Today we’d like to introduce you to Chantel Thyfault.
Chantel, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I’ve always been into makeup, experimenting with different styles, looks, and colors. I was the little girl in middle school who drew on her eyebrows (I was the ONLY one who did!) so imagine the grief I got. The difference is, I was happy. I’ve always been a strong-spirited person. I like to rebel in my own ways. By 13, I would sit in my mirror trying different color-corrector palates, eyeshadows, you name it- I had it. I feel that I was misinterpreted, instead of being seen as who I was- a creative artist. This ignited a fire in me to help inspire women to be who they are, regardless of judgments made by anyone. As time passed, I decided I wanted to pursue a career helping others in need. This lead to medical assisting, which I did for ten years. After some time, I realized this was not my passion. As much as I loved helping people, it did not ignite that burning fire I once had. I’ve always been a trailblazer. This is where I belong. Now, I can use my talent and skills to help women feel their absolute best. I couldn’t be more gratified with the profession I chose.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
The road has been far from smooth. You know, growing up you have this pressure to become something. Get a degree, find a good job, hope for a promotion and get medical benefits. Unfortunately, this path can also lead you to a great deal of debt and a cap on income. Nonetheless, it’s the appropriate future to strive for, so we believe. Defying the path is risky, dangerous, and only 50% of small businesses really make it anyway, right? I say wrong. It is what you make it. You must believe in yourself and not care what others think of you. That fire in you is what makes you unique. No one can take it from you. If you’re not meant to work for a corporation, don’t! My advice to anyone scared to jump into business ownership is to just believe in what you feel and trust that it is okay to be different. Different is beautiful.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with EstyLaLa Aesthetics – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of and what sets you apart from others.
While in esthetician school, I set up a small treatment room at home and started marketing my brand to build clientele. I came up with the name Beautylala years ago which was a beauty blog on Instagram. I ended up shutting it down and used my personal page to market my beauty inspo instead. A year or so later, I decided to pursue this career, so I kept the ‘lala‘ and replaced ‘beauty’ with ‘esty.’ It’s catchy, I think. I started uploading makeup tutorials onto my YouTube and Instagram accounts (a little embarrassing, but you got to start somewhere!) Putting myself out there like that was so scary. I had never been so mortified in my life! After breaking through that comfort zone, I just kept going. I started recording what I’d learned doing lash extensions and making tutorials on it. I ended up collaborating with a gal (painted lady pigments) who did my eyebrows and we recorded the whole thing. We decided to go into business together and rent a space in Aurora, which will be opening March 1st! Social media has really helped jumpstart this new career and I couldn’t be more thankful for the amazing entrepreneurs I’ve met along the way. I plan to continue my education in certification in permanent makeup as well. I think that women are under so much stress and pressure in society. It’s absolutely crazy how much we do, with tending to the house, raising and caring for our children, maintaining a career, keeping our families together. Where is the time for us? There’s not even time to get sleep! My brand is focused on women receiving services that give them the opportunity to relax, be pampered and feel fabulous, all while taking time away from having to get ready. Offering semi permanent makeup and aesthetic services makes life so much easier for the lady bosses out there!
Are there any apps, books, podcasts or other resources that you’ve benefited from using?
I love listening to entrepreneurship-related content, especially TED talks. I’m a huge YouTuber so I’m constantly listening to podcasts on there. LivBay Lash has great advice for small lash artists just starting out. Also, website building hosts are amazing. I did my own website, on my iphone, all by myself! Godaddy really got me started.There’s lots of amazing influencers out there with great advice and tips. I am subscribed to lots of channels, mainly business owners and up-and-coming artists. Lots of makeup influencers. Kindle unlimited is amazing as well, there’s so many self-help books to choose from and they are easy because it’s right on your phone. You can literally read it anywhere.
Contact Info:
- Website: Www.estylala.com
- Email: chantelpmu@gmail.com
- Instagram: Instagram.com/chantel_tfo
- Facebook: Facebook.com/Chanteltfo
Image Credit:
Chanteltfo
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