Ep. 159: PMU TRAINER’S ROADMAP TO SUCCESS WITH MICROBLADING AND PERMANENT MAKEUP EDUCATORS SHAY DANIELLE, EBONY KIMBROUGH AND KRISTINA MELNICIENCO
How do you know you're ready for the next step?
As entrepreneurs and as artists we never want to be in the same place for too long. Our fields are constantly changing and we want to change with them! But how do you know when you're ready for the next step?
This episode is for those of you who want to get into training but aren't sure how to go about it. I asked some of my best trainer friends in the PMU biz to come together on Clubhouse to give you the PMU Trainer's Roadmap To Success.
We answer some questions that will help you along your path to becoming a great PMU trainer. And make sure to keep an eye out on PART TWO coming soon. *wink wink*
Here are the episode highlights:
‣‣ [07:54] FIRST: I want to share some very exciting news. We have announced our FIRST SPEAKER for Pretty Ambitious. I'm so excited you guys.
‣‣ [16:07] First, we're going to start off by introducing ourselves and giving you a little bit of our background.
‣‣ [23:51] The first question we all answer is: when did you know you were ready to start training?
‣‣ [36:54] If you're an artist who wants to get into training, how do you start to shift your audience on social media? Do you need to make separate accounts?
‣‣ [51:17] How can smaller artists or studios get a kit together to start training students?
‣‣ [55:02] What can you do for students who freeze up when they start to work on live models?
‣‣ [1:00:47] Adriana asks two questions for Ebony: what app does she use for her pictures and what she did to become an accredited school.
GIVE ME THE ROADMAP TO PMU TRAINER SUCCESS! (Listen Here)
I'm so grateful that these incredible PMU artists joined me for this episode. Make sure to follow them all on Instagram!
Shay Danielle PMU @shaydanielle.pmu
Ebony Kimbrough of EK Professionals @ekprofessionals
Kristina Melnicienco of 5 Star Brows @5starbrows
You can follow me, Sheila Bella, on Instagram @realsheilabella!
Here are the links that were mentioned in the podcast!
Pretty Rich Bosses
The Elusive Clubhouse UNLOCKED
Text me! (310) 388-4588
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You can enjoy this podcast by downloading it on iTunes here.
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You can enjoy a transcript of the podcast here.
Sheila Bella:
It's no secret that after a few years of doing your thing in the beauty business, you start thinking of ways to expand. And one of those key ways, that I think is a natural step, is to become an educator. Especially if people are starting to ask you, "Do you train?" Or if you really feel like you've gotten to the point where your skill is good enough, where you can train and now you just are naturally inclined to share.
So today I am bringing on some of the best trainers in the PMU world, Kristina Melnicenco, Ebony Kimbrough, and of course my BFF, Shay Danielle. Here we go.
Welcome to Pretty Rich Podcast, where you're totally the heroine of your own story. I'm your host, Sheila Bella. And I built a seven figure PMU PUD biz and a seven figure online biz without a degree, without a fancy website or a sugar daddy.
And if you and I hang out on here long enough, you're going to start to believe that you can do it too. How about that for a side effect of listening to this podcast, because you really can. I know you think, I don't know you, I have no idea who you are, but, I do. I really, really do because I am you. I was you and I believe we are all on the same journey together. My perfect job didn't exist. So I created it.
The job I wanted, wasn't hiring me, wanted nothing to do with me. So, I skipped the line and hired myself as CEO just like you can. So consider me your secret Beauty Biz BFF, in case you need to be reminded on a weekly basis, that power is never just handed to you. You have to take it. Are you ready beauty boss? Let's jump in.
Hey, welcome to another amazing episode of Pretty Rich Podcast, okay? So today we're going to chat all about training. It seems that everybody and their mother wants to be a trainer in the PMU and Lash world. You know, you start seeing these celebrity trainers on Insta, how they're touring the world and they have millions of suits, so seemingly, right? And they're jet setting, and it seems so fulfilling and not to mention lucrative.
You can charge $6,000 for a few days. Some trainers are like that, but then again, some other trainers only charge $3,000 and you get support even after the class for six months. It all truly depends. But the bottom line is being a trainer is very lucrative. (silence)
Guys, when I say that fearing competition is the stupidest thing ever and it shows, honestly, how fragile your ego is, I'm not just talking about you, I'm talking about myself, right? I had a fear of being taken out by my competitors, right? That alpha male chant of destroying your enemies, implies that in turn, your enemies can destroy you. Your enemies can destroy us. It's both motivating and debilitating.
It reminds you that there's only one winner or you think that there's only one winner. And if that person wins, it means I must lose. The truth is, I was limiting my growth. I didn't think that there was a place for both Uber and Lyft. I didn't think there was a place for both Louboutin and Valentino, Coca-Cola and Pepsi, Burger King and McDonald's, Starbucks and Peet's Coffee.
I was distracted by fear and distracted by my opponents, people I saw as opponents. It's a really, really ugly feeling to feel, not even to show people, because I'm showing you now it's an ugly feeling to show, right? That they'd be super transmitter, but it was ugly to feel, and it didn't feel good to feel so little.
So what shifted it? You know what, I think I just realized that the more I shared, the more I grew, the more my brand grew and the better it felt. It was strategic and also more fulfilling to share and to teach people how to do the same things that I was able to do. You think about Paul Mitchell, okay? The mogul. What I always tell people to do is to figure out how you can make your competitor your customer.
What is something valuable that you can create for their benefit? That's how you stay on top. Is it training? Is it supplies? Is it services because you know, more than anybody else, what your competitors need. And there is room for everyone, there really is.
Just because somebody else is successful doesn't mean that you can't be. You can take both trainings, you can attend both events. You can take more than one kosher program. You can buy more than one online course, and I would suggest to everyone here that, you should.
So, I'm really excited to bring on my friends, Kristina, Ebony and Shay. And this is a replay of a quick Clubhouse that we did. So on Clubhouse, we have a club called PMU TALK. If you've ever wanted to join these sessions live, to be able to ask us questions, we are there every Monday night at 6:00 PM, Pacific Standard Time, 9:00 PM Eastern. Before I bring them on, I want to give you guys a life update, life and Pretty Ambitious Summit update. As both those things, the Pretty Ambitious Summit is the very first business inspiration and community focused event for PMU and Lash Boss Babes.
This year, we are doing a virtual hybrid style, meaning it will mainly be virtual, but there will be several opportunities to make it social. It will be held on October 9th, 10th and 11th. So, just two days ago, I announced the very first speaker on my Instagram page. It is Gary freaking Vaynerchuk. Gary V. What? Gary V is speaking at the Pretty Ambitious Summit. Oh my gosh, you guys, I have known about that for a couple of weeks now and I have to say it was really hard to hold in.
I've been freaking out in my car, in the shower, just in the living room, in the middle of meals. Oh my God, I can't believe this is my life. I can't believe I'm able to bring you guys Gary V. Gary Vaynerchuk is one of the biggest inspirations of my business and my career and my mindset. He's just one of those guys that can see patterns in society, call things before they happen. And this his intuition is eerily accurate. Unless you've been living under a rock, you should know who Gary V is. If you don't just go ahead and give him a good old Google search and binge his YouTube videos.
He's absolutely incredible and I can't believe I get to present him to you guys. Have you ever thought about what Gary V might say? What advice he would give you about your beauty business? I myself have always wondered what specific advice he might have for our niche, for Lashes and for PMU. I can't believe that you guys don't have to wonder anymore, that I don't have to wonder anymore. We actually get to chat with Gary V. What?
So, with that announcement, you can only imagine what incredible speakers, the caliber of speakers that I have up my sleeve for Pretty Ambitious this year. And if you guys want the exclusive discount, remember this is all virtual, if you want the exclusive discount on the virtual ticket, all you need to do is go ahead and text the word, "Gary", that's the latest one, text the word "Gary" to 310-388-4588. Texts the word "Gary" to 310-388-4588. And this code is only good up until we announce the next speaker.
And as time goes, the discount is not going to be as big. The discount is going to get smaller and smaller and smaller. So if I were you, I would head on over to your phone and text the word "Gary" to 310-388-4588. But if you are outside of the United States and Canada, just go ahead and send me a direct message on Instagram @realsheilabella, and I'll hook you up that way too.
I just have to say that, if you would have told me, 2020 Sheila, March 2020 Sheila, that this year, 2021 Sheila, would have Gary Vaynerchuk at her summit, I probably would have stopped crying a lot faster. God is so good. So, so good. I feel so incredibly blessed. Just keep going, you guys. Just keep going. Just don't give up. It'll happen. All right, here we go, How To Be A Successful Trainer.
Kristina Melnicenco:
Hey, Sheila.
Sheila Bella:
Hello. Hello. I'm going to go-
Shay Danielle:
Hey, Bella.
Sheila Bella:
Hey, what's up you guys. I'm going to go ahead and ping Ebony.
Shay Danielle:
That's what we're doing. We're pinging all of our friends in right now.
Sheila Bella:
Oh yeah. Let's ping all our friends. Nice. Oh my gosh. I'm excited for today's topic. I think it's going to be really, really valuable.
Shay Danielle:
Me too.
Sheila Bella:
Hi, Kristina. Hi Ebony.
Kristina Melnicenco:
Hello.
Ebony Kimbrough:
Hi y'all.
Kristina Melnicenco:
Hi Ebony.
Ebony Kimbrough:
How y'all doing?
Kristina Melnicenco:
I feel good.
Sheila Bella:
Oh man. I feel like this party's about to get started. It's going to be like, [crosstalk 00:12:02]. It's going to be lit. It's going to be like Cancun all over again. Hold up you guys. I'm just put in my headphones.
Shay Danielle:
Oh, I want the Cancun to be there again.
Sheila Bella:
Oh, I know. Okay. Can you guys hear me? Okay. I just put in my headphones.
Shay Danielle:
I can hear you.
Sheila Bella:
Okay. Perfect. Perfect. All right. Let's pretend we're in Cancun.
Kristina Melnicenco:
I didn't get to join you guys in Cancun. So I'll just pretend like I was there in the first place.
Sheila Bella:
Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh.
Ebony Kimbrough:
[inaudible 00:12:37].
Kristina Melnicenco:
I heard it was fun.
Sheila Bella:
A little bit. A little bit, Kristina, that was an amazing conference.
Shay Danielle:
Well, the Summit is coming.
Sheila Bella:
That's true. So, I'm really excited for that. That will be on October of this year it's going to be a virtual hybrid experience. And guys I'm freaking out because I'm about to announce this amazing speaker, but I'm not going to do it until tomorrow, but it's just [crosstalk 00:13:04]
Shay Danielle:
I have got to go. I'm freaking out.
Sheila Bella:
I know.
Shay Danielle:
I'm so excited.
Sheila Bella:
I know and they don't understand because they don't know yet.
Shay Danielle:
They will.
Sheila Bella:
They will. Oh my gosh. Okay. So guys go ahead and ping in all your friends, so excited for today's topic, "The PMU Trainers Roadmap To Success." Okay. So, I'll give a little intro because I think becoming a trainer educator for a lot of people is the next natural step after you've created a successful permanent makeup business, or if you've been doing it for a while, because people start asking you if you're willing to teach them, or if you feel naturally inclined to share the knowledge that you've acquired over the years. It's understandable.
So, a lot of you guys, from an industry, may feel like training is also a way to give back and create something that you wish you had when you first started. Because many of us are, unfortunately, products of inadequate training, I would say most of us are. So, becoming an educator and doing better is on the hearts of a lot of artists.
Another motivating factor, maybe the obvious, which is income and financial freedom. I'm an advocate for not villainizing the desire to be financially successful so long as it's done in integrity. And I think that everybody who wants to have financial freedom should unapologetically go after it because it's clear how lucrative training and PMU can be.
So, whatever your motivation, you guys are in the right place. We're going to talk about training, how to be a successful trainer, how to overcome imposter syndrome, how to attract paying students, regulations, licensing, pricing, and all of the things.
So, our guests today, Shay and I's guests are Kristina Melnicenco of 5 Star Brows and Ebony Kimbrough of EK Professionals, both award winning PMU artists, speakers, instructors, and beauty educators.
Shay Danielle:
We're so excited to have you guys with us tonight. Thank you, both of you, Ebony and Kristina for taking the time to build this into your schedule and to share some of your experience and knowledge with all of our listeners. We're just very grateful to have you guys on stage with us.
So, why don't we take a second, and if you guys could just introduce yourselves to the room, I'm sure everybody knows exactly who you are, but just give them a little bit about you.
Kristina Melnicenco:
I don't know if you've heard this, but we have like a major storm here.
Sheila Bella:
Wow, that was the thunder? I heard that.
Kristina Melnicenco:
Oh my God-
Sheila Bella:
I was like, "Wait, what is that?" I thought that was, I dunno, a truck or something. Oh my goodness.
Shay Danielle:
I thought your stomach was growling. I was like, "Maybe she's hungry."
Kristina Melnicenco:
If everybody doesn't mind, I could start. In general, I started permanent of makeup industry... I got into permanent makeup industry about 11 years ago in 2009. I never really got into it with a thought that it's going to become so big, but it was such a big trend actually back in Russia and not so many people were teaching it, first of all. It was really hard to find a place to learn it. I got it done years previous to that and I was looking for a place to learn it because I was always interested in beauty. And I started with makeup, actually, in 2003.
So, that's where I started my journey. And then, going from there, all the money that I was making, I was reinvesting back into the business. To the date I'd say, I invested about, with all the classes that I learned, about 300K. From everything that I put together all my travels and everything.
So, definitely, you getting to the point where you're really good, you definitely have to invest in your business, I think. So, then I moved to US in 2012 and I continued my journey here. It was hard to start because I didn't know the regulations and everything. So, for about a year, I was unbalanced a little bit because I didn't know English that well, it was still a learning curve, but, I got on my feet and then I opened my own studio and that was already in North Dakota. And that's where people were starting flying to me.
I remember when I would be starting posting, my work and everything, and in about 2015, that's when I started teaching my first classes. And they were private classes, artists were flying from all over the place to the little North Dakota, the end of the world where I was, literally, I couldn't believe it.
It was a very small town. And we were there because my husband worked in oil fields, so, I thought, "Nobody in the world is going to really need permanent makeup here, but, I'll just follow my husband, I guess." But I was wrong. So a lot of people were flying in there. And then from there we moved to Dallas and that's where we are in right now. We're in Dallas, Texas.
So, we have an Academy here for already four years. So I have six years booked, six years experience in training. And we're in Dallas right now. It's just been an amazingly beautiful, of course, hard journey as well. But I'm definitely happy to look back and see how everything unfolded and grew. So, here I am right now.
Actually, you guys, you gave me this time today because I actually was busy today doing a client. So I was thinking dur... Today. I was like, "Oh my gosh. What am I going to talk really about?" It made me go back into my mind and rethink about how did I do it? What did I do? How it worked? How it started and how it all grew, and it's amazing. Thank you for taking me back to all these memories. So yeah, that's a little story in how everything happened.
Shay Danielle:
It's funny, we forget, hey, because we're so busy and we're so caught up.
Kristina Melnicenco:
Exactly.
Shay Danielle:
We don't stop enough to think about how we got here and all of the accomplishments that we have actually executed to this point. And I mean, I've sat as a student in one of your classes, Kristina, and it was amazing. And I look up to you as does so many other artists in this industry. So thank you so much for being here. We can't wait to ask you some questions.
Kristina Melnicenco:
That's so sweet. Thank you. Thank you all.
Shay Danielle:
Ebony. I'm so excited to get to know you more, babe, because you are such a boss. So please go ahead and introduce yourself to the group.
Ebony Kimbrough:
Hey y'all. I am Ebony B Kimbrough, I reside in Little Rock, Arkansas, and am the owner of EK Professionals Permanent Cosmetics And Tattooing Institute and EK Aesthetics. EK Professionals is actually the only accredited Permanent Cosmetic School in the United States.
I started my journey in 2010 and I didn't start off doing permanent cosmetics as soon as I got licensed, just because I didn't like the style of training that I had received. So I went and got more training and started servicing people and it was just a big deal about my work. People wanted me to offer training to them, and in Arkansas, you have to do a six-month program with a minimum of 375 hours.
So, I had to go through all of the legalities, and get everything in order. And my anniversary was actually three days ago and I didn't remember it until I just got a letter saying my rent is going to increase in my building because I met my five-year anniversary mark.
So, I'm nearly at my five-year anniversary mark. It's been a journey. It really truly has been a journey. I would be capping, wait, do y'all know what capping mean? Capping mean lying. Y'all know what that mean?
Sheila Bella:
Now we do.
Ebony Kimbrough:
Okay.
Sheila Bella:
Now everyone knows, now we're going to use it.
Ebony Kimbrough:
So, I definitely would be lying if I was like, "Oh my God. It's like unicorns and strawberries." It really has not been it, but my passion for it allowed me to push through adversity. So, that's who I am and I'd keep talking, so I'm just going to stop talking until y'all tell me what else I needed to say.
Sheila Bella:
Okay. Ebony is so excited to introduce you to people who may not be familiar with who you are, but I'm obsessed with you, as you know, I always tell you.
Ebony Kimbrough:
You know I love you.
Sheila Bella:
Mm-hmm (affirmative). There we go. We're doing it again. "I love you." "No, I love you." "No, you're the best." "No you are." All right. So Shay and I have a series of questions that, I guess, we're all going to take turns asking or answering, rather, because I did a poll yesterday on Instagram stories, I've been doing it for the past couple of days, actually, past two days, and Oh my goodness, the questions are all the same, right?
People want to know how to attract clients, how to price their services, online versus hands-on, when did you know you were ready, stuff about social media? So questions are all the same. We're also going to take Q and A hopefully after this, if time permits. But let's just go one at a time. We got a few questions to get through. So, when did you know you were ready to start training?
Shay Danielle:
Kristina? Do you want to take that one first?
Kristina Melnicenco:
I think that it's within you really like when your work... First of all, I think the level of your work. So when you receive that consistent coming-back work that you're happy with and, you know within yourself that you're happy, nobody have to tell you that, no clients, nobody has to comment under your picture saying, "Oh my God, you're amazing." Literally you have to be the strongest and the most critic. You have to critique your work.
And then, when you're pleased with that, when you know that, "Yes. I have the skill, I know how to do it," you know that you're ready. You know that you're ready to share it with somebody else. You know that you can help somebody else achieve exactly what you can do.
So, I think that's the moment when it clicked for me because I've received requests from artists flying me to other states, but I was like, "I don't know if I'm truly, truly ready." And being permanent makeup, being such a lucrative industry, it's not about money really.
And yes, you're right, Sheila, when you said that it's such a lucrative industry, but to be honest, I mean, I literally can make $3,000 day. By just doing clients and it's not a problem making money, just doing permanent makeup. I think when you, within yourself know that you can share and you can help somebody, I mean, that's the best reward ever when another artist can produce exactly the same work as you. Obviously, it's going to take time and it's going to take practice, but you can help them get there, for me, it's the most rewarding thing ever.
So, that's when I knew that I'm ready. So I didn't start teaching until I knew that, "Okay. I can provide this, I can do this. And it's going to be all worth my time and their time." And their investments because, I've had students come with their last money. They will tell me, "Kristina, this is my last chance after all the classes that I've taken, this is the last chance." And that's a lot of pressure knowing that people... I don't know, you're their last hope or something like that. So, it's a lot of pressure, but that's when I knew really that I was ready.
When I was truly content within myself, that I could offer good quality training. And I have lots of years of experience that I can say, "Okay. You can do this, or you can do this," and I can ask more questions because the most embarrassing thing, I think, would be when an artist that has experience come to you and you don't have an answer to a question that would be, probably, not a good situation.
Shay Danielle:
Yeah. That's so true. So, for you, Kristina, then it really boils down to confidence, being confident in your work, truly confident. Confident to provide amazing training. And for those students who are relying on you as, sometimes, their last hope. So, I think, yeah, it's very important. It doesn't matter how many people praise your work and say, "[inaudible 00:27:39], it's great. It doesn't matter if you don't believe that truly believe that yourself.
Kristina Melnicenco:
Yes, I think so. Yeah.
Sheila Bella:
That's such a great point, Kristina, and it shows how much integrity you have in your training. People sell trainings all the time and I think there's a lot of bad training out there. And I think people do get taken advantage of because a lot of times the reason why people are taking trainings is because it's something in their lives, on a deep level, that they want to change. And yet training is not inexpensive.
It's truly an investment. So, I think, if you can "exchange" somebody's investment for your knowledge without guilt, I think that's a good sign. That's a good sign. Ebony, what about you? When did you know you were ready to start training?
Ebony Kimbrough:
So, when I was utterly insanely obsessed with helping others in the industry and knowing when, I think that when you're obsessed with it, when it's your passion and when you have an unwavering integrity, that's when you're ready for it. Because if the passion is not there, even the days, you have your highs and your lows, if the passion is not there, then you won't make it through those low days at all.
And then, having an unwavering integrity, even if they're... Because I feel like, in my earlier training, there were definitely things that I missed. And once I realized that I missed it, my integrity would not allow me to not go back and holler at my students that I've missed this width. [inaudible 00:29:37]. And so, when your integrity won't let you just stay there and say, "Hey, okay. Well, my pride is not going to let me say, "Well, I got this wrong, let me go and reach out to my students."" That's when you know that you're ready, because that's the most important thing.
You're not always going to get it right as a trainer, period. One of my weaknesses is brow mapping, and I know that, and I will tell the people who come to my class before they enroll in my class. Because I freehand and it's difficult to teach a beginner how or freehand, and I have OCD and the blinds from all of the string mapping and stuff drive me insane.
And I'm okay with saying that. I'm okay with knowing that that's an area that I need to work in. And so, when you are willing to check yourself, have your integrity and fall in love and have a passion for what you're doing and want greater for, not just yourself, but the industry... When my students tell me that they want to be just me, I always hit them with, "I really want you to be better."
When you can not feel like, "Oh, well, I'm not going to hold this back. I'm going to hold this back from them because I don't want them to know about this app because this is what makes my pictures look good. Well, I don't want them to know about this because this is how I make my money." Only when you cannot care about if they're going to outdo you, should you be a trainer. If you are worried about-
Sheila Bella:
So good. That's so good. Can you please say that again. Can you say that again, please? Slower and louder for the people...
Ebony Kimbrough:
Only when you are not worried about, if your students are going to outdo you, should you be your trainer. And that's just the logic of it, because, if I'm going to hold back everything and just tell enough to make you satisfied, then I'm going to be a bullshit trainer, just period. I'm just in it for the money.
Shay Danielle:
That's it. That is Ebony the difference right there. We can stop this chat right now.
Sheila Bella:
Goodnight everyone.
Shay Danielle:
[crosstalk 00:32:00] answer between the difference of a trainer and a successful trainer.
Ebony Kimbrough:
Right. Right. My final thing would be, because I've gotten blogs from a lot of people on Clubhouse, couple of people, because they just have only been in the industry for six months, eight months, and they're training people. And I'm not saying that you can't be like an anomaly and... It says I have a poor signal, Can y'all hear me?
Sheila Bella:
Yeah. I hear you.
Ebony Kimbrough:
I don't know why it said that. You maybe can be an anomaly and you maybe can teach people, after you only been doing it for three days or whatever, but in this industry and with a lot of things, you need to know different skin types. You need to see how it's healed, how it's healed at six months, what it looks like at a year, what it looks like at two years.
And if you automatically happen to training as soon as you just left your training yesterday, how are you serving anyone justice at all? It's not that we're saying, "Oh, we've been doing it for 11 years and you got to do it, wait till 11," no, but you definitely need to have healed results that have come back to you, so you can answer questions properly.
You know how to answer color theory questions with color corrections, and you know different skin types, you know depth, and you know where, at year one, I made this mistake because I went too deep, but now I'm trying this needle we're doing... That comes with experience and time.
Shay Danielle:
Amen. Amen. You have to teach based off of your failures, truly. And if you haven't had enough time to make those failures or make those mistakes on your own, I mean, you can teach what is the best case scenario, but until you've experienced the worst case scenario yourself, it's very hard to teach people how to prevent those situations from happening or how to be prepared for those situations when they do happen because they happen to all of us, even those of us who've been in the industry for a very long time.
Sheila Bella:
Yeah. And I also just want to add really quickly that, more years does not always mean more experience. I think it's procedures, because I mean, I know people who been in the industry for a long time, but... "How many clients you seeing? Two a month?"
Ebony Kimbrough:
Two a decade.
Sheila Bella:
Right. Okay. Everybody is talking about Clubhouse, the new app and I know what you're thinking because it's what I thought too, "Oh my goodness, another app? I need to download and maintain." I was so resistant to downloading this app, you guys. But as soon as I got on, I realized that it's not as high maintenance as I thought. Actually, it's a very low maintenance.
It's an app that's audio only, and I've been able to grow on there so easily. Just an hour or so a week I've been able to get more sales for my business. Not only that using this app has helped me position myself as an authority in my field. And let's just face it, using these new apps, keeps us relevant. That's just the name of the game nowadays. Social media requires you to constantly update, learn and evolve. But a lot of people aren't quite sure of how to use Clubhouse properly.
That's exactly why I created my super affordable training called the Elusive Clubhouse Unlocked. It took me a minute to learn the app. But, now that I know, Oh my goodness, I wish somebody would have taught me all of these things sooner. So in this course, you will learn exactly what Clubhouse is about and how to use it. Who's in Clubhouse and why you need to be there too.
What to do once you're in Clubhouse, how to optimize your bio, what is a room/club, room etiquette and details, because if you don't know, it could get embarrassing. And the many sales benefits of being on Clubhouse, you got to learn how to convert Clubhousers into prospects and paying clients.
So if you want in on this course, all you need to do is go to sheilabella.com/clubhouse. sheilabella.com/clubhouse. This free app could totally change your business. Get on it early because it's so easy to grow on there. It's going to be big. So get it now, before it becomes too hard to grow, it's definitely changing the marketing game. Again, just go to sheilabella.com/clubhouse.
Okay. So this next question, I want to shift the conversation a little bit because it's a question we get all the time. So, a lot of people in this room, who are aspiring trainers, are currently probably successful service providers already. So therefore, your social media content and your website content, caters to potential clients.
And I think all of you do such an amazing job of catering to both clients as well as students. So gosh, Shay, every time somebody asks me this question, I always refer them to your Instagram. I'm like, "Look at Shay Danielle. Just look at Shay Danielle." So, can you guys maybe give your opinion on how to market yourself as far as your Instagram. Do you need a separate Instagram account that focuses on students versus clients?
Shay Danielle:
Yeah, that's a great question. And that one does come up quite often. So just because you want to start offering training and clients, that's what I do. I still see clients, as does Kristina, as does Ebony, we still see clients, but we also train. So for me, I've shifted my audience. It was a slow shift, but it started years ago where every bit of content that I created visually, it was still great for the clients to look at. And there was still educational content attached to the text, the caption of the photos.
But slowly I started gearing it more towards the audience of other artists out there that are wanting to learn from me. So, basically I made that shift well in advance and that pushed me into a different playing field. So now when every post I make, it is geared towards the students, and clients still get a kick.
They still love my content as well. But every post that I make does have the intention of targeting other artists out there and helping them, attaching education to each of my posts and helping them get better with whatever it is that I'm talking about with that post.
So I don't personally feel that you need a separate Instagram account, you could definitely do it, but it's more work in my opinion. So, that's how I made the switch myself.
Sheila Bella:
I think it's attractive to clients when they see that you're a trainer. When they see you catering to other artists and educating other artists, I think that they trust you more. And then, sometimes it's happened to all of us, I'm sure, where a client becomes interested in becoming a prominent makeup artist, right?
Shay Danielle:
Yeah, absolutely. I think it builds confidence with your clients. Like, "Okay, if this artist is great enough to be teaching, they're good enough to do my brows period."
Sheila Bella:
Yeah. Ebony and Kristina, in that same theme, right? Adjacent to that question, a lot of people are wondering how do you guys attract potential students through social media? What is the strategy you guys use, if there is one at all?
Ebony Kimbrough:
I make sure to attract based on my level of training, because I don't teach advanced courses, I teach fundamentals. And I see often that's something that you would definitely want to make sure that you stay in your lane as a trainer, because if someone has never been in the industry before, you don't want to teach them how to do advance courses before they even know what a needle is.
So, I make sure that my advertisement is geared towards people who are seeking fundamental training and to be able... My advertising sucks now because I have too many students and I don't advertise a lot. But after you have decided what your lane will be, then you want to attack that by, I know a lot of people instantly go to social media, but I'm old school, just a little bit y'all, because if your state requires certain things, which my state does, I started with a grassroots advertisement.
I reached out to my local beauty schools because estheticians and cosmetologists, a lot of this goes hand in hand, and they want to add services to their menu. And so, they always have career days at the beauty schools, and the barber schools, and the massage therapy schools. And so, I reached out there first and then went by word of mouth and then I was forced to do my social media advertising.
And last year, I actually just separated it because it became so much for my school and for my clients. And so, that's how EK Aesthetics was formulated because I was having, with my school, my students, they are able to bring models and when they bring their models and services, only $150.
Well, I have clients that are looking for me and then when they come and see me, they think that they're going to pay me $150. And so, I had to separate the two so that people can understand what was the school and what is the actual service, especially when you have other artists under you. So that's my spill on it.
Sheila Bella:
Kristina.
Kristina Melnicenco:
Well, I would say that to anybody that already has an Academy or is trying to, maybe, open one and become a trainer I wouldn't suggest, again, like Shay said, I wouldn't suggest separating this. Two is just, you have to be probably very direct with what you're going to post as posts for your Academy. And that is going to be already... People will understand, "Okay. So this models or the work that was done was done by a student." So, even your potential clients, they understand that that work was done by somebody in training.
It's not done by you. So it's not going to be something they're going to confuse. And the posts that you want to attract your clients would be directly saying, because I do have a lot of people still that reach out and say, "Hey, are you still doing clients?"
And I realized that maybe I didn't post enough saying, "Yes. I do still offer procedures." So maybe it would be very lucrative and good for you to go live or explain to your audience that, "Hey, yes. I do clients too." It's much more, maybe, you don't do it as much as I did before. I was working 8.00 to 8.00 before only doing clients.
And now, I have limited time where I see clients and I love doing it. And I think that any trainer should never stop doing it. Yes. We get to the point where you travel a lot and do things and go to the conferences and you're busy with classes, but still even if you're so busy, I think that any trainer should be on the skin all the time. Because if you're not, you're losing that.
Yes, you have the skill of training somebody, but still you have to be on the skin. You have to practice every single day, all the time. So if you don't practice on the skin, I dunno, I try to have the machine, one machine, at home so I can do it at home if I'm not in the class... If I'm not in the studio, or I tried to do it on the paper, like so many people underestimate paper. So I practiced on the paper, so always make sure that you keep that skill going.
But, social media wise, advertising wise, I think that you have to... Don't separate your content. Just keep it, your content, just keep it in the same place and just show people that you can do both. You do clients and you do classes and you're an instructor as well.
So, I think that's how it should be done. And as far as attracting students I think your work is a big thing. But also, show your level of knowledge. Post very educational posts, share a little tips. Don't be afraid of posting me with too much information because to be honest, you know what I learned, that you think that you may show too much, but people learn so differently.
And even if you go live with a whole procedure don't be afraid that, "Oh my God. I'm probably showing too much and people are not going to come to me to learn." No, you actually attract people even more because they see your personality, they see who you are. They're attracted to you more.
So if you're out there like the new instructor, what I'll suggest is, definitely, going live and share your knowledge, and don't... When people feel you're trying to, maybe, not respond to all the questions, or maybe you're like, "Well..." I don't like the answer. This answer is so interesting when you go live. And you're ready trying to show... You go live with a purpose, right? First of all, let's say you go live about something or you do a post or you do a story. And when people ask, "Well, what is this?" And you're like, "Oh, you have to come to my class to learn it."
I think this is the most taboo answer, I would say, because if that would be me asking something and I admire you and I ask you that, and I trust you and that's why ask, and you're answering me like this, then I'm going to be like, "Well, I don't know." So, just be honest, be open-
Sheila Bella:
It's a turnoff, right?
Kristina Melnicenco:
Exactly. Right away. Right away. So, just be open, because if a person admires you and even if you're out there listening right now, and you're a trainer that just started, maybe don't have too much confidence or something, believe me that, if you're going to be honest and upfront, people are going to choose you because of you. And also, it's not possible to stop learning in this industry. It's just not possible. Don't think that-
Sheila Bella:
That's such a great point.
Kristina Melnicenco:
Yeah. If people are going to always seek for a learning experience with you, with another one, and I always say, "Grow and learn from different people because different trainers have different approach, and also you're going to build your own style by learning from one person, another person, another person, you build your own style that is just yours."
That's how art is. And it's an art as well. So, that's where my suggestion would be. Just be open and really, truly, that's how you're going to attract your crowd and the people that are going to follow you, and just be trusting you, and wanting to go and train with you specifically.
Shay Danielle:
Kristina, you remember when I wanted to take your course and I was afraid to sign up, do you remember?
Kristina Melnicenco:
Mm-hmm (affirmative)
Shay Danielle:
And I said, I was like, "Oh, will you still accept me as a student even though I'm a trainer?" This is years [inaudible 00:49:32]. And Kristina literally laughed at me. She's like, "Are you serious?" She's like, "Of course you can come and take my course." Because, in my head back then I was like, "Maybe she doesn't want to share with me because I'm also an instructor. Maybe that is something... She doesn't want to share her information with me."
And she literally laughed. She's like, "That's silly"
Sheila Bella:
Wow.
Shay Danielle:
Wow, this talk, you guys, I feel we could keep going and going because Sheila and I still have more-
Sheila Bella:
We really could. We really could.
Kristina Melnicenco:
This topic is such an intense and complex topic.
Shay Danielle:
We should do a part two. Maybe we should extend this to next week because honestly we've only grazed the surface. And we have so many other topics that we wanted to ask you two, specifically, about. So I think what we might do, we still have like 13 minutes left, because we do have to stop at eight o'clock Mountain Standard Time. So, why don't we go ahead, open up the question portion in case anybody here in the audience has a question that they'd like to ask any of the amazing speakers up on stage.
Go ahead and click that little button with the hand at the bottom to raise your hand and we'll bring you up on stage. And if you wouldn't mind, just, keeping the question short and sweet. And if you have someone specifically that you'd like to direct it to, please feel free and then Sheila and I will have to chat with you girls and see if we can arrange a part two to this talk. Just so much information. Hi Nancy.
Sheila Bella:
Hi Nancy.
Nancy:
Hi guys. Thank you for this talk. I'm sorry if I sound a little funny, I had oral surgery today, but anyway-
Sheila Bella:
Oh, you sound just fine. Nancy. I'm glad you got through okay.
Nancy:
Yeah. I guess the pain medication is working. One of the questions that I always have in the back of my head, if you're a small studio, you're not, let's say, attached to Free Brows or Beauty Angels, how do you get a kit together for your students if you were to decide to start training?
Ebony Kimbrough:
It's whatever you use. Whatever you use, as an instructor, that you feel, like what you trained with, and what you feel is going to give your students what they need after they leave you. I always like to make sure they have some left over for after they leave training, and an after service, a few clients, but it's whatever you use, because you can't train someone on things that you don't use.
Nancy:
Okay. So, is there a particular way of approaching these vendors or you just go the regular route as if you were just ordering stuff or are these vendors more or less amenable to working with you as far as getting special pricing and so on. And again, this is on a small scale. We're not talking about these 20, 10-student classes. If you were to start small, is there a way to speak or approach these vendors, whereas you can get your supplies at a better cost?
Ebony Kimbrough:
More than likely, if it's going to be on a small scale and you're doing one to two people, more than likely, you may not be able to get it at a discounted rate. I do know if you join AAM or SPC, I always get the abbreviations wrong. A lot of times with the vendors, you can receive a discount code, but most of the time, whether it's PMU or whether it's eyelashes, the more quantity you purchase, the lower your discount rate is, or your pricing is.
So, I would suggest that you get a list together, look at pricing, get your pricing, formulate it, and include that in your training to make sure that you don't lose out on money.
Shay Danielle:
And it doesn't hurt to ask, Nancy, as well. So depending on, for instance, here in Canada, we love Hive of Beauty and Hive has an amazing program, like an affiliate program, where if your students use your discount code, they receive 15% off their order. So, you can even offer discount codes that you can create with these companies under your name, and be able to offer that to your students as well, and take advantage of your own 15% discount on hiveofbeauty.com and be able to use that discount in your kit.
So, there are ways to save here and there, but once you start bigger volume orders, that's where you're going to start seeing more savings, I would say.
Nancy:
Okay. Thank you very much. This is Nancy and I am done speaking.
Ebony Kimbrough:
Thank you, Nancy. Good luck.
Nancy:
Thank you, Ebony.
Shay Danielle:
Hi, Morgan. How are you? Do you have a question for us?
Morgan:
Hi ladies. Sorry-
Shay Danielle:
Hello.
Ebony Kimbrough:
Hi Morgan.
Morgan:
[inaudible 00:54:54] Thank you for all [inaudible 00:54:57] day, I've been learning so much from you guys, literally, daily. I started training in the middle of last year, right before the pandemic actually, and I just had a question. Do you guys have technique when they're getting ready to work on their live model? I mean, my girls have just [inaudible 00:55:20] can see it, and their practice skins looks amazing, but the minute they hit a real person, it's just, you can feel their fear.
Kristina Melnicenco:
I think you can start together. So, why don't you start together and put them at ease, maybe if you have a group then split the group. So you have more time to give one student at the time. But also, explain to your artists that, "Hey, you have to overcome that fear that if you're going to keep being scared, then that's going to block your ability of continuing because, yes, it's something new. Yes, it's a person, but just take your time, there's no rush. We're going to do this together. I'm around. And if you have a question, you just tell me and I'll approach you. We're going to continue together."
So I think that you have to set this mindset before everything happens, say, "Hey guys, today we're going to do this. This is our steps. That's what we're going to do. And I would like us to have a good experience, all of us, you and me and the model. And I understand that you're nervous, but let's put those emotions because they block the ability of you performing well. So trust me, I see what you do. And if you do something I'll approach you and I'll correct you, and we're going to go forward."
So just setting that mindset is going to really help them to calm them down so they know what is happening. And every person, obviously, is different, every artist learns different, but I think if you set up a plan and you tell them what is going to happen, how you're going to teach them on the skin, then they're going to do great.
Morgan:
Okay. Thank you
Ebony Kimbrough:
I agree with Kristina 100%. That's something that I have definitely experienced with my students. And I made sure to let them know that working on skins is not going to get you at your comfort level. And then, a lot of times you all develop habits on skins that won't work on actual clients. And so, it's important to move to the live model so you can get comfortable with what you're actually going to be doing.
Kristina Melnicenco:
If you just stay scared then nothing is going to happen. What is going to happen if you're going to be scared of touching somebody? Nothing. You just have to overcome that.
Morgan:
Okay. Thank you so much.
Ebony Kimbrough:
Thank you.
Shay Danielle:
Hi Clare.
Sheila Bella:
Hi Clare.
Clare:
Hey you guys. I wanted to come here for Nancy actually, because I know Nancy, she's a lovely girl. And I wanted to tell her that, I guess we haven't done enough advertising around this, but, Beauty Angels does have a bulk order discount and it's major. It's really, really nice discount if they are teaching. So, any of the girls here in this room, if you're teaching and if you'd like to give our products, you do get an amazing discount, even on pigments on tools at pretty much everything that we carry.
It starts from 20% and it could go up to 40%, I believe that's what it is, off, which is amazing. And I'm done speaking.
Sheila Bella:
[crosstalk 00:59:08]
Clare:
What?
Sheila Bella:
Thanks for that Claire. That's good information to have. Thanks Claire.
Clare:
Yeah. You know what? Oh, here she is. Hi Nancy.
Nancy:
Hi Clare, my very first teacher.
Clare:
I know sweetheart. I actually dmed you too, when I didn't get on the stage soon enough to talk with you. I dmed you too. But, any of you who are here interested to do that, to make kits, you could just buy in bulk and you get a bulk discount and you put your own kit together and you make a bag or something like that, I could help you guys.
Nancy:
That's awesome. Thank you for letting me know. I mean, you're just a drive away. I think I'll just come up to [Boca 01:00:02].
Shay Danielle:
There you go.
Clare:
You can come shopping. I have those bags, the plastic bags in the supermarket.
Nancy:
Okay. I'll do that. Thank you so much for letting me know.
Ebony Kimbrough:
Thank you, ladies.
Clare:
All right. Thank you guys for having me. It was a good chat.
Sheila Bella:
Okay. I think we'll take our last question. Adriana.
Adriana:
Hi, ladies. I wanted to thank you guys for being such an inspiration, for starters. I love following all of your pages and I'm definitely starting to follow a lot more people that are on here because I feel like it's very important to build a very good network of very good PMU artists. My questions are for Ebony, I have two questions. First one is, what is that app you were talking about that helps you with your pictures? Because I'd love to know. I definitely need help with my pictures. And the second question is also for Ebony. What did you have to do to become an accredited school?
Ebony Kimbrough:
Adriana. How do I say it?
Adriana:
Adriana.
Ebony Kimbrough:
Adriana, I use a whole lot of apps. One of the ones that is my go-to is Snapseed, B612 and Facetune. I don't really like Facetune2, because I guess I'm used to Facetune1, but that's what I use. And to become accredited, it's a whole three-year process. You have to go through an agency, it's only four in the United States who has accredited all of the universities, et cetera. You have to do self studies, you have to present a curriculum that's audited, they then come to your school and look through your files for almost three years. And it's a lot.
Adriana:
Thank you. That was it.
Ebony Kimbrough:
Thank you. Did you get those apps?
Adriana:
Yes, I did. Snapseed, B312 and-
Sheila Bella:
B612.
Ebony Kimbrough:
B612.
Sheila Bella:
Is there a one? I thought it was just B612?
Ebony Kimbrough:
Is it? Let me see.
Sheila Bella:
It's B612.
Adriana:
It's B612.
Ebony Kimbrough:
Yeah. Why am I making one? Yeah, that's right. B612.
Adriana:
112, the song.
Ebony Kimbrough:
Yeah.
Adriana:
Okay. Thank you ladies.
Ebony Kimbrough:
Thank you.
Sheila Bella:
Okay. Leave them wanting more. I think that's what [crosstalk 01:02:46]
Shay Danielle:
I know there's still some questions, but, I'm so sorry to anyone who has their hand up. We would love to answer your question. I see Carmen and Megan, you guys, I promise if you join us next week... Sheila, can we do this next week?
Sheila Bella:
Yeah. We should totally do it next week.
Shay Danielle:
Such a good topic.
Sheila Bella:
Yeah. It's a rich topic. Pretty Rich topic. If you guys are available, we'd love to have you back. Guys, thank you so much for tuning in tonight on PMU talk. And invite all of your friends to join this club and who you think might benefit from this topic, and share the info. Thank you so much, Kristina and Ebony, for being here.
Ebony Kimbrough:
Thank you for having me.
Kristina Melnicenco:
I'm totally ready for the next week. And it would be nice for everybody that listened to maybe prepare questions so we can even develop this topic even more for all the questions for everybody.
Ebony Kimbrough:
Kristina, congratulation on your new bundle of love.
Kristina Melnicenco:
Oh, thank you.
Shay Danielle:
Going to be a mama bear.
Kristina Melnicenco:
Oh my God. Yes.
Sheila Bella:
Kristina, when are you due?
Kristina Melnicenco:
I'm currently having contractions. So, hopefully, please pray for me, because mama has plans and I cannot go longer than the due date. [crosstalk 01:04:13]. I'm praying, it's getting this week, it's coming out this week. I walk a lot. I do anything that everybody says, I'm eating a lot of pineapple and all of that stuff.
So I'm using any remedies to get this baby boy out.
Shay Danielle:
Oh my God. Now that-
Kristina Melnicenco:
Maybe I'm trying too hard. But, I have so many plans in schedule, already, so it's like, "Okay. It has to be on time. Just like mama said." But thank you so much, everyone.
Ebony Kimbrough:
You're welcome.
Shay Danielle:
Kristina's here answering your guys' questions and she's having contractions. I love it.
Sheila Bella:
I was just going to say it.
Shay Danielle:
If you guys enjoyed this chat, please take a second to screenshot room right now so that you can post it on social media, tag Ebony, tag Kristina, tag me and Sheila, so we can let everyone know part two will be happening next week. You girls, thank you so much. We really appreciate your time and we will see you guys next week.
Kristina Melnicenco:
Thank you.
Ebony Kimbrough:
Yeah. Next week. Thank you.
Sheila Bella:
All right.
Kristina Melnicenco:
Thank you. Kisses to everyone.
Sheila Bella:
Thank you.
Ebony Kimbrough:
Good night
Shay Danielle:
Bye.
Ebony Kimbrough:
Bye.
Shay Danielle:
Okay. Bye.
Sheila Bella:
Hey, thanks so much for listening to today's episode of Pretty Rich Podcast. If you want to continue the conversation longer, check me out on Instagram. It's my favorite place to connect with you guys @realsheilabella. I'm happy to answer any of your questions or simply to chat and get to know you better. And if you end up doing something super awesome, like screenshotting this episode and reposting it on your stories, that would put the biggest smile on my face. Don't forget to tag me. I appreciate every share and love feedback from my listeners.
Also, do you have my number? Do you have my number? Because if we're going to keep hanging out, you should probably have my number so you can actually text me. That's right. You can text me at 310-388-4588. And if you're sick and tired of doing business alone and you're interested in accelerating your success by hiring a business coach or joining our mentorship program called Pretty Rich Bosses, go ahead and just apply. Why not? Check it out.
Go to sheilabella.com/apply and we'll schedule a free strategy session with either myself or one of my advisors. And of course I got include my kids. So here to send us off are Beau and Gray. Gray say, share with your friends.
Gray:
Share with your friends.
Sheila Bella:
Please review my mommy on iTunes.
Gray:
Review mommy iTunes.
Sheila Bella:
Thanks for listening.
Gray:
Thanks for listening.
Sheila Bella:
Hey Beau, can you tell everybody what our family motto is?
Beau:
Yeah. I can do hard things.
Sheila Bella:
I can do hard things. Good job, buddy.
