Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Karen Carson. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Karen , appreciate you joining us today. Before we get into specifics, let’s talk about success more generally. What do you think it takes to be successful?

I believe the only skill anyone needs to be successful is awareness of their thoughts. What you tell yourself internally directly influences the way you perceive any situation. I am very passionate about mindfulness, as I once was someone who had no control over my negative mindset and found myself speaking and behaving in ways that felt unauthentic. I came from a background that planted the seeds for a negative/scarcity mindset, and I allowed those thought patterns to consume me for a long time. No matter what was happening in my external world, I never truly felt “good” on the inside. My journey to finding a more positive mindset could be a whole book in itself, but short version is it started with believing I could be different – If you don’t like the character you’re playing, rewrite yourself. I began immersing myself into thought work, which progressed into mindfulness. As I tended to the garden in my mind, my outer world started to reflect the positive changes as well. Every year my mindset grows, and so does my success.

Karen , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am the owner of Wildflower Hair and Makeup. Wildflower is an on location hair and makeup company that specializes in bridal services. I began Wildflower in Southeast Louisiana in 2019, but relocated to the Wichita, KS area summer of 2022 and began my second team. I began my cosmetology career in 2010, knowing I wanted to specialize in bridal. I worked under a few other teams for many years before starting my own brand.

I never saw myself as a business owner, I just felt the call, if you will. When starting my business, I knew I didn’t want to do things like anyone else. My #1 focus is, and will always be, my artist’s. Seeing them grow/succeed feels better than anything else I have accomplished in my career. I honestly just love them and believe in them, and they love and believe in me, and that is why our team is successful. It’s not about me, it’s not about them, it’s about all of us. When you are showing up for more than just yourself, each client’s experience matters more.

I know I am a good hair and makeup artist, but being a leader is where I thrive. In my opinion, leadership isn’t about “the leader” at all, it’s about being the one to call for support when needed. I’m here to build community/sisterhood vibes. I like to reference my leadership as NOT being the one on stage, but being the one who tells everyone to hold hands as we stand in a circle of equal importance.

Any advice for managing a team?

LOVE THEM. Support them. Want what is best for them. Give them the respect you want in return. In my eyes, management is as easy as turning your mindset away from yourself, and focusing on the collective.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

I did not earn profit from my artist’s for awhile, like years. Many of my artist’s joined the team with a lot of experience, and I did not have much to offer them as a new business, so I paid them the most I possibly could. The small commission I did make, went directly back into business. As my team grew, I kept the same mindset of putting anything I made from them directly back into them. In my eyes, I was investing in our future. Not making money off my business meant I had to take as many client’s as possible. After we went through the Covid shut down, business poured in from brides who had to reschedule their dates, as the more well known teams were already fully booked. The second half of 2020 and all of 2021, I did not stop. My life was all clients and trying to maintain the business side any chance I had. Obviously, I got burnt out. I was used to being in a hustle based industry, but having to hustle AND run the business… ah. On top of this, I had a young daughter, my husband traveled for work, and I did not have the amount of family support I needed.

When I came to Kansas to visit summer of 2021, I saw how happy my daughter was being with my husbands family, and knew how much having my mother-in-law around could help me. Obviously, I was worried about what this would mean for my team and if I would be able to continue my career in a new area. However, my mindset work was in full force and I decided to adopt the belief that I could expand and grow with a move, and not suffer a loss.
My Louisiana teams foundation was solid, they were happy to continue being their awesome selves, while my newly formed “management team” managed their weddings for them. Wichita was honestly in desperate need of another bridal hairstylist and makeup artist, so I had bookings almost immediately after I announced I was moving. Relocating surprisingly upleveled my life in many ways. I decided to stop working on location more than 2 days a week. This was not the most practical decision, but I told myself that I did not need to hustle to survive anymore. When I decided to not push myself as hard, my Louisiana team still continued to grow and maintain our wonderful reputation. This reputation allows us to charge a respectable amount that benefits both my artist’s and myself. My Kansas team came together pretty effortlessly. Their is so much more I still have to offer for them and I cannot wait to see each of these artist’s grow in their own unique ways as well.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.wildflowerhairandmakeup.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/wildflowerhairandmakeup
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/wildflowerhairandmakeup
• Other: tiktok – @karenthewildflower

Image Credits
TSJ Photography Miss Meow Studios Emily Sweatfield Photography Cynthia Dalene Photography