Hey! My name is Sota Minni Koy, and yes, as in Minnesota. I feel as though I should start with an explanation of my name as I understand it’s a bit unique and an initial topic that I get asked about. My parents were refugees from Cambodia that seperately escaped persecution from the genocide that occurred during their civil war. They met at church in the Bay Area of California and then eloped in Minnesota where my dad was going to college at Mankato State University. After some hardships, they finally had me, their first, first generation kid. My name was a representation of the place where they began their new life. They swapped the “Minne” and “Sota,” replaced the “E” with an “I” (because she thought “MIN-EE” versus “MIN-EH” was cuter I suppose) thus creating Sota Minni. It took me moving out of state to Washington in 2014 to finally appreciate my name as I realized my love for my home state.

I graduated the esthetics program from the Gary Manuel AVEDA Institute of Seattle after I abruptly made a career change, and to be honest, I can’t believe I haven’t been doing this my entire life! AVEDA was a great choice for me at the time as I believed in its mission of sustainability and plant power in skin care, as those values are still close to me. The private insitution allowed me to have more advanced training in waxing and sugaring hair removal that I take pride in today. After receiving my basic esthetics license, I worked for Skoah skin gyms and Julep Nail Parlors before I moved back home to the Twin Cities to rejoin an AVEDA spa. I was fortunate enough to be able to attend and work two seasons of New York Fashion Week as an AVEDA makeup artist, breaking outside the traditional beauty makeup applications that I was already used to doing and becoming certified in AVEDA Runway Makeup. The thrilling experience, education, and time cross country made me realize that I wanted everything that this industry had to offer me in the world.

In the fall of 2018, I enrolled and completed the year long intensive CIDESCO programs, the highest esthetics certificate that can be obtained globally, that sets an international standard for esthetics and beauty. It covers advanced skin care education, with basic training in massage, nails, nutrition, and wellness — allowing me the opportunities to work at top tier spas around the world. During that year, I performed case studies and wrote my dissertations on both “Hyperpigmentation” and “Muscle Toning on the Abdomen,” making me an esthetic specialist in those skin and body issues.

While in school finishing that program, I also took part and placed first and gold in a statewide esthetic technical skills competition, in the basic facial, beauty makeup, and fantasy makeup categories. I went to Louisville, Kentucky where I competed on a national level, representing Minnesota in SkillsUSA, and meeting such an amazing team of other esthetician’s and instructors. Additionally, I passed and acquired my Advanced Practice Esthetics license that allows me to utilize electrotherapy, perform advanced extractions and deeper level treatments, and a variety of additional leading and intensive skin and body therapies.

My recent certification is for the trending service of Lash Lifting and Tinting and Brow Lamination. These services have been extremely fun and rewarding for me to dive into another popular part of the beauty industry and allow me to work on a more detailed skill set.

When I’m not doing skin, you’ll find me at a concert enjoying live music and cheering at sports games (pre-COVID) or doing something with music at home, whether it’s writing, playing, or listening. Definite foodie so I’m lucky to enjoy the variety in Minneapolis. I love being outdoors and adventurous with my hyperactive and lovable fur child, Randall, but we also enjoy couch snuggles with a good sci-fi movie.