We recently connected with Kalsie Jo and have shared our conversation below.

Kalsie , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What do you think matters most in terms of achieving success?

A positive mindset is key to being successful! Setting goals and then actually putting in the work to market yourself. From before and after photos to story times. Success doesn’t just fall in to your lap, it has to be earned. Also, In the beauty industry it takes being relatable. When your client can relate to you, they trust you and feel much more comfortable sitting in your chair and will become a returning client.

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

Hi! I’m Kalsie Jo and I started my small business, Glam & Glow with Kalsie Jo LLC, in 2020 in the middle of the covid pandemic. I have been a licensed cosmetologist for 12 years and I now specialize in Bridal, Photoshoot, and Special FX hair and makeup services. My tomboy personality and edgier business aesthetic definitely makes me stand out from the crowd a bit. My love for the art of makeup didn’t hit me until 7 years into working in the beauty industry. I have always had a love for the arts and now makeup just so happens to be my main passion. As a teen in high school, you could always find me in the art room working on my portfolio. I loved painting and sketching. I wanted to go to art school more than anything but impulsively made a last minute decision to go to beauty school. I took my knowledge of color theory and symmetry and now use that to my advantage as a hair and makeup artist. 1 thing I love about my job is that I never feel like I’m doing the same thing over and over again. I am not a cookie cutter artist. I love being challenged and I work great under pressure in high stress situations. My #1 goal is to have everyone leaving my chair not only looking their absolute best, but also FEELING confident and empowered! These past 2.5 years have definitely been a roller coaster. In the beginning I kept doubting myself and wanted to give up multiple times. My pride would not let that happen. I spent countless nights researching products and techniques and figure out how to market my services. 2.5 years later, I now have my own studio space in the Historic West Bottoms in KCMO. Business has been thriving between weddings on the weekends and working with multiple local photographers during the week. This didn’t just fall into my lap, I had to work hard to get where I am.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

I have definitely made numerous pivots in my career! I always say I have a gypsy soul and need constant change and growth. The biggest pivot was giving up chemical hair services to specialize in formal hair and makeup services. I went from working for corporate salons and making minimum wage to now working for myself and having an uncapped income. It was the most powerful and eye opening change. I couldn’t be more grateful for the chain of events that lead me here. The most recent pivotal move is relocating my small business into the big city away from my home town. I have had my studio in KC for 8 months now. The market is saturated with freelance MUAs so it was a big risk and gamble! So far, it has really paid off!

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

Being in the beauty industry isn’t always such a glamorous scene. As service providers, there are those instances in where we are getting talked down to, disrespected, and taken advantage of. That type of thing doesn’t always come from potential clients but also comes from coworkers and other vendors in the industry. In the beginning, we take in all of that constructive criticism and it thickens our skin and toughens us up. After awhile we build up resilience and learn our worth which helps us learn how to create and maintain healthy boundaries in the industry. It is completely ok to cut ties with any client or coworker who does not respect you, your craft, or your boundaries.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.GlamandGlowJo.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/glamandglow_kjo
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/glamandglowkalsiejo
• Linkedin: linktr.ee/glamandglowjo
• Other: TikTok- @glam.n.glow_jo