Today we’d like to introduce you to Tina Mitoyan.
Hi Tina, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I started building my portfolio over 11 years ago and I would even publish listings on Craigslist to get jobs as a newbie. It was funny because I would have to republish my listings every time as they’d expire after a few days. I was always committed from the beginning and I never gave up. It was definitely an interesting experience. I would book random production jobs and even work on some pretty cool music videos for some of the very well-known rappers. I eventually realized I wanted to pick up hairstyling as I started working with brides and they’d prefer someone who did both. I taught myself how to do intricate hairdos. My first bridal party experience included ten updos. It was kind of a go big or go home type of situation. I was nervous but I pulled through, and since then I’ve worked on thousands of weddings.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Does any successful story really have a “smooth road” though? That’s the ultimate question. In 2016, I officially quit whatever part-time job I had going on. I was holding onto it, I think I was a bit scared to pursue a small business altogether with the fear of not succeeding. At this point I was four years into the business and had plenty of experience under my belt so I decided to go all in. Let’s just say it was the best decision I ever made.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
I specialize in bridal hairstyling and makeup and have worked with many brides and bridal parties all over LA. I also do beauty photography, small weddings, headshots and maternity photos. I do love photographing bridal editorials and actually have my own bridal editorial book with all of my work from the year 2020.
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
To be honest, my way of networking is through my collaborating with creative folks whenever I get the chance. If time and schedules allow, this is something I’ll probably always try to do. For me, this would simply be putting together an editorial photoshoot with a muse/model.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.tinamitartistry.com
- Instagram: @tinamitartistry
