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

Juliana , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Often outsiders look at a successful business and think it became a success overnight. Even media and especially movies love to gloss over nitty, gritty details that went into that middle phase of your business – after you started but before you got to where you are today. In our experience, overnight success is usually the result of years of hard work laying the foundation for success, but unfortunately, it’s exactly this part of the story that most of the media ignores. Can you talk to us about your scaling up story – what are some of the nitty, gritty details folks should know about?

Working for a bridal makeup company was the foundation that I needed to learn the ways of the bridal world. From working behind the scenes packing the goodie bags for the attendees, to then working the booth talking to brides… I started when I was 18 years old so I was eager to learn and do it all.

I had many roles within the company for the 12 years I was with them, even became their lead educator teaching makeup classes, as the company become more of a makeup school. I always thought of different ways certain things could be done that would be more efficient, or even propel the company forward… but since it was not my business those ideas were not implemented. After 12 years of learning the ins and out of the bridal world I decided it was time to go out on my own, as I wanted to focus on the bridal world but in a Luxury level, so I could provide my brides with a higher level of service and experience.

In 20218 JFink Beauty was born!

Just like many entrepreneurs I was everything for my company… the creative artist, the bookkeeper, the marketing manager, the social media strategist, the accountant, the manager…. wearing all the hats. So after a year of struggles with trying to handle it all, I decided to invest into a coach, and that was what propelled my business to the level I needed.

It was an investment of $8,000!!!

I didn’t have the money at the time but I made it work. My husband was such a big support and he believed in me and my business, so he helped me with the monthly installments when I needed if the weddings were slow. It was scary to invest such a big number, but scared money don’t make money so I needed to level up.

My coach, Sonia Rodriguez, pushed me to think outside the box and think big. She had made $10,000 from one wedding and that was GOALS at the time! I couldn’t even imagine making that much for one single event as that was more than I was making in a couple of months of work. I had to get rid of that “scarcity mentality” to bring my business to the next level.

Learning to raise the level of EXPERIENCE I provided to my brides helped me to understand how to charge for my services accordingly. Sonia helped me to differentiate my bridal business based on the personal touches I could offer, and what I was already doing but not talking about it. Once I put everything on paper I was able to see I did already offer so much, it was all about capitalizing on it.

One of the things I started doing was a virtual “coffee date” with all my brides where we are able to see each other while we chat (that new zoom life), building that trust from the get-go. That has been one of the things that I am known for as the brides really are able to feel connected and not just like another transaction for a vendor. I also don’t provide “one size fits all” price menus as I believe every bride is different, and with different needs, therefore I customize every proposal I send. It has been a great transition in the last 5 years, and once I started to turn away many weddings because I was booked, it was time to level up again and have a team.

So I invested into another coach to help me expand my team. Now learning how to have managerial skills to handle different personalities, hiring, firing, staying organized and still provide that personal touch I am known for.

Vetting artists to make sure they were up to the level I needed for my brand was super important. They were going to be out in the field representing my name! I started with one artist I have known for 12 years, Vicky, and she has been with me the longest, as we go back to our old days when we both used to teach for that company I started with. She has been reliable, trustworthy and loyal. It was hard to find other artists with those qualities, as many people are out for themselves. Or they come in, gain the experience then leave.But I always remind myself that I can be what they need at that time, and if it wasn’t for me maybe they wouldn’t be going after their dreams. I am ok with being the person who propelled them to follow their dreams.

5 years after I opened my business, I now have 6 figures months on a consistent basis, and with 12 artists who are my core artists. Brides know if I am not available for their date, I have artists within my team who are amazing and who can also bring their wedding vision to life!

Investing into a coach was crucial for all the times I had to level up and scale my business. I am now looking into the next level, and looking to start a coaching business so I can help other makeup artists do what I did!

Juliana , 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 am original from Brazil, and my mom and I moved to New York when I was 15. It was very tough in the beginning as I did not speak English (we speak Portuguse in Brazil). Being a teenager in high school, without many friends, not being able to do my homework on my own, being made fun of in school… needless to say I struggled. I wanted to go back to Brazil, but God had other plans! We lost our passports and were now “stuck” here, and to this day I believe it was God’s way of telling us that this is where our future was now. I learned fast, was taken out of EASL classes (English as a second language), and put in regular English classes after my first year.

I started working at a Spanish supermarket bagging groceries, and that’s where I learned to speak Spanish, and met some of the best friends I had. My teenage years were full of learning experiences, as it should be right?

My last year of high school I met someone who presented an opportunity to me to become a business owner. It was perfect for me at the time because I was going to go to college for a business degree so I thought it was meant to be. In 2005 as I graduated high school I also started the process to become a certified makeup artist. I loved makeup but didn’t think it would be a career for me at the time. But the more I learned about skin care and makeup, the more I fell in love with the field. The company I was working with started focusing on bridal and my passion for the bridal industry blossomed.

I stayed with that company for 12 yeas. Learned a lot – from what to do and also what not to do. We also did NYC fashion week for 4 straight years, 2 shows per year, so that was a very cool experience! I met celebrities, did really fun makeup looks, experienced New York City during an exciting time, and also got to meet some really awesome people. But all the craziness of fashion week made me realize how much I loved bridal instead.

I stayed with that makeup company for 12 years, which I am super grateful for! In 2018 I opened my own bridal company, and I wanted to do things differently, so I focused on servicing the LUXURY bridal market, for brides who want an experience, not just a service. You get married once (hopefully) and that experience should be incredible! You should feel like just another client for someone, or just another invoice number. I noticed the industry was lacking that personal touch so to fill that gap I started doing things in a way where brides would get more of a connection with their artist. Not just getting information via email and making a decision then based on price.

The fun begins with a virtual coffee date! This gives us both the chance to see each other, like “two gal pals bonding over drinks”, and we talk about their needs and wants when looking for the perfect makeup look – mixing in some girl talk along the way too. Once the meeting is over, I then put together a customized proposal with different package options for my brides to choose from, as every bride is unique, and so are their preferences. This brings so much value!

After they book, I then surmise them with a “welcome gift”. A customized engraved box with their new last name on it, a great keepsake. Champagne flutes with Mr. and Mrs. on it, vow books and a ring cleaner. The attention to detail must continue through out the whole process, not just after the virtual coffee date.

My most popular service is the touch up service where I stay with my brides for touch ups! They rave about this service because it’s much more than just makeup. I am their bridal BFF, with them throughout the entire day as they take all their pictures, not having to worry about what they look like. They can be in the moment with their fiance, enjoying each other, and I will be in charge of making sure they look flawless through it all. And an added bonus is the content creating I do for them with all the BTS pictures. They have pictures of the day within 24 hours. Sweet bonus in tis social media world we live in.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

I struggled with “scarcity mentality” thinking that no one would pay higher prices. I was spending my clients money the way I spent my own money. And I thought there were already so many makeup artists out there why would someone pay more to work with me? So many lies we tell ourselves, which can hold us back! I had to let go of these thoughts and trained myself to expect good things to happen, speak what I wanted in my career and go after it not feeling scared.

Have you ever had to pivot?

Being a bridal makeup artist is working hard on the weekend, so my husband had to take a step back from his sales jobs to be home with the kids on the weekend so that I could go out and build my business to the level I have it today. Without his support I would not be able to do what I do. We also home school our 2 kids so him being home during the week is a huge help

Contact Info:

• Website: www.jfinkbeauty.com
• Instagram: @jfinkbeauty
• Facebook: JFink Beauty