We recently connected with Vernedra Eastern and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Vernedra , thanks for joining us today. The first dollar your business earns is always special and we’d love to hear how your brand made its first dollar of revenue.

My first clients were actually my friends in St,Louis, and honestly… I messed them all up. They looked like clowns, for real. I was still learning, still figuring things out, and nothing came out how I imagined. But the crazy part is, they still supported me. They laughed, encouraged me, and told me to keep going anyway.

That support meant everything. Even though it wasn’t perfect, they believed in my potential. And that moment lit a fire in me. It made me want to practice more, learn more, and actually get better at what I was doing. I actually didn’t get paid a cent but the excitement from the support fueled me to keep going.

Vernedra , 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?

My name is Vernedra Eastern, and I go by Vee East. My journey into beauty and makeup started in the most unexpected way. I’m originally from St. Louis, and years ago I took a road trip to Atlanta. While visiting my aunt, she introduced me to Mary Kay products. At the time, I wasn’t into makeup at all — I barely wore it and didn’t know much about it. But she encouraged me to try it, gave me products, and told me to get into the “Atlanta way” of stepping into beauty and presentation.

When I went back home to St. Louis, I started practicing. I worked on friends first, and honestly, it wasn’t perfect in the beginning. I was learning, experimenting, and figuring out my style. But something sparked in me. I’ve always been creative and artistic, even back in school, and makeup became another form of art for me. What started as curiosity quickly turned into passion.

From there, I continued practicing, growing, and slowly building my confidence. My first clients were my friends, and even though I was still learning, their support pushed me to keep going. That encouragement made me want to improve, take my craft seriously, and develop my own style.

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

One lesson I had to unlearn was believing that everyone operates the way I do. I naturally lead with heart. I love making women feel beautiful, enhancing their natural features, and seeing people happy. Because of that, in the beginning, I gave a lot of my time and talent away for free. I would show up for people’s important events, do their makeup without charging, and genuinely support their moments.

In my mind, I thought that same energy would come back to me. I believed that when I needed support whether it was for a project, a premiere, content, or opportunities those same people would automatically show up for me. But that didn’t always happen. And at first, that was hard to understand.

What I had to learn was that people don’t always operate the same way you do. Some people only fit you into their lives when it’s convenient for them, and that doesn’t necessarily make them bad it just means they’re doing what works best for them. Once I understood that, I realized I also had to start doing what was best for me.

That meant creating boundaries in my business. I had to stop over-giving, stop undervaluing my work, and stop expecting reciprocity that was never discussed. I also had to step out from behind the scenes and start showing myself more. In beauty, especially in places like Atlanta, people want to see the artist as well. They want to see that you look polished, confident, and represent your brand.

At the same time, I had to stay true to myself. I’m not overly glam all the time I love a natural, pretty look. So I learned how to balance presentation while still being authentic to who I am.

That experience taught me boundaries, self-value, and professionalism. I learned that you can still be kind, still love what you do, and still uplift others but you also have to protect your time, your energy, and your business. Once I unlearned the idea that everyone thinks like me, I started moving differently, and my brand became stronger because of it.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

I believe what helped me build my reputation in my market was simply being myself and how I make my clients feel when they’re in my chair. My attitude has always been genuine, happy, and welcoming. I create an environment where women feel comfortable, relaxed, and confident. For me, it was never just about makeup it was about the experience.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: VeeEast_