SODA SPRINGS — A local woman has started up a business in the historic Enders Hotel that aims to heal both superficial and even more complex and deeper wounds.
For 16 years, Courtney Stanley has been a licensed esthetician living in various parts of the state while raising a family alongside her husband.
Honing her skills at several different established locations was rewarding and she took great pride in helping clients via her various jobs in the industry, such as running the lasers at a dermatology clinic in Boise and working in salons.
Yet when Stanley moved to Soda Springs just a couple years ago, she didn’t find the same opportunities to use her skills that she had while living in more metropolitan areas. She felt something was missing in her life, so after a little bit of research she decided to create her own business, Mountain View Skin.
“This is the first time I’ve ever gone solo,” she said. “In all of my practices before, I’ve had quite a bit of independence, but this is the first time being my own business entity, so there’s a lot I’m learning with that. It's new territory.”
Owning and operating a business comes with its own set of rules and Stanley had a steep learning curve before getting started. For instance, she had to learn how to get a tax ID, a seller’s license and an establishment license. She also learned to keep her finances more organized.
Stanley’s thankful for all the help from local people she's received to get her business off the ground.
“One nice thing about being rural is there is someone in town or in the county for everything,” she said. “I had someone reach out to me who said, 'Hey, I see you’re a new business, I do bookkeeping, let me know if you’re interested in having me work with you.' So I know there’s things I can source out when and if I’m ready, and then I’ll also be able to support another business in town, which is a really good feeling.”
Assisting Stanley in her entrepreneurial journey has been local business owner Terah Jones, who operates the Enders Hotel on South Main Street in downtown Soda Springs. Offering reasonably priced spaces for rent was always one of Jones’ goals and Stanley is appreciative of the opportunity, stating, “I really like where I am right now. Enders has such a cool vibe. Terah puts her heart and soul into that place and has done so much for it, for the people and events. I don’t think she ever stops working.”
While the business-side of things has been an adventure, Stanley’s true passion shines through in the face-to-face interactions with clients looking to improve their skin or even to find a momentary reprieve from the stresses of daily life.
“I love helping people feel relaxed when they come in,” said Stanley. “I want it to be an escape. One of my favorite things about this is just the opportunity I have to connect with people. I am very much one who believes in the power of our personal energies, and touch is so important, touch is so powerful…. to help people feel safe and feel good about themselves and feel any sense of friendship or healing. It's so powerful.”
Stanley herself enjoys the connections with clients and believes that Mountain View Skin has helped her find greater purpose in the community.
She said, “I think this is why I’m here, because I can work with people and connect with people and it's very fulfilling for me and hopefully for them too.”
In addition to the personal connections, Stanley’s license allows her to offer corrective skin-care treatments that are professional grade and much sought after, not just as a stress reliever, but also as a way to fix ongoing skin ailments.
“What I really focus on is corrective treatments,” said Stanley. “I really, really enjoy helping people with acne or acne scarring. And if people are concerned about pigmentation from sun damage, I can help fix that. So really focusing on corrective skin care and I can do that through a variety of modalities that I have access to through my education and through my experience.”
Current offerings include treatments for adult woman and teen acne, microneedling and, most recently, botox treatments brought in by Brandi Smith, FNP.
Mountain View Skin is located in the Historic Enders Building, Suite 210, in view of the geyser. Folks wanting to learn more about homecare skin routines, purchase an e-gift card or schedule an appointment can contact Stanley on either Instagram or Facebook, both listed under Courtneystanleyskin.
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