We recently connected with Kiana Renee and have shared our conversation below.

Kiana Renee, appreciate you joining us today. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – walk us through the story?

Entrepreneurship is definitely the biggest and most life changing risk I’ve ever taken. At first, you’re scared and nervous because you have all of these thoughts about what could go wrong and what MIGHT go right. You’re worried about the support or lack thereof you may get. There is a lot that comes with entrepreneurship and it’s definitely not for the weak. You’re risking consistent income, quality time and sleep. You work so hard to perfect your craft knowing that the outcome may not be 100% what you want it to be.

I have three children. I wanted to be able to have a little more flexibility when it came to them. I also wanted them to witness firsthand how things could be when you chase your dreams. I wanted to be a realistic representation for them. I was working a 9-5 and would be too tired after to entertain them or even cook dinner. I was tired of that. I love being able to make my own schedule to be there more when they not only NEED me, but want me as well. The risk so far has been rewarding and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

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

I am Kiana Renee and I created Life By Kiana Renee Makeup Artistry because I wanted to bring life to women (and sometimes men) and be able to enhance their natural beauty through a makeup application. I pride myself on being aware of my clients’ needs and being able to achieve whatever look they come in desiring. Sometimes a client will just be having a bad week or month and want my services so that they can feel like “themselves” again even if just for a moment and I love being able to do that for them!

I provide makeup services for everyday, weddings, photoshoots, commercials, you name it! I’m very proud of the name I have built and I love knowing that my clients chose me out of so many other artists in the area. It lets me know they trust me and are confident in my work every time.

I think what sets me apart from others is the way I continuously come up with ways to service my clients and provide them different ways to be able to learn how to enhance themselves!

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

It took a while for me to feel like people noticed my work via social media. I had to constantly post about my business and be consistent with advertising. When first starting out, I paid for ads on different platforms so that my work and information would pop up in people’s feeds who I otherwise wouldn’t have been able to reach. I offered deals and specials just to obtain clients. I sometimes even offered free services. Hashtags DEFINTITELY have played a huge role in me gaining clientele. Now, even when I don’t post often or advertise, I’m still getting booked because of the hashtags i’ve used or word of mouth.

My advice to new makeup artist trying to build social media presence is to be consistent and confident. Don’t worry about how many do or don’t “like” your post. Trust me, someone is always watching. POST, POST, POST. Use those hashtags because people search with them all day, every day. 85% of my clients come from them using Google or hashtags on Instagram. Don’t give up because it seems like no one is watching. They are and it will all be worth it.

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

Honestly, the best source of new clients for me has been running a special. Who doesn’t love to save money right? Sometimes, people want to be serviced by you, but may not be able to afford it at the moment or they’re skeptical so they wait for a special to come up. I don’t mind because most of the time they always come back and from that i’ve gained a loyal client.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.lifebykianarenee.com
• Instagram: lifebykianarenee
• Facebook: Life By Kiana Renee Makeup Artistry

Image Credits
Rob Shot Me Photography