Today we’d like to introduce you to Nicole.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I have tried numerous things before going to beauty school. After trying out college for a year to study sociology, studying to be a pharmacy technician, and even going to the Art Institute of Pittsburgh, I decided this path was not for me. A lot of my friends decided to join the army when we all turned 20, but instead, I decided to go to beauty school back in 2010. I originally went for the nail program, then the esthetic program. I’ve always been into beauty services growing up, so it was a perfect fit.
I worked for franchises, small businesses, med spas, even dermatologists. I have done every service, such as full body waxing, nail services, facials, lashes, brows, laser hair removal, and so much more! I now narrowed it down to brows and skin care… the services I love offering and teaching the most!
I went to beauty school in Pittsburgh, PA. Before that I took a trip with two friends to ATL one time when I was 18. During our quick stay, I noticed everyone was selling something. I’m like, “I can make it here.” I was one of the few people going around Pittsburgh marketing myself. I have always had an entrepreneurial spirit. I used to sell candy in high school, and lemonade stands as a kid; I would sew clothes and sell them, too. I was always comfortable with walking up to strangers, promoting myself and the items I would sell.
I decided to move to Atlanta in 2013 and worked at a threading place, then branched out and worked for another eyebrow place in the North Dekalb Mall for 2 years. I reached out to the owner because I needed a job, and it was right next to my house. I used to wax brows in PA, but I was more so doing facials and makeup. I ended up getting really good at brows by trial and error. I worked at the mall for 2 years, 6 days a week…even Sundays. I truly earned my clientele. I salute the owner to this very day, and I’m grateful that she gave me an opportunity to expand.
I branched out in 2016, moved to a suite salon in Midtown close to Atlantic station for 2 years. In 2018, I moved to a storefront in Glenwood Park, and it was a great experience. However, after my 5-year lease renewed in November 2023, I decided to move back to a salon suite so that I can focus more on traveling and teaching. It’s great being able to get up and go, not worrying about weekly payroll or high overhead. I’m so excited about this new chapter in my life and my new purpose…teaching the brow beauty business around the world to beauty professionals and beauty schools.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has definitely not been a smooth road at all. The last 2 years have been extremely hard after my father passed. When he passed in August 2022, I was supposed to start my instructor’s license program, I ended pushing it back to February 2023. Getting my instructor’s license was bittersweet. I probably cried every single day before going in to teach. It didn’t hit me until months later. However, I never let the students see me down. I was focused on educating them, and seeing their smiles brought joy to my life.
A lot of people ask me how I do it and tell me that I’m great at marketing, as well as making everything look so easy. However, it’s not. I stay focused, and I train myself to be mentally strong. Whenever I’m feeling lost or confused, I always go onto YouTube and type in “motivational speeches “and it really helps me along the way. Sometimes, I’ll go to the park and take a long walk to get my head ”back in the game.” I’m constantly motivating myself to keep going…especially since I’ve made it this far!
I used to be such a perfectionist and would always be my worst critic. I eventually learned how to just put myself out there personally and business-wise, even when it comes to content. I’ve been through a lot behind the scenes; we all have. I let my guard down, and now a lot of people noticed I’m much more relatable than they thought. I’m working on my continued transparency because I know my story can help others.
To all the young dreamers, I encourage you to build mental resilience and understand that not everyone will support your dreams. Often, sharing goals with others leads to discouragement, so I’ve learned to move forward quietly, embracing the solitude that comes with success. Entrepreneurship is tough, but it’s a rewarding part of life’s journey.
One day I’m going to write a book on my testimony, and I also envision myself doing public speaking to empower the younger generation. They need to know that with consistency and training yourself to be mentally strong. You can do anything you want to do. I always let my students know if it were easy. Everybody would do it. Business and entrepreneurship is never smooth sailing. The path of business and entrepreneurship is filled with challenges, but it’s crucial to focus on the positives rather than dwelling on the negatives. KEEP GOING!
As you know, we’re big fans of NBL Beauty Academy. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Last year of 2023, I decided to go back to beauty school to get my instructor’s license. I’ve been in the beauty industry since 2010, and I’m now ready to step from behind the chair to the side of the chair to help other beauty professionals, such as aestheticians and barbers, learn about the brow beauty business. What makes me different than other instructors is that I’m licensed, I truly care, and I customize each setting to fit every ones needs. I launched NBL Beauty Academy summer 2023 to assist beauty professionals with continuing education on the brow beauty business. We are the number one school for continuing education for the brow beauty business worldwide. NBL Beauty Academy travels to salons, beauty schools, spas, and barber shops to learn how to shape and tint brows.
I have always felt comfortable in barbershops and worked in a lot before I went to the instructor program at a local beauty school in Atlanta. While I was at the school, I was mostly in the barbershop and taught the barbershop students how to shape eyebrows. At first, they thought eyebrows were joke and didn’t take it seriously. Not too long after I had, a couple students stay in touch with me after we all graduated. They both called to thank me for “putting them on“ on how to do brows and make some money. I told them women love getting their brows done, and it’s just as important as a haircut, and now they have women lined out the door for them to do their eyebrows.
Also, this year I got booked in Montego Bay with two amazing beauty schools to do pop-ups for waxing tinting and beauty business classes! It was amazing and I will always have a special place for Jamaica in my heart. That was my first international beauty class, and I’m just getting started. My goal is to travel worldwide and teach salon owners, barbershops, and beauty schools on the brow beauty business. Beauty schools can add waxing tinting and brow shaping curriculum to offer in their beauty school programs. Most beauty schools focus on teaching their students on how to pass state boards. Some students end up graduating and paying extra to take hands-on training courses for continuing education. I also do pop-ups locally in Atlanta to beauty, salons, and barbershops to help them train their staff on the brow beauty business. That’s what makes me stand out because I haven’t heard of anybody working with other schools, salons, and traveling around the world to teach the brow beauty business. This is something that I have envisioned, and it finally has came to fruition.
If you have a beauty salon or barbershop and want to learn how to shape and brows, make a living from doing brows, and adding brows to your service list and or curriculum definitely reach out to me. I have different packages for everyone to choose from, and I also customize each and every class to fit the students, schools, and salon owners’ needs.
I also sell my skincare brow tint products wholesale to other licensed beauty professionals, beauty, schools, and salon owners. The beauty schools are able to use my skincare line, NBL Cosmetics in their kits for the students as well.
We’re always looking for the lessons that can be learned in any situation, including tragic ones like the Covid-19 crisis. Are there any lessons you’ve learned that you can share?
Since the onset of the pandemic in 2020, I’ve learned valuable lessons in both personal and business aspects. From the age of 14, I’ve been dedicated to working tirelessly my entire life, driven by the belief instilled in me early on to strive hard and earn money. It wasn’t until the pandemic hit that I realized the extent of my non-stop work ethic. Starting my career in customer service at fast-food restaurants and as a brand ambassador, I even searched for job opportunities on Craigslist for brand ambassador sponsorships, which feels like a lifetime ago now. From selling Avon, doing makeup, aspiring to be a sociologist, and working with children, my life was a whirlwind of activities. In 2010, I pursued a career as a nail technician in Pittsburgh, followed by an aesthetic program. Working for various franchises, small businesses in Pittsburgh, providing beauty services on the side, and eventually moving to Atlanta in 2013 marked significant transitions in my journey. Despite juggling multiple jobs at once, I prayed for my business to thrive, and when it did, it surpassed my expectations. The rapid growth brought its own set of challenges, leading to costly mistakes and valuable lessons learned. The pandemic brought uncertainty, fear, and forced closures, giving me a rare opportunity to pause and reflect amidst the chaos. It was a transformative period where I rediscovered myself, prioritized self-care through walks, meditation, and meal preparation. Securing an SBA loan to sustain my business during the challenging times was a lifeline.
The pandemic underscored the importance of achieving a healthy work-life balance, prompting me to reevaluate my priorities and focus on personal well-being. Balancing the demands of running a busy salon with managing overhead costs and unexpected challenges like floods and escalating rent prompted me to make the difficult decision to downsize and regain control over my life. Prioritizing family time, building relationships, and finding joy in everyday moments have become my guiding principles. Though friends admire my work ethic and success, Covid-19 taught me the value of embracing life’s simple pleasures and being grateful for each new day. Now I get to take time out for myself and still practice those practices that I was doing during Covid to live in equal and healthy work life balance. Life is more important than just going to work, going home, and making money. It’s about spending time with your family, building relationships, and actually enjoying every second of life because time flies!
Pricing:
- Wax and tint training small group- 1:1 $650-$999
- Wax and tint pop-up demo at local salons and beauty schools $350-$650
- Wax and tint class national – info available upon request
- Wax and tint class International- info available upon request
- NBL Beauty Academy Mentorship Program-Custom Pricing
Contact Info:
- Website: www.NicolesBeautyLounge.com
- Instagram: nicolesbeautylounge
- Facebook: Nicoles Beauty Lounge
- Youtube: Nicole’s Beauty Lounge
- Yelp: Nicole’s Beauty Lounge
- Other: @nblbeautyacademy NBLBeautyAcademy@gmail.com
Image Credits
@framedby.wayne
@catharperphotography
