Vintage Inspired Beauty & Bridal Makeup

Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in beauty and cosmetics but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Karla Emm, Founder of J'ADORE Beauty, located in San Francisco, CA, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

I founded J'ADORE Beauty for the love of beauty and the beauty of love.
We offer high-end beauty services specialized in bridal, special occasions, and photoshoots. Our services include hairstyling, makeup artistry, hair extensions, custom wigs, hair pieces, and on-the-go bridal touch-up kits exclusively created for our brides. The inspiration for J'ADORE Beauty is from the french boudoir, the epitome of timeless elegance and the luxurious art of seduction of the femme fatale. The J'adore Experience is essential to be pampered, revitalized, and empowered from the inside out. The most special part about what we do is how we are part of creating an amazing experience for our clients during the beautiful moments and milestones in their lives.

Tell us about yourself

As the lead artist and founder of J'ADORE Beauty, my love of beauty began with the fusion of art and romance in my personal life. I found my passion in being hands-on with the use of my artistry skills and in empowering people to feel beautiful inwardly and outwardly. In 2011, I founded J'ADORE Beauty working alongside photographers during editorials, photoshoots, and special events, which led me to work with brides. As a hopeless romantic, I celebrated with my bridal clients in the name of love and cherished every bridal experience. I developed a talented team to work alongside me. We are grateful to have been recognized and awarded the Best High-End Makeup Artistry for the San Francisco Bay Area, the San Francisco Business Excellence Award, and the Wedding Wire's Bride's Choice Award. We have accumulated an extensive list of awards won, publications, editorials, and treasured feedback from our loving clients around the world.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

My biggest accomplishment as a business owner has been the introspective moments I have when I find that in the pursuit of my passion, I have persevered and watched what I've visualized come to life in real-time. It's a real honor to do something you love.

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

Albeit vulnerable of me to say, perseverance is one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner. It's facing challenging moments, off days, burnout, fluctuations in workflow, and the economic shifts that come with whatever life throws at you and not giving up. Refusing to give up. Refusing to give up on your dream, yourself, and your passion. You find a way until the way is found; sometimes, it is a matter of timing.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

Believe in yourself and what you visualize creating as a business. That vision was instilled into you for a reason.
Persevere. Challenge yourself and overcome trials and tribulations.
Have a practical plan in place. Your business should have a blueprint on how you plan to proceed, how you will operate and have every detail foreshadowed. Teamwork makes the dream work, gather people who believe in you and will happily work with you to bring this to a successful reality.

One last thing I'd like to share is that in the midst of starting something, you will have fears, doubts, and hesitations but do it anyway. Just have a plan and acquire the resources you need. Life will happen regardless, and you will always have the "what if"? So do it. Show the world who you are; we want to see it.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.jadore-beauty.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thejadorebeauty
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thejadorebeauty/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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