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

Mariah, appreciate you joining us today. What was it like going from idea to execution? Can you share some of the backstory and some of the major steps or milestones?

The process of taking my business from just an idea to executing it is quite nostalgic to think about. I remember, I had just moved back home to Colorado and was living with my parents. I was struggling with my mental health and working a job I didn’t care for at all. I was unhappy to say the least, and I definitely knew I wanted more for me and my son. I went to college for Business Management, and even though I didn’t graduate, I knew I had what it would take to be a business owner; I just had find my niche. I was really into modeling and the beauty industry already, so I just narrowed down my interest to one thing- eyelashes! The market herewas and is still growing, and I always got compliments on my makeup and lashes and so I figured that would be a great place to start. I started googling resources on what I’d need to start a legit business in my state, how to start a website, and looked at different vendors to get samples. It took a while to find what fit my vision, but putting in work everyday towards that idea is what brought it to fruition.

Mariah, 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?

My name is Mariah Celine and I’m a 28 year old serial entrepreneur. I started my business, BlinkMink Lash Co, in March of 2020. BlinkMink is a small/woman owned online beauty store that offers a wide variety of our very own faux-mink strip eyelashes, beauty accessories, cruelty-free cosmetics, and more! We also have a variety of Eyelashes available on the Walmart app. In addition to running my business, I offer my own marketing services to other small businesses that include personalized marketing strategies, content creation and social media management.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

A big lesson I had to unlearn was doing everything myself. When it comes to starting my business, I did everything myself from building my website from scratch, the marketing, the bookkeeping, inventory, sales, content, customer service etc, etc. After experiencing some serious burnout, I realized that it’s okay to ask for help or outsource for certain things. If bookkeeping or making a website isn’t your strength, it’s okay to fit someone in your budget to help you do it. It’ll be worth the cost and will help you maintain your business in a smart way.

How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?

When I initially started my business, I did it the hard way, out of my own pockets. I literally saved money from my 9-5, any side jobs and also from my tax refund to get my business up and running. It took a lot of discipline to make profit like that, but once I did I invested in accounting services, and then was introduced to the world of business funding.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.BlinkMinkLashCo.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/_itsmceline?r=nametag
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mariah.zarback
• Other: https://instagram.com/officialblinkminklashco?r=nametag https://www.facebook.com/OfficialLashLounge