We had the good fortune of connecting with Toya Sessoms and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Toya, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
The seed for Smile Therapy Spa was planted while I was in Dental Hygiene School though I was completely unaware at the time. While I was in school I had a professor pull me to the side and told me I could benefit from getting my teeth whitened a few weeks after being properly taught how to offer the service. It was a very humbling experience though she had no knowledge of my lifelong digestive issues which can have a negative impact on your teeth. Being in school all I could do in the moment was take what she said and put it in the back of my mind. Moving forward the annoying bastard named Covid came along. After working at my home dental office for only a couple of months I was stuck at home with plenty of time to think. As a habitual overthinker I realized this was a amazing opportunity to sit in silence and really ask myself “What are you passionate about?” outside of acting of course hahaha! I came to the conclusion that providing smiles on peoples faces bring me so much joy. Since I’m not a strong comedian I decided dentistry is my second superpower LOL. I have had so many patients after coming to see me express how grateful they were we could help them improve on some things they were insecure about. Those meaningful conversations were extremely fulfilling for me and I wanted to figure out how I could give more. I went back to when I was in school and could not afford to do anything about my teeth and had to just learn to be ok with my teeth. Cosmetic Dentistry can get very expensive and I don’t think people should be stuck with insecurities with their smiles due to cost being a issue. This is when the idea of Smile Therapy Spa was really poured into and born!
I wanted to create a affordable opportunity for those who cant drop $500+ for whiter teeth and that’s exactly what I did. It makes me so happy that my clients can now get the confidence boost they deserve. I also get to be apart of peoples glam squad for their special days. My pain turned into my passion for others and love to see Smile Therapy Spa to continue to grow daily!

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I am a actress!! I absolutely love the arts and take my craft very serious. In between acting gigs I was working as a medical assistant. I was always intrigued by science but I knew I wanted /deserved more. So I decided I was gonna go back to school for either Nursing or Dental Hygiene. My ability to be able to continue to act helped me make my decision ultimately leading to my Dental Hygiene career. I didn’t know how challenging Dental School was about to be but when I set my mind to something I cant stop even if I want to. With my Teeth Whitening Services I have a advantage being a licensed smile professional to be able to educate my clients about oral health and move with full integrity. I’ve learned to find a positive in almost any negative situation that comes my way. Being a actress you face rejection daily but that doesn’t mean you aren’t good enough. So with that being said I’ve also learned that any “NO” I receive is really just a “NOT YET”. I finally got the YES and my time is now!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
My favorite way to move through my city is choosing 1 starting point and going from there. Sunday Funday is my favorite day cause I love going to start the day off with Brunch somewhere on the Atlanta Beltline. Outdoor dining at Two Urban Licks is a good starter. Then grab a couple of margaritas from Guac y Margys. From there we will usually meet a lot of adorable dogs to pet and have some fun random conversations. From there we would just literally go with the flow (bike ride, walk to Piedmont park, sit at park, etc) ……This always leads to great stories to tell later LOL
Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I am fortunate to be surrounded by so many family & friends that have already supported Smile Therapy since we opened. I want to give a special shoutout to my mommy Gloria, Fiancé Aukeaus, and friend Alberto. When I mentioned the idea of Smile Therapy Spa they immediately asked what I needed with no hesitation of support. Thank you and that will never go unnoticed 🙂

Instagram: @Toyatheactress , @smiletherapyspa

Twitter: @Toyatheactress , @smiletherapyspa

Facebook: Toya Theactress Sessoms , @smiletherapyspa

Image Credits
Al G Sillah Dwayne Boyd Sease The Moment

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