Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in beauty and cosmetics but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Rojin Surreah, Founder of Rouge Ink Artistry, located in Vancouver, BC, Canada.

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

Rouge Ink Artistry is a boutique studio focused on creating hyper-realistic cosmetic tattoo/micro-pigmentation work in Vancouver, Canada. With a focus on natural beauty, we aim to adorn and enhance what's already existent on our living canvases, honoring our clientele's individual facial anatomy, bone structure, complexion, and individual preferences.

Tell us about yourself

Independent entrepreneur Rojin Surreah had an immediate attraction toward forms and figures, fascinated by how they shaped the world around her. Her mother became aware of this instinctive curiosity & encouraged her natural abilities by enrolling her in art classes at an early age.

Having spent her life immersed in visual artistry, her attention to detail and accuracy became increasingly refined. Her talent in the field of anatomy & facial structure led to portrait and illustration freelancing in her early teens. Realism has always been her passion, so Cosmetic Tattooing was a natural progression.

Rojin honors the great potential and positive impact that this work can have. She has the utmost respect for the trust that is instilled in her by each of her clients. Her intention is to provide services of the highest quality, adorn your features, and make you feel your very best. You are the ultimate canvas.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

My biggest accomplishment as an entrepreneur has actually been overcoming my own fear. A lot of the inner work I've done far outweighs the external skills I've had to cultivate and, to no surprise, has affected the success of my business. As a Woman of Color, being a Sole Proprietor meant overcoming Imposter Syndrome, self-doubt, and many other interpersonal blocks.

On an external level, my biggest accomplishment has been the fact that I bootstrapped my business from the ground up. I had a dream, and I didn't borrow any money... I made a lot of sacrifices and poured my heart and soul into my small business. For the first couple of years, most of the money I made went directly back into the business.

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

One of the biggest challenges that come with being a business owner is turning off your "work brain" at the end of the day. Especially as a Sole Proprietor, my mind is running around the clock, thinking about different things that need to get done, as well as innovative ideas I may have around my marketing approach. The issue is that if you don't think about it and either execute or delegate it, it won't get done. So there is a perpetual inner dialogue taking place, as your business is an extension of you. For this reason, it's important to have structure and boundaries in order to create a healthy work-life balance.

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

  1. Don't be naive about how long things may take. Give yourself permission to fumble and falter, and know that this is an inevitable part of the learning curve. Allow yourself time to grow, and have a BIG PICTURE, macro-oriented business plan when you first start.
  2. Ask for help. Having a business coach or a business mentor at the beginning of your journey can drastically improve your chances of success. You'll be amazed at how many people want to help and guide you along.
  3. Dream big and don't think you always have to play by the rules. It's obviously necessary to take inspiration from other similar businesses, but the whole point of having your own business does not need to absolutely conform to the status quo of a "job." Be creative, and be authentic. This is what people are most drawn to when it comes to resonating with and supporting a brand.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://rouge.ink/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rougeink1/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rouge.ink/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/rougeink_
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/rouge-ink-artistry/

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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