Too Busy???

I was watching the movie Burlesque that stars Cher, Christina Aguilera, and Kristen Bell.  In short, I always loved the part when Kristen Bell’s character gets upset because she was asked to leave and Cher chooses to put Christina’s character on instead. Kristen’s character was the headliner at the club and would at times treat Christina badly or say snide things about her. It never dawned on her that she could and would be completely surpassed by Christina’s talent.

Watching the film, got me started thinking about Makeup Artists. There are so many great artists out there who are so giving of themselves and who make time to reach out to fellow makeup artists.  You never know whom you will meet or whom they may know. Common decency and consideration should always be at the forefront. That artist who you may feel is a nobody, could possibly give you a job one day or refer you for something that is amazing! Never seem, appear, or act as if you’re too busy to respond to an email, text, message on Facebook/Twitter, say hello, or thank you. Of course, there are exceptions but the point I'm trying to make is it doesn't take a week to acknowledge someone. If someone takes the time out of their life busy or not, to pay you a compliment, it doesn’t cost a thing to say thank you or makes you seem any less for doing so. Because it goes a long way, people will always remember how you treated them and how unimportant you made them feel.

People make time for what they want/who they want to make time for. I’ve heard of artists being burned but don’t allow those incidents to block you from opening up.  Keep in mind before you judge how important someone is, remember what Cher said in the movie, “You don’t know what dues she’s paid.” 

Why I haven't been blogging?

 I suppose real life has been “trying” to knock me down but instead of giving in to the worry, sadness, and fear I gave in to the Lord. I dove in head first, and everything took a backseat. I thought I had a personal relationship with God before and I can say I truly did to a certain point but it has been nothing like what I’ve been experiencing these past few months.

I’m learning that sometimes God wants you to stand still in order for HIM to minister to you the way HE needs and wants to.  There are things that God has and wants for you but just because something is yours from God doesn’t mean the timing is right. All things work out for the will of God and HIS glory, the good and the bad to get you into the place where God wants you to be. When things go wrong, they are still going right.

We all have the fight of living the life that has been given to you on a daily basis. There is always some type of attack going on in our lives, some times it can be in our dreams, the moment we wake up, or throughout the day. Just keep this mind: 

The more hell you go through, the more honey God has for you.

I hope this helps some of you who are having a difficult time or just need a little pick me up for the day!

Sincerely,

Desiree’ Stovall

What do you do in your down time?

It wasn't until I took coaching lessons with Ungenita Prevost www.thebilliondollarbeauty.com, that I realized in my down time I was doing something she called "busy work." Which meant that I wasn't being as productive as I should have been. Instead of me looking at things on the internet to further my knowledge or create new business relationships, I was surfing through mindless information and checking my email all the time to see if I had any "new" opportunities. But I have to admit, I wasn't putting in enough hard work but expecting a huge payoff.

When you receive clarity about what it is that you want to do, things become a little easier. You can begin to take the necessary steps to breakdown the goals you need to complete in order to reach whatever it is that you would like to accomplish. If you have a business that you're serious about, start conducting yourself in a manner on social networking sites that mirror your passion for your work. How are potential clients suppose to take you serious? Whatever you're writing on your blogs, Facebook, Twitter and other networking sites, says something about how you run your business and conduct yourself. It's no longer just about posting your thoughts if you have a real business.

Here are some things that you could be doing in your down time:

• Reaching out to potential clients that you would like to work with.
• Nurture the business relationships that you already have (going out for lunch, coffee, etc)
• Post information that is both helpful and uplifting. 
• If you have a blog, write out several topics/posts ahead of time and schedule them to be posted on a certain date, so you're not cramming to get it done when you are busy.
• YouTube isn't about just learning a new technique but there are a lot of videos that deal with Business, Marketing, Networking, & Social Media.
• Become better in an area of your craft (research & practicing). 
• Try this website http://executivesummarybusinessplan.com/ and create your business plan.
• Read materials that deal with networking and growing your business. There's a website called www.websitegrader.com that allows you to see how you compare to your competition. They also have tons of information and ebooks for you to download and share. 

If you stay prepared you won't have to get prepared!

Happy New Year & don't forget to make this year count for something extraordinary!

Cheers,

Desiree' Stovall
www.DesireeStovall.com

Are you driving your Market down?

One day last week or maybe the week before that, I was viewing my Twitter timeline and I saw a couple of "Artists" promoting their business. I have no issue with that, because that's how a lot of Artists are getting jobs and I believe it's a great avenue when done correctly. What startled me, was the what they were advertising. Some were advertising their Makeup services for $30-$40 per face, some included lashes within that price. The MAC counter charges $50 and that's not including lashes. If you are a freelancer, your prices should be above that. Don't get me wrong, yes we all had to start off somewhere but times are different and so many things have evolved. You should know the market that you are in and what other Artists are charging and keep in mind your experience, when you are setting down a rate for your services.

There will be Artists that won't have a problem telling you what their rate is and others may not be comfortable but it's worth the effort to do the work. You do not want to be the one Artist in your market  that is viewed as a bringing the market down because of your pricing. If you want to have specials, awesome but do not bring the rate so far down. You should at least be factoring in your gas and a tip for yourself within your rate. If they're coming to you factor in electricity, lol but you get the point. If you feel that your work is not where it should be in order for you to charge around the rate of what others in your market are charging, then try to work on your craft by volunteering to do those jobs that may not be paying but you are getting experience or assist other Make-up Artists. You can learn so much just by assisting but I have to say that nothing really compares when you are working alone and you're in a situation where you don't have help and you just have to make it "work."

This post isn't to be malicious but it was done to bring awareness. When you are aware of something, you are able to change it. So ask yourself: Am I driving down my Market?

Film vs. Fashion Make-up Artists

Film and Fashion are like apples and oranges. Both inspire women to try something different within their lives and normal makeup routine. But when they collide it's pure magic. But for some strange reason there seems to be some kind of division or some type of "feeling" among Film and Print Make-up Artists'. Of course, this doesn't apply to all artists'.

When I talk to other Make-up Artists and tell them that I'm a Film & T.V. Make-up Artist I get mixed responses. Half are wonderful responses and the other half seem to respond in a way that may leave me feeling like what I do isn't as prestigious as doing Fashion. I've heard, "Oh, I couldn't do film I would be too bored" or they mention something about the craft services or "I couldn't do the same/boring look every day." I'm sure I'm missing some but you get the point.

Film & T.V. Artists may not set the new trends via the runway but they do make a huge contribution to society and everyday women. It was Alberto De Rossi who created Elizabeth Taylor's famous Cleopatra look, which some say was the source of the famous "Twiggy" look. Marilyn Monroe, Lucille Ball, Audrey Hepburn, and this list also includes the famous Beauties of Old Hollywood like Clara Bow, Joan Crawford, Bette Davis, and many more but all of their looks have shaped the way that Fashion & Print Make-up Artists do makeup.

The point of this particular post is to shed a little light and awareness that being a Film & T.V. Make-up Artist is just as fabulous as being a Fashion & Print Make-up Artist. Both sides have their own special set of pros and cons, but neither are superior to the other. I believe that we all are hard-working ROCKSTARS!!! It's not just the famous Special Effects Artsits' that you can learn from, the other artists' have something to offer as well. It doesn't matter what road you choose to go down, there are creative and innovative artists on both sides that inspire each other and the world.

Bad Mouthing Other Artists'

Unfortunately, bad mouthing other artists' happens in the Makeup Industry. Heck it happens in all industries. But I'm just going to focus on the industry that I work in. Why is this happening? Is it because of jealousy or has the offended artist been hurt in some way by another artist? The issues and reasons that person may have are endless. There is enough work out there for everybody and there's absolutely no reason to be cut throat, undercut or bash another artist. How do you think the person you are talking to about another artist feels or will look at you? Even though an artist may feel like they are just blowing off steam, they turn out looking foolish themselves.

Is it really worth it? The industry is small and you never know who knows who. Bad mouthing can lead you to loose a job, a potential client, ruin your reputation, and get you blacklisted. If you have to vent, don't  do it to another industry insider and definitely not to a client. I know the industry is frustrating at times but we as artists have to uplift and support one another.

“The habit of being uniformly considerate toward others will bring increased happiness to you!"
- GREENVILLE KLEISER

Sisterhood!

I'm a huge advocate of sisterhood, which may sound corny to some people but I'm not concerned with that. When I say sisterhood, I'm speaking in regards to all women and all races. I'm not into tearing other women down or having an opinion about certain women without being able to back it up with facts. It's one thing not to like another woman for something they have personally done to you or someone you love and care about but it's a completely different story to dislike and hate someone because of their success, race, drive in life, I mean the list can go on and on.

When I was growing up I remember when I would be around some of my female friends and we would see a pretty girl and one of the first things that would come out their mouths was "Oh, she thinks she's cute." Me being the rebel that I am, I would always challenge that comment with saying "How do you know what she thinks?" They never had a comeback for it, which always seemed strange to me at the time. I think there should be an accountability for the relationships and people that you come in contact with.

In my line of work, there are some artists who don't or refuse to share information but will always ask for information. I'm not sure why this exist, it could be that they may feel that someone will take the information and dwindle their chances to excel. Who knows? But whatever the reason or feeling is, the bigger question is why is it there? Whatever is meant for you will still be for you. When you put forth the effort to create a genuine connection, have it be personal, business, or both then you should know the person that you're dealing with to some degree. I understand that a lot of artists have been burned by attempting to help others and I completely get it. But what if someone stopped you and your success right before it happened. What if that special someone didn't help you because of all the times that they have been burned?