Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Gabbrielle Phelps. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Gabbrielle, thanks for joining us today. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?

My original mission was just to make sure that anyone that I service felt more beautiful and confident getting out of my chair than they did when they first sat down on it. The story behind that is growing up and 1. Being insecure and self conscious about my own looks and 2. Barely seeing anyone that looked like me being represented in the beauty industry. Over the years in the beauty industry the mission has definitely developed more into representation for black makeup artists/lovers like myself ; as well as making sure to show up and provide the best service and safe space as possible for others.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

Hello beautiful! My name is Gabbrielle and I plan on being a beauty socialite, whether the industry is ready for me or not. My craft started when I was in middle school and I always wanted to get into the makeup that my sister or my mom had even though I was not old enough to wear it then. Which led to me sneakily applying it when I could and I always felt this boost of happiness and confidence. Growing up as a black chubby/plus size girl I never truly felt fully confident or beautiful in my appearance. However, when I was able to put on makeup it was almost as if I had a layer of protection on my face. Of course now that I’ve grown up I know that was just enhancement to the natural beauty that God and my parents gave me. Lol. This nonstop interest eventually led me into going to cosmetology school and now being a licensed cosmetologist. Having endless support from my family, friends, fiancé and teachers that had more confidence in my talents and crafts than I did definitely pushed me to make the presence of my talents known on social media. Which led me to getting more experience and building up my portfolio. Then one day an old middle school classmate ( Hi Aliyah!) that started modeling let me know that she’s seen the progress and work I put in on my crafts and suggested that I applied to be a part of the makeup team for Philly Fashion Week. I truly didn’t even know that was a thing outside of NYFW but I applied and got accepted onto the team. Since then I’ve done more Philly Fashion Week shows, College Fashion shows, Bridal Photo Shoots & etc. Being a service provider, my goal is to always make sure my client feels seen and to give them a reason to want to be seen! While this industry is full of likewise beauty influencers and providers I think the main thing that sets me apart is my heart being aligned with my talent. Knowing that I have a good heart is also to know that my talents are just as good as well. The thing that I’m most proud of is that my returning and loyal clients don’t just come to me because they saw my work and liked it but they keep coming to me because the relationship I build with them and experience I give them is the accessory to the service they never knew they needed.

Where do you think you get most of your clients from?

The best source of new clients for me was being a makeup artist at a major beauty retailer. The clients came because of the store being known and trusted in the industry. The clients stayed with me because of the personality and talents God has blessed me with.

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

The most effective strategy for growing my clientele has been staying consistent with the work I provide as well as staying consistent with the relationships that are being built with clients. Building a level of consistency and trust with clients ends up helping you two fold because they always come back and almost always recommend you to your next new client.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://thebaddienextdoor.as.me/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_baddie_nextdoor?igsh=MWl3cnpmaWh2dWFyaw%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@gabbythebaddie_?si=Fa9E1uogi49Td2yp