We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Faith Vue a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Faith, appreciate you joining us today. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – walk us through the story?
The biggest risk I’ve taken thus far in life has been creating and executing my business from an idea, side hustle, & now my full time career. I created my business after high school at the age of 18. I am an esthetician that specializes in luxurious lash extensions and brow services. I also have created my own lash brand to retail high quality lash supplies for other beauticians. At first, lash extensions started as a side hustle for me to make extra income. I originally started out being a nail technician working with my aunt during junior year in high school. I had an overview of the business flow, building clientele, professionalism, business etiquette, professional attire and business management at a very young age. I’ve always been interested in the beauty industry but growing up I also had a passion in the nursing field. I love taking care of people. It’s always been in my nature to be nurturing and caring. Went to college, withdraw from college and worked in the nail industry from the ages 17-22 years old. When the pandemic happened that was when I was out of work and income. I had to sit down and create a business plan of how I was going to start my business, get it off the ground, how much money I needed to invest just to START, & where I was going to start it.
I invested the little bit I had to buy products and have it delivered to my apartment and started my business home based. Once the pandemic started to slowly lift and become safe for everyone to socialize again I was accepting clients offering both nail and lash services in my apartment. After a year of consistency 2021, I enrolled into esthetician school, rented my first suite, graduated and am now licensed providing services for beautiful women on a daily in my own space. Quickly after graduation I was blessed with a second location for my business to expand even more and on my own as an independent entrepreneur and Esthetician. Although, it’s not the nursing industry I am still taking care of people in a different way!
Lastly, being the oldest out of 3 kids. It is my duty and responsibility to be able to show my siblings there is more out in the world if we believe and act on it. My job as an older sister is to be an example for them and others to use to be able to chase and fulfill their dreams.
God definitely has a way of showing you the journey. It’s up to us to decide to figure out which path to take and if we are willing to take the risk and fully trust him with it all.
Faith, 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?
How I came up with my business and brand was all off the strength of wanting to leave a legacy and generational wealth for my family and kids in the future. I have always been interested in the beauty industry! Cosmetology was an elective I took throughout all of high school and started working with my aunt in her nail salon to gain more experience as well as having a job as a teenager. I would love to say that having that sort of experience being a teenager now to an adult has definitely helped me so much with my OWN brand and business. It allowed me to understand the business flow, business etiquette, manage clients, payments, branding/marketing, promotions and customer service.
GBK “Glam by Kalia” was established right after high school in 2017-2018. I was working in a nail salon for over 5 years and was ready to start my own business and chase my own dreams rather than others. I learned how to do nails and pedicures all while working with my aunt in her salon. Shortly after working with her, I was able to find another salon to work out of and saved enough money to be able to take a lash extensions course in order to generate more income and have different streams of income. Lash extensions was a side hustle for me originally then I grew to love what I was doing and my clients. My skills and techniques got better over time with consistency and trial & error to test good and bad products to find my niche. It took so much consistency, discipline and devotion to get my business off the ground the way it did but a year of consistency was all it took for me and even then I would say I’m not where I want to be yet because I know I can be further with God’s timing and patience. I’m a firm believer that everything happens for a reason! Coming straight out of high school my dreams was always to become a RN and go to school for nursing. I’ve always wanted to help others and make them feel better about themselves. I figured out college wasn’t for me and withdrew from school and strictly focused on my business. I was THAT determined to bring my brand to fruition and chase my dreams because I was able to witness and see what being CONSISTENT did for my brand. As well as keeping God first in the forefront in all everything I did. I am blessed to be able to still help women and others to feel better about themselves and take care of them in a different way!
At GBK, I specialize in brows, lash extensions and hair removal services. I have also recently started selling my products for the brand with high quality lash supplies! Offering luxurious services you have to have high quality products! That’s the only right way to do things. It also sets you apart from others in the industry as well and helps you stand out. Every product from my brand that I have sold is everything I use on my clients. There isn’t one product retailed that I haven’t tried or use on clients. One reason why I do this is because it’s easier to also explain to customers when purchasing your products if they have questions or want to know more information about your products.
I am most proud of myself. Why? Because coming from where I come from in Laos all the way to the United States, having foreign parents and grandparents and knowing the sacrifices they all made in order for us to have FREEDOM is why I started in the first place. I was given a chance to become different. Become successful. Break cycles. Become an example for others as well as being able to share my own testimony to others. Hoping one day it’ll all pay off and other women would be able to be encouraged and motivated to chase their dreams. I’ve always said it was clichè but reach for the stars. You never know where it’ll lead you. All the strength I received came from God in order for me to conquer and achieve goals that have already been created from the beginning for me. All I had to do was TRUST, BELIEVE, HAVE FAITH, TAKE RISK & WALK MY JOURNEY. I couldn’t be more grateful and thankful for where I am now in my business and industry but I am more excited and waiting patiently for where God will take me and my brand/business next.
We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?
A lesson that I’ve had to unlearn was that you just need a “certification” in the industry to be a business owner or start your business. In all reality, certifications are great to have to show you have continuous education. In the beauty industry depending on the services you’re offering and where you want your business to be in the future whether that’s expanding or retailing. You absolutely need a LICENSE! Business license, retail license and etc.
The backstory to this is because I experienced a horrible crazy situation with a client working only with my lash certification. She had lash extensions applied by a different technician and wanted me to work over her work as to why NOW I do not offer working over other technicians or stylists work anymore. After handling the situations, I immediately copyrighted my business name & enrolled in esthetician school. I am now a licensed esthetician operating my business the correct and right way. Always remember there is a right way to do things instead of short cuts and the bare minimum especially if you want longevity in your brand.
Yes, it’s amazing to start a business but having the RIGHT requirements and licenses to back up your brand and business is what’s more important and the more valuable thing to do. Being LEGIT is what matters. It’s not about just having a business but making sure you’re operating and having a strong foundation for your business.
Can you talk to us about how your funded your business?
I invested everything I had in my savings as well as my time towards my business. It’s my baby. I cherish and value my business because of all the blood, sweat and tears I invested into it. There were nights where I would be up being creative, brain storming, planning a business plan to execute.
It took all my savings to invest into myself and my business. I was willing to risk everything to become successful. That’s how much I believed in my business.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/glambykaliaa
- Instagram: @glambykalia
Image Credits
@brandenadamsphotography & @visionsbykalonji