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

Shaina, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.

Its 2020 , I’ve been a makeup artist for 12 years already at this point.I’m doing weddings on the weekends amongst other jobs, and also working almost full time at a Spanish tv network doing makeup as well. I’m busy doing what I love which all started in 2008 with a passion and becoming a Mac makeup artist. I always wanted more just never made the time to focus on it, basically, I was comfortable. Then, March 2020 came, we were on lockdown because of the pandemic, the TV network sent the whole makeup and hair department home, and of course nobody was having special events so all my jobs pretty much got rescheduled or cancelled. Now, I was at home with endless amounts of time. Something I didn’t have before, so I went back to school and became an esthetician. I also got a puppy :)
When everything beauty related opened up, I got a job doing eyebrow shaping and facials at a nail salon. After one month of realizing I could be my own boss, I decided to rent a small room in the back of a spa -it was tiny, but I made the most of it! I had never needed to rent a room a before for business since I went to all my client houses for makeup services. So this was scary for me, but I was also offering new services too so I took the jump. The owner of the spa was an esthetician
And she guided me so much in the beginning, and ill be forever grateful. I rented there for about 8 months, all my makeup clients became skincare clients, but of course, I outgrew the room very quickly. So I started looking for a bigger space. After 3 months of looking I found something close by, 915 square feet of space to offer my clients a common area, coffee station, and a big room where I can offer comfortably all my skincare treatments along with makeup and hair services, even bridal group services! It was a risk-going from a 100 sq ft room to 915 sq feet- with all the expenses it comes with. But im so grateful I did it. November will be 1 year since I moved in, into my new space and even though its still a risk, with covid still in the air, its the best risk I’ve taken. It’s not easy, more things to do as im the skilled personnel, owner, cleaning lady, bookkeeper, among other things.
I have many ideas planned, and hopeful of growing my small little businesses

Shaina, 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 from miami, fl. I live in the Kendall area, I’m married to my best friend for 10 years (this year!) and I have a pup named daisy who is 2 years old and she goes to work with me almost everyday to greet clients :) I started in 2008 doing makeup as a passion/hobby for friends and family, then in 2011 got a job at MAC cosmetics, and thats where I built my career. I went from freelance makeup artist to counter manager in 2014 until I realized I was turning down jobs in order fulfill my hours at the store-so I quit to be my own boss… and I did that for about 2 years, doing weddings and traveling for production, until I got a position at a Spanish TV network doing makeup (I had always wanted to work in tv) and there I met so many incredible people that just ADDED worth to my career. I stayed there for about 4 years until the pandemic came and I pursued esthetics. Something I had always wanted to do but never made the time for. When I opened up my own place, it was around the same time the tv station called us back in to work, and as much as I loved that job so much, I quit -to be 100% my own boss with a beauty studio.

Training and knowledge matter of course, but beyond that what do you think matters most in terms of succeeding in your field?

Helping others. Remembering who helped ME when I started this career now almost 15 years ago. The ones who took the time to answer a question, send me a link of a product that worked for them, gave me business advice, or even just said “do it!” If I have any opportunity to do the same, I will. There’s enough to go around for everyone. And anyone should be able to do what they love. The phrase “women supporting women” gets thrown a lot but sometimes not used properly. REALLY supporting women is understanding first where YOU started-and how you got to where you are.

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

Being honest. The skincare and makeup industry is somewhat of scam…. (Product wise) so many products and services to choose from. I decided to build my business on services and products that really work. I want treatments that work. And I wont lie to you just for you to come back, I try to build my clientele on honesty and trust.

Contact Info:

• Website: Www.realbeautybyshaina.com
• Instagram: @realbeautybyshaina and @realbeautybyshaina_weddings

Image Credits
Jackie Arias @JCAPHOTOGRAPHY