Today we’d like to introduce you to Hyesu Shin and Suji Shin.
Hi Hyesu and Suji, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Looking back at the One Clinic: I realized that it was the culmination of the journey I took to find my cultural identity. Growing up in Korea, I was surrounded by strong cultural and traditional ties that stem back generations. However, when I moved to America in middle school, I quickly became distant with my background and heritage. By the time I joined a pre-med program in college, I found completely disidentify with my Korean roots. Western ideologies and methodologies seemed much more efficient and believable. However, as I continued to study through the extensive pre-medical track, my heartfelt something was missing. Despite my excitement of graduating with a degree and finally being able to start a medical program, the hole in my heart was too large to ignore. I realized that I needed to take a step back and revisit my background and piece together the parts of my identity scattered between both worlds.
I knew then that I needed to take the time off to do some soul searching. So, I went on medical mission trips overseas to help those in need. We were a group of doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and an acupuncturist. However, there weren’t many things these groups of western practitioners could offer due to limited time and resources but to offer pain killers and vitamins. However, this one acupuncturist was able to do so much in so little time with just a box of needles, addressing both physical pains and emotional traumas. This is the moment I realized that the traditions of eastern medicine passed amongst generations of our culture have so much power and potential to heal people.
When I came back, I realized that I didn’t have to choose one path to help people in pain, nor did my identity have to be solely from one culture. As an Asian-American, my identity isn’t simply one that aligns with my Asian family nor my American education. I had my own unique identity that I had paved out through my experiences and decisions. Equally so, I realized that there was a third path, a connection between both worlds, that would supplement and boost healing on the inside and out. The moment I saw the solution right in front of us, I couldn’t wait to share it with the world. Although it was a process with many trials and errors, my sister and I created the ultimate facial formula that utilizes both the western and eastern methods to target skincare from the inside out.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
We started our business in the middle of the pandemic when everything was very unstable and uncertain. Yet one thing we knew for sure was that our purpose and goal were achievable and meaningful. We saw the need to raise awareness that self-care is no longer a luxury but a necessity. As a result, we took a leap of faith and never gave up.
Starting our own business was like entering a whole different world. We had to learn our ABCs, googling every single step of the way. We made loads of mistakes and failures which made us stronger and wiser. If we had to give one advice to anyone that wants to start their own business, it would be to “just do it!” We strongly believe that with the right dedication and perseverance, everything will lay out as you go. Something very valuable we learned through our journey was that there’s no other teacher better than your mistakes. Despite our own efforts, we would be lying to say that we could’ve done without the help of our family, friends, and clients that believed and supported us along the way.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Epidermis, the External skin, is the largest organ in our bodies. Equally, there is so much information and product out there that claims to take good care of your skin. However, many of those topical products only fix what’s visible on the outside, they fail to target the root of the issue, usually within the dermis and the subcutis. We believe that skin is a key reflection of what is truly going on inside of your body: stress, digestive disorders, hormonal issues, and anxiety just to name a few. When we tried to solve this issue with these products, we looked to see if anyone had a solution. Even after countless facial spas and acupuncture clinics, they failed to solve the issue at hand, each one only focused on one-half of the issue.
At tHe ONE: Acupuncture, Aesthetics & Tea Bar – The One Clinic – we believe that true healing and beauty come from the inside out. Utilizing a combination of eastern and western approaches to healthy skin and body, we provide a special facial treatment called “Full Acu-Facial with Lymphatic Massage.” Our treatment stems from our focus on all-natural and holistic methods to restore internal and external health, which is the key element that sets us apart. Through the mixture of skincare, integrative acupuncture, traditional Chinese medicine, and mindfully created herbal teas, we restore and balance the mind, body, and spirit.
We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking?
“Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new” is the motto we hold onto. We jump into things already knowing that there are going to be mistakes and risks along the way. We get butterflies and excitement whenever we think about all the failures and risks because that just means we are going to be that much wiser at the end of the tunnel. The bigger the risk is the better it is going to be! But of course, we don’t jump into things recklessly. We always calculate costs and have plan Bs, Cs, and Ds. But the most important thing is the mindset and confidence that it’s always going to work out. And even if it doesn’t, it was meant to be for a better ending. It’s the positive attitude that really changes the universe.
Contact Info:
- Email: info@the1clinic.com
- Website: www.the1clinic.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hye.suji/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hyesuji.theoneclinic/
