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

Lia , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Risk taking is something we’re really interested in and we’d love to hear the story of a risk you’ve taken.

Choosing my path in life wasn’t something that came easily. As a young person I definitely struggled with self esteem and confidence issues and I was never fully sure of who I was or who I wanted to be. After deciding that a traditional college wasn’t for me I took a risk and quit my job, broke my lease and ran off to a makeup artistry school in south Florida. I had zero money but this school offered student loans and was certified by the board of education. In highschool I would skip classes often to go hang out in the art room. In addition to that I had always loved makeup and how it made me feel. Based on these interests I really thought this school might be a “smart” risk…or at least smarter than the other paths I had taken or considered taking. Turns out ithis risk would change my life forever and in the best way!

Lia , 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?

Where shall I start?! Being a makeup artist is just so rewarding! Nothing makes me happier than seeing my client’s eyes light up when they look in the mirror. This is truly what it’s all about for me. After attending a makeup artistry school and taking every single class they offered I decided to go the route of bridal, commercial and editorial makeup. The school helped me get a job at a local Sephora. Sephora had universities in California and New York and they sent me to both. After gaining some great hands on experience there and freelancing I decided I wanted to start my own business. I’ve never once looked back!
It’s very important to me that my clients feel relaxed, comfortable and confident. I know everyone is dealing with the craziness of life and I want to provide those moments of peace and self care. It’s so important!

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

I do have some very loyal repeat clients that I am so grateful for but I definitely depend primarily on new clientele. In this industry products and trends are constantly changing so I realized early on that I would need to keep up with education in order to stay relevant. Honestly I feel like that applies to any business/career…we should never stop learning. I found that one of the most important parts of gaining new clientele was also something that was tricky for me! I do not consider myself savvy in the tech/social media side of my business. I definitely had to seek out knowledge from others on that. I find most people are happy to help! I highly recommend keeping up with your social media in order to gain new clientele. Make sure it’s current, active and engaging. It’s presently the way most people look into small businesses and that’s not changing anytime soon!

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

I have been doing makeup professionally for about 15 years and I am very proud of my reputation. The most consistent feedback I get in client reviews seems to be that I made them feel special. I think the most valuable piece of advice I could give regarding building a reputation is to be humble and to listen. It is absolutely ok to have confidence and clients prefer that!…but you will never know it all. Listening to your clients wants and needs is so important. They are depending on you. And you are depending on them. Nourish and take care of that relationship!

Contact Info:

• Website: Www.liacroke.com
• Instagram: @lia.croke

Image Credits
Personal photo of me by Christina Block @christinablock.co Additional Images by 1) Yazi Davis @yazidavis 2) Stefanie Keeler @stefaniekeeler 3) Halle Morgan @hallemorganwed 4) Sydney Marie Slavens @sydneymarie.co 5) Kelly Martucci @kellymartucci 6)Sydney Marie Slavens @sydneymarie.co 7)Halle Morgan @hallemorganwed 8)Ashley Granstad @brookeimages 9) Lauren Bowser @wearethebowsers