Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Lakeya Lazo. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Lakeya , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Let’s talk legacy – what sort of legacy do you hope to build?

The legacy I’m hoping to build is the kind that warms up the room when you enter. I want people to always feel seen and heard when they encounter a conversation with me. Since a child I always wanted to know the five W’s: who, what, when, where, and why. It’s not the obsession of hearing stories or gossip. It’s the part of being that person we all needed as a child or adult.

Lashing provides the opportunity for me to be a safe space for clients to trust, share, and relax! Sometimes the duration of the clients appointment is the only time they have to relax while getting their service done. When those who do want to share
it can be as small as how their day is going today, to something as big as their very first heartbreak or even more personal.

I want my clients to know that my space is to pour, grow, and feel renewed.

Lakeya , 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 first began my lash journey when I was 19 years old back in 2020. Being a full time college student and working a full time job at that time was my life. When the pandemic hit and we were all emerging to full lock down I decided I wanted to order a lash kit on Amazon. I often got my lashes done so this was something that I enjoyed as a client but never did I in a million years think I would be on the opposite side of the chair.

I watched YouTube videos daily and took notes on an empty pad trying to understand terminology, products, and procedures. I begin practicing on the lash mannequin and feel like this was something that I think I can do. A couple weeks in I started lashing on my sister and seen how difficult it actually was versus the mannequin but I didn’t give up. I then asked my mom to be my practice model which I graciously believe she was a very challenging set to do as a beginner lash tech with no experience on hooded eyes. I kept learning, practicing, and using my mom as a repeated model till I finally felt like hey I think I’m actually good at this.

Fast forward November 2021, I’m ready to start looking into taking a lash certification class. In my heart I felt like this is something I want to do and I can do. I started to ask friends and associates if they’d be interested in letting me practice on them and the support I received was amazing! I had a list of people interested which made me a little anxious but I knew this is what I have to do if I want to really begin my lash business.

At this time, I am eager to quit my restaurant job and begin lashing full time. I booked my certification course with my local lash tech in April 2022 and completed the course ready to begin my next course. While that happened I was also finishing up my last semester at community college for my associates in psychology. Life felt unreal at this time because I was opening doors that younger me could never imagine doing.

Next, I graduated community college got accepted into my dream school; University of Houston to complete my bachelor’s in psychology. It was move out day from my hometown Corpus Christi. I was 21 years young filled with anxiousness and excitement but I couldn’t wait to see what’s new.

I moved onto campus, posted flyers on social media, posted my cards in campus buildings/doorms/bathrooms. Everywhere to get my business “KeyLash” out there. I started getting booked 1-3 clients a week, word of mouth begin to spread and I was lashing at least 2-4 clients a day 6 days a week. I couldn’t believe it but it was real.

Today I am 24 years young with my Bachelor’s in Science of Psychology and a minor in entrepreneurship. I am currently on the path of getting my lash license and eventually opening my first lash suite! I’m excited to see what this next step has for me and my career.

We’d love to hear about how you keep in touch with clients.

From when I first meet my clients I make sure they are acknowledged with a warm welcome. I explain what the process is from start to finish and make sure during the appointment that they can ask any questions or just how they are doing throughout the time period. I also share a little about myself so they can get to know who I am and it gives them a little bit more comfort while laying in my space for the duration of the appointment (Especially new clients). After I complete their service I ask if everything went well and to reach out with any questions or concerns. I also make it a priority to give detailed aftercare instructions and do a check up through text. This lets the client know that I prioritize them and I am not just servicing them for a payment.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

One lesson I had to learn is to communicate clearly with each and every client. Do not be afraid to repeat a question you need to hear what is the client wants and doesn’t want.

I once had a client who was new to getting lashes and I was fairly new in my business so I was afraid to ask for more details and inspiration photos to get the complete idea of what style she wanted. The amount ended well until she left my place and texted me how she hated them because of the fullness and wanted a more natural look. It was heartbreaking as a new Business owner but I had to learn that 1. Ask all the questions so you have a clear understand it is the client wants and 2. Not everyone is going to like your work and that’s okay.

If you look up any business there is at least one bad review.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://keylashme.as.me/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/keylashed_me/profilecard/?igsh=dmVzdGZ1bzF6cmF4

Image Credits

malikjmedia (professions photos)