We recently connected with Vanessa Joy De Guzman and have shared our conversation below.

Vanessa Joy, appreciate you joining us today. Are you happier as a business owner? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job?

Being a business owner isn’t for the weak. You go into being a business owner thinking, “Oh I get to work less hours and have more free time” when that truly isn’t the case. The satisfaction of owning a business, I will say, is the best feeling in the world. You really get to do what you want, when you want to, but the most important part of being able to do that is being disciplined. If you’re able to be disciplined, then you’ll be a happy business owner. Being a happy business owner isn’t correlated to just one aspect of the job though, so there are times, when it’s slow and I wonder, “would I be happier having a stable job with a stable income?” Then, I remember I wasn’t happy when I had a regular job.

When I was lashing part-time, while working other jobs part-time or full-time, I always wondered if I would be happier just jumping into lashing full-time. When I finally decided to make the leap to become a lash artist full-time, I was much happier than before. Just because you aren’t getting clientele all day, everyday doesn’t mean that you aren’t successful. I have to put this into perspective every time I reach the slow months of business. I might feel that I’m only making $300 with two clients and only working for four hours, but if I had my old, regular job, I would have only made $176 after working an eight hour shift.

It’s hard to give yourself praise and grace, but as a business owner I constantly have to remind myself that I broke myself out of that 9-5 system and that I shouldn’t want to go back. I am grateful for what I’ve accomplished and to go back to a regular job would be a slap in the face to my own hard work.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Vanessa De Guzman and I created Nessessary Lashes. I am a master lash artist and lash educator for people who want to get into the lash extension industry. I offer various customizable lash sets that fit and compliment each persons natural eye shape. That entails classic, hybrid, and volume set lash extensions.

I got into this craft by going to a lash appointment with one of my close friends. I’ve always had a knack for all things beauty related and when I was watching this lash artist do her work, I found myself to be very intrigued by the process. I asked my friend’s lash artist if she could teach and certify me and the rest was history. I have now been lashing for a little over 5 years and started teaching classes about a year ago.

What sets me apart from other lash artists is that I specialize in a type of set called “wet sets” or “angel sets”. I think finding your speciality or your niche in this industry is what allows you to set yourself apart from other lash artists. Sure there are other niches such as the ambiance you create for your clientele or your style, but if you pick a style to perfect, take that, and run with it, you will not only attract the clientele you want, but you will also enjoy lashing full-time.

I pride myself in being a business owner that worked a regular 9-5 job in order to afford taking lash classes to get certified. I also pride myself in starting from the bottom, meaning lashing part-time and working part-time or full-time while also going to school. Then, I worked my way up to renting my own space in a salon and lashing completely full-time and being able to afford my life on just my own business’s income, which I feel is every business owner’s goal.

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

It was 2021, I had just graduated with a bachelor’s degree in psychology, and bagged a job as a therapist for children with autism, specifically early intervention. I always had the mindset that I was going to get my master’s degree in behavioral analysis and that my extra income from lashing would help me reach that goal.

Something really tough I had to learn in my early 20’s was that sometimes things have to get worse before they get better. That lesson came in the form of being mid-semester of my first year in my master’s program, sitting at my desk while looking at my blank assignment, and coming to the realization that I didn’t want to do this anymore, but feeling that I had to continue doing it because I already took out a $10,000 loan. It was well past the ‘drop to receive a refund’ date’ and I realized I didn’t care. Time passed and although I loved my job I realized I enjoyed my side gig just as much. Now I was stuck at a cross-roads. Do I pursue my dream job with stability, or do I pursue my side-gig where I only had about three or four clients a week? The event that ended up pushing me to pursue my lash business was my best friend putting in her two-weeks at our old job. I did not want to work there without her, so I took a chance. I reached out to a lash business owner I knew about renting out a space to lash, and once she confirmed there was a room for me to rent out, I put in my two weeks and left the field of psychology to go into something entirely different.

Can you talk to us about how your side-hustle turned into something more.

My side hustle began when I was going into my third year of college. I was looking for a way to make extra income and I stumbled upon the lash extension business. As I mentioned before, I went to a lash appointment with a close friend, watched her lash artist perform the service, and asked her a million questions. I eventually asked her to train and certify me and I had so much passion for lashing that I started lashing anyone and everyone I could that summer, giving away free or nearly free sets. Once I got my certification, I gave away four full sets for free. After those four people, I felt I was ready to start charging a low price, so I started charging $60 for a full set. I advertised through every social media platform possible and asking people to share my work. I gave discounts, giveaways, and free sets just so I could lash for fun.

Once fall hit, I started school at a new college, in a new town. I was discourage by this because I didn’t have my regular clients from my home town and I didn’t know how I was going to get my name out there. I was paying for school, regular bills, and now I needed to pay rent at my off-campus apartment. I knew I needed to get my name out there somehow. I created flyers to post on social media and hang on any billboard I found at school or nearby businesses. I lowered my prices from $60 to $20 for a full set just to grab someone, anyone’s attention. Once I started getting clientele in, my business spread like wildfire and I no longer had to get a regular job to pay my bills. I eventually raised my prices back up to $60 and all I needed to do was lash one client a day and go home to do my hometown client’s lash fills in order to meet each month’s bills.

As time passed, I slowly increased my prices and I learned that I no longer wanted the clientele base who would only pay $60 for lashes. That is still a hard milestone to pass. You gain a whole new clientele base every single time you raise your prices. They inch closer and closer to your goal clientele base. I will say that I am nowhere near done learning how to continue to make my business progress and it’s really hard sometimes, but I wouldn’t be where I am today without the drive I had years ago.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.vagaro.com/nessessarylashes
• Instagram: Nessessary Lashes
• Other: Apple Podcast & Spotify: Lash Spill the Tea