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

Hi Keiare, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.

The idea of my business came about during the beginning of the pandemic in March of 2020. I was laid off from my full time job working as a banquet server for the Marriott. During that time I was lost and discouraged on what my next steps were. I knew that regardless of what was going on I needed a source of income not only for myself but for my necessities of everyday life. Sitting at home for months put me in a bad space mentally. I say that because I felt like my life was paused due to the worldwide pandemic. I was used to being on the go between work and school so I knew I couldn’t just sit at home and be happy about that. One day I sat and thought about several things I enjoyed doing as a person. I realized that I enjoyed keeping myself up as far as having my hair, nails, lashes, and things of that nature done.

I’ve always wanted some sort of job in the beauty industry but never got it. With these thoughts weighing on my shoulder almost everyday I decided to take the next step of starting my own business. My family and friends encouraged me to take an eyelash extension course and branch off as an entrepreneur. I later took the class in July of 2020. I went into the course with no knowledge at all about eyelash extensions but ready and excited to learn the technique. All I knew is that I loved having my own lashes kept up and done. I thought “Why not do something I love for other females and make them feel beautiful?” After the class I was so anxious to start practicing on my family. I knew that I had to perfect my craft before starting to service others so I literally practiced every single day until I got better. I knew that this decision I made to be my own boss would be worth it in the long run which is why I stayed consistent and dedicated on perfecting my business/craft.

What excites me the most is the fact that I am able to help other women embrace their beauty. I know some women are not always as confident in themselves as they should be so my main goal is to help uplift their confidence with eyelash extensions.

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

Hello, my name is Keiare Isler. I am a 25 year old full time lash artist based in the Richmond, Virginia area. I attended Chowan University and got my bachelor’s degree in psychology. I am best described as someone who is outgoing, hard working, and ambitious. My lash business is a reflection of me so I am someone who strives to be the best. As a lash artist it is my job to maintain healthy natural eyelashes as well as provide lash extensions to enhance the beauty of other women. The Pretty Mink Addiction launched in 2020 and has been growing ever since. When it comes to my business I am most proud of myself for never giving up. There are times when I can feel discouraged or disconnected from my craft but I’ve never let those thoughts overpower my passion as a lash artist. Starting my lash business was the best decision I’ve ever made. What I want any potential clients to know is that they will always feel comfortable and relaxed while being serviced by me. I always aim to be sure that each one of my clients are satisfied with my services once leaving me.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

The way I built my followers on my social media platform was by posting all of my work no matter if I was just starting or not. What I learned as an entrepreneur in the beauty industry is that your potential clients want to see your progress. They want to see that you’re consistent in your work. Consistency is the main key to attract clientele. Without consistency there is no progress. My advice would be to find a platform that you want to broadcast your business on whether it’s Facebook, Instagram, etc. Once you do that post all of your work and be confident. There’s no limit on how much you post because believe it or not the more you put out there the more people you attract.

Where do you think you get most of your clients from?

The best source of new clients for me has been through social media. I feel as though majority of my clients have came from my Instagram platform. I’d also say that other clients would refer me to other women who are interested in my services. I am always open to networking and collaborating with other entrepreneurs which have also brought me a handful of clientele. Lastly, I would say the way I advertise my brand and craft helps me gain new clients.

Contact Info:

• Website: Theprettyminkaddiction.as.me
• Instagram: Theprettymink.addiction