Scaling Your Permanent Makeup Business with Danielle Macias

We stopped by Lashes to Lashes, co. and chatted with owner Danielle Macias on beauty, Instagram and her thriving permanent makeup business. Scroll down for the full interview and get ready to be inspired!

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

I am originally from the Inland Empire, Rancho Cucamonga, CA to be exact! I started my beauty career with MAC cosmetics and went to school for my esthetics license at the same time. I always knew I wanted to work with skin! I was with MAC for about six years. I then moved into lashes before getting into permanent makeup. I’ve trained with Daria Chuprys, Microblading LA and HOI. I am so fortunate to have gotten to learn from some of the best.

What does the word beauty mean to you?

Being confident and feeling comfortable in your own skin. Appreciating yourself for who you are, imperfections and all.

What makes you feel the most beautiful?

I mean, I love makeup because it makes me feel sexy and confident. Growing up, I would go through my grandmother’s makeup kit and I think she thought it was really cute. At the same time, I’m not afraid to wear no makeup. It makes me feel empowered because I can be comfortable in my skin with or without.

How did you get into permanent makeup? 

I was introduced to permanent makeup from another artist. They suggested that I give it a shot because they felt my background would be a great fit, especially for eyebrows. I took my course seven years ago and was actually one of the first people in my area to be performing the procedure! 

Tell us about Lashes to Lashes Co and how it got its start!

I started about ten years ago in a 120 square foot space, just lonely me for about a year doing lashes. The business took off and the demand for services surpassed what I could handle. I hired my first employee and from there it snowballed. I’ve hired a few more employees and moved into a larger space since then. I never thought I would get as big as it’s gotten now. 

Tell us about how you grew your business! What were some of the challenges? What were some surprising lessons?

The business really grew organically. I would say that the biggest challenges arose when the number of clients trying to book surpassed what my team or I could handle. It was a struggle because it is really important to me to provide the best client service and experience as possible while not spreading myself or my team too thin. 

With that being said, the most surprising lesson is that it is impossible to fit in every new client no matter how big my team is. It’s important to keep things in perspective and focus on providing the absolute best client experience, one client and appointment at a time.

You have quite the Instagram following! What advice would you give someone who is just starting out in the social game?

Network, engage and connect with like minded business, artists & accounts.

Prioritize your content creation. Assure that content aligns with business branding, keep the style consistent, spend time on captions + their meanings and mix it up with posts + stories to keep viewers on their toes.

Hashtag and schedule. Maximize reach with hashtags and schedule posts to make sure you are consistently posting. 

What are some ways you avoid the Instagram comparison game?

Minimize time on social media, tune out the outside noise, and focus on myself and craft.

What are things that you think are important when building your community both personally and professionally?

Surround myself with like minded people who inspire me (and vice versa). By doing this, I have created a core community of individuals whom I look up to and trust.

Where do you pull your inspiration from? How do you stay motivated?

Staying focused on the big picture and my why. I love this industry and that motivates me. I also believe in never settling, keeping an open mind and always being willing to grow and advance my skills

How do you balance work and personal?

I keep a very consistent schedule. I outline my priorities and set specific goals, personally and professionally. I believe in boundaries and making time for myself. For me that means working out daily and self care.

How do you structure your days? What is your morning routine?

I am up at 3:45 every day and at the gym by 4:15. I exercise for 90 minutes every single day. Then I prioritize my to-do list  (working one day in advance) and confirm clients for myself and the team. I always make sure to eat a healthy breakfast, lunch and dinner. I am a big believer in “you win the morning, you win the day”.

In your business journey, what has been your biggest accomplishment?

Assuring that each and every client that walks through our doors receives a meaningful service that they will remember. The business takes pride in making sure every member of my team receives the necessary training and tools to grow and be successful both professionally and personally. Seeing my team succeed is my biggest win.

What is your advice for new business owners? New permanent makeup artists?

Patience, patience, patience. Nothing happens overnight! Focus on yourself, your goals and the big picture. Block out all the outside noise.

What do you do when you’re not working?

Working out is my stress reliever and living a healthy lifestyle ultimately makes me feel good. I also love to be at home with my two twin poodles!

What’s next in your career?

Traveling more professionally and offering advanced classes around the globe.

Want more from Danielle? Follow her on Instagram!