Untamed

In this episode, AnneMarie is joined again by Untamed Artistry’s Marketing and Creative Coordinator and expert lash artist Mackenzie Unsworth. This episode is full of love as AnneMarie and Mack talk about Mack’s start in the lashing business, how she got hired as Marketing and Creative Coordinator at Untamed Artistry, her love of her job and the lashing industry, and some of her hopes, aspirations, and advice for artists and the future of the industry in general.

The Untamed podcast is hosted by Cheryl Peng, Founder of Untamed Artistry and AnneMarie Lorenzini, CEO. Untamed Artistry provides professional lash artists with helpful knowledge and quality eyelash extension products (hand-tested in our lash nerd lab). Find great products and all the education you could ever want (with a healthy dose of quirk) at UntamedArtistry.com

Expect to hear:

• Mack’s grandmother encouraged her to become a lash artist at 17
• Finding UA on Instagram
• Surprising discoveries “behind the scenes”
• Advice on not getting sucked into influencer culture
• Learning how to ask for help- it’s necessary
• Navigating the lash industry - who can you trust?
• The future of the industry - sustainability, kindness, and support
• Career aspirations
• Proudest career moments
• Tips and tricks for self-care
• Questions from listeners
• Advice for aspiring young lash artists - stick with what is fulfilling, even if it’s non-traditional

Resources:

In this episode, AnneMarie welcomes back two previous guests - Roxie Reese of DFW Lash University, and Tianna Seo of The Lash Exchange. As women of color in the lash industry, Roxie and Tianna share some raw and uncut truths regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion. While the beauty industry is a diverse global market, the lash industry in the U.S. does not always reflect that. You’ll hear advice on how to make your business more diverse, either with clients or employees, tips for diversifying your branding and social media feeds, and some intense discussion around who may be making your lash products in other countries, and their deplorable working conditions.

The Untamed podcast is hosted by Cheryl Peng, Founder of Untamed Artistry and AnneMarie Lorenzini, CEO. Untamed Artistry provides professional lash artists with helpful knowledge and quality eyelash extension products (hand-tested in our lash nerd lab). Find great products and all the education you could ever want (with a healthy dose of quirk) at UntamedArtistry.com

Expect to hear:

• Some of the big moments of Roxie and Tianna’s careers
• DFW Lash University = “Diverse for Women” not “Dallas - Ft. Worth”
• Serving the masses - the wide spectrum of diversity in the industry
• Countering the claims that “my demographic is white” and “I can’t be diverse with a small team of 3”
• Equity within paid opportunities - balancing your time and value
• Advice for women of color in our industry
• Brand pillars and disruption
• Photo shoots and relatable, diverse looks
• Factory working conditions, sustainability, and supply chains
• Being conscious about starting your own product lines
• What’s next for Roxie and Tianna

Connect with Roxie and Tianna:

In this episode, AnneMarie welcomes Lana Wyer, Owner and Founder of LuxUncut. Lana started in the beauty industry at the age of 16. As a creative and entrepreneur, college was not in the cards for Lana, so she secretly dropped out to focus on her lash business. A year later she was fully booked and fielding requests for training in her methods. After several setbacks, Lana moved to the UK to try her hand at the lash business there. Upon recently returning to the U.S, Lana’s current focus is on social media, content creation, and education. We hear a little tease about her upcoming projects and dig deeper into Lana’s guidelines for branding yourself and your business.

The Untamed podcast is hosted by Cheryl Peng, Founder of Untamed Artistry and AnneMarie Lorenzini, CEO. Untamed Artistry provides professional lash artists with helpful knowledge and quality eyelash extension products (hand-tested in our lash nerd lab). Find great products and all the education you could ever want (with a healthy dose of quirk) at UntamedArtistry.com

Expect to hear:

• About Lana and her path - art, beauty, and community service
• Lana’s move to the UK
• The setbacks - Lana saw rejection as “redirection” - building from a new foundation
• New goals and directions - no more hustle culture and now focusing on the positive
• Social media and content creation is part of Lana’s new focus
• Advice for developing your brand – get to know yourself and what you love foremost
• Branding words and concepts - how Lana takes those to brainstorm a brand
• The outlook for the next year - discipline and purpose, not motivation, keeps her going
• Starting young - a level of ignorance and feeling of invincibility
• What Lana wishes she knew then - surrounding herself with knowledge and mentors would have prevented many missteps
• Keeping focus on yourself and your strengths - affirmations help, keep it healthy, rewire to be inspired!
• Advice to young lash artists - you’ve made the right decision to join a rapidly growing industry, focus on your uniqueness!

Resources:

In this episode, AnneMarie welcomes back Roxie Reese of DFW Lash University. Roxie is both a passionate educator and a successful entrepreneur - serving as a role model and working to create opportunities for her community. Roxie’s passion for the industry started when she enrolled in a lash licensing program that did not live up to her expectations. This experience drove her to curate a learning experience that would inspire and empower women to take control of their future.

The DFW Lash University program offers scholarships, mentorship, and workshops that go beyond the basics. Roxie Reese stands by her mission: Passion is easy, execution is hard, and improving the beauty industry by empowering the lash artist and master educators of the future. DLU’s program allows you to obtain your license from the comfort of your home, and the program focuses on building a sisterhood inclusive of single mothers, nurses, high school graduates, and even established lash artists who are looking to level up their business.

You’ll hear how Roxie started lashing, her journey to founding DLU, and her advice on building teams, hiring talent, and creating community within the lash industry.

Expect to hear:

• Roxie’s background and journey, starting DLU (DFW Lash University)
• Roxie’s sense of purpose, serving a community, being a role model
• Combating negative stereotypes
• Balancing ambitions and prioritizing deliverables
• Running a school - advice for anyone interested - know your costs, how many employees, and the importance of a team
• Roxie’s focus on community
• Side note to any interested students outside the state of Texas - you can still enroll, but the license is only valid in TX
• How to prioritize all your grand ambitions
• Advice for hiring staff and who to hire first
• Roxie’s unexpected challenges running a beauty school
• Advice for lash artists - push through the tough times, show up for yourself, and customer service is always number one

Resources:

In this episode, new mom of baby Avery - Cheryl - returns, and she and AnneMarie take a trip down memory lane. From reflecting on the last 3 years to the future vision for UA, the learnings and challenges along the way, and valuable advice from Cheryl and AnneMarie, you’ll hear some stories about the founding journey that you may not have heard before.

In the second half of the episode, Cheryl and AnneMarie discuss sustainability, innovation, and taking big risks. They discuss the massive challenges they encountered when designing and developing new products, working with different manufacturers, and the plan to build in sustainability, innovation, and cost savings for them and for UA customers.

The Untamed podcast is hosted by Cheryl Peng, Founder of Untamed Artistry and AnneMarie Lorenzini, CEO. Untamed Artistry provides professional lash artists with helpful knowledge and quality eyelash extension products (hand-tested in our lash nerd lab). Find great products and all the education you could ever want (with a healthy dose of quirk) at UntamedArtistry.com

Expect to hear:

• Welcoming back Cheryl Peng - who is now a ‘morning person’ with baby Avery
• Untamed Artistry’s 3rd Anniversary! November 15th
• Cheryl’s future vision for UA three years ago - a friendly, fun, innovative community for all
• How Untamed has matured since the beginning
• Cheryl's favorite aspect of UA is its resilience
• Innovative product development - challenges and successes
• “UA shares!” - sharing knowledge and encouragement openly
• Our UA community of stylists - lifting us all up with purpose
• Cheryl’s biz advice- outsourcing is critical, hire experienced talent that aligns with your core values
• Innovation, sustainability, and the excitement around UA’s new product directions - debuting at the LashConference
• Creator’s Collection of lash trays and premades!
  • Other launch surprises - tweezer updates and more!
• Closing words to lash artists - be uniquely you

Resources:

In this episode, AnneMarie talks with Wednesday Wood, Owner and Lash Artist at Wicked Esthetics Lash and Brow Studio near Houston. This is the second part to their conversation with part one on Wednesday’s podcast ‘The Wicked Lash’ so be sure to check that episode out (link below). In this episode, you’ll hear Wednesday’s wins and challenging experiences as a salon owner who also rents booths to other artists. From the benefits of a steady stream of revenue to the risk of those renters taking their clients and leaving, her marketing and advertising tactics, and other great advice, Wednesday tells us how she has handled many different challenging situations while still coming out on top.

The Untamed podcast is hosted by Cheryl Peng, Founder of Untamed Artistry and AnneMarie Lorenzini, CEO. Untamed Artistry provides professional lash artists with helpful knowledge and quality eyelash extension products (hand-tested in our lash nerd lab). Find great products and all the education you could ever want (with a healthy dose of quirk) at UntamedArtistry.com

Expect to hear:

• Wednesday’s path to becoming a lash salon owner and artist
• Which to pick- booth renting vs employee vs. owning a salon?
• Advice on setting up both renting booths, employee structures, and owning a lash business
• How to manage lash artists that have potential, but don’t have the drive to level up
• Wednesday has rented and owned, shares her likes and dislikes, advice to others regarding large corporate chains
• The balance of giving to your employees, training them, and the risk of them leaving
• Non-compete agreements and contracts vs. holding someone’s career back - it’s about mutual respect between professionals
• Price point levels, salons vs homes, and the different types of clients – there is a structure for everyone’s preference
• Wednesday’s best branding tips - remember YOU are your business, be authentic
• How to attract new clients – Engagement through Facebook ads, be sure to set up all your Google info – hours, location, photos, etc., and get a website!
• Vagaro salon software for booking, rebooking, feedback and follow-ups
• Words of advice that Wednesday wishes she had received

Connect with Wednesday:

In this episode, AnneMarie talks with Leola Abondano, lash artist and founder of Bewitching Lashes in the Houston area. You’ll hear how Leola started out with a desire to do facials, but later discovered that lashing was her passion. The pandemic and other life events made it necessary for her to “start over” building her business multiple times, and last summer Leola launched her first piece of apparel. We’ll dig deep into LashCon 2022 - happening November 5-7th in Pasadena.  We’ll talk about how Leola is participating this year, and the fantastic parties and events that you can be part of. Don’t let your hesitancy or shyness prevent you from attending and meeting your lash icons. You WILL leave the event with one or more lash besties in this fun community.

The Untamed podcast is hosted by Cheryl Peng, Founder of Untamed Artistry and AnneMarie Lorenzini, CEO. Untamed Artistry provides professional lash artists with helpful knowledge and quality eyelash extension products (hand-tested in our lash nerd lab). Find great products and all the education you could ever want (with a healthy dose of quirk) at UntamedArtistry.com

Expect to hear:

• Leola’s path to becoming a solo lash artist
• Leaving a busy chain salon to go solo
• Keeping clients through economic downturns - loyalty clubs, customer service, holiday gifts
• Adding an apparel line- the challenges and rewards
• Advice on starting in apparel - just start with one piece, post the graphic image online and see what the response is! Stay original, do your research.
• Dealing with people who steal her content
• Content creation tips – do a bunch in batches to post later, utilize planning apps to design
• How to get other lash artists to buy your merch
• Everything LashCon - how Leola is participating - sponsorship, swag bag, and a virtual booth on the app
• Building relationships at LashCon – the Pajama Party is a favorite of Leola’s
• Speakers and topics at LashCon
• Don’t worry about fitting in, just be yourself and you’ll find your tribe

Resources:

In this episode, AnneMarie talks with Samantha Klein, a lash artist that received her first set of lashes as a model for AnneMarie. Since that moment, Samantha fell in love with lashes and her life was changed as she became a lash artist herself - to help other women feel the empowerment she felt with her first set of extensions! Samantha shares some of the incorrect statements about lash extensions from her clients over the years, and how she responds to clients when they have been misinformed. AnneMarie and Samantha talk about retention, refills, different types of client lashes, how misinformation is spread online, and how they educate each client about each scenario.

The Untamed podcast is hosted by Cheryl Peng, Founder of Untamed Artistry and AnneMarie Lorenzini, CEO. Untamed Artistry provides professional lash artists with helpful knowledge and quality eyelash extension products (hand-tested in our lash nerd lab). Find great products and all the education you could ever want (with a healthy dose of quirk) at UntamedArtistry.com

Expect to hear:

• Samantha’s background in the lash industry
• From being unhappy at work to finding a passion to now working in management
• The dangers of being treated terribly at work. Your self-worth can really be affected
• Running your own lash studio vs. working for someone else
• Misinformation about lashes - some of the things Samantha has heard in the salon
• Client education about lashes - clearing up misconceptions with honest responses
• Refills, retention, and different types of customer lash applications
• Advice for other artists: Don’t give up, the industry can be so rewarding!

Connect with Samantha:

In this episode, AnneMarie talks with Breanna Toines, Co-founder of Fabulash Faces in Neosho Missouri. A very young Breanna went into business with her mom doing lashes when there were no other aesthetic beauty service businesses in town. Years later, there is a booming community of beauty services in their area, and Breanna has become a niche specialist in “natural” lashes. You’ll hear what it was like to open a business with family in a small town, the bumps in the road along the way, the emergence of social media as a platform for business promotion, and Breanna’s advice for others considering starting something in their area.

The Untamed podcast is hosted by Cheryl Peng, Founder of Untamed Artistry and AnneMarie Lorenzini, CEO. Untamed Artistry provides professional lash artists with helpful knowledge and quality eyelash extension products (hand-tested in our lash nerd lab). Find great products and all the education you could ever want (with a healthy dose of quirk) at UntamedArtistry.com

Expect to hear:

• Welcome and a little bit about Breanna’s background and path to lashes
• Going into business with mom - a great partnership in this case
• Overcoming the conflicts of working with family- setting boundaries
• Starting a business in a town where there are no other aesthetic businesses- Breanna and her mom paved the way!
• Marketing -  A website is crucial, reviews are a close second, and social media - what didn’t work - a local billboard
• Goals in the next 3-5 years - bringing on staff, mom retiring, going solo?
• Tips - Find a niche/unique segment of the industry in your area - Breanna specializes in “natural” looking lashes - focused on a balanced, enhancing look

Connect with Breanna:

In this episode, AnneMarie takes you step by step through some of her best business practices.  From keeping a lid on spending, to making your bed and salon comfortable, creating a professional website with booking functions, and some ideas for creative promotions to attract or retain clients, you’ll definitely get something useful out of this episode. Whether you’re just starting out, or a long-time pro, tune in and see if there are some new tips and information you can use to improve your lashing business and set yourself up for success!

The Untamed podcast is hosted by Cheryl Peng, Founder of Untamed Artistry and AnneMarie Lorenzini, CEO. Untamed Artistry provides professional lash artists with helpful knowledge and quality eyelash extension products (hand-tested in our lash nerd lab). Find great products and all the education you could ever want (with a healthy dose of quirk) at UntamedArtistry.com

Expect to hear:

• AnneMarie’s background in the beauty industry
• What’s your why? Considering why you want to be in the lash industry. If it’s only money, and you don’t like people, you probably won’t find lashing satisfying long-term.

Tip #1 - Don’t overspend

• It’s fun to buy and try everything, but buy sparingly
• Make your salon space cozy - but how to do it affordably
• The salon environment - start small and replace/refresh when items are worn out or expired

Tip #2 - Customer service

• This will bring customers back much more often than your skill set
• Pre-book, follow-up, be proactive

Tip #3 - Professional software

• Website
• Instagram pages
• Booking software (VagaroPro is AnneMarie’s favorite)

Tip #4 - Creative promotions

• Give them time to provide results
• Referral promotions that give cash back are often successful
• Consider your expenses/overhead when creating promotions
• Promo Idea: Full set with “free” refill. This encourages the client to come back and allows you to begin building a long-term client relationship

Resources:

In this episode, AnneMarie welcomes Monique “Mo” Hamil, owner and lash artist at Lash Out near Houston, Texas. Mo has a Bachelors degree in Business and has been in the beauty industry for over 20 years. It was only after managing a hair salon for many years that Mo took a lashing course and found her life’s passion. She has now been a lash artist and salon owner for over 10 years. Mo is focused on building the “community vs. competition” between lash artists across the U.S.,and AnneMarie and Mo speak candidly about the pros and cons of working in someone else’s lash salon vs. owning your own/working on your own.

In the last segment, Mo shares her dreams and goals for “Lash Bash”- a community event that invites lash artists of every skill level to come and meet each other, find new friends, talk about business opportunities, and more. For the 2023 Lash Bash, Mo plans a multi-city tour so watch for this event happening near you!

The Untamed podcast is hosted by Cheryl Peng, Founder of Untamed Artistry and AnneMarie Lorenzini, CEO. Untamed Artistry provides professional lash artists with helpful knowledge and quality eyelash extension products (hand-tested in our lash nerd lab). Find great products and all the education you could ever want (with a healthy dose of quirk) at UntamedArtistry.com

Connect with Monique Hamil:

In this episode, AnneMarie gives you an overview of all the policies and forms she uses for her salon, including digging down deep into terminology, phraseology, and examples. She reviews each section and explains what each means, to show you that the way your policies are written should protect you from issues 99% of the time. From payment terms to no show/cancellation charges, medical history and allergies, to specifics on that client’s lash design, documenting natural lash condition, to follow-up and aftercare - this is a tactical, practical guide to setting up your paperwork to protect yourself and your client.

You’ll want to keep this episode handy as a reference when you are formulating your policies and creating your forms, and remember, send a DM if you need some additional advice.

The Untamed podcast is hosted by Cheryl Peng, Founder of Untamed Artistry and AnneMarie Lorenzini, CEO. Untamed Artistry provides professional lash artists with helpful knowledge and quality eyelash extension products (hand-tested in our lash nerd lab). Find great products and all the education you could ever want (with a healthy dose of quirk) at UntamedArtistry.com

Expect to hear: 

In this comprehensive episode, AnneMarie takes you through:

• Policy Form with Credit Card Capture
• Client Intake Form
• Lash Design Form
• Service Waiver and Release Forms
• Continuity of care = continuity of business

Resources:

In this episode, AnneMarie is joined by lash powerhouse Shelby Tarleton, the Austin Texas lash mogul who has built a successful empire that includes her own salon with multiple lash artists, a podcast, a state-approved lashing school (Lash Boss University), a pro-shop, and even a lash conference. Shelby shares some insightful knowledge about client retention and how to achieve it, including looking at your client statistics and rebooking reports run from your salon software.  Is your client retention rate at 85%? It should be. Are you aware of the full experience that your client has, from your welcome email to what they smell as they enter your salon, to what they receive as a service vs. what they were expecting? All these little things factor into a client’s decision to return, or not.

The Untamed podcast is hosted by Cheryl Peng, Founder of Untamed Artistry and AnneMarie Lorenzini, CEO. Untamed Artistry provides professional lash artists with helpful knowledge and quality eyelash extension products (hand-tested in our lash nerd lab). Find great products and all the education you could ever want (with a healthy dose of quirk) at UntamedArtistry.com

Expect to hear:

• If you are constantly in need of new clients, there may be something wrong.
• Getting good client retention. What do the clients experience from start to finish with your service?
• The client perspective. What do they see? What are their thoughts?
• The importance of keeping your station clean, put things away as you go, a client may not say anything but their brain will notice the lack of cleanliness in your studio
• Elevating the client experience with small touches throughout the studio
• How do you know a client is not rebooking?
• Prebooking is key to retention. If a client is not prebooking, they may not be satisfied with your service.
• How to effectively prebook every client
• Thoughts on online booking
• What should you look at in your salon reports?
  • Productivity - are you 90% booked? Time to raise rates!
  • First-time vs. returning client prebooking rates
  • Do your clients purchase retail products from your salon? Do you sell them!?
• The benefits of selling retail.
• Re-educating clients when new lash care or techniques are discovered.
• How to raise your pricing!
• Have you had a client suggest something and felt defensive? This may be an opportunity for you to better your client experience!
• Shelby’s thoughts on the state of the industry today

Connect with Shelby:

In this episode, AnneMarie is joined by Untamed Marketing Coordinator and expert lash artist Mackenzie Unsworth. Mackenzie is here to help talk through some of the difficulties lash artists may encounter when applying classic sets. From technical tips to make these sets look fuller, last longer, and not damage natural lashes - to time-saving and pricing recommendations - Mack is happy to talk with us and encourage anyone who may be discouraged or “anti-classic lash sets”. They can and do take time, but it’s just important to practice, focus, and build your skills with some of the tips Mack shares with us today.

The Untamed podcast is hosted by Cheryl Peng, Founder of Untamed Artistry and AnneMarie Lorenzini, CEO. Untamed Artistry provides professional lash artists with helpful knowledge and quality eyelash extension products (hand-tested in our lash nerd lab). Find great products and all the education you could ever want (with a healthy dose of quirk) at UntamedArtistry.com

Expect to hear:

• Cheryl had her baby and is enjoying her newest journey as a mother! Catch up with Cheryl’s journey on Instagram @agoodenoughhuman
• How to achieve a fuller look with classic sets
• How to attach to baby natural lashes without damage
• The difference of adding 7-10 tiny extensions to create a fuller look
• When classics look crooked – tip is to apply straight, not in the direction of the lash growth
• Some say classics don’t have good retention – but they absolutely do! It’s all in the technique, what you apply, and the adhesive you use (see our fav below!)
• When sets look messy - make sure you’re using the right diameters
• Managing client expectations
• Mack’s best tips on improving your classic technique – distance, direction, and layering make all the difference
• Attachment tips to get the best classic application
• Tips for avoiding “snags” when brushing out – check your work for stickies or lifted bases
• A discussion around pricing – don’t make your classic sets “wildly” cheaper than volume
• Send us your classic set photos on Instagram!

Resources:

Kari Bristow lays out some hard truths and shares some difficult times she’s been through in this episode of Untamed. From life growing up to finding her lash passion after years of doing hai to advice on balancing “hustle culture” with family time, Kari’s primary focus is helping others. Her mission is to transform any lash tech into a thriving and successful lash artist. As a lash educator (focused on retention techniques), Kari strives daily to live up to her motto: Educate, inspire, mentor, and connect. Join us for a truly inspirational and brutally real conversation where all three of us get very emotional talking about our journeys to where we are now.

Expect to hear:

• Kari’s background
• Kari’s Lash Retention Course
• How Kari regained the passion that she lost during the pandemic
  • Kari wishes she had permitted herself to “take a break” during the pandemic
  • Kari’s best advice for getting through the low times
• The journey of entrepreneurship and how it extends beyond just a P&L
• The story of Angelique from Barbados
• Motherhood, work, and sacrifice
  • Set up systems to work smoothly when you’re ready to become a mom
• Cheryl’s story about her mom and work
  • Look inside - is your drive motivated by your own past trauma?
• Make the time for your kids - every moment you can - quality if not quantity
• How to balance your own ego
• Kari, Cheryl, and AnneMarie share some tales from our very different childhoods

Connect with Kari Bristow:

Have you ever turned away a client because you “don’t know how” or “have not been trained” to work on their ‘type’ of hair or skin? Why haven’t you educated yourself and learned? Why haven’t you hired someone who knows how to perform their beauty service? You are not only leaving money on the table, but you do not have a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)-friendly environment in your business.

Educating yourself on a wide variety of clientele and their specific needs is always the right thing to do. Our guest today is Maria Michelle’lee, a Diversity In Beauty Expert, who educates industry members on how to become diverse and inclusive, whatever service you provide. Cheryl and AnneMarie get some serious and straight talk about what the BIPOC community experiences every day in the beauty industry (and in life) and Maria tells us what we can all do to make our services diverse, equitable, and inclusive for everyone because everyone deserves beauty.

Expect to hear:

• Maria’s 14-year career in beauty includes mastering the art of spray tanning on people of color
• Maria’s journey of doing something about the microaggressions in the beauty industry
• Overcoming the common defense of: “But my demographic…” or “But I only specialize in…”
• Putting out images of the type of clients you want to attract can be a slippery slope. Are you unintentionally excluding others?
• What is greenwashing?
• How to balance educating yourself on techniques and being honest about what you’re not good at doing
• Racism in the beauty industry as a client
• Racism in the beauty industry as a stylist
• Create your DEI mission statement. How to live it and defend your diverse staff against racist clients
• White saviors vs. white allies
• Is it time for client housecleaning? How to get rid of racist clients and make room for those who want your services
• If you are a stylist in the beauty industry, your services should be for every person, no matter their skintone

Resources:

Connect with Maria Michelle’lee:

“Just because you don’t have a horse to get where you want to go, don’t be afraid to use a donkey.”

We absolutely love this quote from today’s guest - digital business coach and consultant Linda Giang (pronounced, “yohng”). Linda recently left the corporate world to become an entrepreneur, and she is passionate about coaching others, especially women, to put themselves out there as entrepreneurs, and build businesses online. In this episode, we’ll talk about getting your clients to “fall in love with you” so that they become regular, loyal customers, no matter what business you’re in. Linda also shares some tips and tricks for social media, how to spot red flags when shopping for a coach, and what she sees for women entrepreneurs in the next ten years.

Expect to hear:

• Getting customers to fall in love – give clients what they’re looking for, listen, remember their preferences
• How can we get clients to stay “in love”? Utilizing loyalty programs, small discounts on services, and getting to know your repeat customers
• How to add value for your loyal clients
• Leveraging digital and social platforms– first, know what you want to achieve!
• Don’t get stuck in ‘analysis paralysis’!  Better done than perfect!
• How to identify “red flags” when shopping for a coach
  • Linda shares her own experience
• Can you be a coach? Yes! All you need to be is a few steps ahead of who you’re coaching

Resources:

Connect with Linda Giang:

Have you ever wanted to create an online course but don’t know how? In this episode, we chat with Claire Hooper, Beauty Business Educator, on how to create an online course. And the best part is that this episode will teach you how to do this for any online course you want to create! Claire shares how she found her passion and purpose in the industry – she still does lashes and makes clients feel beautiful - AND she helps beauty entrepreneurs create online courses and build email marketing systems to take it to the next level. She promises that with the right technology and some simple tips and tricks, your entrepreneurship/solopreneurship journey can be a lot simpler.

Expect to hear:

• Claire’s journey from working with children to becoming a lash artist and educator
  • A different trajectory from many in our industry
• How to learn what your superpowers are
• Why email marketing is a must and how to create content for your emails
• Creating an online education course. Your online courses don’t have to be about beauty – follow your passions! Journaling, yoga, etc.
• Online course options– ebooks, audio files, slideshows – you don’t have to use video!

Resources:

Are you happy with your career as a lash artist? Do you feel pressured to do more – open your own salon, start a product line, create an educational course? A lot of what we see on social media about our industry makes us believe that this is the path that every lash artist should take. But what’s the reality behind achieving all those goals? Many times the results are neglected relationships, constant anxiety, and eventually, complete burnout. Our guest today is Maggie Keysor of Maggs Lashes. She’ll share her journey that includes all of the above!

Expect to hear:

• Maggie’s backstory and how beauty school was not the training Maggs hoped for
• Maggie’s innovative education approach
• How mindset is often a stumbling block of students
• How the pandemic was a gut-check for Maggs
• Her journey with energy work and curing her IBS by finding her happiness
• Maggie’s unconventional journey on stepping back from education and going back to “just doing lashes”
  • Breaking the mold on why “just doing lashes” is absolutely amazing and rewarding
• Moving to Texas and re-establishing her clientele
• Lash Religion, Maggie’s apparel line – cool understated clothes that doesn’t scream “I’m a lash artist”
• Signals to look for in ourselves, to show we’re overextended

Connect with Maggie Keysor:

Today’s guest is lash legend Lia Juhas, Founder and CEO of LiaLash. Lia gets real and shares her past struggles openly with Cheryl and AnneMarie. As a child of immigrants who grew up with a scarcity mindset, Lia finally transformed her life from a 24/7 hustle causing multiple periods of burnout to a life that truly aligns for her. We’ll hear how Lia shot into the spotlight very quickly early on and then realized that her business was eating her alive and taking her away from all the things she treasured in life – relationships, family, and creative energy.

Expect to hear:

• Lia’s background story and journey through the lash industry
• How and why Lia transitioned from lashing to teaching lashes
• The very real costs of hustling to make more money
• Owning a salon, starting a product line, being a trainer – was that as great as it sounds?
• How the lash industry perpetuates what lash artists “should” be aspiring to
• Lia's burnout - behind the scenes of success
  • How pandemic lockdowns forced Lia to stop and step back
• The myth of working harder to make money
  • Warning signs and toxic habits to watch for within yourself
• Balancing yourself with the pressures of hustle culture
• How Lia defines success these days
• Lia’s best advice

Resources:

Our last episode about business profitability with Tianna Seo was well-loved and started many side conversations with our listeners. In this episode, AnneMarie interviews Cheryl about her financial experiences which includes time as a professional poker player and financial advisor prior to starting Untamed Artistry. Tune in to hear much more about how lash artists should be thinking about money, the scarcity vs. abundance mindset, and some fascinating stories from Cheryl and AnneMarie about their own ups and downs around income, expenses, profit, and losses in the lash industry.

Expect to hear:

• Cheryl’s short-lived but incredibly useful stint as a financial advisor
• The calculated risks and learnings from Cheryl’s time as a poker player
• Cheryl’s experience growing up poor in China and then with abundance in Canada
  • The success found by Cheryl’s mom as an Asian immigrant in Canada
• Finding your winning mindset, abundance vs. scarcity, rich vs. wealthy, assets vs. liabilities
• Applying all this info to our listener’s specific needs as lash artists
• Influencers in the lash industry– toxic and false impressions on social media
  • Dissecting the “Can you buy two?” mindset and spending within your means
• The drudgery of bookkeeping – do it right and you won’t struggle later on
  • Tip: Flip the script– start with identifying how much money you want to take home!
• Tips for the beginning lash artist, including looking at your P & L from the start
  • If you haven’t looked at your P&L yet, that’s ok!  Just do it ASAP
• Separating business and personal expenses, credit cards, etc.
• Understanding that money is a tool, and everyone’s situation is different

Resources:

Are you running yourself into the ground, working six or more days a week, and still not earning what you had hoped you would in your lash business? Tianna Seo is here to give us a reality check –  trying to do it all is not sustainable for anyone. You, your loved ones, friends and family all suffer when you’re in overdrive 24/7 and you will inevitably end up burning out. Listen closely to Tianna’s story, because she truly wants the next generation of lash artists to learn from her mistakes. She advocates for shifting focus in the industry, to prevent other up-and-coming artists from feeling the need to take on the world and build a business overnight.

Expect to hear:

• Tianna’s story including her 12 years of experience (and some hellish years) that led Tianna to finding grace in 2022
• How to build a ‘sustainable’ business model
• How to prevent burnout
• Tianna’s Asian heritage and the drive for success
• Playing “keep up” vs. finding freedom
• Can you achieve the mythical “magic life” and become a six-figure lash artist?
• Tianna’s wisest tips for lash artists coming up through the industry
  • Don’t try to barrel through and build your business overnight, commit to a reasonable timeline!
• Tianna’s new life after quitting alcohol and soda, and slowing down
• Pitfalls to attempting the wrong business model – “Margins!” are everything
• Scaling back, and charging what you should in our luxury service industry

Resources:

In today’s two-part episode, AnneMarie and Cheryl first discuss their best suggestions for increasing your lashing speed, and in the last segment, tips and tricks for lashing during the summer months. From taking the right amount of time to learn and train, to keeping your eyesight in tip-top shape, to investing in the best tools and materials for your lashing business, Cheryl and AnneMarie review their own learning paths to success. In part II, rain, humidity, heat, and summer habits of your clients can all affect the lashing process. Find out how to adjust and keep your services top-notch all year round.

Expect to hear:

• How long it took AnneMarie and Cheryl to do their very first lash sets
• How to give yourself some grace while you’re learning and getting up to speed
• The stages of learning:
  • Observation
  • Practice
  • Processing
• Why scheduling learning blocks, or shorter practice sessions, is best for your learning process
• Why depth perception could be holding you back from increasing your lash speed and application quality
• How to communicate to your optometrist. They can help optimize your eyecare/eyewear, but only if they understand the details of what you’re trying to see
• Can adhesive make you faster? A look at fast and slow dry times
  • AnneMarie and Cheryl share their favorite adhesives for different situations
• Summer application tips
• Why and how your environment affects your lash application
  • Houston vs. Toronto climates for lashing

Resources:

In today’s episode, AnneMarie interviews Cheryl about creativity. As Cheryl puts it, everyone is creative in some way– it’s not limited to painting, drawing, or playing an instrument – if you think up ‘creative’ ways to work through problems or present your work, then you are creative. From tracking your creativity in a journal and watching for the ebb and flow, to tips and tricks for sparking creativity and preventing burnout, Cheryl and AnneMarie give you some excellent advice for maintaining your creativity in your life and your business.

Expect to hear:

• Cheryl’s self-analysis of her creativity
• How creativity stems from being curious and determining what you are creative in
• The ebb and flow of creativity and how to track it
• How to utilize your ebb and flow to your advantage. Tips include: Batching your content when you’re riding a creative wave
• How to handle a creative rut. #1- Don’t beat yourself up!
• The signs of burnout and losing your joy

Resources:

Are you happy with your work/life balance? Are you stressing yourself for clients day after day and only living paycheck to paycheck? It may be time for a mindset change. You can create the life that YOU want, but it may take some practice and methods to change your mindset. Our guest today is MacKenzie Graham, the Mack of MackLash. Mack transitioned from a full-time lash artist to a professional coach because she wanted to re-engineer her life and how she spent her time. Tune in to hear about Mack’s inspirational transformation and how she worked on her mindset and how she started sharing more of herself on social media to attract the right kind of clients to her business.

Expect to Hear:

• How Mack’s previous mindset included panic attacks and too much emotion attached to her content
• How to provide value in free content while still selling your paid content
• Basics you can implement today to improve your content
• Getting over the “I’m not creative” mindset
• Books Mack recommends (see links below)
• Money mindset – Do you have money trauma from your early family life like Mack?
• Determining if you have the right profit margin for your business and life goals
• You can structure your life however you want to! We only get one shot at this human life. Don’t do what society, your mom, or YOU think you have to do.

Resources:

Are you hesitant or struggling to capture new clients through Instagram? Not sure of exactly what content to post to get customers to book with you? Our very own Sydney Nanton, Untamed Artistry’s Marketing and Media Manager, is with us again to share more Instagram how-to’s. From content do’s and don’t’s, to education, to including a “call to action,” Sydney gives us the best methods, proven statistics, and some technical tips on Instagram posts that will “entice and excite” followers and turn them into clients.

Expect to Hear:

• Check out the previous episode with Sydney - link below!
• What’s the current Instagram temperature with people?
• How to excite and entice followers with your content
• The do’s and don’ts of photos
• Determining your specialty and how to promote that
• The benefits of having others envision themselves in your studio through the content you create
• Content types that appeal to clients… and what to avoid
• The fundamentals of content creation
• Maximizing your link in profile
• The “seven exposures” statistic

Resources:

Many lash artists get stuck when faced with how to get clients to return after their full set/initial appointment. It’s not always evident that fill appointments are the actual bread and butter of your business, and not all of us are confident about how to keep clients on the books and coming back every two weeks for fills. It’s part client education, part pro-active booking, and also tuning in to how your client responds to their first full set and making sure communication channels are wide open.

Tara Walsh, Owner of The Lashpreneur, is with us today to talk about all things client retention.  From how to use bad reviews as an opportunity, to setting boundaries, to pricing your services correctly to be profitable, Tara tells it like it is and doesn’t hold back. She pushes lash artists to be confident, to create a business and schedule that they enjoy working in, and how to keep clients happy and returning regularly.

Expect to Hear:

• Tara Walsh and Lashpreneur intro
• The importance of mental health and common struggles of entrepreneurs
• The work involved in gaining a returning client and a breakdown of what keeps clients coming back- hint, client communication is often overlooked
• Shifting your mindset to exceed your expectations
• Common myths about clients
• Pricing strategies
• The Lashpreneur Society- what it is and how it will benefit you

Resources:

In this episode, we’re providing you insider info on setting up your lash studio environment. We’ll tell you about some of the mistakes we made early on in our careers so that you don’t make the same ones. From blowing your budget furnishing your entire salon to skimping on your client's bed, forgetting about how well your adhesive works when you don’t monitor your environment, and making sure your client is completely comfortable (no matter how they prefer their environment) with heat, blankets, air-conditioning, etc. We’re going to discuss every tiny detail so you stay on track with your budget, retain clients, and control your environment so it doesn’t control you.

The Untamed podcast is hosted by Cheryl Peng, Founder of Untamed Artistry, and AnneMarie Lorenzini, Managing Director of Untamed Artistry. Untamed Artistry provides professional lash artists with helpful knowledge and amazing eyelash extension products (hand-tested in our lash nerd lab). We want to make you successful by giving you high-quality products and showing you what you need to use them well. Find great products and all the education you could ever want (with a healthy dose of quirk) at www.untamedartistry.com

Expect to Hear:

• Cheryl’s early days furnishing her studio spaces, mistakes were made
• Don’t rush, do your research, get necessities only first
• Don’t focus on the spaces like entryway decor where the client spends 30 seconds
• AnneMarie’s first spaces, salon room setups
• Our deep dive into the salon furnishing essentials - client bed, equipment storage, stool/chair, and lighting
• Non-negotiables to assure your adhesive is perfect: hygrometers, humidifier/dehumidifiers, air-conditioning
• Fume extractors for comfort and safety
• Sanitation practices
• Taxes, cash, and credit cards
• Nice to have’s:
  • Waiting area - pre-and post-visit activities, social media content photos
  • Minifridge for beverages and snacks- keep it full and contents front-facing!
  • Berkey water filter
  • High-end decor - art, plants, creating the vibe
  • A great bathroom - including usable touch-up/refresh toiletries, sample size retail products
  • Salt lamps
• Don’t forget the music– get a nice Bluetooth speaker, relaxing music
• Visit a spa you or your clients love, get inspired, and take some ideas from their setup
• Take your time, it’s an evolution that is always changing

Resources:

Our guest today is Lorena (Lor-REE-nah) Ashmore, podcast host, author, lash artist and Founder of Dear Lash + Love, an online retail shop selling lash-inspired apparel and accessories to beauty professionals and salons.

Join us as we talk about Lorena’s “accidental career” as a social media influencer, her tips and tricks for content creation, and how to stay laser-focused on your business goals. We’ll hear how to build your personal brand on social media, balancing work and mom life, and marketing yourself with storytelling.

Expect to Hear:

• In an open conversation we ask Lorena:
  • How did you decide to do everything your own way, not following the “rules”
  • You seem like a natural ‘social influencer’ – was there anything in your background that led to this?
  • What advice can you give to someone who might want to become an influencer?
  • What was the lightbulb moment that sent you in this direction?
  • Your confidence is very striking, you don’t hold back - where did that come from?
  • Your content is very intentional, yet seems so organic, any tips on how to create content like this?
• Lorena’s path to her current career
• Find out what makes you unique, tell stories
• The desire for passive income is everywhere, but it takes a lot of work
• Surgery, covid, and pregnancy

Resources:

Are you in business (or planning to go into business) with your spouse or significant other? How do the two of you divide and conquer your business? In this episode of Untamed, Cheryl Peng and AnneMarie Lorenzini are speaking with married business partners Tussanee and Paul Luebbers, who together run Integrity Lash, host the long-running podcast, “LashCast” and also organize the largest lash convention in the world, LashConference.

Their path to success has not been easy. Paul and Tussanee reveal some very personal details about their troubled “seasons” (as they call them) in the past, in the hope that they can help others through some of the rocky times couples may experience doing business together. From prioritizing family time to showing grace and respect for each other’s skills and shortcomings, they let us in on what it’s like to spend 24/7 with your spouse, and how to navigate the ups and downs of family and business.

Expect to hear:

• How Tussanee founded Integrity Lash back in 2005
• The transition of Paul moving from film to the beauty industry
• Breaking the conventional wisdom that says don’t go into business with friends and family
• Humility and sacrifice must come from both partners
• Key considerations before entering a partnership with a spouse
• Advice for expecting moms in business partnerships
• Paul breaks the gender norms of the male breadwinner
• Financial considerations when getting into a business partnership

Resources Mentioned: