We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Amy Flores a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Amy, thanks for sharing your insights with our community today. Part of your success, no doubt, is due to your work ethic and so we’d love if you could open up about where you got your work ethic from?
I definitely get my work ethic from my parents. My dad was in education as a principal so it was always instilled in us to do good in anything we do, be consistent and to not quit. My mom was a stay at home mom but her work ethic was about doing chores, getting our homework done, helping each other as much as we could. I believe that my parents passed on what was taught to them to their children also and I have passed that onto my son as well. My son is disabled but I never want him to use his disability as an excuse to not try to do something so definitely what my parents taught me have carried on with me throughout my life.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I am a wife, mother to a 29 year old who is on the autism spectrum and is special needs as well. I quit my full time job last year to pursue my makeup artistry full time. What I am focused on professionally is to help anyone feel their most beautiful self whether with or without makeup. For me it is about building those relationships with all of my clients. A lot of my former clients are some of my closest friends even years later. My goal is to empower everyone and give them the confidence they need to go out in the world and do amazing things. I am also very passionate about paying it forward to the community whether working with Kurt Warner’s First Things First Foundation, The Tim Tebow Foundation, The Missouri Miss Amazing Pageant or volunteering within my community.
We are a hair and makeup company that travels to the client for whatever the occasion is. I love getting to spend time with the clients while they get ready for their wedding, prom, boudoir shoot, senior photos, engagement or maternity shoot. I love doing styled photo shoots and vendor events and meeting new people within my industry and making connections because at the end of the day it should be about community over competition. We need to uplift and empower each other whenever we can.
We have some new services coming to our studio: lash lift/tints, eyebrow tints/lamination, spray tanning, hyaluron lip pen injections, lash extensions, one on one classes, group classes, artist to artist lessons.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Threes qualities of skills that anyone should utilize or take classes on is color theory to learn the basics of makeup and how to get the right color to your client, any kind of business class and to find a mentor in your area that can help you develop any skill that you may need to use in this business.
Best advice for anyone whether you are starting out or have been in this for a very long time is to have a thick skin, take criticism or feedback as a learning experience because if you don’t know what you are doing wrong or find a better way to do something you will never be able to grow as an artist. Learn how to work with other artists in your area because you are bond to work an event with them eventually and building those lasting relationships with others can only help you and your business. Also, don’t compare yourself to others because all of our journeys and how we got here are different but at the end of the day we are a community who should be lifting each other up.
And try and learn as much as you can.
Who has been most helpful in helping you overcome challenges or build and develop the essential skills, qualities or knowledge you needed to be successful?
I have had a few people in my life that have been helpful as well as impactful in building this business and helping me build my skills.
First my husband who has stood by my side with all my crazy ideas of building this brand.
Second is my right hand person Rachel, we have built this brand from the ground up over 3 years ago. Have we had some challenges of course we have, no business doesn’t but we work through them and we are there for each other no matter what.
Third is my mentor Katrina. She has been an amazing person to have in my life the last 7 years when I first started this makeup journey. She has given me so much guidance, knowledge, education, support and love beyond belief and I am forever grateful to her.
There are hard days and there are days where I have wanted to quit but things are starting to come together for us and I cannot wait to see where 2024 takes us.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.manifesting-beauty.com
- Instagram: manifestingbeautystl
- Facebook: Manifesting Beauty LLC
- Other: Tik Tok: amyflores583
