We were lucky to catch up with Gina Victoria recently and have shared our conversation below.

Gina , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. 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 taken so far was resigning from my corporate career in finance after 15 years to pursue entrepreneurship full time.

I originally operated my makeup artistry business in my home. I converted my dining room into a makeup studio where I would service my clients. After a busy prom season of high schoolers occupying my living room as a seating area, I knew it was a time to expand my territory. I decided to open a beauty bar with no knowledge in commercial real estate or working in a salon. The vision I had was a store front location in an upscale part of town. I found a space downtown in my city’s Financial District that I was interested in. I hired a real estate agent that brokered the deal.

I opened The Pretty Bar Makeup Lounge in 2017 and became Kansas City, Mo’s first makeup exclusive salon. I grew my team from a single member to 8 professional makeup artists and estheticians. Later scaled the business to include a skincare studio.

Gina , 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?

My name is Gina Victoria, Beauty Industry Expert and Educator. I am the founder of an online business school; The Beauty in Business Academy teaches Makeup Artists and Estheticians how to start a profitable business in the beauty industry. What sets me apart is most educational based programs for beauty professionals focuses on skill development and technique. Where our courses focus on business fundamentals to launch and scale. Topics cover finance, beauty bar planning, brand development, business registration and career mapping.

I’ve always been into beauty (hair, makeup, nails). I remember my freshman year of high school I would arch my classmates’ eyebrows in the back of my math class, 4th period. I ended up dropping out of nursing school and later enrolling in an esthetician program because I knew I wanted to be a makeup artist. I started cultivating a signature soft and natural look which catapulted me in specializing in bridal. I was one of the top preforming artists in the Kansas City, Mo area which prompted me to start an on-site bridal team to handle the increased volume of weddings.

Twice a year, I started hosting a series of makeup classes called The Beauty Brunch. These classes consisted of having brunch with a group of women, followed by a hands-on tutorial. After several sold out classes, I discovered my passion for teaching and started conducting more group and 1-on-1 trainings. Through the hiring process of opening my beauty bar, I became aware that most beauty professionals had the skill set but lacked basic knowledge of operating a business. I saw a space in the industry that needed to be filled and transitioned into teaching business education.

The most thing I am proud of is my evolution from makeup artist to business owner. I had to navigate this journey alone without any leadership or mentors. That was my purpose for creating The Beauty in Business Academy. It is my mission to equip service-based professionals with the knowledge to excel in the beauty industry.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

I had already launched an educational program for aspiring makeup artists at my makeup bar. It was a 6-week Apprenticeship training that gave real life industry experience. Each candidate received hands on training, portfolio and client building. Upon completion of the program the artists were offered employment at The Pretty Bar Makeup Lounge.

With the success of this program, I wanted to expand the curriculum and offer it to individuals outside of my establishment. But with day to day operations and servicing my clients, I found it difficult to take on another task. Unfortunately I had to put the project on hold.

In 2020, in the midst of the pandemic I received grave news. I was diagnosed with a rare form of sarcoma cancer stage 3, that pulled me from behind the chair sooner than I had aspired. Because of my limited mobility due to several surgeries, I retired from my career as a makeup artist and licensed esthetician after 12+ years. After receiving clear margins and a cancer FREE report, I thought it would be a perfect opportunity to pivot into a Beauty Industry Expert and Educator and finally launch my business educational program to the public.

How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?

The Pretty Bar Makeup Lounge was fully self funded by me, no loans, credit cards or grants. After calling around for financial assistance I was told there weren’t any funding for a retail/salon business. I could not let my dream die, so I decided to do it myself. I was already working full-time at a bank as an Account Manager in Commercial Banking and servicing makeup appointments on the weekend. I drew out a business plan and wrote everything I desired to have inside the business (furniture, equipment, etc). Which allowed me to get a rough estimate of how much funding I would need. I calculated how much I made the prior year as a makeup artist to provide a projected income for the current year to see if the goal was even obtainable. My full time job paid my personal expenses (rent, car note, etc). The revenue I generated in my side business from makeup appointments, tips, retailing products and conducting makeup classes was saved to open my makeup bar. I was able to get the funds in about 6-8 months.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: theginavictoria
• Youtube: theginavictoria
• Other: https://linktr.ee/theginavictoria