Ep. 104: From Burnout To BOOM - How To Take The Leap From Esti To PMU Boss With Maya Moore of Moore Beauty Love
If you can't control it, let it go.
Maya Moore is someone that I've wanted to have on Pretty Rich Podcast for a while. She's an incredibly talented permanent makeup artist and educator and she just has the best reputation. Before I connected with her, I only heard good things about her. And now that we've had the chance to talk, I can confirm, she's a total light.
I really enjoyed having her on the show for this episode and I know you'll enjoy her too. We talked about her experience hitting rock bottom in 2008, how she got herself out of that spiral, her start in PMU, and the best advice you need if you're just starting out or struggling to make it work.
Here are the episode highlights:
‣‣ [18:21] First, I encourage you to just take a moment to get to know Maya. We start with some rapid-fire questions here.
‣‣ [28:50] I ask Maya to walk us through her favorite achievement and her favorite failure.
‣‣ [34:46] Maya talks about her introduction to PMU and how she decided to make the leap and get trained.
‣‣ [38:59] Advice for anyone who's just started in PMU and is struggling.
‣‣ [42:08] We get into some life-changing mindsets. We talk about the quote Maya repeats to herself most often and what she does to get herself out of a downward spiral of doubt and stress.
‣‣ [46:11] What would you do if you could go back to your lowest point in life and give yourself some advice?
‣‣ [51:49] Maya dishes out her advice for how you can live a pretty rich life.
HELP ME REACH SUCCESS! (Listen Here)
Maya was so fun to talk to and I hope she gave you a good bit of inspiration. If you want to keep up with her and all things Moore Beauty Love, you can follow her on Instagram, right here!
You can follow me, Sheila Bella, on Instagram @realsheilabella!
Here are the links that were mentioned in the podcast!
Grow Your Gram
Online Course Workshop
FOR MY LISTENER BOSS BABES
You can enjoy this podcast by downloading it on iTunes here.
(Life Hack: Subscribe to Pretty Rich Podcast to get the LATEST EPISODE downloaded to your phone AUTOMATICALLY)
FOR MY READER BOSS BABES
You can enjoy a transcript of the podcast here.
Sheila Bella:
Hey friend, it's Sheila Bella. You and I have been hanging out on Pretty Rich Podcast for a little while now, and I think it's time that we move on to a texting relationship. Yup, I'm going to give you my phone number and please go ahead and text me. Text me anything you want. Text me a cool song you listened to. A quote that you loved, or what you had for lunch this morning. You can even text me any business questions you might have. My number is area code (310) 388-4588. The reason why I give you that number is because I am serious about building a relationship with you and building a community. The text from this phone number, honest to God, comes to my phone. So yeah, go ahead and use it. The thing that I love getting texts about the most are your biggest takeaways from this podcast. Go ahead and text me area code (310) 388-4588, and I'll text you back soon.
Hey you guys, today I have the one and only Maya Moore. Maya Moore is an accomplished permanent makeup artist and educator in the Bay Area and she is the CEO of MooreBeautyLove PMU. I'm so excited to have her on the show, you guys are in for such a treat for such a treat. You're in for such a treat.
You're listening to the Pretty Rich Podcast, where you are totally the heroine of your own story. I'm your host, Sheila Bella, and I built a seven figure PMU biz without a degree, without a fancy website, or a sugar daddy. If you and I hang out here long enough, you're going to start to believe that you can do it too, because you really can. I know you think I don't know you, but I do. I really, really do because I am you. I believe we're all in the same journey together. My perfect job didn't exist, so I created it. The job I wanted wasn't hiring me, so I skipped the line and hired myself as CEO, just like you can. Consider me your secret beauty biz BFF. In case you need to be reminded that power is never given to you, you just have to take it. Are you ready beauty boss? Let's jump in.
Hey. Hey. Okay, here we go. What's up you guys it is the weekend. It's the freaking weekend. It's typically, I don't know, I've gotten into the habit of recording podcasts on Saturdays for some reason. Hey, you all, what's going on? What's good? California is closed down again. That's what's going on in my town. Wherever you are I hope you're staying safe and you're still making money because that's important too. But more importantly than that, no matter what season you're in, I hope you're really seeing the meaning in your lives and really finding it even during the quiet times, the ups and the downs. Remember that life hasn't been canceled.
For myself before we get to our guests, I want to update you guys on what's going on with me. For myself I celebrated my eight-year wedding anniversary just the other day, July 15th. I've been married to this guy, this guy. Will and I have been together now for 10 years, married for eight. It was interesting to say the least celebrating our wedding anniversary amidst this pandemic. What we would typically do is we would take a trip. We'd go somewhere, an Airbnb. A lot of times we go to Catalina. Catalina is actually where we got married, Catalina Island. But because of this pandemic we decided we're going to keep it home.
Especially since my husband had a stroke at 36 years old about two years ago, it puts him at a higher risk category. Me being the worry wart that I am, we're being very, very strict. We're being very, very strict to be honest because of that. We had to get pretty creative when it came to celebrating our eighth wedding anniversary, and eighth is my favorite number, we decided to splurge on takeout. We were like, "Okay, what would we typically do?" We would probably typically go to a steakhouse, either Mastro's in Malibu, or Larsen's in Woodland Hills. We decided to go to Mastro's in Malibu. We're there pretty much every single weekend actually.
We got takeout Mastro's in Malibu, I got some salmon and he got his typical ribeye. I thought we were going to eat parked somewhere on the beach and eat on the sand or maybe in the back of the van, or something like that but this guy pulled out all the stops. He packed basically an entire table set up while I wasn't looking. He packed a folding table, and folding chairs, and real silverware, and real plates, and a real wineglass in the back of the van while I wasn't looking and as soon as we got our takeout, we got our curbside pickup. He found a spot right on the beach and he straight up had this amazing beach side table complete with a scented candle and wine.
It was so cool. If you guys follow me in Instagram you may have seen it on my stories is, or on my feed. I thought it was the best ideas ever. Probably one of the most romantic dinners I've ever had with my husband. Probably the most creative and most romantic. It's even better than if Mastro's were open and we were able to get a table by the water, even Nobu. A lot of these things, a lot of the stuff that's happening around us we're not used to and it does take a little bit of creativity to recreate what used to be, or the old way of living. But when you do put in the effort and get creative that way, it makes things more meaningful and more memorable.
For example, our family can't really go out a whole lot on the weekends because like I said of my husband's condition, we camp out in the living room. Camp out on the living... Every weekend in the middle of summer in California but there's something about utilizing the fireplace. We still have a fire. This is so silly. We still have a fire with real firewood every night, or every weekend in the fireplace and we all sleep there together as a family. It's one of those things that makes quarantine, or this new normal bearable but more than bearable, it almost makes it better there. You guys might see pictures of me and my family on Instagram that I post and yes, it looks real nice and perfect. It's color corrected, et cetera, et cetera, and my feet is very pretty.
Yes. But marriage in general is not pretty all the time. You married people out there you know this. It's not pretty all the time. It can get ugly because when you decide that you're going to build a life together, it is impossible not to see the worst in someone. When you're a witness in each others worst moments you see them when they're angry, you see them when they're stubborn, you know their vices, you're made aware of their rigid and sometimes unhealthy patterns. These things exist in all human beings. But when you're single, nobody's there to see it all go down, it's just you and the man upstairs, nobody else.
Marriage can be very challenging. I'll be honest with you. I've actually been pretty deeply affected in a way, or disappointed by Rachel and Dave Hollis's split. Now Rachel and Dave for those of you who know they are, they're giants in the personal development world. They made their lives seem like gold in many ways. They built an entire platform and business, because they had marriage retreats and everything, they built an entire platform and audience upon authenticity. That was their main pillar that they were telling you everything, they were being authentic.For a lot of you guys, I've been seeing on social media. I feel a little... They don't own me anything.
I don't know Rachel and Dave personally but I feel a little gypped. Not that they gypped me but how I gypped myself because I'm disappointed that these people are not who I thought they were. When you're disappointed by people, it rocks your world a little bit because you realize that your judgment was off and all of a sudden you're like, "Whoa, I don't know the world." That's the thing when we put our hope, and our faith, and our trust in these relationship goal couples. Now here's the thing. Maybe I'm sounding super insensitive because perhaps Rachel and Dave are going through something that obviously we didn't know anything about but maybe there was the straw that broke the camel's back. Maybe there was an incident that made everything fall to pieces, whatever it might be.
I might sound really insensitive about that and I'm not. I feel personally I don't know. I had super high expectations of these relationship gurus and I'm guilty of even taking their advise sometimes because it's really good advise. I'm sure it's still is good advise. But yeah, I guess I expected a higher level of transparency. With that said, I want to make a commitment to be really transparent with you guys about our own struggles in marriage because I think the best leaders don't necessarily have it all together. I don't want a leader that's always right but I do want a leader that's always real. I want to be an example of that.
Yeah marriage is hard. It's really hard. Like I said, you see them when they're at their worst and you also see them when they're at their best. You know how hard it is for them when the rest of the world maybe only has a glimpse but you know the struggle and its entirety. When they do triumph it's you who appreciates more than anybody because you're connected to the story. You share a life during the highs and the lows, and even in the mundane like cleaning the backyard together, paying bills, moving, organizing, cooking, doing laundry, or falling asleep holding each other most nights, or some nights you're completely super pissed off at each other that you're on opposite sides of the bed. That happens but I think the foundation of our relationship is trust.
I know that I could be driving wheel crazy but I trust him to still defend me even when he's pissed. It's because we built this memory bank of dropping everything when the other is sick because as ugly as marriage can be, you know that that's your other half lying in that hospital bed, like I did when Will had his stroke. You know that that's the only person who truly holds your life. That loves the same children that you do, with the same purity. That knows you through and through, and often better than you know yourself. Marriage is incredible. That's why it's worth it. Because you have a real home base. It's knowing that somebody loves you so much that they're going to have your back when other people say something mean about you.
Like I said, even in the middle of a fight. The fights are sometimes over stupid things. Like the car being dirty, the kids wearing a jacket, where to go for dinner. A lot of times it starts with a very simple question like, "Do you like this shirt?" 30 minutes later, you're like, "Whoa, we're in a fight. We're in a real fight." That's normal. It's normal but you work through it. Marriage is a family but the more accurately, I think marriage is a mirror. It's a mirror for your own shit and the other person's shit, pardon my French. It is. It's also a mirror for all the crazy beautiful aspects and characteristics that rests within you guys because you have a witness. It's beautiful because it is crazy. That's what makes it beautiful. It's beautiful because it is difficult.
I don't know if this is resonating with any of you. A lot of you guys might have marriages that are less confrontational, then that's cool. I have this commitment to be a 100% myself because I think that's what equals happy. That's one of the elements of being happy. I need to be a 100% myself all the time and I don't think me staying in a relationship where I'm biting my tongue all the time, or I'm sugarcoating things is worth it. Being a wife and a mother are the two most rewarding jobs I know I will ever hold and have ever held. I want to experience this by being authentic to me, to them, and to the rest of the world so I can sleep at night.
It is the greatest thing ever. I remember, and sometimes I take this for granted, I remember in my twenties when I was single wanting everything that I have now. I wouldn't trade this life, or this man for any other. I stand super amazed sometimes at how blessed I am with Will because I can trust him and I trust that he loves me a lot. Guys, if this is resonating with you, let me know on Instagram. The real thank you here is if you guys share my content. I freaking love that. I super, super appreciate it. I am so proud of this community that I've built, the Pretty Rich community.
With that said, I want you guys to come check out my YouTube channel. I think I talked about this before. YouTube is something that I've been pursuing lately since lockdown. Since I've had a little bit more time but also feel like I'm busier than ever because I'm creating content for you guys, a lot of content. Check out my YouTube channel, youtube.com/sheilabella and I post a lot of easy to digest quick tips about how to make it in the beauty industry, how to have more confidence, speaking in front of the camera, stuff like that. It's a different type of platform than podcasts, where podcasts I feel like I'm really sitting with you guys in my comfort zone and I really feel like I'm sitting with you guys having a glass of wine with a friend.
But with YouTube, I feel like a pop star. It's quick, because people have a really short attention spans. If that's more your style, go check it out, go check it out. The link is in my bio on Instagram, or go to YouTube type in Sheila Bella I'm sure you'll find it. Okay guys, I am so excited to introduce Maya Moore to you. I did a Zoom call with her just the other day and she's somebody that I've wanted to connect with for a very long time because she is one of those gems in the industry that you keep hearing about. She has a good reputation everywhere you turn so I decided, all right, let's go, let's meet this girl. I'm so happy that she agreed. I'm sure you guys are going to love this. Here she is Ms Maya Moore.
Hi everyone, welcome to Pretty Rich Podcast. Today I'm so excited I have Maya Moore. Now Maya Moore is in the Bay Area. She's a prominent makeup artist and educator. She's been in the business now for four plus years. She is an Amiea educator and she is the head trainer at MBL Academy, stands for MooreBeautyLove. Her specialty is in nano brows. Her focus is getting really, really good retention on all skin colors. She's fabulous. We connected on Instagram and she's wearing my favorite color right now. I know you guys are going to love her. Everybody, welcome Maya Moore. Hi. How are you?
Maya Moore:
Hi, thank you for having me Sheila.
Sheila Bella:
I'm so excited to finally be connecting in this way.
Maya Moore:
Me too.
Sheila Bella:
The way I do my podcast, I do a little bit of a rapid fire in the beginning to warm you up.
Maya Moore:
That sounds like fun.
Sheila Bella:
Real easy. Where are you from and where'd you grow up?
Maya Moore:
I'm from Oakland California, born and raised.
Sheila Bella:
Wow, and you're still there?
Maya Moore:
I live in Hercules now but that's like 15 minutes north of that, so yeah not far.
Sheila Bella:
You're a California girl through and through.
Maya Moore:
Totally, totally California.
Sheila Bella:
Next question. Person that's changed your life?
Maya Moore:
Oh my goodness. Living? Person that's changed my life recently has been Elena and she's the head of me and instructor because when I... She really changed me as an instructor. She taught me some things and some concepts that I never really thought about. She opened my mind up to this whole way of teaching, and even technique wise she really gave me some really poignant tips. I'd say Elena. Thank you Elena. Yeah she's awesome.
Sheila Bella:
What's something that she taught you that changed the game for you? Can you share with us?
Maya Moore:
When I trained with her, it was actually the first time I'd ever done a nano model in front of an instructor. I've been doing it now for three years but it was literally my first time working on a model with an instructor presence. There were some little things that you're like... Hello?
Sheila Bella:
I'm here.
Maya Moore:
There are some little things that you're like, "Oh, am I doing this right? Okay. It seems to be working but I'm not totally sure. Am I hitting that right spot?" When I worked with her, I found the sweet spot and it's impossible for me not to fill it now. She really gave me that aha moment that I've been needing for all these three years.
Sheila Bella:
Oh wow. It's a sweet spot, awesome.
Maya Moore:
A sweet spot.
Sheila Bella:
Next question. What is, a podcast or somebody inspirational, that's changed your life? That's given you a lot of value.
Maya Moore:
That's it's extremely motivating and inspirational, and it really gets you off your butt. That's how I feel about it. It gets you out of a certain mindset. There are certain things that you may have ways of looking at life and even looking at your business, looking at your friends, your assets, things that you encounter normally. The way that you approach things it gives you a different spin. I look at a lot of things from the standpoint of how can I add value? How can I find the value in that now? I did always look at every situation like that especially from a professional standpoint. Different opportunities would come and they would come and go. Now I'm always trying to figure out how I can keep the dollars going not letting that client be that one client, but how can I monetize on that client over and over and over again? That's been really helpful. The Boards Podcast-
Sheila Bella:
[inaudible 00:22:58] school?
Maya Moore:
Yes. A wealth of knowledge. In small little segments but the tips are so valuable such game changing tips all the time. I listen to it and I'm like, "Okay, didn't know that." Or, "Yup, adding that to my bag." Just about everything, even things that I don't work on, like lips, or I think someone did one on a way to get noticed for conferences, how to be a presenter on a conference. And I'm like, "Oh, I never even thought about that but let me listen to that." That's interesting and that's something that I like to do.
Maya Moore:
I like that it's very broad but it has so much value to it. I love that. I also love You Are a CEO. I've been a part of You Are a CEO for several years now. It's a group that really focuses on being the best CEO and the CEO of yourself like making sure that your mind is... You don't have all these mental roadblocks and similar to Pretty Rich but that you are the 100% person that you can be and the best in every aspect of your life.
Sheila Bella:
Well, thanks for sharing that.
Maya Moore:
Absolutely.
Sheila Bella:
That made me feel good. That made me feel good.
Maya Moore:
Oh yes.
Sheila Bella:
Thank you. What has been your favorite investment? Is there a purchase that's impacted your life? Whether it's a big purchase... It's a two part question. A big purchase and a little purchase under $100.
Maya Moore:
The big purchase would have to be outside of investing in myself to become a PMU artist. I think the largest investment would be investing in my first Amiea machine which was over $3,000. I was like, "Oh my God! I can't believe I spent this money on this technique you better change the world." But honestly it really was the game changer for my technique. I talked about it not long ago.
Sheila Bella:
Wow, that's absolutely a $3,000 machine.
Maya Moore:
Yeah. I talked about it not long ago on my Instagram stories and gave my little story of how I even came to find out about Amiea. It was pretty profound but that machine is when I started seeing the amazing retention on all skin types, especially like Fitzpatrick's five and six. I had not seen that prior to Amiea. My Amiea device was definitely worth it.
Sheila Bella:
What's up PMU sister friend. No, seriously. Do you want new clients all the time? Do you want to end the worry and anxiety over where your next client is going to come from? How awesome would it be to have a steady, I'm talking about the steady flow of leads and calls to your business inquiring about your services. I'm inviting you to stop stressing and start living. With my new online course NCC, which stands for New Clients Consistently. Here you will learn how to guarantee about one client that loved you so much is going to turn into 10 more.
There's a formula to this and it works. It works so well. This course is going to teach you how to create new clients out of the current ones that you do have. So, if you have a PMU lash, or any beauty business that's struggling, you've got to check this out. This is everything. This is the secret right here. It's a new era, you got to shake things up because if what you're doing isn't working, stop doing it. Your pattern isn't working so you need to get a new one. This is the ultimate pattern interrupt. Stop what you're doing, you got to go to sheilabella.com/ncc. Let's get you those new clients consistently, and I'll see you inside.
Maya Moore:
A purchase under $100?
Sheila Bella:
Yeah. That you're like this is really making life a lot easier right now. This is awesome.
Maya Moore:
This is shallow but it's this mascara-
Sheila Bella:
Give it to me, give it to me.
Maya Moore:
The thrive mascara [inaudible 00:27:48].
Sheila Bella:
Does it have fibers?
Maya Moore:
Yeah it has fibers in it but the reason that I like it, it doesn't get super clumpy or anything but the reason I love it is because when you cry, or your face gets sweaty, or wet your lashes don't, I'm sorry, your mascara doesn't bleed into your eye. That would happen to me with all my other mascara's and I have very sensitive eyes. I'd be scratching them and my eyes would get really irritated but this one it comes off so easily. With or without water, I could-
Sheila Bella:
Nice.
Maya Moore:
[inaudible 00:28:30] together and get off my lashes. That was $20 that I... I need more. I'm going to forever love that mascara.
Sheila Bella:
Now I feel like you're going to get everybody to check it out right now. That's the first thing I'm going to do when I get off the phone.
Maya Moore:
Just try it.
Sheila Bella:
Now, next thing is. Do you have a favorite achievement and a favorite failure? Can you tell me what's your favorite achievement, and favorite failure, and why?
Maya Moore:
Favorite achievement. My favorite achievement would be starting my own business which was MooreBeautyLove.
Sheila Bella:
Why is that your favorite achievement?
Maya Moore:
It's my favorite because I didn't think that I ever wanted to be an entrepreneur. I was comfortable with a nine to five. I know when I'm supposed to be off work. Give me my paid time, give me my vacation, and I'll leave and do what I want to do. I don't have to worry about... Because I've seen entrepreneurs and they basically work every day. It's a seven day a week job and I didn't want to have that commitment. I wanted to live a little bit free. But as my business began to grow, I was an aesthetician for 12 years before I started doing permanent makeup but as my business began to grow, it expanded to the point where it was like you have to take this opportunity.
There's no way that you could service these types of clients in the box that you're currently in. I was nervous. I was really scared to take that leap because there's a lot of it's on me now. What if something happens? I used to really live in the world of what if, what if. That can be a good, and a bad thing, a crippling thing. That was really... Taking that leap and then seeing the fruit that came from it, it's like, wow, I'm so happy. I didn't listen to those thoughts of no you won't be successful. You're going to let everybody down who's riding on you et cetera, et cetera.
Sheila Bella:
To circle back to that, who is riding on you? Who's counting on you to be successful?
Maya Moore:
Me.
Sheila Bella:
You?
Maya Moore:
It's a personal thing. No one else is saying, Maya if you don't do this we're all going to suffer. If you don't make this amount of money, or we're all going to suffer if you are in the red next month, or anything like that. It's a personal goal. These are personal goals that I set for myself. I feel like I'm my own competition and my biggest critic. That personal let down has always been I don't want to fail but to your question, what's your biggest failure and it's like those failures you learn from them.
Sheila Bella:
Do you have a favorite one that you learned the biggest thing from?
Maya Moore:
Okay. My biggest failure was when I actually owned a home. Back in 2005 I owned my first home and in 2007 I filed for bankruptcy because everything, the whole economy-
Sheila Bella:
2008.
Maya Moore:
You know what happened in 2008.
Sheila Bella:
2008.
Maya Moore:
Yes, I filed the beginning of 2008 and I was at my... I was so sad. I couldn't believe that. First I had some challenges within my family not really supporting me going into the beauty industry because I'd gotten a degree. Right out of high school I went to Cal State Hayward, got a degree and had a really good job at Chipola College. Then I was laid off and I said I really want to do something that I'm passionate about. I went back to school and became an aesthetician and my dad was not happy. He was very upset and felt like I was running from responsibility. You don't want structure and all this. I'm like, "No, it's not about that. I just want to do something that I'm passionate about." I've been doing brows since I was 17 and loving all things beauty. I wanted to go just try it and see if it would work.
Maya Moore:
Several years later, 2005 this whole thing happened where I went to school to become an esthetician, that happened in 2003. In 2005 built up enough in my savings where I can actually buy a home. Then my dad's like, "I knew you had it in you." I'm like, "Dad no." It was really a big deal for me to own a home especially because I wasn't married, I was single. I was doing it all on my own and then to lose that two and a half years later it was like, "Oh my God, I'm at the bottom again." But we were all at the bottom. Everyone that I knew we all, no one knew that that was going to happen at least we didn't know. When I say it was my greatest failure is because I learned that I wasn't alone and that made me feel okay with what was happening. It made me okay let's change the game up. Let's plan how we're going to reach that level again.
Sheila Bella:
You strategized?
Maya Moore:
I did.
Sheila Bella:
Was that the moment when after you filed for bankruptcy? Did you find permanent makeup after that?
Maya Moore:
No. Oh no. I filed in 2008. I became a permanent makeup artist in 2014.
Sheila Bella:
Oh, so what happened after that? How did you turn that around?
Maya Moore:
I was an esthetician. I was working at a salon called Johmonts [inaudible 00:35:10] and I did brows and makeup, everything in aesthetics. I wasn't making tons of money but I was fine. I was comfortable. In 2012 I got married to my husband. From there I noticed permanent makeup. I noticed these things happening with eyebrows that were... First it was hair extensions. Remember eyebrow extensions?
Sheila Bella:
Yeah.
Maya Moore:
They were out for like two seconds and I was like, "Oh my God." I barged into this is amazing. I have to learn it. I think that's going to change the game. But then I saw microblading and I was like, "Oh no, that's going to really change the game." Because I got eyebrow extensions and they fell off in three days and I paid $90. I was like, "Oh no. This is money down the drain. No, one's going to continue to pay that." But microblading I was like, "This could be my golden ticket. This could be it." I've always been about brows Sheila. Literally been doing brows since '96. It's been a long relationship.
I was like, "This can really do something for every woman and I think I can benefit from it." My husband was like, "Absolutely not. How much is the class costs?" He's like, "The class cost how much? No! We can't do that. We can't afford it." It was 3000. Some classes were seven back then, and 5,000. He was like, "What is microblading?" I had to build an interest list. I built an interest list of 35 clients that were interested in this service. He was like, "Okay, if the demand is that good we'll pay for it." From there I never looked back, never. Eventually after a year I had to stop all my aesthetic services completely and focus on brow tattoo.
Sheila Bella:
Yeah. Wow. What a story! What are some common myths about the permanent makeup industry? Are there any common myths that are going around? Now that we have an audience you want to settle once and for?
Maya Moore:
Well right now I think for a lot of people wanting to enter PMU it's that you can make a lot of money fast. It's instant. You're going to take a class and you're going to make six figures. I can understand why people feel like that because it is presented that way by a lot of instructors and schools sometimes they position it as this is what you can make. Yeah you could make that. Are you realistically going to make that coming out of school immediately? No.
It's very unlikely that she'll do that immediately unless you already have a really large clientele base that's asking for that. They're going to want to see your work. Let's start. That's really what it's about. You can make that if your work is good but if your work is terrible or it's a beginner. There are so many artists everyone can choose from. They're not necessarily going to pay $500 for someone who has only worked on one person.
Sheila Bella:
What would you advise that person that's just graduated from a permanent makeup school and they're having this rude awakening right now that, whoop! It's not how it was marketed to me. It was to do more. What would you advise them to do?
Maya Moore:
I advise them to start really practicing because you can have all the clients in the world but if your work isn't great, you're not going to keep getting referrals. Eventually you might have a client concern, or a bad Yelp review which can damage your business. Working on your technique is super important and working on people. You do need bodies to work on and you might not always be able to charge top dollar in the beginning. I like to tell my students charge anything under $300 is a good starting point. If you're okay with 200, if your lifestyle can afford that then try it too, because when someone is trying you out as a new artist, you don't want them to say, "Let me see all your work. Well, let me think about it." The lower your price, the less they have to think about it.
They're going to look at it as a good offer but then you don't want it to be $50 for everyone because then they're like, "$50. Okay, let me see your work because it could be something wrong." It could work for you or against you but I think being cautious about when you first start, you're figuring it all out. You still need to know what a heel brow looks like. You still need to know what your brows are going to look like when they come in. What that heeling process is really like. You need to get your pan movement down. You need to know what pigments are going to look like on different skin types. If you're doing machine where you need to figure out how to work around the body. There's so much to learn but if you're only seeing one person a month because you want to charge more money, then you're not really going to build up your skill the same way. You set the price low.
Sheila Bella:
Absolutely. That's really good advise. Let's dive back into you. Fill in the blank. If people really knew me, they would know that I blank. What's something that only people who really know you, know about you?
Maya Moore:
That I am extremely touchy feely. I'm a hugger and a kisser. This whole quarantine situation has been so hard for me because I've been this way since elementary school. The kids would run from me like, "Maya is stalking and kissing me again teacher." I love people. I touch faces, and cheeks, and chins, and all of that. I'm extremely touchy. People we know me know that they're getting a hug and a kiss.
Sheila Bella:
I love that characteristic. Do you have a favorite quote right now?
Maya Moore:
I do have a quote that I say often.
Sheila Bella:
Tell me you live by.
Maya Moore:
This is something that I live by. The things we stress over are the things we have no control over, so don't stress.
Sheila Bella:
I can't... Thank you. Oh my God.
Maya Moore:
No, really. If you could control it, you would make it happen. You would do that things so.
Sheila Bella:
I needed that so badly today.
Maya Moore:
Yeah, that is-
Sheila Bella:
Say that again. Say that again. say it again.
Maya Moore:
We stress over the things we cannot control.
Sheila Bella:
So wise-
Maya Moore:
If we could control it, we would make it happen one way or another. If you can't control it, let it go.
Sheila Bella:
No!
Maya Moore:
Or even-
Sheila Bella:
That was such a great reminder. Thank you for that beautiful, beautiful reminder. I definitely needed to hear that, [crosstalk 00:43:40] pressure. Well it's a great segue. When you do feel down, depressed, you're stressed out because you can't control something. What are some actionable steps you take to get out of it?
Maya Moore:
My husband knows this. I'm a very internal person when it comes to trauma and I can go really deep inside zone everything out. Sometimes I have to really pull myself out of that. Come out from 20 feet below and come to the surface, smile life is still happening. What I do is I talk it out. I will record myself. I've been doing this since high school and I will have my own therapy session a lot of the time. I'll talk about how I'm feeling, the depths of everything that's going on and I play it back to myself. A lot of times when I do that, I can already find solutions to a lot of the things that I'm dealing with just by hearing it back and getting out of my head. I'm not really... My penmanship has gotten worse since we started texting and stuff. I don't write as much. I don't have a journal anymore but I have so many voice memos from myself to myself.
Sheila Bella:
I do that too.
Maya Moore:
You do?
Sheila Bella:
Yeah. When I heard you say that I was like, "I'm not alone."
Maya Moore:
No!
Sheila Bella:
Yeah, I do that too. I coach my coach myself.
Maya Moore:
Yes.
Sheila Bella:
Voice notes. Oh my gosh. There's some notes where I'm like, "Listen to this every day." I think it's a way of parenting yourself because I think that's what adults do. You learn to parent yourself because your mom's not going to be there going, "Get up it's time to go to school."
Maya Moore:
I have one that says that says Maya Get up. Get up!
Sheila Bella:
Is that your alarm?
Maya Moore:
Yes.
Sheila Bella:
Oh, that's awesome.
Maya Moore:
Get up.
Sheila Bella:
I love it. I love it. My second to last question is going to be... Let's go all the way back to Maya in 2008 which seems like that was probably one of the lowest points of your life. Am I right?
Maya Moore:
Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Sheila Bella:
It's 2008? What advise would you give to yourself 12 years ago? And what advise would you tell her to ignore?
Maya Moore:
Man, I often think about this though Sheila. Really I do. I often think, man, if I could go back knowing what I know now, I would have done PMU a long time ago. We all would have did a long time ago. I definitely would've started that a long time ago but also would have told myself that it's going to get better. It really is. When you go through trauma, or hard things happen, bad breakups, or whatever people always going to say, "Time heals all wounds and it's going to get better." But I would tell myself that you're not going to always feel what you feel today. Because when you're in those situations, it's so hard for you to see yourself in a different place sometimes and knowing that it will be okay from your futuristic self, I think it would've put me in a different path. Okay, well let me focus on one, two and three instead of trying to feel my way through all these other things, bad relationships, all these attachments that I may have had.
Sheila Bella:
Yeah. Ah, that's really good. What advise would you tell yourself to ignore? People tell you things, that bad gave you bad advise back then?
Maya Moore:
Yes. Somebody gave me some bad advise for sure. What was it though? It has been so much. Oh my God, I'm having a brain fart. 2008 wouldn't anybody tell me. I've had a lot of really positive role models in my life. A lot of people don't say things that are too much bad advise.
Sheila Bella:
There must be something. Think.
Maya Moore:
Some bad advise I'm thinking of makeup type stuff and things in my career but I'm trying to think of something that I invested in that I thought was going to be so great that was totally a bomb for me.
Sheila Bella:
Do you have anything like that where you're really banking on like a training or banking on-
Maya Moore:
Yes, let's go there.
Sheila Bella:
Okay. What's one piece of advise that you would tell her to ignore.
Maya Moore:
The advise I would tell Maya to ignore is taking people for their word when it comes to trainings. You need to see the proof. Let's see your student work, let's see your work and not that, "Oh, I want to learn this new technique." Which was my experience in my first microblading classes if you're trying to wonder where all this is coming from. I was so excited to learn the craft that I never thought to ask the lady, "Can you show me some of your work? Have you ever done this before? Have you ever let me see your student work or anything?" I didn't think about it. After the class I didn't know anything.
Maya Moore:
My first brows were treacherous. They were so bad because I didn't do the research that I needed to do. But in 2015, 2016, early part there really wasn't a lot, especially in Northern California. LA there were classes but up north there was not really anything at all. I would tell myself to do some more research before and not take the word of someone's saying that, "Oh, I'm teaching this class." But really look and see what the proof is. Same for this removal class I took, and I spent a lot of money on the machine. It was over 2,500 and the needles were 400, and the solution was four. It was so expensive and I thought it was going to be this game changing technique that is non-invasive, and no scarring, and no scabbing, and all these things and-
Sheila Bella:
Wow.
Maya Moore:
It may work for someone else but it did not pan out for me in any way, shape or form. You live and you learn, you're going to go through those experiences. I hope next time it's not so costly.
Sheila Bella:
Okay. Last question Maya. What is your best advise for how to live a pretty rich life? Rich which means all encompassing, not just financially but relationally, wellness, inside and out.
Maya Moore:
Oh, that can go so many ways. My advise would be to trust yourself and find really great people to network with. You can't always be the smartest person in the room but you won't really grow that way if you're always the smartest cookie. You've got to get around some other people who are where you want to be, and be nice, and positive. You could always offer some constructive criticism at times but you get so much farther with honey, I promise you. Especially in the beauty industry, and I don't mean you're oozing compliments on everyone because that can come off fake, but to really have a positive demeanor and vantage point, look at the positive of everything and try to really connect with people.
I think that that's personally helped me so, so much and trust in myself, and removing a lot of that self doubt because in the age of social media, and Instagram, and beautiful images, and filters. Everyone and everything is always so beautiful and you can often feel like, "Oh my God, whether it's your work, whether it's the you look, whether it's how you feel about yourself, or where you live, or anything you can feel you're not enough but you are enough. We are all enough.
Sheila Bella:
So so good. I needed that reminded too.
Maya Moore:
Sheila, you are enough, you're beautiful.
Sheila Bella:
Thank you. I also have my days. I do. Yes smiling is exhausting, isn't it?
Maya Moore:
Yes, it starts to look like this.
Sheila Bella:
I'm the type of person that smiles so much that when I'm not smiling, I'm actually resting. People are like, "Something's wrong with her? What's going on?" I was like "No, I'm tired right now but my face just needs a break." Where can our listeners find you and what are other ways we can work with you?
Maya Moore:
You can find me on Instagram @moorebeautylove. You can also find me on Facebook at Maya Moore. Well there's a Maya Moore that's a basketball player. You don't want to... That's not me. I don't play basketball. Maya Moore Cosmetic Tattoo Artists and my website at www.morebeautylove.com. Everything is MooreBeautylove. If you look up MooreBeautylove you're going to find me.
Sheila Bella:
That's awesome. Thank you so much Maya that was so much fun.
Maya Moore:
Absolutely Sheila.
Sheila Bella:
That's it for today's episode of Pretty Rich Podcast. If there was anything in this episode that has impacted you in any small, or big way I want to know. You can reach me @realsheilabella on Instagram. And by the way, if we are not text buddies yet that needs to change. You can text my name Sheila, S-H-E-I-L-A to 31996 and we'll be connected. I really love hanging with you guys on here and one last thing before we wrap it up. I got to include my kids, right? Hashtag mom first. Here are Beau and Gray to close things out.
Beau:
Hi, my name is Beau. I'm five years old.
Sheila Bella:
Can you tell everybody what our family motto is.
Beau:
I can do hard thing.
Sheila Bella:
I can do hard things. Now fill in the blanks. Hard is?
Beau:
Fun.
Sheila Bella:
Easy is?
Beau:
Boring.
Sheila Bella:
Good job buddy. I love you so much.
Beau:
I love you the best mommy, thank you.
Sheila Bella:
Gray, say, "Share with your friends."
Gray:
Share with your friends.
Sheila Bella:
Please review my mommy on iTunes.
Gray:
Please review mommy on iTunes.
Sheila Bella:
Thanks for listening.
Gray:
Thanks for listening.
