Built From the Inside Out: The Story of Maggie McIntyre

Photo by Karen Presecan

Sometimes, the life you've built no longer matches who you've become. For Maggie McIntyre, this shift was gradual. A marriage ended. Her career wound down. All the while, a neglected calling grew louder. Change happened through intentional choices made over time. Each decision was built on the last until Maggie eventually found where she was meant to be.

She Was Always Meant for More Than One Thing

Maggie grew up in Northern Virginia. Ambitious and curious, she attended Mary Baldwin and George Mason University and later began her career in education. For six years, she taught special education in Fairfax and Stafford County public schools—a demanding, meaningful job. During that time, she earned a master's degree from the University of Virginia.

She was good at it. She cared deeply. And yet something kept tugging at her.

"The pull toward nursing and esthetics that excited me early in college persisted," she admits. "I loved education and deeply respect those in the profession. Still, I grew disenchanted with some aspects of public education and wanted to create and build something for my family, myself, and my community."

Her desire for independence was a statement of intent, not a complaint. Maggie didn’t leave teaching; she chose to author her professional and personal story.

Divorce, Disruption, and the Decision to Start Over

As her career shifted, so did things at home.  After years of relationship workshops, marital self-help books, and couples counseling , her 14-year marriage ended, and brick by brick, she had to rebuild.

While raising three young children, her priorities were stability, proximity, and routine. During this period, she continued to move forward, expanding her medical spa, Rejuvalase. She later launched two esthetics licensure programs through her school, Nova Laser and Esthetics Training.

A decade later, she walked away from an abusive spouse and second marriage, leaving their dream home for the safety and peace of an apartment in the kids’ same school zone.  This time, the growth was inward, focused on building a solid foundation and finding a permanent home.  While completing her nursing degree and preparing for a return to her service provider role at Rejuvalase, a new community was being built down the street from her apartment.

"I wanted to own a home again," she says simply, "so when this opportunity presented itself, I knew I had to take it."

That home is Potomac Church Farms—a neighborhood she describes warmly. She enjoys watching neighborhood kids play outside, which reminds her of her own childhood, and appreciates the security provided by neighbors in law enforcement. For Maggie, rebuilding her sense of safety and stability, this belonging mattered deeply and also extended into her personal life.

Her partner Steve, a former LEO and investigator, entered her life through a real-life meet-cute. Mutual friends Tony and Jennifer had encouraged them for years. A belated birthday dinner, casually arranged by Jennifer, finally brought them together.

"I wasn't looking, and neither was he," Maggie recalls, "but we hit it off immediately."

Three Kids, Three Completely Different Stories

Maggie’s greatest pride is her children: three individuals who, though siblings, have uniquely different journeys.

Jae, 23, is a biochemistry major at VCU balancing salon work, a close group of friends, and time spent enjoying music, galleries, and nights out in Richmond. In high school, he organized charity drives and joined multiple clubs. Grad school applications are next, but he’ll take a year off from school to continue working.

Charlie, 20, surprised his mother by joining the Army before graduating high school—"a decision I wasn’t excited about at first," she says, "but one perfect for him." He advanced quickly, graduating from multiple programs, including AIT and jump school, and discovered a passion for indoor rock climbing. He loves weekends at the beach with his friends, and, while visits home are rare, they’re definitely treasured. “Seeing him thrive makes the distance worthwhile” in Maggie’s mind.

Catherine, 16, lives at home and is civically engaged like her mother. She leads and volunteers with school and community organizations and works with canines at a local training and boarding facility. She and Maggie work out and travel together, creating cherished routines and memories.

"Doing this with my daughter is great for our health and time together," she says. Even in daily routines, Maggie weaves connection into everything she builds.

The Businesses She Built

And what she's built, professionally, is considerable. While Rejuvalase is her flagship business, her esthetics school and, most recently, her podcast, The Tox Drop, carry their own brand and success.  Rejuvalase and its sister companies aren’t just businesses. They are the materialization of everything Maggie decided to bet on when she stepped away from the classroom: her instincts, her training, her vision for what beauty, wellness, and business could look like in her community.

Several neighbors are clients, but they’re also friends and part of the village she’s created. "I want my neighbors to know I’m here to help. If they need a meal, a child walked home from the bus stop, or a ride to pick up a car, I’m here."

The same sense of belonging she sought while rebuilding her life guides her professional practice. And the community has recognized this: Maggie was recently named Fredericksburg Regional Chamber of Commerce’s Entrepreneur of the Year at their 35th Annual Awards and Gala.

The Woman Behind All of It

When not working or parenting, Maggie enjoys dining out, live outdoor music, and weekend escapes to coastal towns. Her favorite memory with Steve is a spontaneous, sunny weekend on Solomon’s Island with tiki bars, pizza, quaint shops, and boating. "The weather was perfect, the island gorgeous, and we didn’t want to leave."

She volunteers with the Fairy Godmother Project, often sponsoring events and fundraisers, and plans to grow that commitment this year. Her dogs—Doodle, a laid-back 13-year-old, and Chippy, a hilarious 8-year-old—add personality to the household.

Maggie McIntyre isn’t a comeback story. She’s a woman who saw what she wanted, named it, and did the daily work to build it—again and again. The businesses, community, and relationship didn’t arrive fully formed. Each was chosen, piece by piece, as she laid a new foundation.

That's the thing about creating the life you want: it requires seeing and seizing opportunities. It's about laying a strong foundation and building on it. Delays, repairs, and inspections are what keep it standing through life's biggest storms. Maggie McIntyre shows what’s possible when you align choices with values: you can consciously build your dream life and change both your life and the lives of those around you.

Maggie McIntyre is the founder of Rejuvalase Medspa and Nova Laser and Esthetics Training, located in Stafford, Virginia. She can be reached at maggie@rejuvalase.com.