We recently connected with Monique Coghlan and have shared our conversation below.
Monique, looking forward to learning from your journey. You’ve got an amazing story and before we dive into that, let’s start with an important building block. Where do you get your work ethic from?
I definitely get my work ethic from my parents. They’ve always try to push me to have that can-do attitude. I also have a lot of self motivation because nothing is just gonna come to you. You have to work for it.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I’ve been a part of the beauty industry for the past 24 years. I’ve always enjoyed making people look beautiful and feel good about themselves. I’ve been in every part of the beauty industry. It all started with a part time gig at Sephora. From there I went to become a counter manager at Nordstom for different brands then I became a beauty stylist. This is where I found where my specialty was. I saw that my favorite thing to do was getting my client’s ready for any of their special occasions and events. Then years after I became a regional Makeup Artist for a larger cosmetic brand. Once I decided to go independent was the best thing ever, I had the opportunity to work at some high-end fashion shows and red carpet events. I love being on sets and doing music videos and print work. The thing that makes me feel the most excited about what I do is the personal connection and being a part of my clients special moments. Currently my main focus is Bridal beauty and high end luxury events. I love working with brides to create a custom look and to bring a sense of calm and glam to their day. I also love working with a personal stylist to create a full look for a client to walk the red carpet. In the future, I’m looking to build my beauty website and adding one on one shopping lessons & beauty consultations to anyone that wants to build a routine.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
I feel like the traits that a person should always have when starting anything is, always be a student, always be open, build connections & people skills. I feel like those were the most impactful things for me for my personal journey and it will be good for anyone else. It’s important to work hard and to keep learning always. Do your research & practice. If you were just starting out, with whatever you do, learn everything you possibly can about your craft. Surround yourself with people with the same interest and learn from them and also share what you know and collaborate.
Okay, so before we go, is there anyone you’d like to shoutout for the role they’ve played in helping you develop the essential skills or overcome challenges along the way?
I would definitely say my parents and my husband. I couldn’t do half the things that I do without their support. When there are times that I feel like I wasn’t good enough, they were always there to encourage me and to keep me going forward. I’ve always had an interest for art and beauty and they helped push me in the right direction. My husband helps to keep me focused on long days. Also, one of my first salon managers Judy has always seen that I’ve had a talent and I’ve been working with her for the past 20 years. She always trusts my vision and we work well when we do weddings together. The knowledge that I definitely had to have in the ever-changing beauty industry is to know the trends and to stay on top of them.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: Beauty_moniquenicole
