Today we’d like to introduce you to Sparkle Williford.
Sparkle, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
My journey to becoming a lashpreneur did not begin until after moving to Dallas from St. Louis in the fall of 2015 (Go Cards!!). I moved to Dallas filled with hope and aspiration looking to take advantage of the many opportunities that Dallas had to offer. I was determined to achieve success in order to open doors of opportunity for my children.
My main goal after moving to Dallas was to begin a business in the fashion industry. I wanted to start my own clothing brand. After days of research, I quickly learned that to build a clothing brand was going to require a lot more funds than I was able to invest at the time. My full-time job was not going to allow me to spend the money needed to fund my clothing business, therefore, I had to research other ideas on how to make extra income doing something that I would love.
I reached out to a few friends and family members to get their input on what kind of business I should pursue. Many of them already knew that I loved fashion, so most of the suggestions I received were pertaining to fashion. Lol!! A friend of mine who was also looking to start a business suggested that we both look into the beauty industry. I thought that was a great idea because to me, beauty and fashion go hand and hand. After agreeing upon the idea, something immediately happened that gave me confirmation about me doing lashes.
While at my day job the next day, I noticed a young woman with some long gorgeous lashes. Of course, I wanted to get closer to see what type of lashes she was wearing, so I made my way over to make conversation. As I begin speaking to her, I noticed that she was wearing lash extensions. They were Amazing!! I couldn’t wait to get off of work to tell my friend about the lady I saw with the lashes.
After work, I spoke to my friend and informed her about the lady who I saw at my workplace wearing the perfect set of eyelash extensions. We both laughed because it was such a coincidence of how this lady appeared the next day. The lady I spoke of was the first person I’d seen since moving to Dallas that had on eyelash extensions. It didn’t take much talk afterwards for my friend & I to agree upon us both becoming lash technicians. It made sense for me to begin this type of business especially since I had been wearing lash strips for years. Lashes + Fashion= ME… I, myself love to feel glam, so being able to offer glam services to others would be perfect.
After doing research about the lash business, I was able to find a lash school that would allow me to obtain a lash license in a decent amount of time, provided a discount on tuition, offered a payment plan for tuition, and had hours that would work around my full-time job.
I enrolled in Express Lash and Makeup Academy in Feb. 2017. The first time meeting my instructor, Mrs. Crysta, I saw right away that she had the personality, passion, experience, and expertise that I was looking for to help me complete the lash program. The eyelash extension course was 4 months long, but it seemed longer. It was definitely a struggle for me to commit to attending a 4hr class Mon-Friday after work, then turn around and come back on Saturdays to another 8 hours of class. I thank God for blessing me with a great support system to help me with my children while attending school. My friends were truly a blessing and I’m so grateful for the help they provided to me during my journey.
In June of 2017, I finished the eyelash extension program. I passed my state exams in August 2017, then later received my licensed. Shortly after receiving my license, I began searching for locations to do business. I was soon referred to Mr. Marcus, the owner of TheSalon972 located in North Dallas. After speaking to Marcus, viewing the location (which was perfect), and meeting the salon team I knew that TheSalon972 would be a great place for me to begin my lash business.
In August 2017, I began doing business as Pretty Winks Lash Studio inside of my own private suite located inside of TheSalon972. While doing business there I learned so much from Mr. Marcus and the other seasoned entrepreneurs who had been in the beauty industry for years. I was in constant student mode trying to soak up any and all information that would help me to grow my clientele. After being in business my first year, I was able to take the knowledge provided to me and relocate my business into a new space which would allow more opportunity for growth.
Mr. Marcus referred me to LS Studios in Richardson, TX where I met Ms. Stephanie, the owner. After speaking to Ms. Stephanie I learned that she was also a fellow lashprenuer who has been in business for several years and owned two lash studios. Mrs. Stephanie made me feel very welcome and made it very clear during our meeting that I would be in business for myself, but not by myself. Hearing those words on top of knowing her background as a lash artist gave me a sense of relief, happiness, and pure motivation. She was definitely someone I could trust to help me with growth and direction for my business.
I began doing business as Pretty Winks at my new location in November 2017. I have joined an amazing team of entrepreneurs and with their help, I am able to provide a beautiful space of relaxation, fun, and glam to my clients. I Love It!!
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The road to success is never easy. One of the main things I struggled with in the beginning was marketing. I had in mind that social media would be my main marketing tool for business growth. After being disappointed a few times, I quickly changed my mindset about what I needed to do to market my business. Of course, my instructor and fellow entrepreneurs gave me a heads up on what to do, but I didn’t listen right away. Entrepreneurship will definitely teach you some life lessons quickly. Lol!
The advice that I would give to other women who are new business owners or who are looking to become a business owner is to… Never Give Up!!! There will be many moments during your journey in which you will want to quit, but you have to remain focused on why you began your journey in the first place. You must stay confident in yourself, believe in yourself, stay passionate about your business, and always be willing to learn new things. It takes a lot of patience and faith for one to make it to the finish line, but you can do it.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Pretty Winks Lash Studio – what should we know?
At Pretty Winks Lash Studios, clients are offered the service of having their natural lashes enhanced by having eyelash extensions applied to each individual natural lash. As a lash artist, I specialize in different styles of eyelash extension applications so that my clients can choose a style that will suit any occasion. The types of lashes offered are eyelash extensions, individual lashes, and lash strips.
What I am most proud of as a brand is that I have been able to gain loyal clients that appreciate my work. I have been told by many of my clients that they see how passionate I am about what I do and they like the fact that I put forth so much time and effort into each glam session to ensure they are happy with the end results.
What sets me apart from others is that I actually listen to my clients and care about how they feel after each session. I do my best as a professional to provide the type of lash styles requested by each client, but we all know that sometimes the things we want are not always what we need. I apply certain lash styles based on the type of natural lashes each client has whether they are long, short, thin, full, wispy, etc… I also provide lash forms that provide in detail the services offered and the definition of eyelash extensions. Before each session, I allow each client to ask questions to ensure they are comfortable before giving consent. Keeping my client’s natural lashes healthy is one of my main goals on top of keeping them Gorgeous!!
Do you feel like there was something about the experiences you had growing up that played an outsized role in setting you up for success later in life?
I grew up around go-getters, most of who were family members or friends of the family. My grandfather had several businesses growing up which was a learning opportunity for me at a young age. Both of my grandparents would allow me to help with tasks such as product orders, keeping the property clean/organized, and keeping track of business expenses. I learned a lot and it was awesome to share those moments with my grandparents.
My mother is another person of influence to me. Growing up I remember her telling that I could be what ever I wanted to be as long as I put my mind to it & I believed her one hundred percent. My mom & grandmother would always tell me to get a better education so that one day I can teach them things that they never got the opportunity to learn. They both still say those words today, but now to my children & I love it.
Throughout my life I’ve held on to their advice & went on to graduate college with a Bachelors degree in Business Management, built my circle of entrepreneurial friends, moved to Dallas, & started two businesses. All of these moments have helped me to overcome past fears/negativity and has helped me to acquire the success I’ve had so far as a new entrepreneur. I am so glad that God has allowed me to share these moments with those dear to me & will continue to push forward to be a positive example for my children & to those who look for inspiration.
Contact Info:
- Address: 630 S. Central Expy., Ste. 200 Dallas, TX 75080
- Website: www.prettywinkslashstudio1.booksy.com
- Phone: 314-642-7204
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prettywinks_lashstudio/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/prettywinkslashstudio
Image Credit:
Noir Funk Creative Consultancy & Sparkle Williford
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