Today we’d like to introduce you to Emily Knight Oldham.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Emily . So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I started off my journey at Belmont University where I wanted to work in the Music Industry. After month and months of not being able to find work in my industry, I moved on and got my Real Estate License and sold Real Estate for several years. I knew self employment was the way for me but I never could get behind the work in an office for 8 hours a day. After moving through the housing market, Real Estate, construction and the mortgage business, the bubble finally burst and I was laid off. I saw this as an opportunity to finally do something that I had always loved and wanted to do but never really knew it could be a career.
So, at 29 years old, I enrolled in beauty school. I finished up school in 2015 and in 2016, moved to Atlanta, GA and attended Studio Crush School of Makeup. After finishing at Studio Crush, I hit the ground running. I worked for anyone and everyone who would have me and did my best to make sure that my work was seen by everyone! I was behind the 8 ball so to speak because I didn’t start in this industry at 18 like so much of my competition so I was motivated to work even harder (sometimes for free) to make sure I made the contacts I needed in this industry.
I have had the pleasure of working for such companies as Home Depot, Kids ii, Tarik Ediz, Shelly Brown and have even had my work in People Magazine as well as other national publications.
Now, I am working as a freelance hair and makeup artist based in Atlanta but have the pleasure of traveling to various locations around the country to do what I love!
Has it been a smooth road?
The road hasn’t been smooth or rough, it just took me a little longer to get on the right path. Once I decided what it was, I wanted to do I just had to go after it with all I had.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Emily Knight Beauty – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
The main thing I can say about Emily Knight Beauty is that we are a mobile company. I go to the customer; from the stay at home mom that needs a cut and blowout and doesn’t have time to get to the salon to the corporate client that is shooting a commercial on a soundstage. From a TV show filming on location or a bride on the most special day of her life. I want to make it as easy as it can be for my client.
I would say my specialty is natural beauty. I always say I want the person to look like the best version of themselves. That includes quite a wide range (from natural to full glam) but I never want to change the way someone looks just enhance it.
I am most proud of the fact that I am now booking work on a scale that allows me to bring others work in this industry. I was absolutely blessed to have a mentor that took me under her wing and showed me the ropes and now that I can do that for others is just amazing.
I don’t know that it sets me apart but I feel like offering both hair and makeup services allows for more opportunities as opposed to offering just one or the other.
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
I love the vast variety of work in this town. I love that I wake up every day and it’s usually something totally different then what I did the day before.
I’m from a small town in Tennessee and just didn’t see the opportunity other than working behind the chair for the rest of my career so moving to Atlanta offered so many more opportunities that I would not have had otherwise.
The downside to Atlanta, traffic! Once you get used to it, it’s not as bad but definitely traffic!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.emilyknightbeauty.co
- Phone: 931.339.0123
- Email: info@emilyknightbeauty.co
- Instagram: @lipstickandbobbypins
- Facebook: Lipstick and Bobbypins
Image Credit:
Chris Evans (Clearly Focused Media), Cathy Gray Photography, Diego Pernía, Jang Choe
Getting in touch: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
