Today we’d like to introduce you to Jessica James.
Jessica, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I’ve been doing makeup professionally for over twenty-two years. I’ve worked on national advertising campaigns for both print and television for clients such as Nike, AT&T, Pier One, Pizza Hut, JCPenny, and Southwest Airlines to name a few. I started thinking about what I wanted to do next. What was my next step? Do I want to launch my own beauty brand? Where do I start? The answer was simple, I need to start with something I know a lot about and that was false lashes. I’ve used false lashes on myself and my clients the entire length of my career. I was very frustrated with the selection in stores and online.
I found most of them to be too heavy or the lash band to be too thick and uncomfortable. Many were too expensive or they fell apart easily. I also listened to my clients and read hundreds of online reviews and found that I wasn’t alone in my frustration. I set out on a quest several years ago to create my own lash line and address these concerns. My lashes are cruelty-free. Made of either Silk or Faux Mink. They are priced mid-range at $15.00 and can be worn over and over again. Currently, I have nine styles in my collection to fit a variety of eye shapes. False lashes are like shoes, not every pair is going to work for every single person. If taken care of, each lash can be worn up to 15 times or more.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
The easy part was creating the lashes and designing the packaging. The hard part…. well, I’m a creative person, so sitting down in front of a computer to analyze numbers on a spreadsheet or learning all the ins and outs regarding taxes was absolute torture. I also had to turn my guest room into a shipping station.
None of this was at all fun to me. However, it had to be done and I had to figure it all out. I spent many long days in my pajamas without showering glued to my laptop educating myself on subjects that made my head spin. I’m still learning. The internet has been a very valuable tool for me. I’ve learned just about everything I need to know from a simple google search. Luckily, so many entrepreneurs before me have paved the way for such things and are willing to share their knowledge.
We’d love to hear more about your work.
My hands-on experience in the beauty industry has really given me the tools and knowledge to know what consumers want in a false lash. I try to offer a variety of styles so anyone can wear them. They are lightweight and easy to apply.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Success to me is being able to do a job that you love, live comfortably and have time to spend with family and friends. I’m a mom to three girls, Skylar is 16, Brayden is 14 and Rowyn is 9. My husband Drew is a Firefighter. We all worked really hard to get the business going and to keep it going. The girls help run my social media. My husband packs and ships out orders. I have the best co-workers!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.jessicajamesbeauty.com
- Phone: 9725331148
- Email: jess@jessicajamesbeauty.com
- Instagram: jessicajamesbeauty
- Facebook: Jessica James Beauty
Suggest a story: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
