Today we’d like to introduce you to Breyonna Bell.
Hi Breyonna, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers?
I was in my last year of college at UCF majoring in Legal Studies with the desire to go to Law School after. Everyone knows it’s tough to work a job let alone a full-time job while trying to pursue higher education, so I said to myself, “Bre you have to have a side hustle something that’s going to help bring in income while still allowing you to focus on your studies.”
At this time it’s 2017 and individual lash extensions were just starting to really become a really hot thing to incorporate into a woman’s beauty routine. The next break, I had was Winter Break, so I booked a flight to Los Angeles with barely any money and used the rest of my savings to take a lash course with a celebrity lash tech I’d been inspired by for quite some time.
After that course I was determined to perfect my craft and really jump headfirst into the industry. I knew something had to give, Law School was right around the corner and I had to find a way to still survive without drowning in debt to sustain myself.
I’m still here 5 years later and thriving! I was so good at lashing and it was a passion I discovered while just trying to survive. When I did the numbers it didn’t add up to go to law school. I was making good money doing something I loved. All this was no surprise I come from a family of creatives my mom owned two salons. The creativity was in my blood I just had to tap in. As of today, I’m a Licensed Esthetician and have taught dozens of girls to lash while also serving the clientele I’ve built.
When Covid happened, we created a virtual course to teach girls to lash from the comfort of their own homes. This journey hasn’t been easy but it was so worth it. I wanted to become a Lawyer to make an impact on my community. Whether it’s Lashing or Lawyering I know that I’ve impacted the girls I’ve taught.
Learning something new is never easy and I always encouraged them that giving up is never an option. We are our biggest enemy and even when it gets tough push through because, in the end, you’ll see it was all worth it!
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
In every industry there is trial and error but this beauty industry will chew you up and spit you out. Struggles have and will always be keeping up with the industry and perfecting my craft that NEVER stops. There’s always something new I had to be ready to take on new ways and be open to this ever-changing industry.
Just because I teach girls every day doesn’t mean I have to stop learning either.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
If you ask my clients I think they’ll say, I can give them a bomb volume lash set but “make it natural”. You know that girl that wants to be low key but still noticed when she walked in the room. I feel like I make that happen for my clients every day lol.
If you ask my students, I have a way of walking and talking them through the journey of lashing. This lash artistry is 80% mindset and that is how I teach. I tell my student to always prepare a brave space for themselves when lashing because being tense and in your own head will be your setback.
The key is to have fun and get creative and everything else will fall in place. When I teach I watch my students’ energy because sometimes it’s all in our head and I think that’s the difference between me and the next instructor I want you to thrive and that starts with our minds.
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
I’m lucky that I found something I was passionate about early on. It would have sucked 15 years down the road finding out that I was good at lashing and even better at teaching the trade to others. I learned this trade early on and my experience has definitely been as a teacher.
Contact Info:
- Website: Www.vgandcompany.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/valleygirl.co?utm_medium=copy_link
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vgesthetics/
