Today we’d like to introduce you to Laura Aguilar.
Hi Laura, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My career in the beauty industry began when I was a junior in high school. I was in the cosmetology program continued this pathway all throughout my senior year as well. When I graduated, I was expected to follow the footsteps of my older sisters who were currently attending universities pursuing bachelor’s degrees.
I then moved to College Station, began my first semester of college, and quickly realized it was not for me. The uncertainty of what to do in this situation worried me every day. I knew I wanted to continue pursuing cosmetology. Although, I knew this was going to be difficult because at the time, I felt as if I didn’t have the support from my parents, and I didn’t want to disappoint them.
It was hard leaving College Station to pursue something I felt I did not have much support in, but I was determined to make this my career. I enrolled in the Cosmetology Program at Houston Community College and graduated not only with my license but with an associate’s degree as well. I enjoyed the learning process and the friends I made along the way.
My experience was gained through freelancing, working at Sephora, working at different salons, and so on. I slowly began gaining my own clientele, and that was when me and my business partner/ cousin @aurarosagissel founded Aura Rosa Artistry. Since then, our company has taken off, and we’ve had amazing opportunities that we are truly grateful for. We even had our first-ever trade show this past January at the My 15 Quinceañera Expo which took place at NRG park.
Every day we are coming up with new ideas to expand and grow our company, and we can’t wait to see what the future has in store for us.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Honestly, no. But like they say, there’s always beauty in the struggle.
I would say one of my biggest struggles was really getting my name out there and underselling my work. With time, I was able to make more connections with other artists in the industry, and rest is history.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next, you can tell us a bit more about your business.
Aura Rosa Artistry was founded by myself and my cousin Gissel Pineda. We have been in the industry for almost 9 years now.
We specialize in hair and makeup services for weddings, quinceañeras, and special events.
What I am most proud of is that I can confidently say that I can cater to any skin tone and skin type. I worked at Sephora for 4 years, and it has paid a huge role in helping me adapt as an artist.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
If I were to give any advice to someone who was just starting out it would be to take absolutely any opportunity that comes your way. You never know who you’re going to meet! I’m a firm believer that everything happens for a reason, and things will always work out the way they’re supposed to.
Another piece of advice I would give would to be have patience, a lot of it actually. Starting out is not easy, but with time and effort, you’ll get to where you want to be.
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