Today we’d like to introduce you to Kangel Quynh.
Hi Kangel, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
We’ve all been through tough times before. And I’m not referring to just small bumps in the road. I’m referring to the tough times that make us get on our knees and beg for mercy. I can recall countless moments when I have prayed for the strength to just make it through another day. And now, sometimes I feel like I’m living in my wildest dreams and that someone is supposed to pinch me to wake up.
Things feel so surreal. I’m just a small-town girl from Biloxi, Mississippi that always wanted more than what a small town could ever offer. From a very young age, I realized that I didn’t fit in. My mindset was always different from my peers. I was always intrigued by the business aspect of things and always strived to be knowledgeable on realms of financial freedom. I started with a small online side business when I was just thirteen years old. By the time I was in my early twenties, I was able to supplement myself through college with that very same business.
When I moved to Houston, I was defeated, broke, and lost. The life that I worked so hard building in New Orleans didn’t go according to plan. I was a junior in college when I decided that pursuing a medical profession wasn’t the route in life I wanted to take. I realized I wasn’t living my dream, and I was so unhappy that I spiraled into a heavy depression. I was trying so hard to get approval and praise from my family that I lost sight of my natural capabilities and true passion. I find it so easy to get wrapped up in the dreams of others that we end up handicapping our minds into thinking that success is unattainable without a traditional education. I always knew from the jump that I was meant to be an entrepreneur.
Starting my life over from scratch, I was definitely in survival mode. I was in a brand new city with only a handful of friends and zero family. I literally ate Mama Noodles for months, because I had so much financial anxiety. I ate it so frequently that some of my friends joked that I would survive very comfortably in jail. All jokes aside, my first year in Houston was really rough. My life was in shambles, and in order to get out of my predicament, I knew I had to sacrifice my social life and just going out anywhere in general. I had to seclude myself from the world to get my life together.
I worked really hard to save enough money to invest in learning different trades that I thought would be able to provide me with a thriving career. Initially, I took a class to become a certified make-up artist. Make-up was truly my first love and what sparked my interest in the beauty industry from the very beginning. But of course, I failed to become a make-up artist. The next trade that I attempted was microblading. I spent thousands of dollars on the training courses and products to just, yet again, not become a microblading artist. After failing, yet again, I became very jaded and discouraged for a long time.
As the famous Japanese proverb goes, “fall down seven, get up eight”. I learned to re-hardwire my brain into becoming relentless. Failure after failure, I still chose to pursue the beauty industry. I knew deep down that’s where I really belonged. I was always naturally drawn to it, and it came so easily to me that it never felt forced like when I was trying to become a dermatologist. I thought back to how I lost so much time and life chasing after a career that never brought me true happiness and satisfaction that I refused to give up. For my last and final attempt to learn a trade, I took an eyelash extension course. That course was the major breakthrough in my beauty career that I had been working so hard towards.
It’s crazy to think that I started off as a traveling lash artist without a salon suite and only worked for tips. I did a lot of models for free just to have exposure. I was new in Houston and barely knew a single soul. I had to travel to all of my clients’ homes and drag along my salon equipment for every appointment by myself. Some clients’ homes had elevators and some had stairs. You can only imagine the trials and tribulations that I went through. When business in Houston was slow, I would drive alone six to seven hours to New Orleans and Biloxi to take in clients. My mind was set on creating a better life for myself, and I really started to go into hustle mode. I initially only had 2-5 clients out of town, but with consistency, it grew to 20-30 clients. Soon enough, my Houston clientele was rapidly growing too. Eventually, I had to stop traveling back and forth. Sorry Biloxi & New Orleans clients! I love you guys.
It took so much dedication and resilience to be in the position that I am in today. It’s insane to think about how far I’ve come, but I will never forget my extremely humble beginnings. At the early stages of my career, I was still serving part-time at a steakhouse and doing lash extensions on the side. I remember having to wake up early in the mornings to lash clients and then having to get dressed at night to go serve at the restaurant. I would legit work a whole month straight with no off-days because I was so eager to perfect my craft. I desperately wanted to get out of the foodservice industry.
Fast-forward to present times, my career as a lash artist has definitely elevated over the past three years. I can proudly say that I successfully turned my side hustle into my main hustle. Now, I have my dream salon suite and have been featured on many different social media outlets. I truly love my job, and I am so grateful for all of my clients. None of this would be possible without them. I love you, clients!
What I want people to realize from my experiences is that life is short. It’s never too late to start over. Stay true to who you are, and do what makes you happy. You deserve to live the life that you’ve always wanted. In the end, nothing else really matters.
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?
One of the most challenging things I’ve had to face along my journey was finding the courage to not give up. I had to teach myself how to be more self-reliant and independent. All odds were against me and very few believed in me. The pressure to conform from my family was also very prevalent. They were adamant that I needed to return to college to pursue a “real profession”. My mother expressed her concerns for years and didn’t let up until recently.
It just comes to show that you have to be your biggest fan and motivator. Relinquishing self-doubt was also another struggle. When you wander into the unknown, it can be quite terrifying. But I always reassured myself that if I didn’t make it, at least I tried. Life works in mysterious ways, and I learned over time to move with purpose and good intentions. Things will fall into place when you least expect them.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
As a lash artist, I use my expertise and knowledge to curate something custom for the client. I create something out of nothing with my own two bare hands, and I think that’s the true beauty of lashing. I specialize in mega-volume and wispy eye-lash extensions. I use various lengths and curls to achieve dimension and texture that is far from an average full-set. I’m known for being able to achieve full, voluminous styles on clients that believe they have very little or sparse lashes. I genuinely love what I do and am so grateful that I discovered my passion.
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
Risk-taking comes in various forms. We all subconsciously take risks every day. Whether it be snoozing our alarm clocks five times before waking up or telling ourselves that we’ll pump gas the next day, we all make these mundane life choices that are considered in their own ways as risky.
With that being said, risks are part of life. The extent of the risks you take will determine the life you choose to live. You either stay in your comfort zones with very few risks or decide to risk a lot and chase after your dreams. The greater the risks, the greater the rewards. The area between your comfort zone and dreams is where life takes place.
Years ago, I used to drive past the “big blue tower” in Memorial City and wonder what life was like there. It was always the first structure that you noticed going into the city. It stands so grandiose beaming with those bright blue lights. Never could I have imagined that I would live near that tower. And now, my salon suite is directly in the general vicinity of that very tower.
I risked everything moving to Houston on my own. I had a comfortable life and a stable career in New Orleans. My hometown was also only an hour and a half away. That was my safety net. I knew if someday my life didn’t pan out, I could just run straight home to my parents. Delving into unfamiliar territory really changed things. I started to feel the pressure. I didn’t have a safety net anymore. My safety net was myself.
Making myself uncomfortable was the best way to force me to grow. Failure was simply not an option. When the only person that you have to fall back on is you, you move very differently. You learn to make wiser choices and to always proceed with caution. If I had never stepped out of my boundaries, I wouldn’t be where I am today.
As the famous saying goes, “nothing great comes without a risk.” My wanderlust personality will never allow me to settle for a mediocre life, so I can confidently confirm that I am indeed a risk-taker.
Pricing:
- Mega-Volume Full Set $190
- Natural/Lite Volume Full Set $165
- Teeth Whitening $100
- Tooth Gems $125
- Lash Lift $90
Contact Info:
- Email: kangelquynh@gmail.com
- Website: www.styleseat.com/kangelbeauty
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/kangelbeauty
- Other: https://linktr.ee/kangelbeauty
Image Credits
@dn_creativess
