Building Dreams in Beauty with Rose Larrivee

This week, I am thrilled to host my first guest Rose Larrivee. Rose is an inspiring board-certified advanced nurse practitioner and owner of La Vie en Rose Aesthetics. Discover her remarkable journey from an established medical career to launching her own business in the competitive field of cosmetic procedures. Rose opens up about the pivotal moments that fuelled her transition, the significance of a powerful 'why' in maintaining motivation, and the resilience built through facing self-doubt and financial hurdles. Her story is a compelling testament to the idea that, with determination and hard work, you can achieve your dreams regardless of the obstacles in your path. Tune in for an episode filled with perseverance, mutual inspiration, and possibilities that propel us toward greatness.

Guest Bio: Rose Larrivee

Rose is a Board Certified Advanced Nurse Practitioner with 30 years experience in medicine and now a decade in cosmetic procedures. She is the owner of La Vie En Rose Esthetics which was founded in 2018 and currently located in Warren, Rhode Island. She has three amazing adult children and she is in a long-term relationship.

Find Rose:

Office phone #: 401-256-5375
Business email: Lavieenrosenp@gmail.com
Website and booking: Skinbyrose.com
Instagram: Lavieenrose.esthetics

This episode was produced by: Six-Two Studio

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Karen Sarmento is a passionate and dedicated Nurse Practitioner for more than 18 years, CEO at Sarmento Mentoring Services LLC, and a Proctor Gallagher Certified Mindset Mentor. She specializes in empowering women to tap into their true potential. She understands the unique challenges faced by women because she too has battled some major challenges in her life. Karen does not let that define her; she believes it’s the challenges that have made her the limitless woman she is today. She whole-heartedly believes we hold all the power within and that we should stand tall together in the pursuit of greatness.

Karen has served thousands over the course of her career and has spent many years studying directly with world class mentors to gain a deep understanding of the science behind human behaviour and learning about the success principals that create lasting change and transformation. She will share her insights with you so you can feel unstoppable and limitless too.

Find Karen:
Website
Instagram
Facebook

Transcript

Karen Sarmento:

0:01

Have you ever felt that inner whisper nudging you towards something greater? We truly are a force of nature possessing our own incredible power within. We are all here to identify our own personal definition of success. We all have a story to tell. Join me as I dive into empowering concepts and have powerful conversations with extraordinary humans who have shattered limitations, overcome adversity and created remarkable success. I'm your host, Karen Sarmento, and we are meant for more. So welcome to the We Are Meant For More podcast, episode five. Today I have an extra special guest who I am incredibly honored and excited to share with you my dear friend Rose Larrivee. Welcome Rose.

Rose Larrivee:

1:08

Thank you, Karen, thank you for having me today.

Karen Sarmento:

1:12

You're welcome. It's our pleasure. So let me just tell you a little bit about who Rose is, because she's amazing. Rose is a board-certified advanced nurse practitioner with over 30 years of experience in medicine and now more than a decade of experience in cosmetic procedures. She's the owner of La Vie en Rose Aesthetics, which was founded in 2018 and currently located in Warren, Rhode Island. She has three amazing adult children and she has been in a long-term relationship with a wonderful man and resides currently in Westport, Massachusetts, so welcome Rose.

Rose Larrivee:

1:56

Thank you, Karen. Thanks so much for having me on. I'm very excited to be here. I love your podcast and I've been tuning in, and I'm very excited for you too.

Karen Sarmento:

2:08

Oh, this is so exciting. So, Rose, from the outsider looking in, we see you. You're amazing. You're an amazing human, you're a friend, beautiful, confident. You're in this career as a nurse practitioner, successful, professional, well-respected. When did you get the idea or the shift, or explain to us the journey that took place, when you realized you were going to start your own business and branch off and do something new?

Rose Larrivee:

2:41

So, Karen, that you know I think you and I have had many discussions about this, and for me, it wasn't one day I just woke up and said, oh, I'm just going to open up my own business. For me, I had a reason, or my why. My why was financial security for my family. It was a need for flexibility, it was a desire to learn something new, something I had some interest in. I had a friend who was doing some medical aesthetics and I had some interest in dabbling in it as well. It's not like I had a family-owned business that was being passed down to me. I had a reason, I had a why, and it just didn't happen overnight. It was a process for me.

Karen Sarmento:

3:30

That's so powerful? Because you do hear a lot about the power of your why and without a strong why, it doesn't always it doesn't work out or you're not able to follow through on it. So, before we get into some of the challenges that you faced logistically starting a business, what were some of the challenges in your mind that came up, some of the limiting beliefs that may have creeped in when you first started toying with the notion of starting this business to provide your financial security for your family and for yourself? What were some of the thoughts that creeped in?

Rose Larrivee:

4:08

So, I mean, everyone has their own self-doubt Can you do this? Are you good enough, you know, can I even afford to do this? Those factors all play a role in whether or not you can even, you know start something like this. I look back at it now and I think how did I even get here, how did I even do this? But you just take it one step at a time, one day at a time, and it didn't happen overnight. It was a process. It was long days and nights of hard work leading up to that point, and I did it all while holding down a day job, raising a family as a single mom. And I also truly believe it was some of those adversities that made me stronger, made me made it more powerful, made me want it more. I think that truly pushed me to work harder and stronger.

Karen Sarmento:

5:12

I love that. Tell us more about that piece of it, because to some of the audience listening in who's thinking, well, she can do that. I couldn't do that. That's her, that's not me, or you know, I've got this in my past. I couldn't possibly do what she's done. What would you say to that person?

Rose Larrivee:

5:34

I think if you set your mind to anything, you can do anything you've set your mind to. I mean, there are financial challenges and there were financial challenges along the way to even starting this business. I mean, no, no bank wants to just throw you money. You know, and I didn't realize that starting a business, you actually need money to start a business, unless a family is. It's a family owned business and you're, it's being passed down to you. It's a family-owned business and it's being passed down to you.

Rose Larrivee:

6:06

I basically had to use my own equity in my home. I had to look at my own funds. I had to actually start my own business. So that was one of the challenges. Time, time away from my family was another challenge. At times I felt pulled in multiple directions. I felt like I wasn't giving enough to myself, to my family, to my day job or even enough to building my business. But I just kept on plugging along and praying a lot, you know, because I knew in the end, you know why I was doing this. I was doing it for financial security, to building something more for my family and flexibility for them.

Karen Sarmento:

6:55

Does that make sense? It does, it does. And something jumped out at me about what you just said there that I think is underestimated in the entrepreneurial journey. You said you were praying a lot and it must have required so much faith in yourself, trust in the process. But when you said praying, it made me realize how much faith you had to have in what you were doing.

Rose Larrivee:

7:25

Oh, absolutely. I had some loss in my life and I would often talk to those people that I lost and just ask them, you know, to guide me, help me through this process. And you know, between the losses that I suffered and the support I had from my family and my friends, those people that were my biggest cheerleaders, I think if it wasn't for my faith and my friends and my family, I don't know if I'd be here today and where I'm at. To be perfectly honest, they were big motivators.

Karen Sarmento:

8:01

So having the people to support and back you emotionally is very important, as well, amazing, and you're such a great friend and supporter of other people's endeavors as well, so it doesn't surprise me that you have that kind of support backing you. So you talked about some of the challenges you had logistically. What have been some of the biggest wins or the proudest moments during this journey, or within your business or just in your personal life, as you've accomplished such amazing things?

Rose Larrivee:

8:37

Sure, sure. I've been in business now for over six years, watching my business continue to grow during challenging times when, you know, like during COVID, for example, when other businesses were closing around me, my business, you know, was sustainable. It grew from, you know, a 400 square foot office space. You know, I moved during that time to a hundred square foot office space offering multiple services for the face and body, and since then I've continued to grow and add more services. But some of my biggest wins since then, and proudest moments, I think, was leaving my day job. My day job is now my side hustle, where this job at first was my side hustle, and now I can focus full time on this, making a profit with this job, with this I don't want to even call this the job. This is my livelihood. It's amazing. It's an amazing feeling to be able to support my family with my business and knowing I created something from nothing that I can pass down to my children. So I think those are my biggest wins.

Karen Sarmento:

9:50

I would say Makes me emotional when I think about your children. And what was that moment like when your dad came in to your office space.

Rose Larrivee:

10:02

Yeah, very proud. I remember him coming in and looking around and he, I was speechless. He was speechless, he was proud. You know, my parents were immigrants. They came to this country with nothing and to see his daughter build a business from nothing. He was a proud man. He was a very proud man.

Karen Sarmento:

10:30

I've seen that look on his face being in there. Because I was there one day when your dad was there, I get a little emotional thinking about it. That's powerful, really is it is. Yep, the work you do is amazing. So some people think of aesthetics. As you know, it's a vanity thing, or people are, you know, working on themselves from the outside. But there's so much more to what you do, and what would you say when you help people with some of the outside?

Rose Larrivee:

11:10

Yeah, that's a good question. That's a great statement. I will say the paradigm has changed, especially like in 2024,. This industry is not solely about the physical appearance. It's about promoting health, self-care, their happiness. It also recognized the potential of what I'm doing, which is non-invasive treatments, Like my goal in my business is to bring them, you know, these treatments and therapies to my clients to enhance both their physical and their psychological wellness.

Rose Larrivee:

11:48

I want them to look good and feel good, because if they feel, if they look good, they also feel good. I think that's really important. I just had a client just the other day say to me she was new, she, she traveled from Portsmouth and I always ask my clients you know, how did you hear about me? And they usually say you know you had, you have excellent reviews on your website. She's like and I like you. You're honest, You're sincere, your place is clean and I can talk to you and I do. I try to establish a really good rapport with them and I'm honest with them. If I don't feel that they need their treatment, I'll be honest with them and tell them I won't just sell them something that they don't need or offer them something they don't need just to make money. I'm not like that at all. I'm very just sell them something that they don't need or offer them something they don't need, just to make money. I'm not like that at all. I'm very honest with them. Does that answer your question?

Karen Sarmento:

12:42

It does, it does and that's exactly who you are. So much integrity in your work. It's really commendable. What are some of the things that you do there that people may not know? I mean, people know about things like Botox or facials or that kind of thing, but what are some of the life changing things you do?

Rose Larrivee:

13:03

So it's a metal, it's purely medical. You know I'm a nurse practitioner, so it's non-invasive and it's full service. I offer, you know, body contouring, so procedures to get rid of fat, and they're pretty effective. They get rid of approximately 24% of fat. I now offer pretty state-of-the-art procedures for, you know, anywhere from teenagers to adults who suffer from acne, and these are people who have psychological effects from acne and who don't want to take medications such as Accutane that have side effects. And these lasers that I offer treat anywhere from mild to severe cystic acne and it's been life-changing for them. So I offer that, and you know we're all about in 2024, doing procedures that our own bodies can also help achieve our own collagen. So things like building our own collagen, excuse me. So things like Sculptra, where we use our own bodies to build our own collagen, Platelet-rich plasma procedures, where I take your blood and spin it and platelets actually are. They're able to rejuvenate tissue to create collagen. So those are just some of the procedures I do in my clinic.

Rose Larrivee:

14:37

Trying to think I do so much, it's hard to remember. I use exosomes. That's something very new in my clinic. So exosomes are a product that I have shipped in from California and they come from young, healthy female and they are growth factor and they produce healing properties to tissue. They are from bone marrow and placenta tissue. These young, healthy females are put through rigorous testing to make sure that these products are safe, but they do amazing things to tissue and I use them for hair and face and they're microneedled into the skin. So those are some of the things I currently do, but I also do things like, like you said, Botox and fillers and chemical peels, which are my medical grade. I offer great medical grade skin care to go along with the procedures I do. Can you think of anything else, Karen?

Karen Sarmento:

15:50

Because I know that you and I have talked about. Some of the procedures are occurring long after the patient steps out of the, the client steps out of the office.

Rose Larrivee:

16:01

So true, so true. I mean, I had a client who came in with a scar to her chin. She had fallen and the scar bothered her so much and she came in for two treatments of the exosomes and within a few months after the two treatments, that scar it didn't go away because the scar is permanent, but boy did it diminish the look of that scar and it just changed her outlook and her. You know, because, like you, like we just talked about, if you feel better on the outside, you feel better on the inside. So in it, you know, I feel great being able to help people like that. It just feels wonderful to be able to make people feel good.

Karen Sarmento:

16:49

And I wanted to emphasize to what you mentioned about it being far beyond vanity. It's about self-care and valuing yourself and allowing yourself to be worthy of feeling good on the outside and the inside Absolutely.

Rose Larrivee:

17:08

Absolutely, they're looking more into that. You know, with aesthetics, and it's not only about vanity. You know, with aesthetics and it's not only about vanity, it's about, you know, both the physical and the psychological wellness piece, which is really important. You know, it's not just about the vanity because, just like we talked about, if you feel good on the outside, you feel better on the inside, and I clearly have seen that with so many of my patients and they continue to come back and not to look different. Because I don't try to make people look different, I try to make them just a better version of themselves. I'll have clients come to me and say what do you think I need? And what I ask them is what bothers you the most? And that's what we help. That's what I try to help them with, what bothers them the most, because what bothers me isn't what's going to help them. I want to know what bothers them and that's what I help them with.

Karen Sarmento:

18:09

Does that make sense? It does, it does, and I've heard you say wanting people to look natural and not artificial, so it's really emphasizing them.

Rose Larrivee:

18:20

Spa, they pop they're popping up everywhere. I think I give individual attention to each client. I'm the only provider in my med spa I offer complimentary consultations. You know I don't charge them. If they come to me and they like what I have to offer them, they proceed with the service. If they're not happy, then they, you know they go on their way and I don't charge them. Most of them come back because, you know, honesty, integrity goes a long way. It truly does.

Karen Sarmento:

19:06

Yep, those are the two words that were coming to mind as you were speaking, and that is the epitome of who you are and you're so likable. So I know when people go in there, they instantly feel comfortable and safe and I think it's an all around fun experience, on top of being treated with respect, getting an honest opinion and the integrity of your work and the meticulous nature of how you function. I've seen it all the years of your medical career, but now in your business.

Rose Larrivee:

19:41

Oh, thank you, Karen. I appreciate that, yes.

Karen Sarmento:

19:45

So to the audience member that's listening right now, rose, and they are saying, wow, this all sounds great. I'd love to do that. What would you say to them? Where would they start? Where would they, even if it wasn't starting a business, if they just want to start something new? What would be your piece of advice to the person listening?

Rose Larrivee:

20:07

I think you need to believe and trust in yourself and be confident, work hard and show up. If you don't show up, you'll never build anything. You know for myself. I had to be there and show up. You know I worked a 10 hour, 10 hour a day job and I would go straight from my job to this business. I would answer every single call. You know, if I, if I don't, if I didn't answer the call, they would move on to the next person. And, lastly, if you don't work hard to build your dream, someone will hire you to build theirs.

Karen Sarmento:

20:46

Oh, that's good. Yeah, that's my advice. Yeah, goosebumps, that's my advice. Yeah, goosebumps, that's so good. And then, whenever things are getting challenging, to come back to your why, exactly, exactly, yeah, oh my gosh, I love it. So what does the future hold for Rose Larravee Business life? What do you see for your future?

Rose Larrivee:

21:14

My future business life. What do you see for your future? My future I'm going to continue to learn and grow, bring state-of-the-art treatments and therapies to my business. I've continued to do that year after year. Continue to build my dream business. And, you know, be there for my friends family. Be there for my friends family.

Karen Sarmento:

21:36

I think that's where I'm at. That's beautiful. I'm so thankful for your time, for this message that you're sharing with everybody. I think it's so inspiring. It's also very realistic that it isn't some pie in the sky that you just walked into this. It required effort, faith, a big why, and I think that's amazing to hear your story.

Rose Larrivee:

21:59

Well, thanks, Karen. I appreciate you having me on. I was happy to share my story with you.

Karen Sarmento:

22:05

Yes. So for those who don't know, rose has a beautiful, beautiful office space on Main Street in Warren, rhode Island. If people wanted to look you up and find you or look more into your services or contact you, the information will also be in the show notes. But what would be the best way for them to find you?

Rose Larrivee:

22:28

I would say my website, which is the easiest way, is just go on skinbyrosecom, because once you're on the website, you can find everything else there.

Karen Sarmento:

22:40

Wonderful. Thank you so much, Rose, for being here. It means so much to me, I think the world of you. I hope you know that.

Rose Larrivee:

22:48

Thank you, karen, I think the world of you also.

Karen Sarmento:

22:50

You've been so inspiring to me on my journey, so I thank you so much for sharing your story with my audience. Remember, whatever challenges you're facing or have faced in the past, they don't define you. You are worthy, capable and destined for greatness. You are worthy, capable and destined for greatness. Let's embrace the whispers of possibility together.Because together we rise and we are meant for more.

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