We were lucky to catch up with Amie Santiago recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Amie thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. So, naming is such a challenge. How did you come up with the name of your brand?

Weirdly enough, I believe that my name came pretty easy to me. AmieArtistry, the Amie part I feel like should be self explanatory. If you look up “Artistry”, it means “creative skill and ability.” Further than that, synonyms include words like, “talent, flair, brilliance, accomplishment. ” Art is known for allowing the audience to feel a sense of emotion, and connection to whatever form they may be experiencing. i pride myself on producing art, and allowing my love for what i do, to be showcased & specifically tailored for every client. This is not just some regular beauty industry thing to me. I’m privileged and feel truly blessed to connect to my clients that walk through my door and grace me with the ability to bring their desires to life. I wanted to include my name in my business because I feel like stamping your name on anything that you commit to, holds weight. you have one in this THIS life and I wanted to make sure that mine was known for more than just someone who did lashes, or brows. AmieArtistry has always been about creating a personalized, cultivating experience that made you feel comfortable, and welcomed no matter what path of life you walk. The capacity to indulge yourself in self-care, and taking steps into self love.

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.

My name is Amneris Santiago formally, But everyone knows me as Amie. I’m proudly Afro-Latina From Puerto Rico & Panama. I’m blessed to be a full time entrepreneur in the Hampton Roads area! I could not find anything that I was more passionate about than chasing that feeling of gratification after every person I’ve serviced being filled with satisfaction and confidence with the work done for them. Nothing else could compare. It’s a euphoric feeling that makes you know that this is something you need to run after. AmieArtistry isn’t just some job to me, or work really; I truly have love for my clients, and look forward to catching up on whatever life has thrown at us. To be able to not only exercise my craft, but create a judgement free environment for my clients to freely vent, and feel heard. What is said in the sacred room, stays in the sacred room! I have genuinely bonded and created lifelong friendships in this field, and it’s not something i take lightly, AmieArtistry is a one-stop shop for all of your beautification needs. I have the privilege of walking each guest into a comfortable & welcoming experience. Giving each client a personalized service to indulge themselves in the self-care & love they desire and deserve on a consistent basis. The goal is to help those entering my studio feel their absolute best. I strive for all guests to experience what it’s like to look in the mirror and be happy with the person who looks back at them. Although i know there are other people that are in the same field as I am, there is one me. You can go anywhere, but your experience will never match the one i offer. I wanted to be a one stop shop because who doesn’t dream to have one person who can almost do it all? I love being a company and woman of variety. Whether you need lash strips, lipsticks, extensions, waxing, tint, lash lift. permanent cosmetics, or even a tattoo— you name it; I’m your girl.

Have you ever had to pivot?

I firmly believe that not only in business, but in life it’s imperative to be able to acknowledge, and adjust. Life will never go perfectly how we picture it. The more we sit and make peace with life’s inconsistencies, the lighter the blows feel. Business especially is not easy, but it is so rewarding. There’s been times where I had nothing while trying to build myself up. i knew nothing other than failing not being an option. Getting to my dreams, goals, and desires by any means necessary. Failing doesn’t mean you didn’t succeed, I believe true failure is when you give up, and you stop trying. As long as you keep your tenacity, and resilience, you won’t see failure. You cannot have good with out the bad, and vice versa — it’s about allowing yourself to enjoy every second of the process, and being hungry to keep pushing forward. Never settling because you know your vision is bigger than your setbacks. Always be prepared to have to pivot — but never doubt your ability to hold the weight that’s thrown at you.

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

Word of mouth, word of mouth, word of mouth! I also have a loyalty program as well as a referral program for my clients. I believe it’s important to show love to those who show love to me. <3 The people come for the service and keep coming back due to the experience. How much your clients love or rave about you usually correlates with how appreciated and cared for they feel! I love surprising my clients with small gifts of appreciation here and there. i personally even try to make it a point to check in them, even if i haven’t seen them in a while.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://amieartistry.glossgenius.com/
• Instagram: www.Instagram.com/amieartistry
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/amie-artistry-norfolk-2
• Other: www.amieartistry.com

Image Credits
Joshua Boone Photography