As a spa owner and esthetician instructor at a technical college, Xiomara’s philosophy of care goes beyond the surface. As an instructor, she teaches the required courses on skincare techniques while also encouraging her students to dream big and become entrepreneurs. At her daytime skin care spa facility, Xio Skincare & Spa, she proudly serves her local community by providing a tranquil space designed for total rejuvenation—where science meets serenity. Her clients rely on her not just for healthy skin, but also as a refuge where they can set aside everyday worries for a few hours of nurturing.

It’s that same spirit that drew her to Operation HOPE Small Business Coach Nicole Escalera, who guided her through the organization’s One Million Black Businesses (1MBB) program. Xiomara recognized in Nicole someone who has a strong “care factor” like she does. Nicole isn’t satisfied with just checking a box that her clients completed a module or a task—she’s determined to help them create lasting change through entrepreneurship.

“At first I just wanted to create a business plan so I could have one and get it over with. But as the questions kept coming, I was like, ‘you know what? Let me put thought into this. Let me not just finish this because it needs to be done. Let me…use it for me,’” Xiomara said.

With Nicole’s support, Xiomara applied her newfound knowledge from the 1MBB program to make her business plan a dynamic document that would articulate her company’s vision and growth strategy. Through this process, Xiomara realized her dream was to expand her spa into a larger property.

But she wasn’t sure where to start when it came to borrowing the money required to fund her expansion goals. “I wasn’t clear on where and how to proceed. I didn’t have a clear vision of the things that needed to be implemented in the business in order to justify borrowing this money,” she said.

Enter Nicole once again. In addition to helping Xiomara define an overarching vision for the company, Nicole brought connections and expertise to give her practical hands-on knowledge to make her dream a reality.

For example, Nicole advised Xiomara to open a business account for her spa and tapped her extensive network where Xiomara was able to secure personal funding. Now the business banking specialist is preparing Xiomara with the products that she needs to secure the expansion funding. When the loan is finalized, Nicole will coach Xiomara on how to effectively apply and manage the new funding to achieve her expansion goals and partner her up with a business mentor via the 1MBB program.

Xiomara also turns to Nicole to find new ways to grow foot traffic in her existing storefront. In fact, Nicole went so far as to sit down with Xiomara to analyze her online marketing plan and determine the best days and time of engagement. In just three months, her incoming leads from Google increased by 20%.

“I would have never known about any of this stuff if it wasn’t for her—her connections, her willingness to call me to see how the business is doing. Nicole listened when I told her what I was going through and would say, ‘Okay, I think you could benefit from this. I think you could benefit from that.’ She doesn’t give up and neither do I, so we make a great team,” said Xiomara.

Today, Xiomara’s vision extends far beyond her own success. With Operation HOPE and Coach Nicole Escalera by her side, she continues to dream bigger, grow stronger, and inspire others to pursue their own paths to success. What began as a small daytime spa has blossomed into a thriving business—and a beacon of empowerment, resilience, and community care. For Xiomara, this is only the beginning of a legacy built on passion, purpose, and possibility.

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