Her Story
About Katie
Katie Cassidy is the owner and lead educator of AZ Face and Body, a cosmetic laser academy based in Phoenix, Arizona, where she has spent nearly two years shaping curriculum and guiding students toward success in the aesthetics field. Before stepping into this role, she spent two decades in the lingerie design industry, a career she ultimately left after feeling it reduced women to objects rather than celebrating them. That realization led her to pursue business and instructional training, laying the groundwork for her eventual transition into aesthetics education. Launching her venture with only $300 to her name, she has since grown the academy into a business generating more than half a million dollars annually, all while raising two children as a single mother.
Beyond the classroom, Katie has spent over a decade building Lash & Laser, where she developed expertise in med spa operations, staff training, and client retention, alongside hands-on skill in body contouring. She channels this experience into mentoring the next generation of aesthetics professionals, offering them not just technical training but also workspace, equipment, and guidance on building their own brands. Her approach to teaching is rooted in the belief that consistency and self-investment matter more than shortcuts, and she encourages her students to stay adaptable in an industry where technology and client expectations are always shifting.
Katie's commitment to empowering women reaches well beyond her academy walls. Through her volunteer work as an Education Professional with the Soul Survivor Network, she has spent the past three years teaching career skills to survivors of sex trafficking, helping them build pathways to stable employment. She also provides free tattoo and scar removal services to trafficking survivors, giving them a literal and symbolic chance to reclaim their bodies and begin new chapters in their lives. Whether guiding a student through a new technique or standing beside a survivor rebuilding her identity, Katie approaches her work as a mission of service, driven by the conviction that lifting up one woman can create change that ripples far beyond her.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Katie
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to passion and consistent daily effort. Tools can be given to you, but they mean nothing if you don't put them to use. Nothing worthwhile happens overnight, so I've learned to invest in myself, believe in myself, charge what I'm worth, and show up for myself every single day. Above all, I never allow myself to give up on who I am.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I ever received was given to me when I was just 18 working for a couple who owned a jewelry store in my hometown. They were my first real mentors. They taught me that entrepreneurship isn’t about getting paid right away-It’s about showing up with commitment long before the rewards arrive. They showed me the importance of not just showing up for work, but showing up for myself: my goals, my growth and the future I wanted to build.
They invested in me at a time in my life when I probably wasn’t the best investment.
That lesson shaped everything I’ve done since. It taught me resilience discipline, and the understanding that success comes from consistency, not convenience. It’s also another reason I opened my academy. They gave me a hand up when I needed it most, and now I’m committed to doing the same for others. I want my students to know that entrepreneurship as possible for them that if they believe in themselves and stay committed, they can build a career a clientele and a life they’re proud of.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Not every day in this industry is going to be enjoyable. Clients will challenge you, and in turn, you have to challenge yourself. You can't hide behind the things that make you uncomfortable — you have to find where you can genuinely connect with people and stay adaptable. I always encourage others to keep educating both their clients and themselves, because technology in this field is constantly evolving. Perfection isn't the goal; happiness is.
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