We recently connected with Daejha Baines and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Daejha, 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?
My work ethic comes from knowing no one is going to show up for me .. but me. I have big dreams that only I can fulfill. I have a vision so big, beyond the average human mind can ever even imagine. My work ethic developed from not having, and wanting better. Back in 2018, I lost my grandmother and she literally provided my every need and want, with no questions asked which had me super spoiled. However, I remember the days she worked so hard, consistently, she always showed up for herself even if no one else did. She’d always tell me even as a little girl you have to always work hard for what you want in this life. At the time, it really didn’t dawn on me because “why would I; when I know I can call and be dependent upon you?” I thought.
Her death literally forced me to grow up, take initiative and work for every single thing I wanted. And now I am able to instill that into my daughter. Over the years, I have grown to be more ambitious and have that burning desire to succeed. I wake up every morning and tell myself I have to be better than I was yesterday, I have to go harder than yesterday. I’m always in competition with myself.
Furthermore, I have a name, a brand that exemplifies my ethics and is a representation of me.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
My name is Daejha (like DEJA-vu), I am 27 years old & I am the Founder & Owner of Wink-A-Mink, LLC (WAM). I am originally from Montgomery, Alabama and relocated to Atlanta, GA in 2021. As a little girl, I’ve always had a vision of being a business owner. Now did I know it would be from lashes? Of course not but here we are!
Before WAM, I was doing hair. I learned quickly the hair industry wasn’t really for me, even though I was good at it.
I knew working a regular job wasn’t for me because I could never be on time and I would be miserable no matter what the salary was. My happiness is my top priority and I am always quick to remove myself when something doesn’t contribute to my happiness so I would always quit. I would leave jobs 30 mins into starting, leave on lunch breaks and never come back .. like it was bad y’all! It was even worse because I didn’t care.
One day, I had a real talk with myself because I knew I couldn’t keep quitting jobs like that so I decided to take the necessary steps to become a lash tech.
I started with a training and received my certification with LashHouzz (by Joydan Sparks) in Atlanta. I left the training feeling so confident and knowing in my heart this was my purpose. I had never been so sure of something in my life.
While still mastering my craft, I developed a large clientele in Montgomery quickly because of the experience and customer service I gave to my clients. Personally, I’ll pay top dollar for a warm welcoming experience. With that being said, I made sure once I started that business I dreamed about as a little girl, the experience would be top priority.
At Wink-A-Mink, we provide eyelash extension services, and are best known for our great retention. We offer 3 different sets (Hybrid, Volume, MegaVolume).
We also offer one-on-one trainings certifying others to do lashes and start their own lash business.
WAM was established in 2019 back in my hometown and relocated to Atlanta, GA in 2021.
We take pride in only offering one-on-one trainings because it gives each person their own privacy, additionally everyone learns at their own pace.
Furthermore, as an instructor I do not leave the training until my student gets the skill and is comfortable on their own!
In my trainings, not only am I teaching the skill but also how to establish, grow, and market a successful business. All my students that are serious & wish to make lashing their career gain a lifetime mentor and an accountability partner.
The lash industry can be seen as “saturated” like most people would say, however I believe that if you focus on yourself, your business, your clients, your growth, and have a tunnel vision mindset you can and will dominate the industry. The moment you look and compare yourself to another person and their business; you’ve already lost.
Wink-A-Mink welcomes all new clients with a discount code : “WAMNEW”.
We encourage anybody looking to get become a lash tech to check out our website and reviews on our Instagram : @_winkamink
Wink-A-Mink is expanding and growing everyday and will be offering more services in the near future.
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?
Looking back, the most vital thing you can do is be consistent. I know that seems a bit cliché, but it’s so true. You have to set time aside each day, and dedicate it to perfecting your craft. As an instructor, I can teach you the skill but if you don’t practice and be consistent with it, you will not be successful in this industry. Consistency and having a burning desire to succeed is what made me successful with my business. There are times I find myself being inconsistent with promoting because I have developed a regular clientele, but what happens when those regular clients move or relocate?
You have to stay consistent with marketing and promoting your business as well.
Also, believing in yourself is imperative. If you don’t believe in yourself, why should someone else? If you’re looking at the next lash tech/instructor questioning yourself, is this really for you? I see this a lot when I check in with my students. Confidence is key!
Anyone early in their journey, I advise them to be consistent, persistent, and never give up! In the beginning, it will be hard. Lashing is very tedious and takes a ton of patience, take those necessary breaks but never stop!
As we end our chat, is there a book you can leave people with that’s been meaningful to you and your development?
Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill changed my perspective on life. I have read that book several times and anytime I feel discouraged I refer back to it. It teaches you to shift your mindset. It reassures that you can be anything in this life. It teaches you how and why to have a success conscious mind. That book has contributed so much to my growth & success.
Contact Info:
- Website: bookwinkamink.as.me
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_winkamink/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCk3Xt3–FtlRPHLH_M5-9fA
