We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Ashleigh Gray a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Ashleigh, appreciate you joining us today. Risking taking is a huge part of most people’s story but too often society overlooks those risks and only focuses on where you are today. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – it could be a big risk or a small one – but walk us through the backstory.

When I was growing up I have always been in the restaurant industry. At 18 I was serving/bartending outside of my family’s restaurants debating on what I should do. In my life at first, I started business school at Northwest Community College and I ended up not finishing, (life hits you) but that wasn’t where my true passion was so I eventually started cosmetology school at Goulds Academy after having my daughter. Thankful enough to have a good support team who helped me while I began cosmetology school and finished.

Through school I still had a bartending job, even after I finished as I continued that I pursued my first salon job. I would work very late hours even though it got in the way of career job. Sometimes I couldn’t get up on time from working so late, I had to be at my night job at a certain time so couldn’t work late hours at the salon, I just wasn’t getting many clients because of my night job but I couldn’t just seem to let go of the bar life. I liked what I did, loved my customers who would come see me,the money and just fun working style. But I knew in my mind that if I kept on working this life style (two jobs) and not enough working towards my passion career I would have not enough time for my daughter. Not building the life I want for me and my daughter I wouldn’t get anywhere I wanted to be long term.

So it was really after me talking to this woman who I look up to personally and professionally and me contemplating, pros and cons, I finally took the risk and left the night (bar) life. I was struggling with a consistent schedule for me my daughter and having both jobs.

So I chose and took the risk for the career I’m very passionate about. I love making people feel more confident in themselves, sometimes you just need a boost of some beauty service and the conversation you have with a client/stylist. To love yourself.

So that being said I am a licensed cosmetologist, lash artist, PMU, and HA needleless fillers. I haven’t worked two jobs for a while now, I have so much more time with my daughter, I am my own boss now, and to this day I’m still taking risks to better me, my daughter. My business is growing and thriving I love the fact that I will never stop learning in this industry. I love what I do, I love my clients, and I am very grateful for them and their support throughout my journey.

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 Ashleigh Gray, I’m 26 years old I was born and raised in Mississippi. When I was younger, all of my sisters would come to me for their make up and hair for dance recitals, prom, etc. even to this day they ask me to do some beauty service for whatever they have going on. They were basically like my own personal models for me to practice all the time. My mission is to make my clients beauty desires come true. I am dedicated to provide my clients a healthy & safe experience. I am very proud of how far I’ve come. I love the bond that me and my clients have. They come to me and we talk about whatever is on their mind, basically like a therapist but getting a beauty service while at the same time

We’re all adults so I’m very open with my clients, I don’t hide anything from them, we’re both very straight forward my clients and I. That’s why I love what I do. I talk to all different types of people and get different crazy, inspiring stories. It’s a never ending life learn lessons for the stylist and the client.

How’d you meet your business partner?

I was working at my first salon, I was more doing the owners clients blow drys, sometimes I would assist her with color, and that is where I started doing my lashes on the side. The owner gave me a chance. I loved it there, I had a great time, learned a lot; opened other doors for me. So that being said I was asked to help a stylist at a different salon in a different location. I liked it. The woman I was assisting became more of an inspiration to me personally and professionally as a woman in this generation, she was someone I clicked better with. So I started working at the salon she is at, year and a half later already started my business still growing my inspiration became a “business partner.” We work hand an hand together, support each other in our own way, our own type of business, and became a dynamic duo.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

When I first started my business I only had an instagram and a Facebook. I was slowly getting told about these Facebook groups to be able to share you work and get your name out there. So that’s what I started doing. Every client I had from when, I first began to now I take pictures of my work. Sometimes you don’t post them right away, it could be days before you post one. At first I was not good at it however I’ve slowly gotten better at how to take pictures in the right angles and I’m getting a little better at posting my work. Needless to say, social media can be hard to work with sometimes, it isn’t for everybody. But it does help you get your work out there to at least get some clients in and those clients become your walking advertisement!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://lipnandlashn.godaddysites.com/
• Instagram: lipn_lashn
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lashhn.ashh?mibextid=LQQJ4d
• Other: My website is currently under construction. But I do have a booking app https://lipnandlashn.glossgenius.com/