We were lucky to catch up with Lataija Crowder recently and have shared our conversation below.

Lataija, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Getting that first client is always an exciting milestone. Can you talk to us about how you got your first customer who wasn’t a friend, family, or acquaintance?

Around my sophomore year in Highschool, I was able to wear makeup, but because the bus came early every morning. I either had to wake up every morning at 5 am or do my makeup in the school restroom. Eventually, one day I was fixing up my brows in the school restroom and a young lady came in and started to admire my makeup, she then asked if I was a makeup artist. I told her I’d been doing my makeup for 2 years but never professionally on someone else. She asked me “Why not, your makeup looks professional to me.” She then asked if I could do her makeup for the homecoming dance coming up. I was so excited and honored, I replied so fast with a yes! Homecoming week came and that’s when I received my first paying client. I charged her $40 to do her makeup. Because her makeup came out so good, eventually, word started to spread that I was a makeup artist. I was so grateful that people started to recognize me for my true passion. As more students found out about my artistry, I was able to take pictures to promote my work more, which led me to be able to do 4 girls that year for their senior prom. I was only a sophomore in Highschool at the time so this was a big deal for me! I will always be truly thankful to the young lady that recognized my true artistry in my high school bathroom.

Lataija, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

About You & Your Business / Brand:

My name is Lataija Crowder, I’m 25 years old from Houston, Texas. Known as the Owner/ Founder of The Allbeauty Experience. When I was about 14 years old, I got to see the beauty industry up close and personal at my mom’s cosmetology school in Beaumont, Texas. Being able to watch her process from going to school to opening up a salon was inspirational to me. I found my career path at an early age, which led me in following her footsteps once we moved back to Houston, Texas in 2013. My mother has always been my number one supporter so when she opened up her second salon, I was blessed enough to have my own station to start gaining my clientele. In 2013, my business Instagram name was “Makeupbytay”. I chose the name Makeupbytay because I was young and I just needed a simple name that showcased makeup tutorials & looks on my Instagram. In 2015 of high school, I had the opportunity to attend a cosmetology trade school while in high school. Once I got into cosmetology school, my teacher helped me realize that I was more than just makeup. I was good at hair, nails, lashes, and almost everything that we learned in school. That’s when I knew I wanted to provide more than just makeup to my clientele. I wanted to provide an experience for my clients when receiving services. Once I graduated from school, I was more mature and eventually felt like my name needed an upgrade. That’s when I separated my personal Instagram and created a new business page named “The Allbeauty Experience”. I wanted my name to represent a one-stop shop beauty company that catered to all beauty services in the beauty industry. I knew changing my name would set me apart from other business owners, and it did! My business name opened new doors for me, like being a part of fashion shows and working with designers, CEOs, and celebrities on their major projects and events. I’ve come a long way to set myself apart from different artists by offering an array of beauty services when booking with The Allbeauty Experience. My business now offers micro-blading/micro shading, lash extensions, Wig Installs, bridal services, tooth gemming, facials, beauty classes, photography, creative directing, and makeup application services. Throughout the years of being a makeup artist, I’ve noticed that a lot of makeup artists only offered full-face makeup applications. It was important for me to offer more than just one type of glam, so I began to offer à la carte services. Giving my customers options is important for them to experience, whether it was just brows only or a natural glam application. When rare problems occur between me and my clients, usually it all comes down to a misunderstanding. One thing I am very big on is customer service, It’s a big important aspect I provide in my business. Not only do I want my clientele to feel pleased when receiving services, but also feel informed before & after booking their appointment. I pride myself on making sure my clientele understands my policy and answer any uncertain questions they may have. I believe no question is ever a dumb question. I recently just opened my first salon suite last year 2022 on the southwest side of Houston, Tx. But my plans don’t stop there, this year I plan to launch my online/in-person luxury beauty supply store, selling new innovative beauty gadgets, accessories, studio lights, lashes, hair, makeup products and so much more located inside of The Allbeauty Experience. I also intend to travel around the world to work on film sets and expand my talents working with SFX and prosthetics artists in the creative & editorial beauty industry. With this experience I’ve gained over these 10 years of being a entrepreneur, I’ve continued to share my craft with other aspiring beauty entrepreneurs by providing in-person and online classes to excel in their beauty skills. This year will be my Senior year where I attend Texas Southern University, studying for my bachelor of business management degree. Even though I’ve been in the game for some time now, I still believe it is important to continue to educate yourself and your business. This is how your business will continue to grow to newer heights.

Any thoughts, advice, or strategies you can share for fostering brand loyalty?

After my services are rendered, I like to stay in touch with my clientele by sending a follow-up email asking them how were their services received. This shows my clientele that I care about the service of their experience. When fostering brand loyalty I believe it is important to always be honest and take accountability. No one wants to work with a business owner that can’t own up to their mistakes and tell the truth about what they’re selling. I also provide incentives to my customers, I wouldn’t be where I am today, if it wasn’t for my consistent clientele. It’s important for me to give my clients a luxurious experience like complimentary bites & beverages at their appointments. Also for different holidays throughout the year, I like to create promotions, offer discounted services, and reward perks to create returning clientele.

Have you ever had to pivot?

When I first began to take appointment bookings, I would schedule my clientele through Instagram DM‘s, emails, or text messaging. Eventually it got too hectic for me to keep up with each booking request. Sometimes I would over book myself or forget to respond back to the client DM’s. Due to customer service being an important aspect I wanted to provide, thats when I knew I had to make a change in how I did business. The best decision I made was signing up with square up which helped me with payment processing services, point-of-sale software, and financial tools such as invoicing and inventory management. After creating a square up account, I still needed a system that my clientele would be able to schedule their type of services they wanted. After doing my research, I purchased a $25.00 monthly subscription with acuity scheduling. This allowed my small business to schedule advanced appointment times and manage online bookings by working with Square.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://theallbeautyexperience.as.me/
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/theallbeautyexperience?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Allbeautyexperience?mibextid=LQQJ4d
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@TheAllbeautyExperience
• Other: https://g.co/kgs/sMYhou