Microblading 101: How to Succeed as a Brow Boss
Congratulations! You’ve completed your Ink & Arch certification or perhaps another amazing PMU course! Now what? Well, don’t worry, we’re always here to help! Here’s how Kelowna based Master Artist, Founder of Ink & Arch, and Brow Boss, Leanne Kuhn, launched her brow passion into the most sought after brow studio!
Practice, Practice, Adapt, Practice
The first step to success in any business is to practice once you’ve completed your education! Practice your mapping, your technique, and skills! Be open to change and challenge yourself - no one expects you to be a brow master on the first day. Founder of Ink & Arch, Leane Kuhn, was in the beauty industry for 10 years when she began her brow journey with world renowned brow and permanent makeup artist Monika Ludwiczak from Everlasting Brows.
Dive into the unknown and show up 1000% of the time!
Prioritize your Life
At the end of the day, you are the boss of your own life. Learn your priorities and make sure you keep what you want and your values in sight. Keep these priorities clear from the start of your career and that will keep you pretty darn grounded. Whether you started this career for financial freedom, being your own boss, or to provide for your family, remember why you started and who you started for (hint: the answer is for YOU) and that sense of self will translate into your passion for your work.
No Experience? No Problem!
Insecurity is a natural feeling. You’ve just completed your education and you feel like everyone around you is leagues ahead. But we all start somewhere. Your previous job experiences are still experiences and chances are you learned some pretty invaluable life skills. Network with friends and family, don’t be afraid to admit your newness to brows, but make sure that what you might lack in experience, you make up for with passion. You are a collection of experiences whether it’s customer service or sales. Each job was a lesson learned and skills developed. Identify your own strengths and carry that forward with you into your brow career.
Don’t be afraid to ask for advise! If you are swooning over a pair of brows that you absolutely love and just have a few questions just go ahead and ask. For example, what blade type? What Pigment was used? Can i get a tip on your Mapping technique? Feel free to reach out to that artist for a little tip or two. Most artists find it flattering when another artist compliments their work so do be timid to ask questions.
Comparing your journey to others’ isn’t fair to you and your hard work, so focus on your growth and show up for yourself!
Don’t Stress the Small Stuff
Ink & Arch Founder, Leanne Kuhn, started in a small room in her home before her business grew into a brow empire. Break your goals down into smaller, more achievable goals. That feeling of accomplishment is invaluable when it comes to combating any feelings of exhaustion or overwhelment. Perfect one technique until you are a master at it, then move on to the next. Don’t feel pressure to offer every service under the sun right off the bat. Start small, aim for perfection, move onto the next challenge.
MONEY, HONEY.
Price yourself fairly and comparably based on your experience. Research other brow artists’ pricing in your area, review their work, and come up with a fair yet competitive price for your services. And when it comes to tax time, hire an accountant. You’ll save tons of time and headaches when tax season inevitably starts knocking. Have a business account open and pay yourself out weekly. We also recommend having a separate account purely allocated to taxes and savings so you aren’t overspending your new income!
Self Care isn’t Just a #Hashtag
Take care of yourself! Give yourself a day off like any other job would! Unplug from your social media and invest in yourself. There is a lot of pressure on many Aestheticians to be available 24/7, but we know this isn’t exactly realistic. Make sure your clients are aware of days off you have during the week -- whether you give yourself a set schedule or if that changes weekly, make sure your clients know to book accordingly and don’t feel guilty for resting!
Being your own boss isn’t easy. It’s important to be realistic with yourself and what your own needs are. Ask yourself if the level of energy and time and hard work you’re putting into your career is sustainable. What does success look like to you? Are you willing to push through the hard days? Understand the boundaries you’re willing to push and your hard stops -- these look different for everyone!
Work Smarter
Use the tools available to you, like a booking system or a calendar. You’re not just a brow artist, you’re a marketing professional, a therapist, a photographer, a sales lead, and so much more. And multitasking is hard! Remember to leave your work at the door, and unplug if you can! It might be hard seeing people’s eyebrows at the grocery store and mentally mapping their best brow look, but that’s what separates passion from work!
“I’m a Brow Boss -- it’s just what I’m good at!” - Leanne Kuhn