We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Kayla Bivens a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Kayla thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?

At Bold and Browed, our mission is to empower women by enhancing their natural beauty through expert lash and brow services. We believe that every woman deserves to feel confident, radiant, and uniquely herself. Our work is rooted in the belief that beauty isn’t about transformation — it’s about celebration. We honor individuality, helping our clients embrace and express their own personal version of beauty with pride and confidence.

Why It’s Meaningful:
This mission is deeply personal because I know how powerful it feels to look in the mirror and truly love what you see — not because you’ve changed who you are, but because your features have been enhanced in a way that feels true to you. My passion is helping women feel that same spark, that same joy. Every lash set and brow touch-up is a small step toward self-love, and I’m honored to be part of that journey for each client.

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 got into the beauty industry way before I knew I was even in the beauty industry. I remember being in middle school with the bushiest unibrow. Although they weren’t my favorite asset, they were beautiful and my own.

One day I decided to take a brow razor, the kind you can get from the beauty section in the store. I started by cutting my unibrow. It was a success! I loved the look but figured the rest of my brow could use a little shaping. As I began to trim more and more my brows got thinner and thinner until they were gone completely.

From that day forward I became obsessed with learning to do brows. In 2019 I went to Atlanta to learn from one of the top celebrity brow artists, GG Brows. The class was amazing. I immediately came home and started practicing on friends and family. And shortly taught myself to do lashes from YouTube and a kit from Amazon. In 2022 I became a licensed esthetician grew my business into the power house it is today.

This business has taught me the value of consistency and growth. Continuously working at my craft made me better day by day. I look back at the times I only had 2 clients and can see the exponential amount of growth. Not only in my work but also in my ability to connect with my clients.

My job isn’t just a job. It’s a safe space for people to share their thoughts ideas and experiences without judgement or reticule. My chair can be therapy for those that need a helping hand and place to unwind the troubles of the day.

I provide lash and brow enhancements as well as facial waxing services. The lash extension services consists of one lash fan being placed on the natural lash. Leaving a fuller lash look. They last around 2-3 weeks until needing a fill in.

Brows are a similar in concept. Henna (a plant based temporary dye) is placed on the brows and wiped off after a few minutes. This leaves what we call a “stain”. The stain creates a darker fuller brow. Henna brows last 2-4 weeks depending on the clients skin type.

I believe my business is different from others because it provides clients with an enhancement that is not only customized towards the individual but also leaves them with the ability to face the world with confidence.

I am most proud of the my clients generosity is recommendations. It shows me that I am making an impact on the lives of others. Not only because they like my work but they intrust my skill set with the people they know and love.

I want my potential clients, followers and supporters to know that Bold and Browed is a safe haven. To try new things. To vent. And to be supported. All the while, enhancing your natural beauty that already resides within you.

Can you talk to us about how your side-hustle turned into something more.

Brows & lash were my first side hustle that stuck with me. I remember asking my friends and family to lay down on their couches, beds and even the floor so I could practice. Ha! I love them for doing that. I started taking clients in my cousins living room. She designated a space for me to do brows while she did hair in the other room with her business (instagram @glamorhairco) she was so supportive of me. I would have people text me to book an appointment. Brows were $20 and lashes were $45. Clientele was slow but I made it my goal to treat every client like they were my top clients. After leaving her house I was in my 1st year of my skill. I was still learning and figuring out what the beauty business was like. My second year was a completely different ball game. I remember moving from my cousins house to my mom’s garage that was converted into a room. It was homecoming 2021. My first rush was exhilarating. I lived for the constant in and out. I had my own entrance to the side of the house. Haha my own entrance. It’s funny to say now because I was so grateful and excited about such a small factor. I did a sale for $45 lash sets. People loved it. My first homecoming I made my first $1,000. That’s when I realized I could and should take this more seriously.

At the end of 2022 I graduated from esthetician school

2022 I worked out of my own apartment in my living room as a full time esthetician for a few months until a previous lash tech that helped me hone in on my craft connected me with a hair stylist name Qui (July’s Hair Closet) she offered a spot in her shop. I couldn’t turn it down! My first offer? I jumped at the opportunity. In October of 2023 I moved into her hair salon with my own station. There I met so many new clients and other beauty girls that I became close with such as Mesha (Insta @wigzgalore). The environment was beautiful, loving and high vibrations. I loved it.

That was where I realized relationships are key not only in the beauty industry but in any business.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

Summer 2023 showed me what I was really made of. It was my first slow season. The students which were my main clientele at the time had gone home for the summer. I noticed I wasn’t getting and bookings.

I didn’t know what to do. I had rent, bills and other responsibilities. I had to find a way to gain new clientele to make ends meet. I wanted to quit and get a job. Something in me told me to make it work before giving up. I went out and posted flyers, sales, posted 3-4 times a day on social media to gain some type of engagement.

Slowly but surely I was getting more and more clientele. I showed me that this business wouldn’t work unless I put in the work. Those months made me understand the true meaning of entrepreneurship.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://boldandbrowed.as.me/schedule/31ccfef9
• Instagram: Boldandbrowed