We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jaylene Llewellyn. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jaylene below.
Jaylene, so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?
My journey began back in 2016 when I took the plunge to move to the (big) city of Vancouver. I was born & raised in a small town in Northern BC but also lived on the small island in the Caribbean for half of my childhood, where my dads side of the family is from.
I knew I wanted to do something big in life. I couldn’t pinpoint exactly what it was but I knew I had interests in business, problem solving & helping people. I knew that whatever I ended up doing, I wanted to make a difference & a positive impact in the world.
I moved into a condo with my older brother & immediately went on a job hunt.
I started out as a nanny, got a second job working in a restaurant & then onto working as a cleaner.
I began cleaning homes for a contracting company – they were not great! The company required you to purchase all of the products (Sanetizers, brooms, mops, vacuums etc), use your own vehicle & pay for the fuel – they just paid an hourly rate of $20.00 & at the time that was a high wage to me.
I did my best & took pride in the houses I was assigned. One morning, I arrived at this massive, beautiful new house in a very wealthy community. A lady was home. She welcomed me in & we chatted for a bit. She had two kids, a husband who was the provider & she was a stay at home mom. She expressed her frustrations with not being able to keep up with her household & that’s why she hired help to start coming on a regular basis. She was very friendly & we seemed to have connected. She thanked me & rushed off to her spin class.
I remember thinking, wow. I dream of having a life & a home like hers… I got to cleaning- I really took my time with each room & area of the house.
Later that night when I arrived home, she texted me stating that she found dust on the white* dresser in her little girls room. She expressed that she is extremely upset & disappointed in me. I immediately apologized & explained that I must have somehow made a mistake & missed that spot.
I sat there thinking for a while… About what a great conversation we had earlier that day & how well I thought we got on. Confused as to why she would confront me so harshly & also hurt by it. I felt she was speaking down to me because of the position I was in & because of my job title..
The next day I woke up & decided I’m not going to allow people to treat me like this. I’m going to continue searching for something better, something that I could not only take pride in but to also make a difference. I put my resignation in with the cleaning company that day & went back to the job search websites.
I saw a listing posted by a Telemedicine company looking for brand ambassadors & applied. The owner (who was also an anaesthesiologist) got back to me right away & asked when I can be available to meet- I said I could be available at 8am the following day, 1 hour before my 9am nanny shift.
The interview went great. He expressed his appreciation for me being open & efficient with the meeting & hired me then & there!
I worked with him for many years & gradually worked my way up from an ambassador, to a medical office assistant, to cosmetic sales coordinator & then onto managing one of the companies medical clinics downtown Vancouver.
Eventually I moved on to another company, working as the office manager for a group of Obstetricians & Gynecologists that I had met & worked with at events over the years.
I was happy there & felt I finally was doing something I was proud of.
A year later my husband & I found out we were expecting! This was a little sooner than we had planned. We were excited! But slightly concerned as we weren’t happy with the cost of living in Vancouver – especially with a baby on the way…
Soon after our baby boy arrived, I came across permanent makeup. I thought it was so interesting & loved how much it could make a difference in one’s confidence! I had always loved makeup and glam, so I booked an appointment for Ombre Brows to try it for myself. The lady who provided the service for to me not only provided amazing results but also was so supportive & awesome to connect with.
The wheels in my head started to turn & I realized if I could work doing something like this, then I would not only be able to help people feel their best but also run my own business, make great money & have more control over my daily life, especially time with my new little family.
I took the PMU course while on mat leave & then returned to a work from home position coordinating cosmetic surgeries for one of the gynecologists.
Later that year, we decided to pack up & move to Calgary Alberta.
A few months after settling in, I built a little studio in my dining room & started taking models to practice & improve my skills. I worked both jobs for a couple years & slowly built up my brow portfolio.
I found myself there again, with the urge to do something bigger & more meaningful. Brows were great but I wanted something a little more advance & leaning more on the medical side.
I booked a trip to Las Vegas to get certified in Bodystril – a Stretch Mark therapy treatment that rejuvenates the skin & reduces the appearance of stretch marks. I was amazed that this could be an option for women & had to try it immediately! I myself had gotten stretch marks during pregnancy so I related deeply.
Again, I returned home taking models to build up my portfolio. Later that year I lost my brother who meant the world to me.
I took a year off with the exception of clients who were already seeing me.
Come January 2023 we found our we were expecting baby #2! I continued working both jobs again until I was about 1 month away from my due date.
Being off work again really gave me time to think about ways I can commit to my beauty business, advance & stop working two jobs.
My husband & I met with a known marketing company online who had promised endless bookings. So we went ahead & invested over $4,000 upfront not oncluding AD spend… 3 months went by, no bookings came. They provided an additional month. Again, not a single consult or appointment booked. No satisfaction guarantee, no money back option.
At a loss & ready to give up, I thought I would try a different route all together. I remembed I had reserved a virtual ticket to the Vegas PMU conference that had happened back in October. So I logged in to watch the recordings ( I didn’t attend when it was happening live as I had recently had my baby around the same time).
One of the seminars that really caught my eye was about a company called Nue Conceal. They specialized in Paramedical tattoo procedures that focused on treating, covering up & reducing the appearance of damaged skin & scars for medical purposes! Such as surgical scars, scars from accident, self harm scars, skin conditions, stretch marks & more. I immediately knew this is what I had to do! I found out the course was only 40 days away & the cost was 6k USD… So essentially if I wanted to go I had to come up with over 10 thousand Canadian dollars including travel costs.
I told my husband & he looked at me like, are you crazy?! We just had Christmas, his work had been slow for the last few months & I was still off work. We were mainly living off one income at the time. I said don’t worry! We’ll figure it out! Even though I had no clue how.
I didn’t know where I was going to 10 thousand dollars but I knew I was going to find a way! I reached out to the company & a lady named Korrine helped coordinate. She sent payment plan links but unfortunately they would not work for me. I asked her if I can lock in my spot for $200 USD as there was limited seats – she said she would ask for me. She came back with a yes & helped make it happen!
She allowed me to continue making small payments over the next few days.
After weeks of brainstorming, working, support from my family & utilizing my resources (literally all of them) I was able to come up with the balance. Then I was off!
To say this was a good investment is an understatement. Our instructor Shanelle was incredable. I was privledged to meet some of the most amazing people that I had ever met in my life, let alone my career. I can confidently say that THIS is my new passion. My purpose. My path. I met Korrine the first day & she gave me a big hug! I got to personally meet the OWNER of the company, BIANCA FESTEJO herself. I was freaking out on the inside. My cup felt as if it was overflowing. This was also Biancas last training that she’d be participating in ever!
By the end of the program I was not only confident in the procedures but I also got to join a community of the most supportive, successful, inspiring women. I received such valuable advice & information ranging from how to manage your business, the science behind the treatments, a large variety of case studies, hands on practice & more. I was assured I’d be taken care of along the way. That I can text them any time & they’ll be checking in & ensuring we succeed on this new path.
I eagerly got the word out back home & had collaborations, consultations & treatments lined up for as soon as I returned home.
I guess overall, the way I found my purpose so far has been after trial and error over and over again. Never giving up, always staying open minded & taking advantage of new opportunities as they come, regardless of the difficulty. Listening to my instincts & following my gut when possible.
There were so many times I wanted to give up, so many times I cried & felt lost, questioning if I was doing the right thing. Hours of late night discussions with my husband, calculating our next move. Hoping we were right & having faith that we knew what we were doing.
It’s true what they say, when one door closes another one opens.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
My focus for years has been brows/PMU. But I have fallen in love with Paramedical Tattooing, and the chance to really make a more impactful difference in my clients lives.
As of now, I specialize in scar revision, camouflage tattooing & brow services!
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
The three qualities that were most impactful in my journey was:
1. Being like a sponge.
2. Not shying away from challenges.
3. Always being open minded to change & new opportunities
My best advice to anyone who is going through it, is to not give up, no matter how hard it seems & to always remember to have an open mind. Don’t panic when in a bind. Ask for help & try to get advice from others in your industry that have been through it. Build community. Surround yourself with positive people & habits. And lastly, being optimistic & flexible is absolutely one of your top assets.
Who is your ideal client or what sort of characteristics would make someone an ideal client for you?
For me it’s not so much about the ideal client but more so about the ideal results. Getting the opportunity to work with those who benefit not only physically but mentally as well.
I’ve had clients who have struggled with their self esteem due to not having any eyebrows whatsoever, or clients that really felt self conscious due to a traumatic event that has happened & left scarring.
Ofcourse we should all love ourselves the way we are but I will always support everyone on their selfcare journey regardless if that’s a little different for each person.
My passion lies within helping people & making a positive impact in the universe ♡
Contact Info:
- Website: www.wholesomeempireyyc.com
- Instagram: Instagram.com/wholesomeempireyyc
Image Credits
Aubzilla production
