Today we’d like to introduce you to Nikki Chanel.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Nikki. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I started doing makeup purely by accident. The small business branding and strategy came later, a completely separate accident. Went to go to college on a full ride and planned to dance my way straight through law school. A few too many injuries killed that plan and I realized that I didn’t want to go to law school. I didn’t want to sit in an office all day, and I needed a creative outlet IMMEDIATELY to replace dance in my life. Enter Fashion Fair cosmetics for a year followed MAC cosmetics for 14. I stayed at MAC a lot longer than I should have. After I left, I took on a high paying, corporate cosmetics position on the east coast. My thinking was that in this role, I could still deal with makeup and beauty, but not have to deal directly with the consumer, perfect, right?! WRONG! I was miserable. Eventually, I had to take a major leap of faith and start completely over and on my own. No major company behind me, no support from my family, no healthcare, ZERO MONEY and no guide because where I’m from, no one had really done anything like this before.
While at MAC and in DC, I had the opportunity to learn from some real heavy hitters. I got the meet VP’S, chemists, and Sr Artists. I learned how to run a business and not let the business run me. I traveled, I sharpened my skills, I did the grunt work that no one else wanted to do and I wouldn’t trade it for the world. I had a business that wasn’t really a business for 10 years before making it official. Facegyrl x Nikki Chanel was legitimized a little over 10 years ago. My company is a full service concierge beauty brand. If it falls under the category of cosmetics, beauty, or “glam,” I can connect you with some of the best talent around, in or outside of my market. Working side by side with celebrities, musicians, tv personalities, brides, new MUAS, and new creative business owners also showed me that there is a huge market WITHIN the beauty community. Creative consulting teaches how to start and organize a business for those super talented people out there that need guidance. No one was doing anything like this when I started. No one was explaining how to make money, keep money, and make more in your sleep by doing something that you love. I pulled al of my corporate executive, travel mua, HR, and executive assistant skills and made another business within an already growing one. This is how Creative consulting X Facegyrl was born. Currently, I host annual events as well as an almost full bridal calendar. Now I’m able to offer personalized startup guidance and brand management to anyone who needs it. Its the one service I offer that believe it or not, I don’t promote. I only take a select few brands at once so that they can receive extremely personal care. I am currently supporting 5 companies in their growth and development, and I couldn’t be more proud of the work they’re doing. That, my son and my faith keep me pretty busy. I’m thankful for it all.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It hasn’t been a smooth road AT ALL. Even now, it gets bumpy. Not only do I provide a luxury service, but I work with in a luxury industry. That means that whenever the market is weird, whenever our country is imposing specials tariffs on certain import goods, whenever the weather is bad, people stop using beauty services first. Because of that one must learn how to make their service a perceived need, and you must offer a product that your clients can’t live without even if not a single client books your services. Otherwise you wont make it long. Thats how my Flawless Custom Foundations (get yours at Facegyrl.com) came about.
After being in business for a while, I’ve learned to forecast and plan a lot better. I personally struggle with procrastination so I have to force myself to pull the trigger on a lot of things. I also struggle with the standard “those who should support you don’t” issue that most entrepreneurs face. When people say you can be afraid of success, take that to heart. It’s VERY TRUE. Also, work/life balance is tough for me because I was away from home for a long time. Being away from my son was the absolute hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. Having to leave because there’s just no work available is a horrible feeling. Remember, your average consumers just started getting their makeup done in the last 10-12 years. I just launched my foundation line 3 years ago. So I had no choice but to leave to solidify my name and create a market. Now I get to do what I want. I only take the jobs that I want to take. There is no urgency for me to get a celebrity client or to get reposted on anyone’s else page and I am REALLY thankful for that. I get to be transparent, honest, and my complete self in all of my work. People trust my opinion so much. It’s wonderful.
Facegyrl x Nikki Chanel – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Facegyrl x Nikki Chanel Provides
BEAUTY
-application
-training
-personal shopping
-flawless custom foundation
BRANDING AND STRATEGY GUIDANCE
– small business startup
*tax organization
*insurance
*formation (LLC, sole proprietorship, etc.)
*marketing and social media presentation
*event preparation roll out
The thing that sets me apart from most MUA’s and even branding partners that I see right now is the intense desire to look good and not be good. I mentor a lot of newcomers, whether other MUA’s, Hairstylists, etc. No one guided me in anyway. I could have avoided a lot of pitfalls had there just been someone to talk to. I make it a priority to lift up the next person in this industry if I can. No one can take every client, so pass it on and pay it forward. That’s how you create financial stability and an amazing legacy at the same time. My business has no debt. None. ZERO. A few “investors” have reached out, but nothing worth going that route for. It’s all sweat equity. I don’t have a lot of followers on social media, but I am definitely what’s considered a micro influencer and I’m pretty proud of that because it means I can affect change by using my home base as an epicenter. I don’t have to be in LA, Atlanta, or anywhere else to move the needle. To be honest, I just very recently realized and accepted this. Honestly, it’s pretty amazing. Memphis is considered a “remote market”, but there’s not a single thing in this country that doesn’t come through Memphis first and that’s a fact.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Success for me is working and becoming financially stable by doing something you love every day. It doesn’t have to be full time; just having the opportunity to use your gifts and talents to create a life you love makes one successful to me. So every day, I make sure that I make a dollar or two by doing something I really enjoy, something I’m really good at, and something that makes people happy. That’s success to me. My son thinks I’m the most hard working person on earth. That’s success to me.
Contact Info:
- Website: Facegyrl.com
- Phone: 917-979-FACE
- Email: info@facegyrl.com
- Instagram: @The_facegyrl
- Facebook: Facebook.com/Facegyrlxnikkichanel/
Image Credit:
photographer
@impact_lyfe
Model
@livebetterwithcece
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