We were lucky to catch up with Nikki Huebner recently and have shared our conversation below.

Nikki , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.

After “ENDURING” the loss of my second child, my daughter Chyler, at only 18 months old, I finally picked myself up to try and face the world again. I wanted to feel pretty on the outside even though my anxiety and PTSD were truly wrecking me on the inside. So, I started my fitness regime back up, and started looking into the newest beauty and fashion trends. I guess you could say I was ready to “fake” like I could move on. I simply wanted to feel pretty again. A friend introduced me to eye lash extensions, and I was instantly hooked. They allowed me to appear awake and put together after many nights with only two hours of sleep. I spent many nights alone crying snuggled in her blanket the night before. Comforting restful nights didn’t come easy…
Although the convenience of the lash extensions was an instant hit, I quickly found that there was a void in the service as it pertained to products suited for aftercare and hygiene. And I almost gave up due to the risk for infections around my eyes being a huge concern.
Something in my heart kept whispering to my soul for me to develop a cloth type product that I could market for the makeup removal and drying specifically for lash extensions aftercare. To top it off I could use this product as a way to gain momentum and funding for the charity we supported already in Chyler’s memory, The Ronald McDonald House Charities of North Carolina-Family Room projects. Hence, EndureLash Organic Lash Cloths were launched on May 10, 2017-what would have been Chyler’s 8th Birthday.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

The invention of the EndureLash Organic Lash cloths for extension aftercare truly started to change the game as it pertained to the introduction of lash hygiene health overall. In a few short years we have expanded our brand to include organic facial skincare, and our PRO line of products for backbar. We have a grant in Chyler’s name that we donate to each year to help support and maintain the now five family room projects across North Carolina.

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

When you are flooded with the excitement of bringing an idea to life, you find that you want to shout it out to the world, and you are running on pure adrenaline! Sometimes, the fuel runs out! In the beginning you don’t take into consideration that you are only one human with limited hours in each day and week. Eventually, you do learn how to slow down a little, and lessen the stress of trying to tackle it all at once. Long story short, an entrepreneur doesn’t work a 40-hour week, we work a much longer week/day, however at our own leisure.
There is “go time” as I call it, but 99% of the time I can be with my kids after school, at all sporting or school events, and create my own schedule to live out the priority of family first.
So, unfortunately, I still work myself to physical and emotional exhaustion or sickness often. I haven’t “unlearned” it. I am not sure I ever will, but this company and mission is my passion of living life to its fullest-exhausted or not. ENDURE XX

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

Endure, LLC which houses the beauty brands-EndureLash® (PRO lash extension supplies, retail lashes, and lash aftercare) as well as EndureBeauty- (Organic Facial Skincare and under eye gel mask) was originally and predominantly funded by my parents, Dennis and Susie Marion. Alongside the family personal loan, the brand survived on funds from another company that I own, Endure Productive LLC, a 3PL fulfillment company. This company still provides all ecommerce dropship, kitting, packaging, and distribution services for the two EndureBeauty brands today. However, I partner and work with many and all types of brands at Endure Productive, LLC, in areas of big box retail, QVC/HSN, global ecommerce, and many types of domestic and international sales platforms.
Other funding avenues of funding were the dreaded credit cards, SBA-pandemic loans, ERCT refunds and PPP loans for staffing. With the initial launch of the Endure Brands being just 2.5 years pre pandemic, funding became tricky for sure! The pandemic packages were a HUGE help in such uncertain times. Currently, the brand is moving towards securing investors this year to scale at a much more rapid pace. EndureBeauty is honored to have this potential opportunity for 2024. But a ton of work is still yet to take place.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.endurebeauty.com
• Instagram: @endurelash @endurebeauty @endureproductive
• Facebook: @endurelash @endurebeauty
• Linkedin: Nikki Huebner
• Youtube: Endurelash