Dasha Minina

I attribute my success to my immigrant work ethic and the deep pride I carry for my family, especially the influence of my father, who shaped my entrepreneurial drive. Building a life in the United States and becoming the sole female inventor on a U.S. patent in a male-dominated technology sector taught me discipline, creativity, and resilience.

My success is also rooted in my commitment to solving real problems in the beauty industry. The safety gaps I saw, such as license fraud, identity risks, and the lack of transparent verification, pushed me to develop technology that protects both professionals and consumers. Through Licensify and BeautyAList, I created automated license-verification systems, digital identity tools, and compliance infrastructure that help brands, salons, and schools operate with more trust and safety.

My mission has always been the same: build technology that elevates professional standards, strengthens industry compliance, and supports the future of beauty through innovation.

The best career advice I’ve ever received is to keep moving forward, even when the path feels overwhelming. My experience as an immigrant and as a woman who faced gender-based barriers early in my career taught me that perseverance and consistency open doors that talent alone cannot. Staying focused, taking the next step, and refusing to slow down, especially when it’s difficult, has been the foundation of every opportunity I’ve built.

My advice to young women entering the beauty and technology industries is straightforward: don’t give up. You will face moments of doubt and setbacks, and there will be days when the process feels overwhelming, and I’ve had those moments myself. But I kept going to honor my parents’ sacrifices and to build something bigger than myself. Stay resilient, stay focused, and keep moving forward. This industry needs your leadership, your ideas, and your courage more than ever.

One of the biggest challenges in the beauty industry today is fragmentation. With separate associations, state licensing bodies, and scattered professional resources, there is no unified infrastructure designed to support beauty professionals across specialties. That challenge, however, creates the industry’s biggest opportunity. Through Licensify and BeautyAList, I’m building connected platforms that unify the beauty ecosystem by bringing together verification, education, professional identity, and consumer awareness across hair, nails, esthetics, and advanced beauty services.

A second major opportunity is global safety and standards. Many countries operate without licensing requirements, while beauty procedures are becoming more complex and technology-driven. The need for verified, qualified professionals is increasing worldwide. My work focuses on creating scalable infrastructure that helps elevate standards internationally, protects consumers, and gives professionals a globally recognized digital identity.

My vision is to build a global beauty network, an integrated, technology-driven system that empowers professionals, strengthens compliance, and increases trust between professionals and clients everywhere.

The values that guide me in both my work and personal life begin with consumer protection. Every system I build starts with one principle: clients deserve to feel safe and confident in the hands of qualified professionals. That commitment influences how I approach verification, accuracy, and transparency across the beauty industry.

Integrity is another core value. I believe professional credentials and digital identities should reflect the truth with no shortcuts, no misrepresentation, and no compromise on standards. Inclusivity and global access also shape my decisions; I’ve made it a priority to ensure that professionals and consumers around the world can access accurate information in the languages they speak.

Giving back is essential to who I am. I support organizations focused on child human trafficking prevention and am launching initiatives that offer financial relief to beauty professionals who need help covering basic expenses. Above all, I value empowerment. Too many beauty professionals lack support, resources, and fair earning opportunities. My goal is to create technology and infrastructure that uplift them while advancing consumer safety and industry trust worldwide.