A Beauty Story from the Heart...
I am often asked, "What made you choose the beauty profession?" Actually the profession chose me. My parents were stylists in a small town, in fact, my Father was one of the first male stylists in the country. As a child, I watched my parents work relentlessly & chase their dream. At an early age as you can imagine, I was required to "assist" in the salon pushing a broom, answering phones & stocking make-up shelves. I instinctively knew someday I would make a difference in the beauty industry somehow. As a very young woman eager to prove myself, I begged my way to a position with a local cosmetic company & achieved Top 10 in national sales. I eventually worked 15 years for Estee Lauder Companies as Field Sales Manager achieving Elite Status, again top 10. I was responsible for 83 stores, now known as Macy's. I truly thank my Mother who consistently "modeled" her work principles & love for the industry. Her clients absolutely adored her & I learned how you treat a client is everything. Actually, she named me after two favorite clients of hers & apparently the nicest women she ever met, Janet & Elaine, hence my first & middle name. Her dream was if she had a daughter; to be as "kind" in disposition. As years passed, I earned numerous beauty awards and named "Best Customer- First" in the hair care industry. I truly believe you can get anywhere in life you desire with relentless hard work but NEVER should "gain" be at the expense of "stepping on toes" along the way. Learning well as a manager, my role is to inspire & lead by example to help others be their "best". Sometimes people don't know what they can do until you hold their hand & lead the way. Little did I know...I was about to be given a test of a lifetime.
I met a 6 year old little girl who changed the course of my life forever. She was "challenged" & desperately seeking a mentor, imagine at age 6? I explained to her I could not "stay" as I knew circumstances involved. She collapsed on the floor crying & asked who would take care of her as I attempted to ignore the visible self-mutilation on her arms. My life changed in literally one moment as I was "chosen" for my next role in life. I put my beauty career on "hold" for 3 years to dedicate my love & energy to a child who simply needed guidance & attention. It is an honor indeed when a child looks up to you & trusts implicitly you'll lead the way. I can't share the darkness of the situation but it challenged everything within me & who I was at heart. I was so hungry for "my familiar life" but could not leave her in the midst. In the meantime, I had to find a way to get back in the beauty profession; back to something I loved. I decided to learn another angle of beauty & enrolled in a prestigious beauty school & of course my parents were thrilled at the prospect. "Twenty years late but better now than never" I recall my Mother's laughter. To top it off, my inherited daughter was emphatic about my "report card". After all, she had to be a good student & so did I in her eyes. Besides, it was downright "cool" having her mentor in school just like herself. Needless to say, to set a great example, I graduated with Top Honors & became a Paul Mitchell Educator & eventually the School Director with 300 students; the largest school in the nation. The message? You can change anything you don't like in life with hard work & perseverance. "When life hands you lemons; make lemonade" and I say, "Make everyone want the recipe". If you have experienced great hurdles in your life whether sadness, illness or fought because you believe; celebrate yourself as we all admire those with strong character. Dream. Believe. Achieve.
During beauty school, I recall wondering if I could really start a company all on my own. I picked up a pen and wrote down "stamps"; I would need "stamps". At the end of the year, working relentless hours & sleeping little, I launched my company & my checklist was completed; far more than just a website. In the meantime, 15+ years later my beautiful daughter is now 23 years old; we taught each other how to "team" & make a dream happen.
Today, I have the opportunity to crave my bridal passion everyday of my life. I manage every aspect of the business & my team of artists are hand-selected bringing the best & most reliable wedding artists to you. Each artist exemplifies the same dedication, love & intensity for bridal beauty as I do. I know what to look for in an excellent artist (over 30 years of experience) & together we "team" and lead our Brides on a memorable wedding beauty journey. We sincerely hope you'll join in the celebration of passion & pure "love" with us as you begin the new chapter of your life!
XOXO
