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

Alright, Kendra thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.

The first two years of my business, I had been working out of a really small space, training a couple of apprentices, and I knew that I wouldn’t be able to grow anymore unless I had a bigger space. The best option was to purchase a building that was for sale and renovate it to suit my needs. In order to buy it, my husband and I had to sell our personal home, which we really loved. Once we sold our home, we had to put our stuff into storage and moved into a nearby townhouse while we underwent the 10-month process of purchasing a commercial space and going through a major renovation. Obviously, it was risky because we purchased a building before our team had even started taking clients. However, I was so certain that my vision would carry through and become a success that I was willing to sell anything I had in order to get the capital I needed to build my business. Fast forward two years from that point, now we have doubled our team, and they are successfully taking clients. I am so grateful for the early risks I took in the beginning to give Kendra Neal Studio a chance at success!

Kendra, 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’m 29 years old and started Kendra Neal Studio (KNS) five years ago. I’ve always been obsessed with art and the beauty industry. I started doing nails and makeup out of my house when I was 14 years old. By the time I was graduating high school, I knew college was not for me. I went directly into an apprenticeship to get licensed in the beauty industry. After five years of working in the beauty industry professionally, I learned about permanent makeup and quickly became obsessed. Permanent makeup is cosmetic tattooing that enhances lips, eyebrows, and eyeliner. I took my first eyebrow microblading certification course and never looked back. I was fully booked after my first year in business and was beginning to become known for my particular style called “powderbrow,” which is a very soft and sheer brow tattoo technique that subtly enhances and perfects one’s natural brow. This service can be life-changing for so many people, especially anyone who has been affected by hair loss due to health conditions such as cancer, alopecia, and trichotillomania. By restoring someone’s lost eyebrows, you also are restoring their confidence, which is so impactful and life-changing for both the artist and the client. KNS has been in business for five years now. We have grown to a team of nine employees and operate brick-and-mortar studios in Evans, GA, and Brighton, MI. Each week, we have clients visit us from all over Georgia and Michigan, and we frequently see clients travel to us from across the U.S. Besides client-based services, we operate a PMU academy where we instruct both beginners and experienced artists in our PMU technique. Over the past couple of years, we have worked with students from across the US and Canada.

As an artist, it is hard to separate yourself from your craft. However, as the leader of my business, it is necessary that I step away from artistry each week to fill the role of a productive and effective business owner. It was extremely important to me to create a business culture where other artists could flourish and be free to express themselves and grow as experts in their craft. I envisioned creating a nonjudgmental community where artists can help each other, bounce ideas off one another, and grow with in their skillset. I’m so proud to say that today we have a strong team of nine people who genuinely care for each other and are passionate about their craft while still delivering beautiful results to our clients. At KNS, we are dedicated to delivering the most natural permanent makeup results, connecting with each other and our clients, leading with kindness and understanding, and pursuing our passions daily. We are so passionate about the results we deliver!

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

In my first year of starting KNS, I nearly quit five times. When I first started, I was extremely overwhelmed by the thought of permanently tattooing someone’s face and them not being satisfied with the result. I was also really struggling with depression and anxiety that year and had to push through the waves of self-doubt. I feel like this was a defining year for me because I had to build resilience within myself and believe in myself when, at the same time, my mind was telling me I couldn’t do it and that I would fail. I remember telling myself that I would give it one more month and, at the end of that month, I would dissolve my business and shut my social media account down. During that “final” month, I signed up for another training course and thankfully, things started to take a turn for me. I gained confidence through gaining more knowledge of the industry and by finding a mentor, which put my mind at ease enough for me to push through the barrier of that difficult first year.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

One book that completely changed my life as a leader, entrepreneur, and business owner is the book “How to Win Friends and Influence People” by Dale Carnegie. In this book, you learn how to effectively and optimally communicate with others that will lead you to a successful outcome nearly every time, in any situation. I highly recommend this book, especially if you are a team leader or business owner managing a group of people. The most important lesson I learned from that book was to control your emotions when dealing with conflict. When you feel angry or disappointed at an employee or situation (which is bound to happen in any business), do not speak so quickly in that moment. Think on it, and come back to the issue when you can constructively and non-emotionally tend to the problem. It’s important to protect people in every situation and lead with a level head to gain a desirable outcome for your business and for the people who work for you!

Contact Info:

• Website: Kendranealstudio.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kendra.neal.studio?igsh=ZTJ3YTNraTZoNW9m
• Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/kendranealstudio.microblading
• Other: Tik tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kendranealstudio?_t=8kEhtWcBagg&_r=1

Image Credits
Georgia Miller Latremouille