Who’s Our “Socially Responsible Business” of the Month?
An interview with Claudia Cordova Rucker, founder/owner of Estetica Mia
I hope you found some value in the Baby Boomers & Beyond interviews we provided over the last several years. It was a joy collaborating with each of the advisors in bringing you timely and relevant information to assist in your long-term planning.
After much reflection over the last few months, however, I am choosing to shift the focus of this monthly column to another topic that is equally close to my heart: Kindness.
The deeply heartbreaking events of the last few years, including the devastating effects of COVID on our local businesses, have profoundly affected me and rekindled my passion for working more proactively towards creating a kinder world. It turns out that my dear friend, Claudia Cordova Rucker, was feeling a similar calling.
Claudia and I were brought together by a shared passion for kindness, compassion and entrepreneurship. Over our first 2-hour coffee together, we felt like we had taken a bite out of the moon! As business owners doing business radically differently, we had found a kindred spirit in each other. Over time, it became clear to us that we were destined to do something together that would help our community. Hence the birth of “A Kinder World of Commerce”.
Our mission is to educate the community about socially responsible businesses and support them in ways that are both profitable and socially sustainable. If the concept of ‘social responsibility’ is new to you, here’s a simplified definition of what we mean by that. A socially responsible business is an enterprise that is driven by a certain set of values ranging from human, environment and animal rights to corporate governance that embraces transparency, accountability, ethical conduct, rule of law, diversity and inclusiveness. A socially responsible business is led by a holistic vision of making the world and their community a better place both for themselves and for future generations. This means taking into consideration more than just the bottom line. It means balancing multiple values at one time, all the time, to the best of their ability. Socially responsible businesses are focused on the triple bottom line of profit, people and planet.
So why is this important to Santa Barbara? One of the things that makes Santa Barbara so special are the small quaint businesses. If we don’t act in ways that say to them “You matter. We want you here”, we run the risk of having the Costco’s, Targets and Home Depots of the world replace them, forever altering the specialness we have come to love about our community. And while shopping locally and socially responsibly isn’t always the cheapest, it might be the most meaningful: we’ll be investing in the long-term economic sustainability of our beloved community. And the beauty of taking action in this way is that it is a based on the freedom to choose that which aligns with certain values that may be meaningful to you.
ML: How is the experience at Estetica Mia different from traditional spas?
CCR: That is a great question! Thank you for asking me. Estetica Mia is no ordinary spa because we believe in Deep Beauty.
We created our Deep Beauty experience because I kept hearing how busy women and men who were contributing so much to their businesses, professions, and our community were craving a meditative space, a knowledgeable team, and treatments that would allow them to maximize their time without sacrificing or having to choose between beauty and self-care. So our deep beauty experience ultimately was created to bridge beauty and well-being in a simple, sustainable, and worry-free beauty environment.
Our deep beauty experience is about a commitment to yourself — not just looking good. Deep Beauty means providing our clients with a health-conscious meditative space as well as nourishing, holistically beautiful services that fill them up so they are resourced to do their great work in the world.
ML: What are your company’s values and how do you operationalize them at the spa?
CCR: I’ve been working in the beauty business since 2005, when my sisters Karina, Cindy, and I founded our first spa, Aqua Skin and Nail Care. I quickly learned that in order to make it in the industry, I’d have to sacrifice my values. We were successful, but running a shallow business did not bring me joy. Back then, I dreamt of building a values-based beauty business – one that could change the industry from the inside out. This is when the seeds of Deep Beauty were planted.
Our values of community, success, personal responsibility, action, connection, authenticity, and abundance guide us as we make decisions such as who to hire, when to hire, what companies to partner with, what products to use in our treatment and home care recommendations. Our values are also baked into our business framework as well as every process. Being a values-based as well as a socially responsible business is the magic behind our deep beauty experience. I think it is our secret sauce.
ML: Who is your ideal client?
CCR: Our ideal clients understands that taking care of herself themselves is an investment in herself themselves so that they can continue to make their greatest contribution to their work, families, and community. Our ideal clients haves a lot of demands on their time and energy yet they want to look naturally polished. They are also very committed to social responsibility. They understand that a commitment to a beauty routine can reflect their values and self-care. Coming into Estetica Mia for their monthly beauty regime also allows them to vote with their dollars to create a better world.
ML: I noticed online that you have 5 stars which are consistent with my experience as well. What is your secret to delivering this exceptional client experience?
CCR: At Estetica Mia, we are paving a new path to Deep Beauty. To do this we have had to let go of the shallow beauty practices that are still the norm in our industry and that were making for mediocre beauty experiences. I think as a team we see ourselves as part of a greater eco-system, and we are committed to building a deeply beautiful world that’s as committed to creating a uniquely nourishing beauty experience for you as it is supporting the health, joy, and livelihood of our team.
In a nutshell, we really care about living our vision to create transformational beauty which starts with transforming the lives of our team who, then in turn, care for our clients with this same generosity and tenderness. I feel privileged to be part of this caring and kind culture, and I think our clients do, too, which is why I think we often get 5-star reviews.
ML: How can our readers best support you and your mission during these challenging times?
Thank you for asking me this question. As you can imagine, we have faced significant challenges during this last year. At the same time, we have been blessed through the deep relationships we have cultivated in our spa and community. These connections have brought many opportunities that have allowed us to keep our doors open. We have taken every possible measure to create a safe environment for our clients, so we hope you’ll consider coming in for a private in-spa experience. We also offer virtual treatments that include facilitated spa parties and one-on-one tutorials. Interacting with us on social media is also an easy way to support us. Once you’ve had your own experience with us, Experiencing an in-spa or virtual treatment as well as telling friends and family about us will help us continue to cultivate Deep Beauty as we create a Kinder World of Commerce transform our client’s lives. So anyway that fits into your reader’s busy schedules is a great way to support us.
Monica & Claudia
Claudia Cordova Rucker is the founder and owner of Estetica Mia. To learn more, please visit www.esteticamia.com or call her at (805) 698-2358.
