We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Meg Christian . We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Meg below.
Alright, Meg thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Owning a business isn’t always glamorous and so most business owners we’ve connected with have shared that on tough days they sometimes wonder what it would have been like to have just had a regular job instead of all the responsibility of running a business. Have you ever felt that way?
At the risk of sounding incredibly pessimistic, 100% yes. I am so incredibly passionate about my craft and I couldn’t imagine what my life would be like had I taken another path….However, this is such a layered question for me and I feel that a vast amount of fellow Business Owners out in the world will be able to relate.
At the time I began my journey as a Lash Artist, I was living in Las Vegas, working 40 hours a week at a Union Bartending position in one of the biggest Corporate houses on the Las Vegas strip. Sounds pretty cool right? It definitely had its perks, however, I felt more like an employee number than a person. It felt like I had no freedom in my schedule and that I was expected to punch the time clock IN at this time, and punch OUT at that time, and should any of us come up with a product or procedure we felt could improve or enrich our environment, it would quite literally become the property of the Corporate house I just mentioned. It all felt very inauthentic and robotic to me. After about 4 years of this I was extremely burnt out. I’ve always had a creative and entrepreneurial spirit, so I thought to myself, “there has to be something better for me than this”.
Insert Lux & Rye.
When I began Lux & Rye, I had this totally innocent entrepreneurial spirit of all of the endless possibilities of what it was or would eventually become with zero working knowledge of what it took financially/emotionally/or time wise to build and maintain a successful business. My life up until that point had been behind a bar, so starting this business from the ground up was sort of like jumping into the ocean blindfolded. I had to trust my gut, almost drown more than a few times until I managed to fight back up to the surface and trust that I could guide myself through wherever the waves might take me. I managed to build my little side hustle into a thriving business, move from Nevada back home to Kansas City, rebuild my entire Clientelle twice (thanks Covid!), and eventually move from my home studio into the gorgeous space I have now in the Crossroads! It’s been quite the journey.
To say that the path of a Business owner isn’t for the faint of heart is wildly understated. There are definitely days where I’ve almost given up, days where your best efforts go unnoticed because you’re the only person at the helm, seeing the vision that only you’re meant to see. Weeks of not pulling a salary for yourself because you’re reinvesting literally everything back into the business just to barely get by. In those moments where you’ve given everything you have and you’re still waiting on that big return, it’s easy to say that doing something else like having a ‘regular job’ would be better. Better or Easier? Maybe both for some. However, there are also moments where you see everything you’ve worked so tirelessly for come to fruition and you have moments of clarity and feel that silver lining where you look around and say, “Wow….I really did that! I’m actually doing this!”…..and THAT. That feeling right there, seeing all your dreams come true, is worth every struggle you’ve had up until that moment. As time goes on, you have less of the ‘imposture syndrome’ days and much more of the ‘this is what’s meant for me’ outlook.
I wouldn’t trade any part of it for anything!
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
Absolutely! My name is Meg. I am the owner and one woman show behind Lux & Rye. It was created from my love of the beauty industry and my love and history with Mixology. Lux = Luxury, Rye = my favorite spirit and a nod at my past/ wink towards the future endeavor I’m working diligently to add to my business someday.
My Business at the core of itself is making women feel confident and beautiful. I accomplish this by creating a sumptuous, custom tailored beauty experience for each and every Client who walks through my door. I am a Master Lash Artist and Lash Educator who specializes in one of a kind lash extension sets for my clients and educational certification programs for both new and established Lash artists seeking to learn or further their skill set(s).
To potential new clients, I think what sets me apart from other Lash Artists is my unwavering attention to detail, the integrity and dedication I have when it comes to the health of your natural lashes, and the depth of my craft and skillset; meaning that if you bring me an idea, I will bring it to life! I find such fulfillment and joy in making the people who come to me leave feeling like the best versions of themselves. When you have a genuine passion for what you do, I believe that it translates into your work in a way that can’t be replicated otherwise. I keep that mantra at the forefront of my mind and try to deliver my absolute best work, every time.
Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?
I don’t think there’s a secret ‘sauce’ to building a social media presence. While having a strong social media audience is always a plus, a massive social media following doesn’t always equal money in your pocket and clients on your books. I think organic growth is the most beneficial which includes showing up consistently for your ideal* audience. When creating a successful business page, I think having your ideal client or customer in mind when posting content is the most important concept. Are you marketing towards a larger audience of younger adults who may not be able to afford a high end item/experience, but you’d benefit from more sales at a smaller profit margin? Or is your ideal client a smaller percentage of young adults+ who can afford and seek out that exclusive and luxurious experience knowing you will potentially have less traffic through your door initially? Figuring out what works for YOU and your business model and marketing strategically towards that specific group of individuals is really the only fail proof strategy from my experience. Post clear, professional pictures of your work. Post consistently. Never buy followers. Always get email addresses in case your socials get deleted or you get locked out. The rest will come in time!
There’s also no better referral than word of mouth, so working with other local businesses within your community to spread the word about your business is highly effective. Leave business cards with your social tags/information at coffee shops, gyms, barbers, salons — really anywhere you believe a potential client might come from! Reach out to ‘influencers’ in the area that might be able to help spread the word about your services or product also.
If you have multiple revenue streams in your business, would you mind opening up about what those streams are and how they fit together?
I retail beauty products that benefit the longevity of the services I offer! So for example, I’m a Lash Artist – I sell Lash Shampoo, Makeup wipes, eyeshadows and mascara that are all formulated and safe for lash extensions. Before the year is out, I will also be introducing my brands first ever apparel line! I’m super excited about this as finding the best vendor to work with has been almost a year in the making. They’re definitely going to be staple wardrobe pieces and I can’t wait to share them with everyone!
In my experience, having products to upsell in your studio or that can add value to services you provide will increase the over all value of the experience you’re creating. Never underestimate the extra fluff and sparkle….. it’s that little extra pizazz that could be the IT factor for a new client.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://luxandrye.glossgenius.com/
- Instagram: Instagram.com/lux_n_rye
Image Credits
Katie Carlson