Today we’d like to introduce you to Katy Wistrom.
Hi Katy, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
I wasn’t born in Moose Lake but I was raised here. I went to Moose Lake Community School kindergarten through twelfth-grade spending my formative year here. Little did I know, after moving away, meeting my husband, and having all of my adventures, I would move back here to raise my son, my two stepchildren, and our goofy golden retrievers.
When I was 18, I didn’t know what I wanted to be when I grew up. I thought I wanted to be a teacher but after spending 3 months being a student teacher at the university I was attending at the time, I knew that working with other people’s children wasn’t for me. I dropped out of college not knowing what to do and started working at a department store. I kept finding myself going back to the beauty counters and learning more and more about products each shift.
After talking with one of the department heads, they told me they were going to esthetician school. I didn’t know what that was. I couldn’t even pronounce esthetician correctly! I dove headfirst into the rabbit hole of skincare, and the beauty industry, and enrolled myself in school for the following fall start.
I attended Cosmetology Careers Unlimited in 2014 and graduated with my esthetics certificate in 2015 and immediately took my MN licensure test the day after graduation. I couldn’t wait to start. Between then and now, I have worked for both medical clinics and more relaxation-focused spas. I loved aspects of both environments.
Moving forward to 2020 amid a pandemic, I knew I needed to start my own esthetics business in Moose Lake. I wanted to combine both the clinical and corrective treatments I had come to know and love with a spa-like feel and that’s what Koselig has become. When I opened in March of 2021 I had no idea that I would move out of a closet-sized office, into my building with 3 treatment rooms and be fully staffed a year later.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
My road is like any road in Minnesota. It starts smooth and then winter hits and all of a sudden we are filling potholes and starting new! I didn’t know what to expect. I had no idea that what I thought would be more of a hobby and something I would do in my “spare time” (I’m a mom of a toddler, there’s no such thing as spare time), would become what it is today. We have had growing pains.
When my lease was up last March, I knew there was something bigger and better for me and Koselig but I had no idea what it would be. Anyone familiar with Moose Lake knows retail space can be hard to come by. One of our biggest struggles was how do we find a space that will fit what we need and be able to open it promptly. We also had such a cozy space before, we wanted to make sure we wouldn’t lose that feel with a newer and bigger space.
I also didn’t know if skin services were something that Moose Lake would want. No one had brought this specialty before to the level we have and I didn’t know if it would be well received. Going into year 2 of our business being open, not only do I see the clients that have been with me since the day I opened, we still get new clients every week! It has been so fun for us to see so many people that have never had a facial before and get to be a part of their healthy skin journey from the start.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Koselig is a Norwegian word that means a feeling of deep contentment, provided by a person, place, or atmosphere; experiencing happiness and personal well-being through a combination of nature, companionship, and coziness. This is the feeling we want every person who walks in our door to feel, even before their service starts.
What sets us apart from the clinical setting and your typical day spa, is that we provide both. Our client’s comfort comes before everything else, yet we make sure they leave seeing and feeling a difference in their skin. Our 60-minute facial, Varemerke (meaning trademark), is completely customized to what our client needs. We didn’t want to have a separate facial for each unique skin type and condition.
Instead, before each Varemerke treatment (and every service), our clients go through a consultation and skin analysis to figure out what they want out of their skin treatment that day and what they want to work on in the future. Doing this gives us the availability to treat multiple concerns in one facial for our client.
With each new product, service, or device we invest in, our first thought is to make sure it’s valuable for our clients to invest in. We also pride ourselves on never rushing our clients out the door. Their “timer” for their facial doesn’t start until our hands touch their face. We don’t take away from your service time if it takes you longer to fill out a consultation or if you take your time getting dressed to head out the door. Our client’s time is valuable and we are so thankful to have earned their time with us.
We offer a wide variety of services at Koselig. I am a certified Acne Specialist through Face Reality. I have spent years learning the ins and outs of acne at all ages and continue to learn more each day. We have our acne boot camp for all ages that includes extensive consultation, home care suggestions, and professional treatments.
We offer longer facials that incorporate massage as well as medium-depth chemical peels for those wanting to make larger and faster strides in their healthy skin journey. We also offer lash lifts, brow services, full body waxing, and teeth whitening. There is something for everyone at Koselig Day Spa.
So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
My family matters to me the most. My parents instilled in my brothers and me how important family is. I couldn’t have started my business without the love and support from them, my husband John, and my kids. They push me to be better not only for them but for Koselig. Because my family and home offer me peace and a safe space, I make sure that my business does the same for others who may not have that in their life.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.koseligdayspa.com
- Instagram: @koseligdayspa
- Facebook: @koseligdayspa
Image Credits
The Fraiche Studio and Lindsey Isaac
