It was a busy boss bae morning, no different from the rest when I pulled up to LURE LASHES to lash, visit and talk goals with Shelly. Because she's one of my favorite entrepreneurs, I couldn't resist sitting down with her! I knew this talk would inspire not just me, but other beauty professionals and women all over the world. I wanted to get into the START, the MARATHON, & the VISION OF SHELLY MARCHAND. As she embraced me, we shared a few laughs and got to lashing. Lure Lashes has a welcoming, warm, clean, and soft vibe. After I lashed her up, we enjoyed some Chik-Fil-A and took a few photos. Follow our chit-chat below.
WHAT MADE YOU START LASHING?
I started lashing because I needed to make some extra money. I was in nursing school & while I was waiting to get approved for my state board , I took a lash class.
WHERE DID YOU GET YOUR START?
I got my start at Star Lash Extensions. I took a class from Owner Yris Palmer and After taking her class I started working at her salon, Star Lash Extensions. Working at star lash opened my eyes to the beauty industry. It gave me an opportunity to grind, save money, sharpen my technique and understand the ins and outs of the lash industry. I was inspired, I no longer wanted to be a nurse. I was a natural, to my amazement everybody loved my work. All the famous, the most picky, & the never satisfied clients all fell in love with how I did their lashes. My new goal was to fine tune my technique, & become one of the best lash techs ever.
WHAT WAS THE MOST CHALLENGING PART ABOUT THE GRIND AND HOW DID YOU OVERCOME THOSE CHALLENGES?
The most challenging part about my lash journey was the start. Just getting the money for the class alone was tough. I was working at an air conditioning company making minimum wage, sleeping in my car or at a friends house. I ended up saving 4 weeks of my paychecks and signing up for Yris’s classic lash class. After I took the class i immediately started practicing that night. It wasn’t as easy as it looked, I only had 1 client every 2 weeks for a few months and it was really discouraging. I stayed up all night practicing on doll heads. I reached out to Yris for a job because I heard she was hiring. I wasn’t the best at the time but Yris believed in me, she seen my potential . Once I started working at Star lash I started making money fast, getting the exposure I needed and eventually I was able to get my own car and place to live.
HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE A GLOBAL LASH INSPIRATION?
It really makes me feel good knowing other lash artists look up to me as their inspiration. I would have never thought I would inspire someone, I am humbled and grateful. It is an honor to be an inspiration to other lash artists.
WHAT DO YOU DO OR PRACTICE TO STAY ENERGIZED?
To stay energized I eat healthy , take my vitamins and herbs, & get an adequate amount of sleep.
WHERE DO YOU WANT TO TAKE YOUR BUSINESS NEXT?
As I already own my own salon Lure Lash beauty bar, I eventually want to open up a store to buy lash products for other lash artists and also for the clients as well. I also want to open up a Lash Academy. A lot of people get ripped off and aren’t getting taught to lash properly, and I want to fix that.
WHAT DOES YOUR DREAM LEGACY LOOK LIKE IN BEAUTY?
My dream Legacy is to be internationally known for my product quality and my teachings. I want to be the reason every girl knows how to do lashes correctly.
HOW DO YOU BALANCE YOUR BRAND AND YOUR CLIENTS?
Balancing my brand and my clients isn’t as easy as it looks, but with proper time management I get it done.
CELEB CLIENTS OR DAY TO DAY CLIENTS?
I honestly don’t mind either as long as they pay me!
WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR SOMEONE WHO IS JUST GETTING STARTED?
If you’re just getting started I want to say take your time, practice hard, take as many classes you need to take until you get it right. It’s not going to be perfect right away. Figure out what products work best for YOU. Don’t take things personal clients come and go. Most importantly, never give up and never stop learning. Stay on top of your craft.
