We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Nicole Matta. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Nicole below.

Alright, Nicole thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. It’s easy to look at a business or industry as an outsider and assume it’s super profitable – but we’ve seen over and over again in our conversation with folks that most industries have factors that make profitability a challenge. What’s biggest challenge to profitability in your industry?

I feel the market is very much over saturated. It can become very overwhelming competing with hundreds of other makeup artists. Also post covid it is not the same in terms of people and their comfort level.

Nicole, 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?

I began doing makeup in 2004 working at Mac Cosmetics in Monterey California. When i began there was no YouTube there was no Instagram so all inspiration came from magazines. I feel that coming from a space where i predominately worked with models and photographers that has set me apart. My biggest accomplishment was being published in a major magazine for my work as well as working with some amazing celebrity clients. My goal one day is to become someone’s personal makeup artist and travel the world doing makeup.

Have you ever had to pivot?

During the height of covid when people were not leaving the house it got challenging to remain making money so my biggest pivot was starting my own catering business. Food is another passion of mine and it was a great option to continue to be creative and keep my passion flowing. I currently run a catering business in Atlanta as well as pursuing my makeup artistry in the city.

What else should we know about how you took your side hustle and scaled it up into what it is today?

I eventually let go of my full time job in the financial industry. I realized that i couldn’t be successful if i was not putting my whole effort into growing my businesses. Now i split my week between catering events and providing makeup services.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @makeupbynicolematta