Female Entrepreneur who uses AI tools
Information about the interviewee
- Profession: Beauty Clinic owner
- Organisation: Epiluxe
- Country: Ireland
- E-mail: beautybymariamccarthy@gmail.com
CV
Maria is a highly skilled skin and laser therapist, educator, and part-time model with a passion for aesthetics and training. Maria studied at the National University of Ireland, Galway (NUIG), where she earned a Degree in Arts, majoring in English and Social and Political Science.
In 2015, Maria completed a Diploma in Beauty Therapy while working full-time, leading to a successful career at a prestigious salon in Galway. She soon discovered her passion for skin treatments and non-medical aesthetics, securing a position as a skin and laser therapist in Athlone, where she managed and trained staff for two years. Her love for education prompted her to complete a Diploma in Lecturing Beauty Therapy. She completed this while working full time as a manager and in house trainer.
Seeking new challenges, Maria traveled to Australia to further her career in skin and laser therapy, where she gained advanced training in laser machines, RF resurfacing, tattoo removal, and leg vein treatments. Upon her return to Ireland, she was offered a teaching role at a private college, where she taught for two years, sharing her expertise with future beauty professionals.
Noticing a lack of access to advanced skin and laser treatments in rural areas, Maria founded Epiluxe Clinic, which has since grown from offering brow treatments to providing a wide range of services, including skin consultations, peels, skin needling, LED light therapy, laser hair removal, laser pigmentation removal, permanent makeup, and more. Maria now manages a growing team and continues to expand the clinic’s offerings.
Alongside her work at Epiluxe Clinic, Maria has been teaching at Galway Technical Institute (GTI) since 2021, where she combines her passion for aesthetics with her dedication to training the next generation of beauty therapists.
Summary
Maria has been an entrepreneur for 4 years and has been using AI tools in her business over the past couple of years. She has used various AI tools to streamline her business operations and enhance productivity. Key tools included ChatGPT for content creation and brainstorming, Canva for designing visually appealing social media content, and Fresha for managing personalised email marketing and generating promotion ideas.
She also used Forest, an AI-powered booking system, to simplify appointment scheduling and support targeted marketing campaigns. These tools automated tasks like email campaigns, promotional planning, and client engagement, enabling her to maintain an active presence and maximise reach.
However, she found some AI tools challenging to use, limiting their potential benefits. She suggested developers focus on making AI applications more intuitive, with clearer instructions and better support.
