife, saying she is doing a marvellous job in the business.
“It has been a great experience to see my wife living her dream. Her managing and interpersonal skills have been instrumental in everything going smoothly,” he said.
For marketing, Daneshvar depends on word of mouth, but Telegram, an online app, also helps as it caters to Iranians and a few Canadians.
“My industry mostly runs through word of mouth more than any advertisements,” she said.
Daneshvar’s job is phenomenal, and her venture is indubitable.
Working alone without assistance is not easy, but she is a passionate woman who knows what she is doing.
“Even if I am physically tired, I am still eager to continue,” she said.
“I love what I am doing, and I am lucky to have a family that supports me.”
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