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

Nikole, appreciate you joining us today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

When I was 20 I went through a really rough patch financially. It was just my mom and I trying to make ends meet which got me so focused on finding a job to help with bills and get me through college. Luckily I found a job with a great salary for someone my age. Around this time makeup artists and beauty influencers were coming into success because of social media which got me interested in pursing it on the side. Unfortunately, while trying to balance everything I felt completely overworked. I felt pressured to pursue a career within the industry i was working in too. I was told by my superiors that I needed to stop focusing on pursing makeup and focus on the work at hand because my opportunities with this company were better accessible. Basically being told to not fulfill my dreams that way i wanted to. Eventually I grew tired and knew I needed to pursue what I was truly passionate about, regardless of what anyone thinks. I quit my job and left only a couple days later to take a part time job at a makeup store making minimum wage. I started from scratch AGAIN, going back to barely making ends meet. But, because of the risk i took by getting out of my comfort zone I met other artists and executives in the industry who helped shape me become the artist I am today. Sometimes things in life hold you back because we’re comfortable, or scared about taking the risk because we crave the stability. If you know you want more out of life or have dreams you want to pursue, JUST DO IT. When you have the passion for something and you finally invest your time into making something out of it, the sky’s the limit. You will forever thank yourself for taking on that risk.

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?

I’m a professional makeup artist and have been in the industry for over 8 years. I have years of experience in Bridal makeup and have been working on photoshoots, TV and with agencies out in LA for the last 2 years. Growing up i was a dancer and was obsessed with the backstage prep, especially when it came down to the makeup part. I would watch how the other dancers would do their makeup, and tried to apply those techniques on myself. My love for makeup really blossomed my senior year of high school while getting other classmates ready for dance performances and begin asked to do makeup for prom and formals. I noticed the potential I and continued doing makeup for small things such as wedding guests, senior pictures and prom. It wasn’t until i was about 20 years old when i decided to make this into a career by leaving my 9-5 job and started working for beauty stores like Ulta and Nordstrom. After getting my foot into the beauty industry, i got the opportunity to work for top brands such as Nars, Chanel, Laura Mercier and Charlotte Tilbury. I developed my skills by joining artistry courses and masterclasses with each brand i worked for, learning from pro artists and trainers that inspire me til this day. From there i gained the confidence in my artistry and built great relationships with my clients who connected me with people that gave me the opportunity to work for reality tv shows, concerts, editorial shoots and competitions such as the Miss California pageant. Im a firm believer of never burning a bridge and constantly networking even when you think your craft is getting you nowhere. It just takes meeting that one person who will help put you on the map and give you that drive to continue building your business. Be humble, work hard, and be authentically yourself. That is whats going to lead to your success and place you with the right people who will support you. I’ve developed my business in a way that represents who i am as a professional artists and I’m so proud of that. My loyalty to myself and my clients is what got me here today.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The most rewarding thing about being an artist is being able to show my craft to the world and having the blessing to make it into a career. It can be intimidating putting yourself out there as an artist because every person in this industry has their own unique ways of doing things. You want to make sure your work is authentically you but still appreciated by others. So once you see your art is thriving and helping you build a career it’s so rewarding because you let yourself be vulnerable. You allowed others to experience your craft regardless of whatever opinion they might have.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

I think non creatives struggle to understand how being an artist can also be a successful profession. We take the risk of betting on ourselves to chase our dreams, rather than pursing the safety and security of a normal, less fulfilling job. There’s moments where I get judged for pursing makeup as a career because thats not what the norm is. Artists are passionate people, and because of that we are more open to taking risks. We want to show the world what we have to offer, thats what makes us unique because we work harder than the rest to prove ourselves as professionals. Aside from being vulnerable and putting your work out there for the world to see, were our own bosses. Everyday were networking, perfecting our craft, learning how to manage our time so we don’t burn ourselves out but still finding ways to stay booked so that were earning a good living. A lot of artists also work part time at other jobs to be able to fund the growth of their business. That is what makes us different, we do this because we love it and have the passion for it. Yes the success and money are a huge plus but we do all this because it makes us feel fulfilled.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: Nikole.otiniano
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikole-otiniano

Image Credits

Halden Morris
Dava Tada
DORIS Talent