We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Coco Miletti-Hall a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Coco , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Risk taking is something we’re really interested in and we’d love to hear the story of a risk you’ve taken.
I am going to share the story of a significant, life-changing risk I took back in 2019. In 2014, I started on my path as a freelance makeup artist by doing makeup and hairstyling for runway shows in fancy clubs in San Francisco. This led to many TFP (trade for print) photoshoots, which led to getting published in several magazines, which led to several paid editorial shoots, Napa Valley wedding jobs, and headlining an underground Indie art showcase for RAW.
I moved back to my hometown of Akron, Ohio in 2016 with a rock-solid plan to work hard and stack money in order to move back to the west coast 6 months later with a SoCal friend and get into a Hollywood production union for film and TV. My now-husband Nick Hall likes to take credit for bungling my plans by sweeping me off my feet and reigniting an old flame between us, which is one of the best things that ever happened to me.
I broke into the Ohio wedding makeup scene in 2017 thanks to my best friend and her amazing photography team. I booked 10 weddings that year, all for people I had never met before, after doing her bridal makeup for her wedding and the word-of-mouth recommendations that were given after she received her wedding photos back. In early 2018, I worked as a “stylist” on my first marketing production shoot, and the people I met on that shoot started my network in the Ohio production and commercial gig scene. In 2018, I also started working with two local photographers as their go-to hair and makeup artist for boudoir shoots. I booked 28 weddings in 2018, along with working several more commercial shoots, and many boudoir shoots. I finished out my year by getting booked as the HMUA for the 2019 NBA Chinese New Year commercial that was filmed in Cleveland.
2019 held so much growth in my business and lots of amazing changes in my personal life. I was working with multiple production companies once or twice a month, I had 35 weddings booked on my calendar, several boudoir photographers that considered me their main makeup artist, I got engaged and married, and so much more. From 2014 – 2019, I was still working at least one full-time job but often worked as a bartender or server on the side in addition to building my business and professional network. I still don’t understand how I managed to juggle all of this along with my home and social life. I was (enthusiastically) taking a lot of days off throughout 2018 and 2019 to accommodate the makeup jobs that were coming my way.
In early 2019, I received a surprise promotion that took me from an administrative assistant to an unprepared and unqualified operation manager for a small company. I am not one to back down from a challenge, so I took it on with a smile on my face and unbridled optimism. Several months later, I was experiencing uncontrollable anxiety and had dropped the ball with several of my bridal clients from all of the stress and overtime I was working at my day job. It hit me for the first time ever one day in late summer – I need to prioritize my real job… my makeup business. Never before had I considered my makeup business and work as anything other than my side hustle. My business deserved to be my number one priority after all of the work, love, and sweat I had put into building it. I spoke to my then-fiance about what he thought and he said, “I’m surprised that you’ve waited this long”. My family and friends all echoed his statement.
My last day of working a “day job” was September 6, 2019. I listened to my heart, my clients, my family, and my friends. I made the decision to take a terrifying leap of faith and quit my structured big-girl job with stability and benefits to become a self-employed freelance makeup artist in Ohio… without a business class to be seen in any of my school transcripts.
I had come up with several plans to supplement my income in the winter months when wedding season died down, lots of ideas of part-time jobs I would apply for in a couple of months when my optimism surely gave way to reality and I wasn’t booking enough work to pay my bills and keep me as busy as I hoped. I still filled in occasionally at a local bar I worked at for a few years and I knew I could pick up more hours any time. I think I picked up a total of 7 shifts there since I quit my job in 2019. Even through the pandemic, I haven’t had to pick up any regular part-time work and I opened my first brick-and-mortar studio in late February 2021.
Long story long, I had the unbelievable luck and fortune of the universe meeting me where I was at when I mustered up the faith to listen to it and take the risk of a lifetime. I am grateful and amazed every day.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
My name is Coco Miletti-Hall and I am a professional freelance Makeup Artist & Stylist. I have been building my business and honing my craft(s) since 2014 when I started working as an HMUA for runway shows in San Francisco. At this point in my career, I provide luxury makeup services for any event or photoshoot, lessons, and I work as an HMUA, Set Stylist, Wardrobe Stylist, and Food/Drink Stylist for commercial/production/e-comm/corporate shoots. The latter genre of work has turned into my passion, I absolutely love working on set.
I take great pride in my work and my networking skills. I am also constantly amazed at the boldness and bravery I have exhibited in the past – I often think back to those times wondering “who was that girl?! how did I just do and say those things to put myself out there without understanding how risky or bold I was?”. I am so thankful that I don’t feel that way in the moment.
I usually just feel very strongly that it is the logical thing to do… like, why wouldn’t I just shoot my information and portfolio to a local photographer who works with LeBron James and other big-name companies/personalities that I just discovered via Google while searching for event spaces for a birthday party? And how was I to know that it would lead to my first commercial shoot a week later, where I met several people who would then recommend me for many, many commercial/production gigs over the following years? Life is weird, my friends.
You can read a little bit about my start in the industry in my response about the life-changing risk I took in 2019. If I had anything to impart to anyone reading this story or looking for inspiration – Listen to your heart and intuition. Take the risk if it seems like the universe is handing you breadcrumbs and stepping stones toward it. Maybe take an online business 101 crash course. The most important thing I have to share is that PERSONALITY, RESPECT, and KINDNESS launch you so much further than skill and knowledge ever can.
What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?
I truly believe that my bubbly personality, authenticity, and work ethic have been the main cornerstones to building my personal reputation and the network that my business relies upon today.
What’s been the best source of new clients for you?
The best source of new clients for me is word-of-mouth and social media. Photographers and personal clients often ask other industry folks or past clients for recommendations. It is really tough to create and maintain a strong and professional social media presence but thankfully, I have worked with some amazing people so I get a lot of stunning photos that highlight my work. It is the same concept of word-of-mouth and networking in the commercial industry. I believe that work ethic and personality shine a little brighter here than portfolio, depending on the scale of the project.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://cocomilettimua.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cocopuffmua/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cocomilettillc/
- Other: Linktree: https://linktr.ee/cocopuffmua
Image Credits
Jen Daring Bombshell Boudoir Studios Bruce Gates