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

Julie, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Do you take vacations? How do you keep things going – any advice for entrepreneurs who feel like they can’t step away from their business for a short vacation?

I do take vacations! I noticed that when I stopped taking vacations for a couple of years during and post pandemic, I had a much harder time balancing my life. I was running myself into the ground with work because I just kept saying yes to all the opportunities that presented themselves to me. That’s not always a bad thing, but in this case I was working way too many hours per week and my body and brain were suffering as a result. Once I started taking vacations again, I realized how important it was for me to slow down, give myself a chance to be inspired, and to actually rest.

Julie, 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’ve been an artist for as long as I can remember, but I was never really into makeup actually! I always say that I became a makeup artist by accident.

I had been a face painter for a small face painting company in Western Massachusetts on a part time basis before I moved to LA and decided to start my own. Once I arrived in LA, I had a friend suggest that I add body painting to my services. I had no idea how to body paint, but I was afraid to miss out on a potential opportunity…so I googled body paint and built a portfolio by body painting family, friends and acquaintances within the course of 2 weeks.

I started getting hired for small jobs that were also asking if I could do SFX makeup. I didn’t know how to do that either, but again, I was afraid to miss out on an opportunity so I learned on the spot and kept saying yes to future opportunities as a necessity to survive financially. During this period of time I was also learning about beauty makeup by practicing on myself and on people I knew, and building a kit until I felt comfortable enough advertising that I was also offering makeup services.

Eventually I got into the makeup union, and I truly think that saying yes to opportunities, being kind and respectful, and networking were the keys to my growth in the industry. I just kept experimenting with new things, being curious, and throwing my hat over the fence and worrying about how to get it later. I’ve struggled with imposter’s syndrome throughout my growth and was constantly worried everyone would figure out I was a fraud…but I ended up trusting myself and that things would work out if I just kept “showing up.”

I think what continues to help me find success in a really competitive industry is to help others succeed, work together with friends and coworkers and truly problem solve and be collaborative while being kind. Kindness goes a long way in this industry, as well as it does in life and it doesn’t cost anything to help build up the people around you. I’ve found that once I built a support system of other creatives, my work flourished as a result. It was a happy side effect, but I will never take community for granted, as it is so important in creating a successful business. In addition to that, it’s vital to have that community to fall back on when things don’t run smoothly.

Have you ever had to pivot?

I recently had to pivot, actually! When the writers guild and actor’s guild went on strike in 2023, work on set for film and tv dried up almost completely. I went from making a great income and working full time to being on unemployment and working MAYBE once or twice a month if I was lucky. This is where I fell back on other skills I have, and I began making art and painting consistently for the first time in years.

I started taking on commissioned paintings and even set myself up at flea markets to try to sell some non-commissioned pieces as well. It was a lot of hard work and I’m still taking on commissions as I wait for set work to return to a full-time situation in my life.

Even though it’s not the same income I was making, it has certainly helped and also gave me a purpose while things were slow. I also think it’s given me an opportunity to keep my skills sharp when it comes to mixing colors, seeing undertones and identifying hues; all of which are extremely important when it comes to applying makeup to people!

How do you keep your team’s morale high?

Whenever I’ve had the privilege of having a team of people join me on a project I’ve been department heading or keying, I’ve grown as a person. It can be difficult to make sure everyone is happy all the time, and sometimes impossible. Ive also learned about how to lead a team by being on lots of them in non-leadership roles as well.

When it comes to leading a team, I’ve learned that building them up and giving them the credit they deserve is extremely important. Being honest and also kind is paramount. Protecting your team and making sure they are being taken care of financially, emotionally and physically is extremely important. If people don’t feel their needs are being met, they will not feel capable of doing the best job they can do. They will not want to show up and go the extra mile, and they will certainly not be there in the long run. I’ve learned that longevity on a team comes from the small investments you make in them every day.

I’ve seen so many teams fall apart because of short-sightedness, whether that’s because a corporation wouldn’t treat people like actual people with needs, or whether it’s a team leader being in over their head and not realizing what their team needed.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.juliehassett.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/juliehasit
• Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/LetsGoghPaint/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-hassett-b6b91713?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app
• Youtube: https://m.youtube.com/user/SnoopHasIt
• Yelp: https://m.yelp.com/biz/lets-gogh-paint-los-angeles-2
• Other: Www.instagram.com/artbyjujube

Image Credits
Aaron Ruby Manny Llanura