We were lucky to catch up with Jessica Williams recently and have shared our conversation below.

Jessica, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?

The beauty industry has always been an interest of mine. Growing up in the Golden Era of the “Beauty Guru” I developed a love of all things makeup from a very young age. However, as a woman of color I quickly realized that much of the beauty industry doesn’t cater to us. Coming to terms with the short falls of something I loved so much was difficult. But it was more difficult seeing my sisters and friends have trouble finding hair salons that would work with their hair textures, or having difficulty finding a brand of foundation with enough range of shade to accommodate them. I realized how narrow the scope of the industry really was. When I got into cosmetic tattooing, I sought out trainers and mentors that could teach me how to work on any skin type or skin tone so that I could provide my services to the widest group of people possible. I worked to create a space where my clients could feel safe and comfortable no matter their age, gender identity, or skin color. I wanted to prove their is space for everyone and we all deserve to look and feel our best.

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

I got into cosmetic tattooing in 2019. At the time, I was admittedly a bit lost in life. I had done the college thing, only to realize I absolutely did not want to work in my field. So I found myself managing a hair salon. I loved the high-energy vibes and being surrounded by the beauty industry. I’ve always had a love for makeup and hair, but most of my time at the salon was spent running payroll, doing inventory and scheduling. I knew it wasn’t what I wanted to be doing with my life, but every so often I would get to help someone with their makeup and I loved it! At that point, I didn’t seriously consider that I could transition that experience into an actual career. Eventually, a local cosmetic tattoo artist that I had admired for years announced that she would be offering training courses. I signed up immediately for her course and fell in love with microblading instantly. Three months later, I quit my desk job at the salon and started tattooing full time. Admittedly, that was probably a bit hasty but why dip your toe when you can cannon ball, right?
From the very beginning of my career, I knew I wanted to be an inclusive place for my clients. I sought out trainers that could teach me how to work on mature or aging skin, how to work on both men and women, people with a track record of beautiful healed results on deep skin tones. Even 3 years in, i’m still constantly taking trainings so that I can always provide the best work for the widest verity of people.
I think there is this idea out there that the beauty industry is shallow or superficial, and I know a pair of eyebrows never saved anyone’s life, but the thing I love about my job is that I get to help people build their confidence. I have had clients who have lost their brows to medical conditions like cancer or trichotillomania and being able to help them feel like their old selves again is one of the most amazing feelings.
I’m most proud of the relationships and bonds i’ve formed through my work. I’ve been really lucky in my career and had the most amazing clients. I think a lot of people who work in service based industries have had some pretty negative experiences, but my absolute favorite part of my job is the people I get to work with. The appointments are pretty lengthy, and since its just one on one in my studio, we have some really great conversations and I feel like I really get to know my clients! Each connection is so special and that’s the real high light of my job.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

I think the biggest factor that helped me build my reputation and client base is forming genuine connections with my clients. There are thousands of people out there who do exactly the same work I do just as good if not better than I do it. But what sets me apart from those people and makes my clients choose me is that I genuinely care about my clients. Our appointments are a true collaboration, we work together to create a shape, and choose a color and make sure I have taken their needs and esthetic preferences into consideration to create something they love. Talking to my clients and getting to know them and building a trusting relationship is key. when I started, my first 10-15 clients were all basically free. I had met these women in a neighborhood Facebook group, and they were willing to take a chance on someone who had just started to tattoo their faces. To this day, I am still getting referrals from these clients because they enjoyed their experience so much they still tell others about it! For any small business, client testimonials and word of mouth are the absolute most valuable thing.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

The biggest lesson to unlearn wasn’t so much of a lesson as it was an attitude/way of thought. As a millennial, #Girlboss and hustle culture can be so toxic. We are trained to see everyone as competition and constantly comparing ourselves to other people. I would see other women in my industry being booked out 6 months in advanced or glorifying working 24/7 and it would make me feel like I wasn’t doing enough or my business wasn’t good enough. It started to get to a point where I wasn’t enjoying what I was doing anymore and I was constantly worrying about the next social media post or staying on top of the algorithm and boosting engagement. Eventually I realized, if I wasn’t enjoying my work anymore I couldn’t provide the best service for my clients. At the end of the day, the client in my chair is more important than any Facebook or Instagram algorithm. I took a major step back and decided to focus on what invigorates me about my business and not on the things that don’t.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.blackcraftbeauty.com/
• Instagram: @blackcraftbeauty_pmu