We recently connected with Ebony Renee and have shared our conversation below.

Ebony , appreciate you joining us today. Can you tell us the backstory behind how you came up with the idea?

How I came up with the name of my business is after every client I would stand back and be like “girl you are snatched.” So I came up with SnatchedbyEbonyRenee, I love my first and middle name so I wanted to make sure I incorporated into my brand. I always knew my purpose in life was to service others. In more ways then one, but I knew makeup was one of them. Makeup for me allows me to be creative and express myself through an artistic lens. I knew my purpose in life was to service others in more ways than one. I never in a million years would have thought I would be a makeup artist. I love what I do, it is an experience that allows me to keep growing. I’m given a space to create and showcase my talent.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your background and context?

I am a Kansas girl, who was a first generation college student. I was raised by a single mother, who has always been my number one supporter. She brags about all of my accomplishments, and I love that for me! I went to school for Interior Design then switched my major a year later to Family Studies. I had to learn who I was outside of the upbringing of my family. I started watching YouTube specifically makeup channels. I fell in love with the art. I started practicing how to do makeup in my dorm room. I have always had a BIG personality, always been sassy with a good heart. From putting on singing performances at family gatherings to dancing in drill team. I knew that I would always be great. My uncle (may God rest his soul) would tell me that he saw my name in big lights. I have met so many people along my journey who have prophesied over my life that I will be harvesting great things. I always been the underdog, I never conformed to the narrative that society placed on us. I looked at all the things from home life to social life that was going on around me, and I knew I deserved better. I was going to get better, anything I have ever put my mind to I always achieved it!

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

What helped me build my reputation is that I am fair. I will give you an example, I had a young lady who booked with me on Saturday at noon. I mistaken the appointment for 3 pm. She called me, and was like “hey I am outside” I started to panic, because I never miss an appointment. She was very understanding, I made sure to apologize and I told her I would take $15 off her services for being late. I made it to the appointment, I apologized again and I let her know that I am a caregiver for my mom, and sometimes time slips away from me. Again, she was so nice and she understood that things happen. The key to a great reputation is communication, I make sure to communicate at all times with my girls. I think with all the backlash that business owners are getting with their rules. What sets me apart is that I reciprocate those same rules for myself as well as for my girls. We went on with the services, she loved the look and she tipped me. I think another thing that keeps my reputation credible is that I am honest with my girls. I do not believe in taking people’s money just because. At the end of the day I want all of my services to be of quality because my name is behind my brand. I make sure that my business is ran with good integrity.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

2022 has been a true wild card. At the beginning of the year, someone close to us exposed my mom and I to Covid. My mom got really sick, she ended up having to be hospitalized and she suffered two strokes. Life for me as I knew had been altered. While in the hospital, my mom ended up coding. But God kept her and I thank him for that every day. I shut down, naturally. I had to quit my job and truly step out on faith. I went into hermit mode, and I had to seek God. I stepped away from being makeup artist; I just stopped everything. I needed to know my mom was going to be okay. I had just turned 28, and I could not see myself doing life without my mom. This was not what I had envisioned for myself. I felt like things leading up to my mom being hospitalized, was preparing me for something. I am a very spiritual being, and I felt myself changing. I would see butterflies all the time and a lot of angels numbers. I was not the same old vessel. On month three of my mom being in the hospital, I picked up my camera and I started vlogging my every day life. I needed an outlet at that point, I felt my creative juices starting to flow again. Things were getting better with my mom. I am currently a caregiver to my mom, as she is still recovering but she is thriving and every day she gets better and better. Throughout this whole process, I never questioned “why me” I really had to change the way I responded to things. I had to be really careful of the words I let come out of my mouth. My attitude towards things became more positive. I learned that I had to start embracing the experience of my loved ones. That in this life, we have no possession over anyone; allow people to come and go as they please take what you need from them and leave what you do not. I could not let this situation kill me, for it was already written. I now use it as a testimony. I had to lose myself to find myself.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://snatchedbyebonyrenee.as.me/
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/snatchedbyebonyrenee?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCj8kxxQM3NUkSD8RIQGj2rg