We were lucky to catch up with Kayla Taylor recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Kayla , thanks for joining us today. Coming up with the idea is so exciting, but then comes the hard part – executing. Too often the media ignores the execution part and goes from idea to success, skipping over the nitty, gritty details of executing in the early days. We think that’s a disservice both to the entrepreneurs who built something amazing as well as the public who isn’t getting a realistic picture of what it takes to succeed. So, we’d really appreciate if you could open up about your execution story – how did you go from idea to execution?
As I’m sure many entrepreneurs will agree, It’s never really a straight shot. For myself, I’m big on prayer & manifestation so you could imagine that my plan was colorful and pretty well thought out. My first step to executing my dream was to find and complete a lash certification class. Once found, I quickly enrolled and finished the course. Unfortunately, the class I took covered only the bare minimum and didn’t properly prepare me to join the lash community. I left feeling discouraged and ultimately put lash extensions on the back burner until college graduation.
The first year after graduation, there was slight movement. For the most part, I only worked on close friends, family &. classmates. January 2020 I decided I was ready to invest in myself again and take another lash class. This class was much more in depth and hands on. I networked with many other lash tech’s during this class and learned a lot of new tips to improve my technique and styling. No matter how far along I am in business, I plan to always remain. a student. Following the class, I lashed from my family living room and basement and worked on building my clientele.
October 2021 I had my grand opening for my first lash suite in Southfield, Mi. I now not only lash but groom (tint, wax & thread) eyebrows, train prospective lash techs I will be adding on facial services once I complete esthetician school. I am so thankful for the opportunity to grow in this new space!
Kayla , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I was first exposed to the beauty industry through my late grandma, Lorraine Taylor. She was a licensed cosmetologist with a full in-service salon. I started to experiment with hair and makeup late middle school. Towards the end of high school, my mom began to encourage me to follow my grandma’s footsteps and pursue cosmetology. I let fear talk me out of going and instead attended Michigan State University and graduated with a Bachelors in Psychology. While attending, my dad began to push myself and siblings to pursue entrepreneurship.
The first year after graduation is the hardest because you start to hear success stories of everyone you went to school with or grew up with. After a few months home, I found a job in my field as a foster care worker. I loved helping my families but I didn’t feel completely fulfilled. I lashed through this time but once Covid hit, I realized I wanted to focus more on my business and becoming financially free. August 2020 marks the day I finally bet on myself & I quit my full-time job and began to put all of my energy into building my brand.
The hardest thing for me was overcoming Imposter Syndrome. This is when a person doubts their skill and accomplishments. I realized my business is a mere extension of myself. The success of my business is purely a result of my own faith, hard work, and perseverance. If you’re struggling with this, be patient with yourself and believe in your capabilities. You are where you are because you deserve to be. Then, I had to learn to work through procrastination. This was always a pitfall for me even before lashing. Now, I set goals for the week/month and reward myself for the little wins. I also look to my mom as my accountability partner.
Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?
I didn’t start to consistently post and actively engage on my business page until August 2021. By this time I had A logo/submark and brainstormed my brand identity. Once you decide on this its easier for you to dial into the mind of your ideal client and post what would appeal to them most. I promoted new client specials with ads, engaged with followers and others within my niche & I continued to work on the quality of my content. From in August 2021 to November 2022 I grew my account from 65 to 3,303.
While working to build your business try not to become obsessed with a follower count. If you focus first on building community, you could make more with 200 followers than someone with 2,000, You can start to build community by posting relatable, engagement worthy or educational content. Ive also noticed that not only does video content perform better but prospective clients want to see your face. Many want to see your personality before they book such a personal service. Lastly, utilize all the tools your accounts have to offer. For example Instagram reels and quiz/polls on stories.
Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?
Outside of using social media to build you reputation, don’t forget about clients. One of the first ways prospective clients seek out a new service provider is by checking references. Knowing this, Im always sure to offer discounts to both the person who refers and is referred. This of course makes clients more likely to tell a friend or a few if the incentive increases per person. Along with this, don’t forget about doing your own footwork. Get business cards and flyers and leave them in areas your ideal client would go to. This is important in case all social media shuts down one day, you should still have a way to attract new clients.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://beautyinvasion.as.me/schedule.php
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/beautyinvasion_?igshid=MDE2OWE1N2Q=
- Other: https://linktr.ee/Clickforkay
Image Credits
Kory Barksdale