Creating an Online Course With Amanda Grebinsky

There’s nothing more rewarding for permanent makeup artists than to pay it forward. After building a solid foundation as a permanent makeup artist, Amanda Grebinsky of Boujee Brows created an online course to share her knowledge. It’s a natural next step for artists who have been teaching and want to reach students who can’t make it to a training. Plus, with time and cost restraints? Online courses just make sense. Hear from Amanda on how her course came to be and the tools you need to create your own. 

Tell us about yourself! Your background, history & the nitty gritty of all things you!

Edmonton (AB, Canada) is a tiny town. My husband and I own a salon together where I teach. I love doing eyebrows for a living and I love teaching more than anything. I have two girls, one is 11 and one is 5. We’re all about small town living -- that’s one thing that differentiates me from the big city girls. My perspective is different in trying to create clientele in a small area. 

How did you first get into the beauty industry? The PMU Industry?

I used to be a photographer specializing in boudoir photos. And I found that when I was doing their makeup, the transformation that makeup did for their soul and how they felt about themselves was astounding. The most drastic was eyebrows. People talk about how eyebrows shape your face and it couldn’t be more true. I decided to get into PMU and took a training course through MinxBrows, and it went from there.

What motivated you to create your online course?

Last year I was teaching my flagship course, string mapping. When I was teaching in person, the feedback I got was that it’s transformative. That feedback, paired with people messaging me that they are so sad not being able to make it to the training, made me feel like there had to be another option. If someone can’t afford to fly to you, they can go online, and for a fraction of the cost, still get the same training. That was the motivation for me. 

Online residual income is always welcome too. Students get subscription emails once a week with procedural tips. And they’re interactive, if there’s anything else they want to know. New people haven’t established themselves yet to afford further training.

What was that decision like for you?

For me, it was a no-brainer. It requires no overhead. In-person, you have to purchase supplies and rent a location. Online, it costs your time. If you create a course and no one buys it right away, you’re not at a loss, except the cost of hosting the platform. You spend a few days creating a course, you have nothing to lose except your time. The way the PMU industry is going, a large portion is going online. I don’t know why people wouldn’t do it if they could save on flights and travel. Creating an online platform, definitely do it. 

What skills & tools did you need?

You need a good, newer computer. If you’re doing voiceover, you need high quality, high-resolution photos. Download a version of Keynote and do voiceover. Of course you need to create a folder, outline and put your thoughts together. Generally, if someone’s creating an online course, they will have that already.

What was the biggest lesson you learned?

The more you’re willing to give away, the more people will look to you as a mentor. 

What should students look for in an online training?

For foundation classes, eyeliners and lips, I suggest you get that basic training in person. There should be a good summary of the content and breakdown of what’s included in the class. It should be well-rounded and have in-depth health and safety requirements. Look out for skin integrity, health and safety. Take a good look at the course outline and be sure it’s answering everything you want to know. 

What is your advice for someone who feels stuck?

If you’re true to yourself and don’t waver, you’ll naturally attract the right people. When you have the right team, everything will fall into place. 

Interested in creating online courses? Follow Amanda on instagram!