We recently connected with Amber Pearson and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Amber, thanks for joining us today. So, naming is such a challenge. How did you come up with the name of your brand?

In 2021, I did a complete rebrand of my business, including the name. It had been in the works for a few years but I never loved the ideas I would have. I aligned the rebrand with the conversion of the business from a day spa to a med spa so I now had a deadline to meet. I knew that I wanted a French word in the name, as a homage to being from Louisiana. The word black really resonated with me, but black is always perceived as a strong word, and often times with a negative connotation. But black is also elegant. I knew the name needed to make sense. One day I was thinking about my passion for the esthetics industry, and I told myself “its as simple as black and white”. And I knew. I would use the French version of white, which is blanc. And that is how we became Black + Blanc Aesthetics.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I have wanted to work in the beauty industry since I was a child, but my original goal was to become a cosmetologist. As I got older, I realized that I didn’t have natural skills as a hairstylist, but that I really enjoyed skincare and makeup. I became a freelance makeup artist, while still working in salons as front desk. One day I was given an opportunity to work as an assistant makeup artist on a movie set. I really enjoyed the change of scenery and to be surrounded by so many creatives daily, but I desired more stability after changes were made in the film industry in Louisiana. I was promoted from front desk to salon manager, and I did that for a few years while still freelancing. I debated on going to makeup school in California or going to esthetics school but, I chose esthetics school. A short time after esthetics school began, I decided that I would open my own space, which I did right after I graduated.

At the time I knew that there weren’t many local black estheticians and that I wanted to focus on providing facials and skincare services with a luxury experience. Having attended Aveda for esthetics school, we only used natural products. As my business grew, I met more women, and men, who had acne or hyperpigmentation and hadn’t really found solutions to treat their skin. So as the years went on, my focus shifted to corrective skincare. I would also meet many women with PCOS, and excessive hair growth is a common side effect, specifically facial hair. Full circle moment, I won a small scholarship to a laser school while I was still enrolled in esthetics school but I chose not to attend laser school then because I knew I wanted to open my own business immediately following graduating esthetics school. In 2019, I vowed to myself that I would open a med spa so that I could offer laser hair removal and continue to target the main concerns of my clients without having to refer them to someone else that didn’t look like them.

It may sound cliche, but I really believe my passion sets me apart from others. I’m not only passionate about esthetics but also for helping others, and my work allows me to do that daily. My passion is the fire that stays lit within me to continue to always find the best treatments and options for my clients, no matter the circumstances.

I am extremely proud to be a black esthetician and open a med spa in Baton Rouge, Louisiana; it’s an anomaly. The journey hasn’t been easy but my resilience and passion have continued to push me through.

I would like potential clients to know that I have 14 years of experience in this industry. I’m not a follower of trends until I’ve done research and due diligence in the efficacy and safety of treatments for my clients.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

During my conversion to a med spa, I joined a membership based organization for med spas so that I could learn more about medical aesthetics. I found a device company through the organization and decided to purchase my first laser from them. I was introduced to a finance company through the laser company, and in my naivety thought nothing could ever go wrong because of lending laws. I ordered 2 devices and began making payments to the finance company once they were shipped and delivered. After I began making payments, I was given a training date that was over 2 months away from the delivery date. This meant that I would not be able to use the devices at all until my team and I received the training. I contacted the finance company and was told I was still responsible for the payments. This is when I saw their predatory nature and learned that there aren’t any laws against predatory lending practices for businesses. I received the training but the damage had been done; I was tens of thousands of dollars in the hole after making payments for months without the ability to generate any revenue. I tried to maintain for a few months but ultimately I surrendered the devices at the finance companies’ request. I was able to get a new laser with a different company, that was much more effective and safer for my clients. To add insult to injury, the finance company sued me and I’ve been dealing with that lawsuit for over a year now.

My resilience is displayed in my choice to continue to pursue my goal of owning a med spa despite the aftermath of the predatory lending contract.

I believe that social media has given an unrealistic expectation of entrepreneurship. You have to be resilient and have grit. There will be difficult seasons and mistakes will be made. Some of the greatest companies and brands we know that exist, only reached new heights after extreme lows. Business will always have its ebbs and flows and I often remind myself to just ride the wave.

Do you have any stories of times when you almost missed payroll or any other near death experiences for your business?

My experience with the predatory lending contract caused me to go bankrupt. I used all of the capital I had; credit cards were maxed out and I could not get any additional funding due to changes in lending practices since inflation began. I always made sure payroll was paid, but there were many months where it was at my own expense. If everyone else got paid, I didn’t.

In my opinion, inflation feels like a near death experience; it’s like a slow and painful death. It has completely changed the spending habits of us all and small business owners like myself really feel it.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.blackandblancla.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/blackandblancla
• Facebook: https://Facebook.com/blackandblancla

Image Credits

Marque Anthony McCarter