Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Brieria Willis. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Brieria, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. If you could go back in time do you wish you had started your business sooner or later
The answer to this question is both yes & no. I started my business when I was 23 years old and I’m currently 27. I had just finished college a few months prior & was looking for marketing positions while working in the banking industry. I was very discouraged during this time period due to being told I couldn’t work in the marketing department at my then job because they were looking for external candidates & i was suffering from post grad depression. All the job interviews I went to were not aligned with what I wanted to do in life so I kept turning down job offers because I knew I was destined for better. I got tired of going to so many interviews and not being satisfied by what I was hearing. I gave up & decided that I would just keep working at my banking job. The turning point was when I prayed & asked God which direction I should take and all the signs pointed to starting my business. At that point I knew what I had to do.
At times I wish I could’ve started later that way I could’ve experienced corporate America a little longer, but I am very proud to say that I had the guts and courage to go after something even though I had no idea where it would lead. Would I be success? Am I making a huge mistake? Should I just give up and go back to corporate America? There were so many unanswered questions running through my head, but I stood strong and seen it through. The only sucky part is that, I can’t see myself ever going back to work for someone like ever as my only source of income. I love being in charge of my schedule and being the one calling the shots.
Brieria, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I am a licensed Lash Technician and have been going on 4 years now. Going after a dream and actually succeeding for this long has changed my life in so many ways.
I wish I could say things have been smooth, but not even life itself is easy. There were many obstacles I faced and that I still face, but I’ always keep my head held high & think positive. I’m proud of the fact that I took a risk & believed in myself. I feel so empowered because starting my own business was something no one in my family has ever done. Now I’m able to teach other women & hopefully my future kids on how to go for their dreams & never let fear get in the way of them doing something they love.
When working for yourself you have to constantly market and put yourself out there which can be very uncomfortable at first. I am most proud that I am able to make women feel beautiful and confident. Also being able teach and train other women and help them start their own entrepreneurial journey is what brings me joy.
I pride myself at the fact that I actually take time out to get to know my clients, listen to them when they need to vent, and motivate them when they feel down.
Consistency and providing effective professional communication is key when running a business & I just want potential clients to know I’ve never lacked in this area. Being able to know how to communicate with a client or even a potential client is very important. I’m always welcoming, kind, and educating my clients on lash health. I am the expert, therefore my job is to educate and help those who look up to me and are interested in my services.
Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?
My effective communication skills, professionalism & just being able to be myself with my clients. My clients who I’ve lashed for years love me unconditionally because I’m just a good person. When running a business you have to love what you do and the people you service because that’s the only way to succeed. When people sense that you care about them and their needs, they open up more to you which shows a high level of trust. Once clients can trust you, they’ll speak highly of you to everyone which brings more clientele. Treat your business like your baby by nurturing it, pouring into it consistently, speaking positivity on it & love it unconditionally. When you do that, it’ll show and clients will want to support you.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
When I relocated back to my hometown, Houston, I felt like I had made the worse decision ever. Starting over and building new clientele isn’t for the weak. I had gone from 15-20 clients a week in San Antonio, to 1-3 clients a week in Houston. Trust me, there were a lot of tears being shed and hope being lost because I didn’t know how my bills were going to get paid, but GOD always comes through right on time. I now have a consistent client base. If I would’ve given up, I would’ve never known the ending to this story, I mean I still don’t know the ending but I do know that I was able to pull through that difficult time. By being faithful to my craft & exemplifying patience, I was able to get my business back to where it needed to be. Never give up you guys, you just never know what can happen so you have to see things through.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.bsamonelash.com/
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/b_samonelashco?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Bsamonelashco
Image Credits
Amy Benjamin took my personal proffesional photo 🤍