Meet Jillian Propes of The Beautifully Divine Brand

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jillian Propes.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
My entrepreneurial spirit developed at a very early age when my older brother and I started a lawn care service in our neighborhood. I was like the manager. I would knock on the doors and speak to the customers. I would figure out exactly what services they needed, negotiate a price and help my brother execute the service. I didn’t mind getting my hands dirty.

This entrepreneurial spirit stayed with me throughout life and when it was time for me to graduate high school and pick a college major, I knew a Business Degree was right for me. I always knew I wanted to own my own businesses & I started out pursuing a career in the music management industry. My sophomore year of college I joined my university’s marching band as a member of the color guard section. All the ladies in my section were required to purchase hair bundles, makeup, and eyelashes for our performances. It enhanced the overall cohesiveness of the section.

At this time, I had only just begun to wear hair extensions, but I was always into the hair. I had sat so many long days in those old-school beauty shops as a little girl waiting to get my hair pressed, perm, etc. that I had learned a lot about how to take care of my real hair. I fell in love with the quality of the bundles because I was able to treat them as if they were my real hair. A lot of the other girls in my section would always compliment me on how nice my hair looked. They would always ask for tips on how I kept it looking so healthy even with all the heat we applied to the hair when it was time to straighten or curl the hair for the game day. I would tell them what products I used and on game day I would help others with their eyeshadow, apply their eyelashes or curl their hair.

My brand just developed naturally, and I just knew the beauty industry was where my passion lied. I joined Mary Kay as a consultant for a year, which is where my business name originated. I love helping other women feel beautiful and empowered all while doing so at an affordable price. When I stopped doing Mary Kay I did my research on the virgin hair industry and launched my own brand the following year (2015) keeping the same store name “Beautifully Divine”. I started off making wigs for myself after finding the best virgin hair on the market. A lot of the girls from my section had grown to trust me to know what quality virgin hair was and give them tips on how to maintain it, so they became my first customers and my biggest supporters.

In 2017, I graduated from Prairie View A&M University with a bachelor’s in business administration. I moved back to Dallas to fully pursue my business and continue to build my brand. I recently added 100% Mink Eyelashes to my product inventory and the ladies in the DFW love them! My lash line is growing and thriving every day. My entire brand is thriving every day and I’m currently planning amazing things for 2018. I ship anywhere in the US, I deliver anywhere in Dallas, and I’m currently in the process of opening several physical locations.

Has it been a smooth road?
It certainly has not been a smooth road. There are times it feels as though life is getting in the way but it’s all just a process. You must trust your process and have faith that the what you’re going through is exactly what you were destined for. Every little moment adds to the bigger picture. I take every little thing and I learn from it and I try to find a way to grow from it.

When I was in college and struggling just to pay my rent, buy groceries, and put gas in my car to get to class sometimes I had to sit building my brand on the back burner. The thing about the back burner is…. it works just as well as the front burner it’s just not in the front. I never gave up on myself or my business. I always tried to do something that would contribute to the growth of my business. Even if the only thing I could afford to do at the time was watching YouTube videos on topics I needed more help with. I found other women who inspired me and when I was having a setback or a rough patch their journey encouraged me.

I struggled with finding people to support me. But I just had to learn that the people you expect to support you are probably not going to because they don’t see you as the person you’re becoming. They only see you for who you were to them and I had to be okay with that. I have friends I’ve known for 5 plus years who don’t support my business. I realized I didn’t have to find people to support me. The support was going to find me.

Another thing I struggled with was finances. Finding funding to really grow my business has been hard. A lot of the money I have made so far goes right back into the business. I use money from my part-time job to invest in my brand. This is a current challenge I’m facing in 2018 but I know if I keep seeking the right information and the right connections with the right people everything will fall into place. The third thing that I also currently struggle with is facing all the sacrifices I’ve had to make along the way to get to this point. This is by far my hardest struggle.

I’m so young and I’ve sacrificed a lot of big things and some small things to be in the right positions to succeed. I’ve had to sacrifice friendships, relationships, and even relationships with family members to manifest my vision. I decided to go to college as a first-generation college student with no way to pay for it, but I made sacrifices for 4 years and I made it to graduation. In 2018 I still sacrifice to build my business. I’m not saying I don’t have fun! But It’s all about balance. I must remind myself daily that everything will all be worth it in the end. Every decision comes with opportunity costs.

So let’s switch gears a bit and go into The Beautifully Divine Brand story. Tell us more about the business.
The Beautifully Divine Brand is still growing so there will be more products, services, and events in the future. Currently, we are a growing beauty brand based in the Dallas, TX area that seeks to empower women by allowing them to express themselves. We believe that through our 100% mink eyelash line and our 100% virgin hair collection, we allow women an avenue to be creative. One week you might want to wear a bold lash and the next week you might want a more natural look.

We believe our customers have the right to choose and change it up whenever & however they please. You want to try a new hairstyle or a new color? But don’t want to do it all with your real hair just yet? The Beautifully Divine Brand Virgin Hair can give these options to our customers. Our virgin hair collection can be cut, colored, curled, bleached, and will remain beautiful and luxurious. We enjoy offering women quality products at an affordable price that allows them to switch up their style however they want & as often as they want. We believe that the transformation women go through when they get their Beautifully Divine Virgin Hair installed is a form of art. The hair on a woman’s head is her crown and her glory.

What sets The Beautifully Divine Brand apart from others is our desire to have a personal relationship with our customers. We want our customers to feel like The Beautifully Divine Brand brings something to their everyday life. We try our hardest to engage actively on social media and be a brand that doesn’t just hide behind a website link and promotional codes. We want our customers to get to know the brand and be able to relate to us. We put a very personal touch on our interaction with our customers. The Beautifully Divine Brand also seeks to give back and be active in the community.

We are known for our quality products and that’s what makes us proud as a company. We love when our customers text us or post on social media how much they enjoy our products.

Where do you see your industry going over the next 5-10 years?  Any big shifts, changes, trends, etc?
The virgin hair industry is growing, and I believe it will continue to grow. The Beauty Industry is always changing and shifting based on trends. I see technology making great advances in the beauty industry and allowing certain high-end beauty techniques & secrets to becoming more affordable and accessible to the everyday women.

Social media plays a big part in this. New beauty trends go viral almost every week. I see my company being a game changer and having a hand in whatever will be the new trend in 5-10 years. One of our goals as a company is to be a big influence in the industry.

Pricing:

• Beautifully Divine Mink Eyelashes – $7
• Beautifully Divine Frontals – Start at $80
• Beautifully Divine Closures – Start at $50
• Beautifully Divine Wigs – Start at $200
• Beautifully Divine Bundles – Start at $65

Contact Info:

• Website: http://beautifullydivine.bigcartel.com/
• Phone: 972-936-9013
• Email: beautifullydivinehair@gmail.com
• Instagram: @beautifullydivinehair
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/beautifullydivinehair/

Image Credit:
Becky Shell

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