We were lucky to catch up with Dorka Jones recently and have shared our conversation below.
Dorka, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Before we get into specifics, let’s talk about success more generally. What do you think it takes to be successful?
To me success is not easily defined and I think that people have different views on what success may look like for them based on their goals. When determining if I am succeeding, I reflect on my goals to see if those are being reached. A flexible schedule was and still is a high priority that I strived for. When I started my first job in the makeup world, I did not have the freedom that I currently obtain. However, through hard work and by surrounding myself with people that inspire me, I have been able to meet this goal. Another priority of mine are those people that surround me, so I often consider if I am continuously honoring my values, ensure that I am feeling fulfilled and determine if this balance is providing for my family and I. To me, this makes me feel successful.
Going in with realistic expectations and knowing the direction that you’re aiming for with your career can help you reach those goals. But whatever you consider your idea of success to be, I think patience, a strong work ethic, humility and paying your dues is a proven recipe to go by.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
Let me introduce myself! My name is Dorka & I have the pleasure of working in the Beauty Industry. I do hair & makeup for a living and it’s truly a dream come true. I was born and raised in Puerto Rico until my family moved to Florida in 2002. Since I was a kid, I’ve loved all things fashion like clothes, makeup, hair and accessories. You could say that anything creative and artsy caught my attention! I would do hair and makeup on anyone I could get my hands on, so it was no surprise when I went to Cosmetology School right out of high school.
When I graduated I continued to do some hair, but my passion for makeup continued to grow since I had gotten a job at Sephora. I will always cherish my time there as it was so much fun learning about different products, skin types and meeting so many people! A few years later I had built some clientele, connected with some freelance companies and decided to make the jump into the freelance world!
There was so much to learn about this industry, especially starting off, but one key component to my business was the power of networking. For many occasions I would collaborate with other photographers, models and companies (for free) just to get my name out there and meet people in the industry. I would shadow other artists so I could learn from people who had more experience and had been doing this longer than me. I took my time to build my kit with what I considered to be the best of the best products for my clients! This industry has brought so many incredible opportunities & I’ve reached some dreams that I didn’t even know I had. One of the things I’m most proud of though, are the relationships I’ve built along the way. With my clients and other people in the industry.
What I want more than anything is to make the person in my chair feel seen, feel confident and to feel pampered!
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
Boy oh boy, was 2020 a year we will never forget. What seemed like the height of my career in the beginning months of that year, quickly came to a halt when the pandemic began. I went from having months full of exciting jobs to an empty calendar overnight. Along with the uneasy feeling of the unknown. During this pending stage, I was sure to take every precaution, enrolled in classes to obtain the certifications I needed to get back to work while making sure to keep myself and my clients safe. Luckily, after months of patience and rolling with the punches, I was able to get back to what I love.
So happy I didn’t give up when many times it felt like that was the only option, because I wouldn’t be where I am today!
How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?
Client experience & word of mouth has been a huge pathway to my success. Whether a recommendation is given by a past client, photographer or model in the industry, this has been a great way to gain clientele. One thing that’s always been important to me is making sure my clients feel comfortable, calm and like they can trust me. Being friendly and treating everyone in my chair or team, like a friend, has helped the process of providing my services and receiving them, so fun. Those that I have crossed paths with recommend me to their loved ones and/or other colleagues in the industry for me to work with. The energy you bring to the table can really elevate the experience and outcome overall.
Contact Info:
- Website: Dorkajones.com
- Instagram: @dorkajjones
Image Credits
Ehsan Zarrin, Kristen Weaver, Kayla M Mendez