We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jada Cianne Arriola a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Jada Cianne , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Are you happier as a business owner? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job?
I think any person who steers into a more creative career path or creating a business for themselves always has ups and downs especially doubts. Creatively and passionately having my own business being a makeup artist is much more fulfilling in my experiences and does create an abundance of happiness. My love for makeup was only a hobby when I was growing up that I then turned into a career. However, as the years go by and the economy becomes more expensive sometimes I do ponder on if I chose a more stable and consistent job with income, would that be more ideal now looking at my life through an adults eyes. I love being a makeup artist it was my plan a, b and c. There was nothing else in the cards. I still continue to navigate it as my profession after 8 years of being one. As you look at media and the profession of makeup artistry as a whole SO many people have succeeded and continue to have those constant bookings. You also have the other side of it, where no one talks about the waiting around for payment. If you have no clients where is that income. You’re waiting for that one big break that you never know if it’s coming or not. I think hopelessness does have a part where then your mind goes “I should have had a more practical job”. When I look at my life at where I am now and what I have accomplished I still would be a makeup artist, because that one client, that one project, that one positive feedback pushes all the negativity out the window. Having this job is not for the weak. It’s a hustling industry. Yet, I won’t sit here and tell someone that it is all rainbow and butterflies. I think it comes down to how much you want it and if it’s something you’ll continue to want 10, 20 or 30 years from now. I have done many 9-5 jobs, many jobs for that consistency and to me as a whole it has not been as fulfilling. Stable, yes! That is great to have. With the years going by and everything I have achieved I wouldn’t trade it in.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I always had a love for art, videos, makeup, anything creative. Growing up I was always more interested in how they made a certain character look in tv shows, movies or magazines than the general plot or project. As I grew up in the era of YOUTUBE becoming such an empire that’s where everything clicked. I used to do makeup on myself in my early teens. It was something that gave me confidence and make me feel beautiful. However, it wasn’t something I LOVED or ENJOYED doing it on myself. When I started applying what I had learned watching videos or mimicking looks I have seen on to family & friends that’s where I knew I wanted to be a makeup artist. After graduating highschool I went straight to it. I enrolled into a film school that had a makeup program, where I would get my background and experience from. It was an intense year of no breaks, no sleeps and much hustle. After I finished my course there I jumped right into the industry. I messaged local photographers, producers, models, anyone I could reach out to. I would volunteer my services and do so many things for free just to gain experience and have a portfolio to show for. It was a constant battle of getting rejected or no one answering which caused doubt but I kept going. I stayed in contact with many former students I met during my studies and I’d hop on their projects. Networking is a huge part of this career. It is who you know and who you get to meet. Although I went to a film school and I did have my fair share of being on really cool sets, I slowly transitioned into more fashion and editorial. After 3 years of building my clientele and portfolio I was reached by an agency who took me on. That felt like the best time of my life and after 8 years I still continue with them. With my work I always go by enhancing someone’s features with makeup rather than eliminating them. My style is bringing out those amazing features in one’s face without over powering them. I also use colour and can do very theatrical looks but still bring my canvas’ to life. I want a client in my chair to know I am also listening to their concerns and will bring that confidence out of them. It’s a lot of communication. One of my most proudest achievements is winning two makeup competitions back to back! That was a time to be alive! I felt super victorious. Talking about my makeup timeline lights a fire under me. I LOVE IT.
Conversations about M&A are often focused on multibillion dollar transactions – but M&A can be an important part of a small or medium business owner’s journey. We’d love to hear about your experience with selling businesses.
This story isn’t really about completely selling a business. In August of 2022 I launched my own makeup brand called Jada Cianne Artistry. It was focused on family, my Latin American heritage, inspiration by women, and very lip focused. After 2 years of hustling to really break out into the cosmetic world it didn’t seem as if it was working out for me. As the economy sheds more light into needing consistency as things are getting more expensive. Inflation is very much a rapid growing thing.. I decided after a long talk with family & friends I would pause my business. My advice is, do what you need to do in the moment. I know this isn’t the end of my business, but any other advice I have for pausing or completely selling is making sure it’s the right thing to do for where you are in life at the moment. At first I thought I was a failure only being up for 2 years and essentially giving it away so prematurely was so disheartening. I started realizing that although pausing a business, shutting it down or potentially selling it does not mean you can never come back to it! Treat it as a goodbye for now, not a goodbye forever.
Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?
The one main advice I have if you are wanting to be a makeup artist OR create your own business is DO YOUR RESEARCH. We live in a day and age where the internet is your friend when it comes to knowledge. The one course I took and I think this will help anyone (more from a buisness/product stand point) is Greta Van Riel E-commerce online system. It’s a course that she leaves no secrets out and really walks you through how to get, launch and market a business and product. She is also on Forbes 30 under 30! As for being a makeup artist reiterating research, look up videos and biography of your favourite artists or influencers in the industry and see how they did it or if they have any advice. Reach out to people! Asking questions never hurts.
Contact Info:
