We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Xiomara Torres. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Xiomara below.
Xiomara , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. How do you think about vacations as a business owner? Do you take them and if so, how? If you don’t, why not?
As an entrepreneur and a mother of two, I believe finding the time to reenergize and give back to yourself is extremely important. In my early years of business, I was all about the hustle. Taking on any job or client that came my way, regardless of pay or simply just for exposure. This was so helpful in building the business I have today. I was able to choose the exact client I wanted to attract and found my love for the wedding industry as a Makeup Artist/Hairstylist. The overall goal is to have financial freedom while still doing what I love. It is safe to say that I now take vacations in the middle of a busy wedding season and is the BEST time to do so!
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?
My name is Xiomara and I am the owner of Xiomara Beauty. I specialize in Bridal Makeup and Hairstyling and travel all over the Bay Area for my clients. I started freelancing at a young age while I was studying for my undergrad in Business/Entrepreneurship at CSUEB. After graduating, I knew the beauty industry is where I wanted to be and took my business to the next level. Now with 10+ experience of being in the wedding industry, I have traveled for my work, meet amazing clients and even hosted Masterclasses to welcome new artists into the field.
How did you build your audience on social media?
Social Media has been one of the best (and hardest) marketing options for my business. There are so many behind the scenes that go into one post and not every photo or video will reach a huge audience. Being consistent is key when trying to grow your views and bring exposure to your business. One of my favorite ways to reach potiential clients is by networking with other wedding vendors in my field. For example, while working a wedding I always film/shoot my own content, introduce myself to other vendors and even get my client’s social media information. When taking my content to social media, I am sure to tag everyone who was involved in the wedding and let social media do the rest! Through this technique, I am able to book over 150+ weddings per year as a Bridal Makeup Artist/Hairstylist. You need to find what works for you and your business!
We’d love to hear the story of how you turned a side-hustle into a something much bigger.
Yes! Before I was a full time Bridal Makeup Artist/Hairstylist, I was working at a CPA Office while working on my undergrad at CSUEB. During this time, I was booking only a few clients a month but it was enough to fuel my creativity in the Makeup industry. About 2 years in, I was beginning to book more bridal parties on the weekends and decided this is the field I want to be in. Over the next 2 years, while I was still in school, I decided to quit my job at the CPA office and focus on my degree and business. Having the time to build my brand was amazing and I’m so grateful that I had the time to do it. After graduating in 2019 with my Business Entrepreneurial Degree, I took my business full time. I am so happy to say that I am still doing what I love, 6+ years later.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://xiomarabeauty.weebly.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beautybyxiomara
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@beautybyxiomara
Image Credits
Margarita Photography , Emily Kim, Codi Baer Photography