Today we’d like to introduce you to Deborah – Milani Sterling.
Deborah, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My journey really began back in 2017 when I walked away from a toxic relationship and moved back to New York to rebuild my life from scratch. I always had a natural love for beauty — braiding hair, doing makeup on my cousins, anything creative — but I didn’t yet know it would become my life’s purpose.
My uncle helped me get a job at a beauty supply store, and at the same time, I was in a season of fasting and getting closer to God. One day, the owner came to me and asked if I wanted to learn lashes. I didn’t have the money, so every time I got paid, I told her to take a portion until the class was fully paid off. I took the class the same day I was baptized, and that moment changed everything.
From there, I practiced anywhere and everywhere — on family, on customers, on people walking into the store, even on my mother’s bed late at night. I didn’t care where I was; I just wanted to get better.
The owner eventually opened a medical spa, and I followed her. I learned everything hands-on — from lash techniques to facials, lasers, client experience, and even cleaning and assisting. Being in that environment made me ask bigger questions like, “How do I own a building of my own one day?”
That dream pushed me to enroll myself in esthetician school at Long Island Nail, Skin & Hair Institute while I was still working at the spa. I was taking clients, learning advanced techniques, and studying at the same time — all because I believed in that bigger vision.
Life still wasn’t easy. At one point, I became pregnant, and I was living in a house my grandmother owned. The environment in that home became very toxic because of certain family members. I didn’t want my child growing up around that kind of energy. One day, while praying and asking God for direction, I heard Him tell me to move to Florida.
So in 2020, with nothing guaranteed except my faith, I moved to Orlando and started doing lashes out of my apartment. People supported me immediately — my neighbors, the community, even the security guards knew my name. My name started to carry weight just from word of mouth.
A year later, out of loyalty, I followed my former mentor when she decided to open a location in West Palm Beach, leaving behind the strong clientele I had built in Orlando. But things didn’t work out as planned. I went through a divorce, my grandmother passed, my income shifted, and eventually I experienced homelessness. It was one of the darkest seasons I’ve ever walked through.
Still, I tried to keep working. I took mobile clients. I lost my car and started using Uber and scooters to get to people. One day, after leaving a client, I was riding a scooter home and got hit by a car. I broke my foot — and even then, I was still taking clients on crutches because giving up didn’t feel like an option.
In 2024, someone I met in the industry who had a cute setup in her garage opened her space to me, and I worked there for months while healing. Later, I worked at another medical spa, this time under a doctor who owned the business. She had a pattern of not paying her employees, having them work for a while, and then laying them off without proper reason. I was part of her second batch of people she cycled through. A so-called “misunderstanding” over a tip was used as a cover-up to let me go, and in the process I was told I wouldn’t amount to anything and had betrayed the office.
That moment cut deep, especially after everything I had already sacrificed and survived. There were times where I wanted to give up completely — and I’ll be honest, I had moments of suicidal thoughts. But even in my darkest seasons, something in me refused to quit. I have three kids watching me. I’ve survived heart surgery twice. I knew God didn’t bring me this far just to leave me.
Every setback became part of the foundation I’m standing on today.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Not at all — my road has been everything but smooth. My journey has been filled with obstacles that tested my patience, my faith, and my strength as a woman, a mother, and an entrepreneur.
One of the biggest challenges was my living environment. For a period of time, I lived in a house my grandmother owned, but the environment became extremely toxic because of certain family members in the home. It wasn’t peaceful, and it wasn’t supportive — mentally, emotionally, or spiritually. That eventually pushed me to leave and trust God with a completely new start.
Another major struggle was my experience in the med spa world. In 2024, I worked at a medical spa under a doctor who wasn’t paying her employees consistently. She had a pattern of keeping people for a short time, working them hard, then laying them off without proper reason. I ended up being part of her second batch of people she cycled through. The “misunderstanding over a tip” she used was simply a cover-up. It was discouraging and hurtful, especially because I’m someone who moves with integrity.
I’ve also faced financial setbacks, moments where I was rebuilding my life with very little, and times where I struggled mentally under the weight of everything happening at once. As a mom, balancing motherhood, school, work, healing, and chasing my goals wasn’t easy. There were days where I questioned myself. Days where I wanted to give up. Days where I felt completely overlooked.
One thing I’ve learned on this journey is that motherhood reshapes you in ways people don’t talk about. As a single mother, you don’t get the luxury of falling apart — you learn how to break and rebuild at the same time. There were nights where I was pushing through situations most people will never know about, like sleeping in my car with my kids in a McDonald’s parking lot trying to figure out our next step. But even in those moments, I was gentle with them. I never wanted my struggles to become their weight. To me, being a mother means being their safe place even when life isn’t safe for you. It means having patience when you’re exhausted, choosing softness even when your heart is tired, and building a legacy so they never have to start from the bottom again.
Because of everything I’ve lived through, I don’t believe in restricting my children’s dreams or making them feel small. If they ask for something, I try my best to give it — not to spoil them, but to show them that life is limitless and anything they want is reachable. Yes, I’m paving the way, but the resilience that’s in me is creating an easier breakthrough for their lives. My children are my lifeline. They are the reason I refuse to quit, the reason I always get back up, and the quiet strength behind everything I do.
But every struggle played a part in shaping who I am today.
Every season taught me resilience.
Every setback redirected me toward something better.
I didn’t have a smooth road — but I had God, perseverance, and purpose guiding me through.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about MILANITIER Artistry ?
My business is MilaniTier Artistry — a beauty brand built from faith, hustle, and pure authenticity. I specialize in eyelash extensions, permanent makeup, lip blushing, and results-driven beauty treatments that help women feel confident, enhanced, and cared for. Everything I do is rooted in artistry. I’m not just placing lashes or adding pigment — I’m creating soft, luxury looks that still feel natural and customized to each client.
What I’m known for is my hands, my heart, and my eye for detail. My clients always say they can feel that I genuinely care about my work, and that’s something I’m very intentional about. I see beauty as an art form, and that’s why my sets and my brow work always have a unique touch to them. When people see my work, I want them to instantly say, “That looks like Milani.”
What sets me apart is my authenticity. Nothing about my journey has been easy, and I don’t hide that. I built my brand from the ground up — through motherhood, through struggle, through faith, through being knocked down and getting back up again. I’m proud that MilaniTier Artistry carries resilience. Every client who walks into my space feels seen, valued, and understood. I don’t rush people. I don’t copy trends. I create looks based on emotion, energy, and what truly fits their face.
Brand-wise, I’m most proud of my growth and my consistency in staying true to myself. My brand is luxury, but it’s also real. It’s art, but it’s also healing. It’s beauty, but it’s also purpose. I love God, I love art, and I love being authentic — and you can feel that through my work.
What I want readers to know is that MilaniTier Artistry is more than a beauty service — it’s an experience. It’s a space where women can feel safe, enhanced, and uplifted. I pour into every set, every face, every moment. My goal isn’t just to make you look good, but to make you feel good and to remind you that you’re worthy of softness, luxury, and care.
MilaniTier Artistry is still growing, and God continues to elevate me. I’m excited for what’s next.
If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
Growing up, I was always full of life — the type of person who could find joy in almost anything. I loved to have fun, make people laugh, and just enjoy the moment. You could say I was naturally “high off life.” I’ve always been very giving and family-oriented, that girl next door who had a soft spirit but a strong mind.
I loved reading, especially Teen Vogue, and I was obsessed with art from a young age. I’m analytical by nature and always loved a good challenge — I used to argue so much that I really thought I was going to be a lawyer one day. I loved fashion, loved styling myself, and yes… Tweety Bird and Tinkerbell were my girls! I’ve always been into aesthetics in some form.
Music and entertainment were a huge part of my personality too. I watched 106 & Park religiously. Bow Wow and Diggy Simmons were my biggest crushes growing up. I loved to sing around the house and still to this day, I’ll randomly start rapping just joking around — that’s always been a part of my personality.
I also had a little tomboy in me. I loved cars, loved being outside, playing manhunt on the block with my friends, and watching the guys play basketball. And listen… give me cheese sunflower seeds and I was good! Oh, and red velvet cake? Always been my weakness.
Overall, I was a mix of fun, creativity, softness, and ambition. Everything I loved growing up — art, beauty, expression, fashion, music — shows up in who I am today and the way I run my busIness
Pricing:
- Classic lash extensions-75
- Hybrid lash extensions-90
- Volume lash extensions-120
- Lip blushing -250
- MILANITIER whitening kit -50
Contact Info:
- Website: https://milantier.com/
- Instagram: MilaniTierArtistry
- Facebook: Milani Tier
- Youtube: MilaniTier
