We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Francesca Jeanty. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Francesca below.

Francesca, looking forward to hearing all of your stories 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.

The Biggest risk I’ve ever taken by far is expanding my business in the middle of the pandemic. When news of pandemic, shut downs, and quarantine first broke I, like most business owners felt a mixed bag of emotions. What felt like over night , I saw small beauty businesses closing for one reason another. I read the countless panicked posts in various facebook groups about not knowing what to do and how are they are going to keep their businesses afloat . Naturally, for a moment ,I too began to worry about the future of my establishment . One night, during a long period of forced quarantine reflection, I made the conscious decision that instead spending my energy trying to pinch pennies I had find the opportunity hidden in the problem. I decided make the most of my time away from my studio. And focused all my energy towards making plans for when we finally got the green light to reopen.

I spent all my new free time honing in on my craft and researching the top educators in my industry. The second I had the opportunity I was on the first flight to every masters class in permanent make up I could attend. Next on the list was enhancing the guest experience with a bigger, better location. After months of searching I finally found the perfect spot . Only problem was that is was FIVE times the cost of my previous location. With no PPP or any other type of business relief, failure was simply not an option, However, I knew the reward would far outweigh the risk. A better location would provided better visibility and ultimately more revenue. As if all that wasn’t enough, I also had the brilliant idea to add another service category and venture into to world of body sculpting.

People around me thought I had lost my mind. Thousands of dollars spent in education, new equipment . and renovations to a new studio with no guarantees that I wouldn’t lose it all to another shut down. But ,I knew deep in my gut that the juice would be worth the squeeze if I could just cross the finish line. When the doors finally opened to the new location our first months revenue was DOUBLE our previous average and our new service now accounts for most of the profits in the business. Following through on the risky ,new , and expensive changes in my business took and unwavering belief in my vision and in myself. It took a level of discipline and diligence I always aspired to have, but never knew I was truly capable of , and at the risk of sounding cliche , that anything really is possible..

Francesca, 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’m south Florida native and child of Haitian immigrants. Growing up there was only two career options for kids like me lawyer or doctor. My parents sacrificed so much for me to have a better life and wanted to be sure mine would be one of success and stability. However, no matter how much they pushed academia on me, I always found myself drawn to the creativity and artistry of the beauty industry. While in college I got my start selling cosmetics and worked for various brands. That experience later developed into the makings of a small business of freelance artistry. I did weddings, conventions and even had a few celebrity clients .
Around 2015 there were rumbling of a new service that would completely revolutionize the industry, it was called “Microblading”. At the time brows were heavily trending with brands like Anastasia Beverly Hills completely dominating social media feeds and beauty counters alike , and I just knew the option to make the look permanent was going to be a total game changer . So I made the bold decision to invest that years tax return on my first brow class and never looked back.

After lots of trial and error I opened my first studio in 2019 and made permanent makeup my full time career.
My mission is to deliver incredible brows that will not only enhance my clients’ natural appearance but give them an added boost of confidence. I thoroughly enjoy connecting with my clients and helping them look and feel their best.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

A lesson I had to unlearn is putting peoples needs over my own. As a person in a service based business its only natural to want to provide the best for your customers and be as accommodating as possible, for three years straight I made myself available 6 days a week, even coming in on my scheduled days off if need be. I never wanted to miss out on a potential booking and wanted my clients to know they could rely on me. However, soon that client’s need above all mentality began to take a toll on me . I was missing time with my family, falling behind on administrative duties, and in a state of constant exhaustion all because I just could not learn to say no. Finally I came to realize Im truly of no use to anyone if I didnt take the necessary time to rest and recharge. I started setting boundaries and making taking time for myself a priority. Not only did my clients understand they were in full support of me doing what was best for me , and in turn when I returned to work after proper rest I was operating as the best version of myself .

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

I think the most effective strategy for growing my clientele has been authenticity. when I first started my business the mission was build genuine connections with women while making them look and feel their absolute best. And over the years I’ve been able to do just that. My clients and I have shared countless laughs and stories, traded invaluable advice, celebrated promotions, new homes and so much more. I absolutely love being a part of their self care routines & I feel truly bonded to every single person Ive have the pleasure of providing my services to.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.orlandobrowlounge.com
• Instagram: @orlandobrowlounge