We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Nari Pham a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Nari , appreciate you joining us today. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.

A major risk I took in my life was leaving my corporate career to pursue a passion that was still just a side hustle at the time. To paint the picture, I was working at JP Morgan Chase, an established multinational financial services company, as an Account Controller in Investment Banking. On the surface, it seemed like I had made it. I had a master’s degree, a stable job, and I was finally in a prestigious company after years of hard work. But, beneath the surface, I felt disconnected, unfulfilled, and isolated. I realized that while I had built a career, I hadn’t truly built a life aligned with my values and purpose.

It was during one of my lowest points, after contemplating whether I even wanted to continue, that I made a decision. I wanted to take control of my life, my happiness, and my health. My passion for creativity and permanent makeup had slowly turned into a side business, and I saw potential in it. I had already started seeing a few clients and realized that every time I worked on a client, I felt energized, unlike the draining corporate workload.

The risk was huge—leaving a well-paying, secure job to focus on something uncertain, especially with the responsibility of supporting my family. It wasn’t easy to walk away, and I worried about what others would think. But after a heartfelt conversation with my husband, Tieng Pham—my number one supporter, best friend, and constant source of encouragement—we decided I needed to take a break from corporate life to focus on myself. That was when I took a leap of faith. I handed in my resignation and poured everything into my permanent makeup business.

I worked tirelessly—building my brand on social media, refining my skills, running referral programs, and getting my name out there. I went from working on clients in my apartment to renting a space in a studio and eventually owning that studio outright. Today, I’ve grown that business into something I’m incredibly proud of. I’m no longer just a PMU artist; I train others to enter the industry and achieve their own dreams. That risk turned out to be one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. It allowed me to align my work with my passion, create financial stability, and ultimately lead a fulfilled life.

This experience taught me that risks are necessary to grow, especially when your intuition tells you it’s the right move. It was scary, but stepping into the unknown helped me create the life I always wanted.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

For those who may not know me, my name is Nari Pham, I am the founder of Luxe N Beauty, a permanent makeup (PMU) business specializing in ombre powder brows, microblading, and other advanced cosmetic and paramedical tattoo services. My journey into this industry is deeply personal, shaped by a series of life-changing experiences that led me to discover my passion for beauty and creativity.

From a young age, I watched my mother navigate the beauty industry, and I found myself drawn to the creativity and empowerment it offered. My journey took me through years of working in nail salons, long hours in corporate accounting roles, and even health scares that forced me to rethink my priorities. Amidst all this, I realized that my true passion was creating beauty, helping others feel confident, and finding joy in my work. That’s when I discovered permanent makeup and knew I had found my calling.

Luxe N Beauty offers a wide range of permanent makeup services, including ombre powder brows, microblading, nano brows, lip blush tattoo, areola repigmentation, and scar and stretch mark revision. My mission is to provide not only beautiful, transformative results but also to help my clients regain their confidence. I understand that beauty is deeply personal, and my goal is to make each client feel seen, heard, and valued. What sets Luxe N Beauty apart is the personalized experience I provide—I strive for perfection in every procedure, ensuring that each client leaves feeling empowered and beautiful.

In addition to client services, I offer an extensive PMU Master Program for aspiring PMU artists. Unlike the one-day training programs that are all too common, my course is comprehensive and hands-on. It covers everything from PMU theory and artistry to the business acumen needed to run a successful practice. I want my students to be confident not only in their technique but also in their ability to build and sustain their own businesses. I’m incredibly proud of the community I’m building—a network of PMU artists who are passionate, skilled, and dedicated to making a difference in the beauty industry.

What makes Luxe N Beauty stand out is the focus on both artistry and entrepreneurship. I bring my background in accounting and my years of corporate experience into my training, providing students with the tools they need to succeed not just as artists, but as business owners. I want to help others avoid the mistakes I made and build their dreams with confidence. I believe in empowering my students to take control of their futures and create a life they are proud of.

I am most proud of the fact that I have been able to turn my passion into a thriving business that supports my family, brings joy to my clients, and helps others achieve their dreams. And I couldn’t have walked this journey without the love, support, and dedication of my husband, Tieng, my daughter Emilia, and my son Ethan, as well as the incredible support of my clients, who have become long-term friends. Their unwavering belief in me has been the foundation of my success.

My goal is to continue expanding Luxe N Beauty, not only through client services but by nurturing a new generation of PMU artists who are ready to transform the industry. I want my clients, followers, and students to know that Luxe N Beauty is more than just a business—it’s a community dedicated to excellence, empowerment, and growth. The beauty industry is ever-evolving, and I am committed to staying at the forefront, offering the latest techniques and innovations to provide the best possible results for my clients and the best possible education for my students.

To anyone considering a service or a career in PMU, I want you to know that this is a journey of transformation—not just in how you look, but in how you feel about yourself and your potential. Luxe N Beauty is here to help you every step of the way.

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

A major lesson I had to unlearn was the belief that stability could only be found through a conventional career path—a 9-to-5 corporate job that offered a steady paycheck, benefits, and the promise of security. Growing up in an immigrant family, I learned early on that stability was the goal, and achieving it meant pursuing a respectable profession, working tirelessly, and never taking risks. The message was clear: financial security comes from following a traditional career path, especially one that requires higher education. It was ingrained in me that this was the only way to build a successful life and make my parents proud.

After years of working in corporate accounting roles, I thought I was doing everything right. I earned a full scholarship to attend college, graduated with a degree in Accounting, and landed a job at an aerospace company. Later, I moved on to work in investment banking at JP Morgan Chase—arguably a dream position for anyone in the finance world. On paper, I had achieved everything I set out to do, but the reality was far from fulfilling. I felt stressed, unhappy, and disconnected from my work. The stress reached a breaking point when I experienced health scares, including alopecia areata, and even pulmonary embolisms. Despite the outward markers of success, I felt trapped, exhausted, and anything but secure.

In my darkest moments that I realized I needed to rethink everything I believed about stability. The corporate world that was supposed to give me security was instead draining my health and spirit. I had always thought that taking a leap of faith into entrepreneurship would be far too risky, especially with my family depending on me, but I found myself rethinking that notion. My creative passion for permanent makeup—something that had started as a small side hustle—brought me genuine joy and a sense of purpose that my corporate job never did.

I had to unlearn the idea that stability could only come from the traditional path. Stability, I learned, is much more about aligning your work with your passion and finding a way to build a life that you actually want to live. Yes, stepping away from the comfort of a corporate paycheck was daunting, but I realized that true security came from being able to control my own destiny and build something that mattered to me. The belief I had held for so long was no longer serving me, and I needed to let go of it to make room for a new understanding of what success looked like for me.

Taking that leap to fully pursue my PMU business, Luxe N Beauty, changed my life. I built something that not only provided me with financial stability but also gave me a renewed sense of joy and purpose. Unlearning the idea that a corporate career was the only way to find security allowed me to take the risk of entrepreneurship, and that risk became the most rewarding decision of my life. It taught me that the most important kind of stability is being in control of your own happiness and fulfillment.

Putting training and knowledge aside, what else do you think really matters in terms of succeeding in your field?

Beyond training and knowledge, I believe the most important factor for succeeding in the permanent makeup (PMU) industry is having a resilient mindset paired with a genuine passion for helping people. PMU is an industry that requires not only technical skills but also the ability to navigate challenges, manage expectations, and connect with clients on a personal level.

The resilience piece comes into play because, as with any entrepreneurial endeavor, there will be setbacks. Whether it’s a difficult client, a challenging procedure, or learning to manage the business side of things, the obstacles can feel overwhelming. Being able to adapt, keep moving forward, and see every challenge as an opportunity for growth is crucial. It’s easy to get discouraged in the beginning when you’re building a clientele or perfecting your craft, but resilience is what helps you keep going despite those difficulties.

However, resilience alone is not enough. As entrepreneurs, we are often our own toughest critics, pushing ourselves to meet high standards. It’s essential to allow room for grace. We need to give ourselves permission to make mistakes, to learn, and to grow without harsh self-judgment. Granting yourself grace means acknowledging that setbacks are part of the journey—that it’s okay to stumble, and that those moments are valuable opportunities for learning. By embracing both resilience and grace, we create space for growth without being held back by perfectionism or fear of failure.

Equally important is having empathy and a passion for helping others. In PMU, it’s not just about creating beautiful brows or tattoos—it’s about understanding what clients want, listening to their concerns, and making them feel comfortable and heard. People often come to us wanting to enhance their confidence, and that requires more than just a steady hand and knowledge of pigments. It requires emotional intelligence, the ability to build trust, and the commitment to making someone feel their best. When you genuinely care about your clients and the impact your work has on them, that passion will shine through in your results, and it will help set you apart from others in the field.

Lastly, I think cultivating a sense of community is incredibly valuable. The beauty industry is constantly evolving, and there’s always more to learn. Staying connected to others in the PMU world—whether it’s through collaboration, mentorship, or simply sharing experiences—helps you stay inspired, grow, and continue improving your craft. It also helps to surround yourself with people who uplift you, understand your journey, and support you, especially on the hard days.

In short, resilience, grace, empathy, passion, and a sense of community are the cornerstones of success in the PMU industry. They are what keep me motivated every day to provide the best possible service and education to my clients and students.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.luxenbeautypa.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/luxe.nbeauty/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/luxenbeautypa/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nari-pham/

Image Credits

@Luxe.NBeauty & @r32.gt