We were lucky to catch up with Danecha’ Mckisset recently and have shared our conversation below.

Danecha’, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Owning a business isn’t always glamorous and so most business owners we’ve connected with have shared that on tough days they sometimes wonder what it would have been like to have just had a regular job instead of all the responsibility of running a business. Have you ever felt that way?

I truly do love operating my own business BUT there have been a few times where I considered going back to the work world. Last year actually. I experienced my first decline in business. I lost several clients which of course impacted my revenue. Overall I’m not sure exactly why but some people communicated a shift in finances. At the same time that my business was experiencing this downward spiral I learned that I was expecting my second child. So, you can imagine the disappointment & panic I felt! At the same time I just made a huge business investment and that is a major reason I continued to push through and pivot. But for months I felt so defeated and my only concern was taking care of my children. I left my salon suite and I rented a booth at a hair salon to continue taking the clients I still had. For context I saw about a 50% decline. But I was extremely grateful for my clients that continued to show up so I couldn’t just give up. However, I did start the process of enrolling into school so that I could start working after I gave birth. I was VERY close to making this a side gig and pursuing another career full time. By the time my child was born I had enough time to pray and think and decided it was just time to pivot and do things differently. My ideal client change and my vision for what I want my business to be changed. I spent that slow time getting more educated in my business operations and brushing up on my skills.

Danecha’, 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?

Hiii!! My name is Danecha’ McKisset and I am a licensed Esthetician with a passion BROWS! I love all things beauty but I’m an expert in the brow department. I am also the owner of “Browsations The Ultimate Beauty Co.” previously known as “Kiss Me Pretty”. I started my journey in the beauty space as a teenager and initially it was fun and a way for me to express myself. As life went on I realized the potential of my talents and went all in! I was a young mother and being fully present for my child was top priority. Being a business owner allowed me to be flexible so that I didn’t have to choose between my passion and livelihood. My personal experiences growing in motherhood and recalling the challenges of remembering to show up for yourself fueled my passion for catering to other mothers in my business. As a woman we are our best selves when we look and feel good so I take pride in my role as an Esthetician. It’s my mission to boost my clients confidence through naturally enhancing their beauty. I’ve had women cry in my chair after seeing their brows. My suite is a place for the everyday woman to unwind and just be HER (not mom, wife, or a work title).

Can you talk to us about how your side-hustle turned into something more.

Never in a million years did I think I could make a living doing eyebrows and makeup. I’m a 90’s baby & as a millennial the path was always after high school go to college and get a 9-5. For at least 7 years I operated my business part time. I’ve had plenty of jobs before becoming an esthetician and it was literally just me trying to figure out what I was good at. I’ve quit every job I ever had because I wasn’t fulfilled. I didn’t see my gift in its entirety until I became an esthetician and got in the field. At one point I had two jobs and would take my own clients when I could. The feedback is what made the light bulb go off. Social was popular but still not at the level it is now and I would just post and practice my skills every single day. There was no pressure. In 2018 I took a leap, quit my job and pursued my dreams full time and haven’t looked back. Now, I have grown my brand to the point that when people think of eyebrows, they think of me. This has been several years in the making!

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

I think that my consistency early on certainly helped me to build my reputation. When I became certified in brow threading in 2012 it wasn’t ideal for African Americans to thread brows. It is culturally a middle eastern hair removal method that was eventually introduced to the states. It was common knowledge that you could only expect to get your brows threaded in the mall. Acquiring that skill intrigued my audience and it was something I was determined to master.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.browsations.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/browsations_

Image Credits

YRN PHOTO (Austin Hill)