We recently connected with Veronica Ayala and have shared our conversation below.

Veronica , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. How did you scale up? What were the strategies, tactics, meaningful moments, twists/turns, obstacles, mistakes along the way? The world needs to hear more realistic, actionable stories about this critical part of the business building journey. Tell us your scaling up story – bring us along so we can understand what it was like making the decisions you had, implementing the strategies/tactics etc.

My success definitely did not happen over night. It started 10 years ago actually. I started out working for Ulta the Salon. It wasn’t my favorite place to work. I was definitely discouraged in my career there. So I took a different route and left the beauty industry. I took about a year off and I learned that I definitely wanted to work in the beauty industry but this time I wanted to work for myself. So I did just that! I got a salon suite with Sola Salons with zero clients. Lol I know. I’m a risk taker. It was sooo hard. I struggled so much. Hardly made enough money to pay rent but I was doing it. Later on I took over someone else’s business and eventually closed my salon suite. About 3 years in I was super busy. I was doing bridal makeup with a friend on the weekends, facials and brows. It was great. I was learning along the way that you just have to keep pushing. You have to really want it and be relentless.

I kept working hard and building my brand. And I felt like I was at a good place. Then I got pregnant and decided that we wanted to move out of our hometown Chicago to Atlanta! I was closing down my business. A business i worked so hard at. I thought I was just going to be a stay at home mom. Five months in I had the itch lol I loved the beauty industry so much and I loved doing brows so much I couldn’t stop thinking about it. So I started a business plan. I was in a new place with no friends and no clients. Again I had to be relentless in my pursuit.

I rented a chair from a salon owner and started working there. I had another job and I was a new mom. I was balancing it all. I used Instagram to find new clients in the area. Kept reposting my old photos and kept getting better at my work. Eventually word of mouth got me more clients to the point that I left my other job and did brows full time. I did rented that chair for about two years and got my own salon suite. At this point I was busy enough to go on my own. Oh and I came out with a brow serum and then hired a girl. Then grew some more and started offering private classes. I really loved teaching others how to do brows. Eventually hired another girl and launching another brow product and now I am currently working on my online course. Oh and I had another baby during the pandemic 😆

What did I learn during those 10 years? You just don’t quit! When you have a dream you keep chasing it. Don’t give up. There will be some really hard times but that is life. We go through highs and lows. When you have a passion for something you learn to keep going. Owning a business is all I know. I love it! It’s fun. It’s challenging but I like it!

Veronica , 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?

I started out doing facials and eventually got tired. I wanted something that was fast paced and lucrative. Surprisingly people pay for brows! I loved doing brows because it’s instant gratification. Facials took some time to see results. Brows were an immediate change. Clients love that change and come back.

All I do is brows now. So I offer brow shaping, tint and laminations. And I also teach.

I am definitely proud of my growth. I am a Latina who didn’t come from a lot. I did have a huge family support system. So I am so thankful for that. and I am so proud that I have been able to have success in the Brow industry. Lol people are still shocked that all i do is “just” brows. I am
Too in a way.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

Be vulnerable and relatable! I grew my following on Instagram by just being me. I share hardships of being a business owner and a mom. Trying to do both well. I am very consistent with my Instagram page. Learn the ropes. And don’t give up. Keep showing your work and eventually you’ll grow.

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

Education. I have taken courses to improve my skills. I love learning and keeping up with all the brow trends. And you have to gain knowledge and be educated. There are no shortcuts to this. The continuing education has helped me grow sooo much!

Contact Info:

• Website: WWW.THEBROWLABATL.COM
• Instagram: thebrowlabllc
• Youtube: The Brow Lab

Image Credits
Leanna Hardison