Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Rachelle Keith. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Rachelle, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. If you could go back in time do you wish you had started your business sooner or later
Im a firm believer that everything happens for a reason. I think i was exactly where i needed to be when i started, scared, nervous, lost, unhappy. In the madness of COVID and being on lockdown, the only upside was having lots of free time. I still worked my 9-5 corporate job of 6 years when i started, and I sought out a new venture. I started out slow, i worked full time for my company and part-time for myself. I was miserable clocking in to a place everyday being told what to do, and no matter what position i was “Promoted” too it never fulfilled me. My advice to anyone leaning on the side of uncertainty … pull the trigger. “Sometimes life is about chasing a dream only YOU can see”. Growing up our parents teach us that working your way up the ladder is the only way to achieve true success. You become a Manager or an Executive at a top leading firm and it’s a celebration, you get a big congratulations from close friends and family. But, if you start your own business they change the tone a bit too “Are you sure you will make any money doing that?” or “Is that really what you wanna leave your stable job for?”. This is the time to take a leap of faith, make mistakes while you are young. Start a business and fail, start another one, move to a different state and start over. I wish i would’ve given myself more praise, more grace for my errors, and breaks for when i over-worked myself. In all the good, bad and ugly, i still wouldn’t trade the opportunity to work for myself.
Rachelle, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I am a 26 year old, self-employed business owner. I am a certified Lash Artist in Central Florida, located in the Lake Nona area. Previously a free-lanced makeup artist i discovered a new love for lashes, so much so i have it tattooed on myself. I love that in todays society we have so many options to enhance our beauty. As women we have so much pressure to maintain a ‘Natural’ look like those we see in TV and movies , making the every day woman feel she is doing less. I want lashes to be about enhancing your beauty, using this service as a way to bring attention to the face. Bring out those lovely features that will make strangers stop and ask you where you got them done. In 2020 i decided to invest all my time, effort and money i could to learn about lash extensions, having only got them done on myself a few times i didn’t have a ton of knowledge on the service. I wanted to focus on making it a luxurious service, and not necessarily in the champagne and diamond chandalier in the entryway type of luxury. In the products, in the customer service and in the way i approach new clients- ways to help make them feel comfortable and get exactly what they came for. I tried product after product, vendor after vendor and am always finding new ways to improve the services that i offer. I am a Volume Specialist, however i do offer a range of Services from Hybrid Sets through Mega Volume sets. I also offer bottom lashes, and for the more free spirited girls i have color lashes and decals that can be added. I aim to please my targeted audience, that being the girls who love the drama when it comes to lashes. I want you to get the “Strip Lash” feel without having to wake up and put on a full face of makeup to achieve that. I make my clients feel at home, to feel safe and relaxed where they can either take a short nap or feel they can confide in me as a friend/listening ear. I am all about aesthetics, and creating a full look you can admire daily. I want my social media to invite you in, and my exceptional service to keep you a loyal and happy returning client.
How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?
I worked at a TPA (Third-Party Administer) company for 6 years when i began. I went from position to position, where i felt i had gotten as far as i could in the company. When COVID struck and we were forced to work from home , that’s when i felt i needed a change. So i started saving a little each check, until i could afford a deep dive into a training course. This was just the beginning, though it was the bigger chunk of change needed to start my business it was just the knowledge i paid for. My 9-5 job funded my dream job. I knew financially i couldn’t quit my job and just go full fledge into my business, as i was aware it takes time to build a clientele. Week by week i purchased things for my business such as chairs, lash bed, lighting, storage, shelves, lashes, cleansers, tweezers, etc. I offered free services for the first 2 months knowing i needed to invite people in, to give me a chance and to practice. I never stopped practicing, i took feedback and i worked harder to get better. I also knew better than to give out free work for too much longer, i started at small fees to help replenish the products i was using on the few clients i did have. Over time with consistency and hard work i was able to slowly increase my prices over several months, Once i saw i finally had a steady client base, loyal biweekly clients who came to me steadily…. i quit my day job and jumped both feet in to my business. It took me almost 2 years to leave that job. I wanted to have all my ducks in a row, before i knew it was just me funding my everyday expenses. I was lucky to have used that time as a stepping stone into my now flourishing business.
We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?
Never. Stop. Posting. Whether you have 2 likes or 200 likes, people want to see consistency. Statistically it’s said that a person has to see something 7 times, before they decide to book/purchase/invest in. When your new you are not as strategic with your posts, you just want to get content out there thinking this is the best way to market yourself. However Instagram like many other platforms is ever changing. It cam be hard to keep up with all the new ways people are seeing or not seeing your content, but the best advice is to make the content of quality. Using methods of certain things that will invite people to your social media, and make them not only a follower but a customer. Having versatility and being unique but also keeping up with the trends can be overwhelming at times. How do you keep up? Find your targeted audience. I knew i wanted to aim for the fuller more dramatic lash sets, and i knew in order to attract those kinds of clients i needed to post more sets showing just that, But not just client photos, but also showing your range of knowledge, Post explanations of why you do what you do, for example: why do clients need to come back for a fill in 2 weeks, explaining the lash shedding cycle we all have and why your lashes fall out more in the spring and fall than any other season. As much as people want to see cute aesthetic things, they want to feel reassured that you know what you are doing, Get a logo made, establish brand colors and stick with them, get a professional website created, make the experience easier for your customers. Think longevity and try to avoid short term solutions.
Contact Info:
- Website: vividluxlashes.com
- Instagram: @vividluxlashes