*Record scratch*
14 November 2019
A Letter To The Girl Who Didn't Just Want To Fit In!
*Freeze frame*
You're probably wondering how I ended up in this situation.
This situation being, of course, running my own lash extension artistry biz!
I don’t blame you for wondering.
It’s a bit of a wild story.
I didn’t go to beauty school. In fact, before a few years ago, I wasn’t even interested in fashion or beauty.
A few years ago, I was super busy being a professional poker player. Yup, like one of those people you see on ESPN. I bluffed and strategized my way into tens of thousands of dollars. It was incredibly fun and entertaining until it wasn’t.
Being a professional poker player is fun, FO SHO, but it’s also really freaking exhausting. After doing it for a few years, I just got so TIRED. I knew I needed a change.
But where do you go from being a professional poker player? Well, first, I tried to go into finance. I was good at math, right? I knew how to have tough convos. I figured business was a natural next step.
NOPE.
I haaaaaated working in finance. So I was looking for my next “thing” when I found myself in a lash extension training.
And lash nerds… something just CLICKED.
Even though I hadn’t been interested in beauty before.
Even though I had never even really had lash extensions before!
I just found the whole process so fascinating: it was part art, part science. I was totally, completely hooked.
I dove into all things lashes — learning what they are, how to apply them, and networking within the community. Before long, I was the lash artists who lashed all the lash artists. Say whaaaaa! The friendship I have created along the way are the most valuable of them all.
And the more I learned, the deeper I fell in love with the eyelash extension process. And, I was learning how to be a lash artist, I was also learning about the lash extension industry. What I learned helped me realize something else: I didn’t just want to be a lash extension artist. I wanted to share and teach all that I’ve learned.
After being urged by almost everyone of my #lashbesties. (you know who you are!) I embarked on my journey of an educator. Having the honour to share what I know with a 100+ other lash artist was one of my proudest achievements. Things could have ended there.
BUT… being the self starter and over achiever, I didn’t just want to be a lash educator, I wanted to transform the industry.
I saw so much potential in the lash extension industry: not just to create great products, but to help create resources and help for the whole community.
Now, you might have even noticed that Untamed is not like most other lash brands out there.
We chose bright primary colors instead of chic noir.
We offer FREE education instead of having an academy.
Ya girl has a hard time conforming to the norm most of her life.
Some call it fitting in, I call it living someone else's life.
When people were backpacking over Europe after their college graduation, I decided to drop out of college and “gamble” (as my friends and family would call it) for tens of thousands of dollars daily.
While all my poker friends are trying to become millionaires, I dropped out of the race to become “a nail girl” (as all my poker friends and family would call it).
Now fast forward to 2019 April, I took a leap of faith and flew across the Pacific Ocean.
I still remember getting hella emotional when I saw what I think will become the next UA product. Let’s just say, ya girl doesn’t get emotional easily (poker player, remember?). There might or might not have a small pool of tears in my eyes fighting not to come out. We will never discuss that again!
Creating a great brand was my starting point. As I dove deep into this project, I realized that what I really want is to create a place online where lash artists could go to nerd out and talk about all things lash extensions.
A place where there wasn’t competition: where we all got better by learning and sharing with each other.
A place where being weird or different and outside the box is applauded for. You don’t have to be the best lash artist to join the #lashnerdgang. You don’t have to be the most outgoing to be heard. You don’t have to agree with us to be included. Here at UA, the only way to fit in is to be you! And you only. Unapologetic you!!!
That’s why Untamed Artistry was born: to be a place for the lash obsessed to get together, learn, laugh, and nerd out on all things lashes.
This is the evening before Untamed Artistry finally unveil and show itself to the world. The past six months have been a hell of a ride for me. I will not sit here and tell you that it was full of sweat, tears and hard work. Well, okay, maybe there was a little of that.
What I do want to tell you, or myself as I read this again 10 years from now, is that I finally found myself in my happy place.
As a little girl, I always loved art and being a business woman was my “what I wanted to be when I grow up.” (Weird, right: what little kid wants that?)
That’s me, being “weird” since 1995.
I bumbled around most of my life feeling lost, looking for the THING.
For MY THING.
But, today, a couple years after I called off the “search” and just followed my happiness radar, I can say without a doubt that I have everything I’ve ever wanted and more.
So here is me telling you: follow the path of happiness, and happiness will find itself. Even when you find yourself on the side of minority, press on!
To all those who have supported me, I want to say a most sincere THANK YOU.
UA would not be what it is if wasn’t for your love and encouragement.
With every DM, every like, every purchase, you are supporting my dream.
The dream of a little girl who never felt like she fit in.
Now she is here to create a world where you never have to feel that way.
I can’t wait for you to see what we’ve created together!
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