Today we’d like to introduce you to Candice Renae.
Candice, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
Right out of high school, I knew I wanted to do makeup it was just a matter of how I was going to make it happen. At the time, I was trying to decide exactly how I was going to convince my parents that I did not want to go to college and dive right into makeup when I was 19. I had no formal training and at that point, everything was from videos I had watched and was self-taught. I then got a job at a makeup school as a receptionist because at that point in time, all the makeup schools were too expensive so I wanted to do something where I could be around makeup all day and hopefully, learn by simply watching the girls in the class. I worked at the makeup school for about two years and had the chance to learn all I could just by working there almost every day of the week and watching from afar. From there, I somehow managed to get a job at Nars in the west Los Angeles area when I was 21. While working there for about a little over a year, I was able to learn move about product knowledge and how to work on clients. At that point in time, I knew I wanted to get a job at Mac so I could get more hands-on formal training because I knew they had a better training program. I then went on to work at Mac Cosmetics in 2015 which is where I started getting more experience working on clients and getting more of my artistry training.
While working at the Southcoast Plaza Bloomingdales counter, I started to realize the demand for at-home makeup services and a lot of the artists around me were not offering the service. I slowly started making house calls for my regular clients who had special events to go to. Those house calls slowly started to transition to bridal clients and anything I could get my hands on. I started getting my name out there and began working on music video sets and on-screen work. For the past four years, I would do my side gigs while maintaining my job at the Mac counter until this past year, I decided to take the plunge and commit all of my time and energy to be self-employed. I truly believe this was the best decision I could have made, although the scariest decision to 100 percent relies on myself, I knew if I wanted to have a successful freelance business, it was what I needed to do. If it wasn’t for my time working at Mac and the amazing trainers and other artists I got the chance to learn from along the way, I would not be where I am today.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
By no means was it a smooth road! But as weird as it sounds, I wouldn’t have it any other way. If it weren’t for the hard times, you wouldn’t be able to fully appreciate the good. You have to learn what works for you in business. It’s through trial and error that you will learn what works for you and how to make your business a success. That’s one of the hardest parts to learn, in the beginning, you have to spend a lot of money to eventually make money. You have to realize that once you decide to work for yourself, you have to put in a lot more hours than a regular 9-5. Your workload doubles if not triples, especially in the first year because you may or may not have the finances to build a team right away. It’s a lot of trial and error but somehow things will start to come together. You almost start to find your groove and things start falling into place. You definitely have to learn how to manage your time especially when you are in business to serve others. Your time and your client’s time is valuable so make sure you use it wisely! It’s so important to keep sight of why you started, there will be days when you work from 5 am to 11 pm but it’s all a part of getting your name out there and building a clientele. A big thing for me is I always wanted to remain true to myself no matter what.
What do you do, what do you specialize in, what are you known for, etc. What are you most proud of as a company? What sets you apart from others?
I am a Professional Makeup Artist servicing clients for anything from bridal, red carpet, editorial, music videos, tv, etc. What I am most proud of as a service provider is that I don’t feel like I am in a box. What I mean by that is I want to be able to service all and any clients needing makeup services. I love that one day I can be working on a bridal client and the next, I could be on set of an editorial shoot for a new makeup campaign. That’s what I always wanted, I wanted to be able to not be put into one category of makeup. I am most proud of being able to help make women look and feel their absolute best, no matter what the occasion. I would say that’s what I love about my job the most, I love being able to go through the journey with a client, not only getting to do their makeup but getting to know them. It’s always been so important to me to not only work for my clients but get to know them on a more personal level and make a real connection. That’s one of the greatest things about what I do. I get to meet so many different people and it’s one of the best parts of my job! I like to think me as a person sets me apart from others, I hope the women or men that I’ve gotten to work with over the years, I’ve been able to make some type of an impact on their lives and in a positive way.
Finding a mentor and building a network are often cited in studies as a major factor impacting one’s success. Do you have any advice or lessons to share regarding finding a mentor or networking in general?
Definitely making meaningful connections with the people you come in contact with. That’s what will set you apart from others. Getting yourself out there whether it be in person or through the phone, make sure you take the time to get to know the people around you. Talk to people who are in the same line of work as you. It’s important to share ideas with other people in your field of work. You can never stop learning, that’s one of the keys to a successful business, in my opinion, you can never know enough. Learn from those around you and always be open to new ideas and experiences.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.muacandicerenae.com
- Phone: 909-247-7060
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/candicerenae_/
Image Credit:
@Chuyphoto, @nikkiryanphotography
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