We recently connected with Kenza Hutchines and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Kenza thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What do you think it takes to be successful?

In order to be successful in creative service spaces, I think that consistency is extremely important. Consistency in several ways. In both the makeup and content creation space, there are ALWAYS things that you need to learn, study, brush up on, etc. So you consistently have to be willing to learn and study. Along with being a student of these spaces, you have to be consistent in the work that you do. Content creation can be very daunting and taxing. However, if your goal is to grow your following you need to work out a consistent posting and creation schedule that works with the algorithm (that you’ve studied since it is ever changing). The same applies to the makeup space. Products are changing constantly. So in order to keep up, and make sure that you are giving your clients the best experience, you need to consistently be willing to study the changes in industry, the demand, the trend, and the constant.

Over the years, I have learned that consistency is PARAMOUNT to growth. It may not be the easiest thing to maintain, but it is important

Kenza, 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?

It literally started on a sleepless night. I had makeup that I had never used and wanted to see how it worked. I have always been a creative person, so my interest was peaked. I committed my time to learning and studying artists that I admire. Some people thought it was a waste of time, but I continued on with it.

I think what sets me apart from some artists is the fact that I started out of pure enthusiasm for the art. A lot of artists look at the industry and want to be apart of it. So they dive in head first. I started because I enjoyed how it made ME feel. And that is something I will always remember. Beauty services (makeup, hair styling, nails) are luxuries that are apart of self care. While some think that they are simply for aesthetics, those of us who provide them are aware that they are keys to feeling great about yourself.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

I think the mission for me personally is, to feel good. I feel my absolute best when I am in a creative space Whether this is providing services (makeup or nails), or writing, singing, designing, etc. My mission is to make sure that I feel good about what I am creating and once I am done.

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

When I decided to move to Chicago in 2018, I sat down with myself and realized what I had to cut back spending money. One thing I never skipped was my nail appointment. I was faithfully in the nail salon, every two weeks, spending money that I could be saving. Once I realized how much money I was spending, I told myself that I would learn to do my own nails.

I continued to do them, and grow in my skills. The more I did them, the more questions I would get. Eventually someone would me to create a set for them. I was extremely nervous, and in my personal opinion they were not my best work. However the people around me believed in me and my skill. They allowed me to hone my skill and build on what I had already created.

Contact Info:

• Website: manikuredbykenza.co, kenzaashley.simplybook.me
• Instagram: @iamkenzaashley
• Twitter: @iamkenzaashley
• Other: Tiktok – @iamkenzaashley

Image Credits
Kenza Hutchines