Speaker 1: 0:31

My name is Samira and I'm the Master Artist and Owner at Samira Brow Couture. We're an award-winning permanent makeup studio.

Speaker 2: 0:40

Okay, I read a little bit about your clientele base here. You have like a little bit out of the ordinary. Can you tell me a little bit more about that? I know you have bloggers, influencers, local celebrities, washington football wives come in. How did you get that clientele? Or tell me a little bit about that?

Speaker 1: 0:59

So I started eight years ago when microblading was coming out and it was the biggest thing in beauty, and I started with a handful of clients and really it was word of mouth. A lot of my clients would tell their friends and then word got around that I was doing a pretty good job on the eyebrows, so they would come in and book with me and I'm very blessed and grateful for that. And it's been an eight-year journey. I'm celebrating eight years this spring, yay. Well, happy congratulations.

Speaker 2: 1:31

Thank you.

Speaker 1: 1:31

I started with microblading and the studio has expanded into other services, such as combo brows, powder brows. We do permanent eyeliner lip tattooing and soon we're going to be offering nano brows and lash extensions.

Speaker 2: 1:49

Okay, so we're adding eyeshadow. We'll one-stop shop.

Speaker 1: 1:53

And it's going to be great to expand this here.

Speaker 2: 1:55

Amazing. Tell me a little bit about powder eyebrows. That one is the one that drew my attention the most. What is that? Right?

Speaker 1: 2:04

So microblading is just more manual hair strokes so you get the effect of natural-looking hairs, and powder brows uses a machine so it looks more shaded and filled in.

Speaker 2: 2:14

Okay, gotcha, is there a particular look that you do or you don't stick to one style when you do these?

Speaker 1: 2:20

Right. So I think what makes me different is when my clients come in, they tell me they selected me as an artist because I do more natural work and I customized my work with every client. I shape it and outline it and draw it and pick colors that suits everyone's face. So it's not a one-size-fits-all kind of stamped on-looking brow. I try to make it look very natural. I don't want anyone walking up to my clients and saying, who did your eyebrow tattoo or who did your microblading? Maybe just, oh, you look so refreshed or did you do something different with your makeup or your face. So I definitely don't do one type of brow for everybody. My goal is to give everyone a natural-looking brow.

Speaker 2: 3:07

Okay, so you go with like based on their face and like what looks good on them.

Speaker 1: 3:11

It's not just the same on everybody.

Speaker 2: 3:13

I love that because I feel like sometimes I've seen some things on Instagram where I'm like hmm, that looks interesting.

Speaker 1: 3:20

Yes, because the after the brows tend to look dark. So if you're doing a shaded or a powder brow, even in the after photos they might look dark, but they do heal softer. But having said that, I have seen a lot of work where the brows are too big or they just don't fit that person's face. So I want to build confidence, not only on the outside make a change but on the inside, so that anyone who's having insecurities about their eyebrows because it makes such a difference, because it's a statement on your face, and I feel like when I see my clients afterwards they tend to look younger, they look more refreshed, they look their face is framed so much nicer when it's more filled in and complete.

Speaker 2: 4:07

Yeah, wow, I never thought like eyebrows can make such a difference, but it really does. I love your eyebrows, by the way.

Speaker 1: 4:13

Oh, thank you.

Speaker 2: 4:15

And then I wanted to ask about your procedure, when you Sorry, oh, that's okay. Okay, so what's your procedure? Is it painless, or can you tell me a little bit about how clients or what clients could expect when they get these procedures?

Speaker 1: 4:29

So we do apply a topical numbing with the machine work With the microblading. The first pass it feels like a scratching feeling and then the numbing is applied. The pain level for some clients depends on your time of the month. It depends on how sensitive you are. Some clients say they don't feel anything and some will feel more discomfort. It goes by pretty fast that first pass, but we do apply topical numbing after. So after that a lot of my clients just fall asleep on the table in the chair and they're very relaxed.

Speaker 2: 5:02

That's awesome.

Speaker 1: 5:03

Yeah.

Speaker 2: 5:04

You know, I have like my own little misconception here, when I see that I'm like oh my gosh, these women are so, or men are so brave. They're just standing there like. But now that you say that there's numbing cream, well, hello. Yeah there's numbing cream.

Speaker 1: 5:15

And for some of my clients I do apply it before for the microblading just to help alleviate any nerves. Most of my clients do walk in for the first time very nervous, whether it's about the shape or the pain, and by the end of the appointment they're walking out relaxed and comforted.

Speaker 1: 5:34

And then after that for touch-ups, because when someone sees me, they come in for their initial session and then they'll come back 10 to 12 weeks later for a follow-up. After that it typically is about every year six months to two years is the average where my clients will come back and see me, and after that they're more relaxed.

Speaker 2: 5:54

Awesome. They're like they know the ropes now.

Speaker 1: 5:55

Exactly.

Speaker 2: 5:56

And what to expect with the healing process too. Can you tell me a little bit about your background and history? I know you used to go to FIT in New York and you were there. Tell me about that and how that led you here.

Speaker 1: 6:07

I have an interesting story. So since I was a kid, a child, I've always wanted to be an entrepreneur. I used to pick flowers from the fields and people's yards, make bouquets and sell it to them Door to door. I had a babysitting business and by the time I was in high school, I wanted to be a fashion designer. I didn't have a chance to go to fashion school. Then I went to university, got my bachelor's and marketing and business, and in my 20s I went to Parsons. I did a program at Parsons for fashion design. I also did a program at FIT and I spent 10 years in New York City as a fashion designer.

Speaker 1: 6:49

I also did some work in entertainment and marketing and when I moved back to Northern Virginia, I stumbled into the beauty business and that's how I came across microblading. I heard about it in 2015 and I thought, hey, I could do this. I have a background and I could try to do it. I didn't think I could do it, but I wanted to try something new. So I thought, okay, I like to draw faces, I love drawing eyes and I want to get into the beauty world. So I love to draw faces, I love to draw eyes and I thought let me try something new.

Speaker 1: 7:28

I actually went to London to get training and microblading, and this was in early. This was January 2016 and there were not any training available in the United States, so I had to go to London for it because that was the training that I could find. That was in English. And then I returned. I got my permanent makeup license from the Aesthetic Institute and in the spring of 2016, I launched microblading and I thought, okay, I'll do this a couple times a week, I'll get some clients see how it goes. And it just kept growing and growing and I kept getting clients, word of mouth, and it grew pretty fast. And here I am eight years later still doing it, threatening, doing amazing. It's been great. It's been my most successful business. I've been in the fashion business and the beauty business and this has been very successful. I also have a brand called Rumi Rose which I brought in the bag. It's accessories, fashion.

Speaker 2: 8:30

Shall, we, yeah, you don't mind, let's get it out.

Speaker 1: 8:31

Yeah, if you have time, yeah.

Speaker 2: 8:36

Here. I'll let you open it up.

Speaker 1: 8:39

Okay, so Samira Brow Koutour the name is a nod to my fashion background and I've been doing the permanent makeup, but I also didn't want to give up my fashion career because I worked on that for so long. So I launched a brand called Rumi Rose and it is Silk Road inspired fashion accessories and beauty. So I take unique pieces from far away places like Morocco and Turkey and Afghanistan and places that have beautiful embroideries and colors, and I design pieces with artisans there. I also have a very popular product. It's a Argonne oil beauty serum.

Speaker 2: 9:27

That always smells so good.

Speaker 1: 9:28

It does. It's really, really beneficial for any skin type. Very moisturizing, has vitamins A, c, e. It's very hydrating and the reason I came up with this is because I needed a natural aftercare serum or oil for my clients to heal after they're microblading. And I started out with grapeseed oil, but some of my clients were saying that the oil would burn their eyes a little bit. So I looked into Argonne oil and I offered this in my studio for my clients for their healing. But my clients have been using it on their skin and they would come back to me during their touch ups for their touch ups and they would tell me this oil has done wonders for my skin. It helps with eczema, even psoriasis, dry skin patches, dark patches on the skin, and it's very hydrating and it's good for fine lines and wrinkles.

Speaker 2: 10:24

It does it all sounds like it.

Speaker 1: 10:25

It's called Liquid Gold in Morocco Makes sense. Why so? This sells like hotcakes in my studio and I brought it as a gift for you guys.

Speaker 2: 10:35

Can you tell me where we can find this? What's the website?

Speaker 1: 10:38

Yeah, this can be found on shoprumiro'scom, and I also brought this exfoliating bath mitt. So, as I mentioned, I work with artisans and places.

Speaker 1: 10:55

I know that's going to make noise, I'll just move that there. I work with artisans and, primarily, places around the world where women are in need of economic assistance, such as Afghanistan, and these hand crocheted bath mitts were handmade by women in Afghanistan. Because they can't work, they can't leave the home. I wanted to do something for them to create jobs. So this works well. With the oil, you can use it as an exfoliating bath mitt in the shower or bath and it exfoliates your skin. Yes, it's all hand crocheted.

Speaker 2: 11:31

Oh, my goodness, this is a work of art. It's gorgeous. I don't even know that I want to use this for my face because of how beautiful it is.

Speaker 1: 11:38

It's a work of art, and you could even use it as a little handbag too. If you don't want to use it to exfoliate, that's a gift for you guys.

Speaker 2: 11:44

It's gorgeous. Thank you for bringing that in.

Speaker 1: 11:46

So I try to do things as an entrepreneur, not only to make money, but to help others help other women. I support charity. I support a women's entrepreneurship program. I support local charities too in the area give cards for cancer nonprofits or women in need schools. Why is this so important to you? I just feel like we're on this earth for a limited period of time and we're not gonna go to the grave with how much money we have in our bank accounts. We can become successful entrepreneurs and make millions of dollars, but for me it's what are we doing with that Within our own families, within our own communities, and to help the world.

Speaker 1: 12:33

I know it sounds cliche, but I really feel that my purpose in life and why I've always wanted to be an entrepreneur is to make money, to give back as much as I can. I feel like what you give out in the world is what you get back in the world. And if I can help one person, 10 people, 50 people, and it changes their life, whether it's through their beauty on the outside or helping them with their inner confidence, helping them have a career or earn income, it makes me feel better. I'm not just happy with the outside material things. So I try to do what I can, and that's my goal in the next few years is to scale the business to a point where I can help more people locally and in places like Afghanistan.

Speaker 2: 13:24

Internationally. Yeah, that's amazing. Thank you for sharing that story. Thank you for listening, of course, and I'm sure our listeners are gonna be quite interested. So please check out the product and take a look and help a good cause I appreciate that, of course, and then can you tell me about any employees that you have in your business? How many do you have?

Speaker 1: 13:44

Well, I have independent artists that work as a team with me. I have two and they're specialized in brows, lips and eyeliner, and I'll be adding on a master lash artist. So there will be our core four and I do the core four and I do have plans to educate and help other artists build a business. For example, if there's anyone out there who wants to learn how to become a permanent makeup artist in the area or even in the nation whoever's watching I would love to help and maybe provide some one-on-one coaching on how to not only do the art behind it, but also the business behind it, because I see a lot of women.

Speaker 1: 14:28

They're taking the courses and they're not getting proper training on how to do the actual procedure, the sessions, the art behind it, and not only that, they're having trouble building a business. It's not as easy as it looks and I feel like the wave of microblading has it's kind of gonna plateau. And when you're in this business, you have to. You have to pivot, you have to offer more services, you have to market yourself, you have to, behind the scenes, do your website, social media marketing. You guys know, talking to so many entrepreneurs, you wear a lot of hats. It's not just, you're not just doing one thing, you're doing multiple things on any given day.

Speaker 2: 15:12

So I would love to help other people, men and women, learn how to open up their own PMU studio and then on that note, what are some of the challenges that you've had as a business that you would like to share with other business owners who are going through the struggle?

Speaker 1: 15:29

So I'm a mom of three. I have a soon to be 14 year old and my twin boys they're nine. The struggle is time management. On my end, I'm pretty good with organizing my day, but it's the internal feeling of am I doing enough for my business, am I doing enough for my kids? Am I doing enough at home? And the balance.

Speaker 2: 15:52

I think balancing is always a challenge and you know just how do you find that balance? What are some boundaries that you said?

Speaker 1: 16:00

or how do you find yeah, well, I've had to give myself an extra day off because what I do is physically demanding as well as it is mentally and emotionally, because you are tattooing someone's face and you cannot mess up. You cannot mess up the shape, you cannot mess up how deep you go with your pressure, you can't mess up the color. So it's a mental. You have to have that mental strength and you're also helping coach your clients and it's the physical demands on your back and your eyes going home, taking care of the kids, taking care of the home how do I find that balance is and yourself, yes, I had to, for a period of time, stop taking new clients, which was a difficult decision. It's a good problem to have in any business is when you are booked out months in advance and you have to stop taking new clients. That means that's a good thing.

Speaker 1: 16:56

But learning to say no is something I had to learn the hard way, because there was a period where I was going home so tired that I wasn't spending quality time with my family and then not getting as excited as I used to be to go into work feeling drained, so how did you overcome that? Giving myself some time to take my current clients and take an extra day out of the week to take care of admin and office duties and ordering products and keeping up with things in the home and just. I also like to do history and culture, so let me start that over. No, you're good you cut that part out. Yeah, we'll cut it out, all right. So I also have found time to do things that I enjoy, such as illustrations, fashion, history. I do a lot of that history.

Speaker 2: 17:51

It shows you have great fashion. Yeah, thank you.

Speaker 1: 17:54

I appreciate that. But just giving time to do what you love and doing things that you think are a hobby, it gives your mind and your body time to breathe. And give yourself some mental space away from your business will make you love it more, will make you miss it more. And it's okay to take time off, it's okay to take time away from your kids and go get your nails done and I look, you know, put together now, but at home I'm in the bun and the sweats, yeah. So Gotta be comfortable. You just gotta be comfortable in saying no, turning away things that we have to and just giving time for ourselves.

Speaker 2: 18:35

I'm sure this is gonna resonate with people listening who can't say no.

Speaker 1: 18:39

Yes, you have to learn to say no, because there was a period I thought, okay, so I failed in a few other businesses and this is the business that's actually in my mind, growing and succeeding, and I'm turning away clients. And am I doing the right thing? Am I? You know, you think of what? If, what? If I do say no to this and it causes business to go down and then I'm not? You know, you just start second guessing yourself as a small business owner and I don't have a mentor above me or someone who I learn from. I learn this all on my own by myself.

Speaker 2: 19:13

Oh my goodness.

Speaker 1: 19:15

Because I was trained in London. My trainer was in London. I didn't have any one-on-one time with her, so when I came back to start this business, there weren't many permanent makeup studios. There weren't any groups, support groups so I went through this process on my own, wow.

Speaker 2: 19:32

And I love how you're using yourself to help others. You're like if you need help, you're like you wanna be there for people.

Speaker 1: 19:36

I wanna be there, that's why I feel like the next phase for me is coaching and educating, because there's, you know, people out there. They're starting out. It's scary. I remember being scared, thinking what? I'm starting, a new career in my late 30s and I actually launched at 40, so it was a whole new career, whole new. You know Ball game. Ball game after being in the fashion world and stepping into something new was scary.

Speaker 2: 20:05

And then looking back, looking at how much I accomplished and it's okay to be proud of your accomplishments too yes, oftentimes I feel like sometimes we shy away from that, right yeah, so it's okay to be your own cheerleader sometimes, exactly so those are some of the challenges, and I'm just every day trying to challenge myself again and again.

Speaker 1: 20:27

I drive my husband crazy with all my ideas, like I'm on you, oh what if I did this? And he's very supportive. But anyone who lives with an entrepreneur knows that we're always dreaming big. We're always thinking, well, what if I did this and what if I did that? That's another thing I'm trying to. You know, go in my 40s, trying to enjoy life more, instead of thinking about outcomes and five years down the line, like I need to enjoy today, I need to take this minute and enjoy sitting down here with you, instead of thinking, well, how's this gonna turn out right? How is this gonna It'll be good? Yeah, well, you're easy to talk to.

Speaker 2: 21:07

Oh, thank you, so are you. I'm so pretty, I can't stop looking like at your eyes.

Speaker 1: 21:10

That's why you're so sweet. Well, I hope this. I'm not blabbering on and on, no, no no, you're not.

Speaker 2: 21:16

This is insightful stuff that a lot of people want to know. A lot of people want to get to know business owners outside of just purely business and want to get to know the actual person, Right? So thanks for sharing that. You're welcome For your business. Were there any struggles with marketing, like getting new clients, Because I know it's a lot of word of mouth for you? Have you found like with word of mouth it's more like slower?

Speaker 1: 21:40

I think because the economy is slowing down or has slowed down the industry beauty industry, the hair industry, I'm hearing as a whole. It is slowing down because when there's any concern about the economy, usually what are we pausing in our budget is luxury service, and this isn't luxury service. It's a needed service for many, but it is something that you could hold off on if you want it to. So definitely feel like in the next few years, we will be focused more on referral marketing and getting our name out there for the artists that I've brought on board. I want to help promote them For my.

Speaker 1: 22:21

Luckily for me, I started when microblading was a big thing in 2016. And, luckily, I never botched anyone's brows. I did. Looking back, my work was good for just starting out. So I had a lot of referrals the first few years and that's kept me busy. But what do I see in the next few years? Because the industry is becoming more saturated and there are a lot more artists out there, and I think the key is to educate women out there, because there's so many different names for brows there's nano, micro feathering, feathering powder.

Speaker 1: 23:02

I think all these names are confusing someone like you who's just learning about permanent makeup, and it sounds scary. What would work for me, what would look good for me if I wanted to get it done? So offering consultations and whether it's virtual or in person, and doing more video marketing. Short form, long form content.

Speaker 2: 23:27

How are you with social?

Speaker 1: 23:28

media. I was pretty good the first few years. I'm not going to lie, I was in the last year. I kind of fell off a little bit because I was working in the business and doing a lot of things behind the scenes, but I'm excited to be getting back into it.

Speaker 1: 23:40

Instagram you guys probably have no Instagram has changed. They've changed their algorithm and got reals yeah, and also, who sees you? You can have a lot of followers but they're not seeing your content. So you've got to do email marketing. You have to do social media marketing. You have to do events and connect with people out there because they want to know you know what you're doing, because getting a tattoo on your face is not it's not something to take lightly. I would not go for a group on deal. I would not just go walk into anywhere and do it. You have to do your homework and make sure your artist is trained, and if they charge more or they're higher, it's probably because we've invested in that training and we worked on every skin type, every skin tone and whether it's young skin, mature skin, light skin, more darker skin. You have to have that portfolio and make sure that you see healed work examples and you feel comfortable with your artist.

Speaker 2: 24:42

I think that's why you stand out, though, because you were in the game before it all started popping out. I would feel like knowing what you've told me, and like how you went to London to go train. I would be like I'm going with her because she's been here for a while and she knows what she's doing, and I went and I trained with the best Feebrows.

Speaker 1: 25:02

they were the first like top microblading academy in the world out of Europe. And I wanted to learn from the best and I came back and I spent a lot of time and money doing that and I wanted to. You know, I still use the top quality pigments. They're all. All my tools are sterile. My studio is very clean. I've never had any client tell me oh, I have an infection. Nothing negative, knock on wood has happened.

Speaker 2: 25:26

Knock on wood. Yes, ma'am.

Speaker 1: 25:28

So I feel like I trained with the best. I was the first royal artist out of Feebrows in this area.

Speaker 2: 25:34

And I just I have to.

Speaker 1: 25:36

You have to put it out there because, again, there's a lot of artists to choose from and you really want. I feel like the referrals that I get are hearing from my other clients because they're seeing how they're. Let's say it's their friend who's gotten their brows done by me and they see the after. Oh my God, it's so dark. But they're seeing how it heals and the longterm where it's not scarring, it's not scabbing too much and it heals very soft and natural.

Speaker 2: 26:05

That's good to know, because oftentimes again, when I see stuff online, it's not done. But I'm being, it's so dark you have, how long is that process where you're like, okay, it's done, this is what it looks like.

Speaker 1: 26:16

So after you get the procedure done, the next day will look super dark and then the next week they go through a lot of changes where it gets darker and then it gets softer and lighter and lighter and then the color comes back softer. So by four to eight weeks your skin is fully healed. Just depends on how every person, how fast their skin regenerates. But four to eight weeks and then you'll see kind of the full results and then, if it's your first time, you'll come back to see me for a touch up and after that you probably will come in for an annual touch up. Maybe, if your skin is more oily, you'll come in to see me more often, maybe six to nine months.

Speaker 1: 26:59

But I don't like to take the clients too many times. I don't want to see them three times a year. I don't want to go over the skin that much with pigment because you're building up too much pigment and then you're going to start healing powdery or you'll lose your hair strokes and some skin types. Their hair strokes will get softer faster and some skin types will retain the individual hair strokes longer.

Speaker 2: 27:24

Just depends on each person, see, and I love that you say that, because I feel like some people will be like no, come see me please, and you're just like no, I don't want it to be powdery. I want it to come out right. So that's something I noticed about you that you're just like no, I don't want to see them that often. And I think some people are like no, please keep coming, you know.

Speaker 1: 27:39

Oh no, I tell some clients. They email me should I come in for my touch up? I tell them, no, you could wait. Wait, because we don't want to build up too much pigment.

Speaker 2: 27:49

See, I love that. I love that you tell your clients, that I tell them you're transparent, transparent, honest businesswoman.

Speaker 1: 27:56

Artist. Again, making money is great, but reputation is more important Absolutely and your reputation is your brand and I feel like that. When you ask how I get clients, it's from that reputation because my clients will go home and tell a friend and they'll tell their family member and they'll book with me. And that helps with marketing, because I'm not trying to get anyone in and out fast. Some of the clients have even posted reviews.

Speaker 1: 28:22

They like our studio because you don't see people waiting. It's not like you're getting a brow wax and you have three people waiting and I'm not double booking anyone. Every client gets my full attention and you come in and you get individual attention. It's very custom, it's very. It's by appointment only. So you feel special coming in. And if I tell someone I've turned away some who have booked me with a consult that I've felt maybe okay, so they've had work from another artist and it's too dark, I tell them go get removal and then come see me when you've healed from that, thank you. If I feel they're not emotionally ready, I won't do it. What do you mean by that? Emotionally ready means if I have a consult and someone's so nervous and they're second guessing themselves and also me, because you have to have 100% trust in what I'm doing. If you're laying there and you're not trusting what I'm doing, you're going to find fault when you leave because you're scared or you're anxious, and then you won't probably won't listen to the aftercare.

Speaker 1: 29:29

They don't want that and it's just in that person's best interest to do it when you're ready, because when you're ready you'll be more relaxed. That doesn't mean, okay, don't be nervous.

Speaker 1: 29:40

It just means just be sure of yourself. Be sure that this is what you want to do and that you trust your artist when they give, based on who you choose, the shape that they recommend or the color that they recommend. It all goes hand in hand and I feel so blessed because my clients come in and tell me I trust your work. Just do what you feel needs to be done. Of course, I've had those instances the next day where I get the oh my God, my brows are dark. What did you? You know what happened and I said be patient. I'm always calm and about a week or two I get the email okay, you're right, they're lighter now and you can go darker next time. Yeah, absolutely.

Speaker 2: 30:22

If you could describe your business in three words? Just a fun little question here how would you describe your business? Which one? The eyebrow?

Speaker 1: 30:30

the microblading.

Speaker 2: 30:32

Conv, or both of them too. Sorry, start that again. Yeah, if you could describe both of your businesses in three words, what would you describe the?

Speaker 1: 30:39

mess. Beauty inside out Okay, that's how I feel, that's what I love to give. Women is feeling beautiful inside and out, whether it's your skin, your eyebrows, your makeup, your permanent makeup and also your clothing. But also I like to talk to my clients and inspire them and give them words of encouragement. So it's a you know, not just from the outside that I care about. I actually care about how you feel on the inside. I can talk to my clients. We sit there for an hour or two and I hear their life stories and I try to give them advice as much as I can. I'm not a therapist. I feel like I want to go in and just talk to you. I could be okay. Brow therapy might be the brow therapist.

Speaker 2: 31:25

There we go. Then you think, come to the brow therapist, the brow therapist, okay, I love that. And now for the other business, the main one, the microblading.

Speaker 1: 31:37

Yeah, that also beauty inside out too. Okay, because I feel like that's what I lean and gravitate. Whether it was in the fashion world, it was, you know, looking good inside and out and that used to be some of my taglines for my fashion brands was, you know, look, feel and look beautiful. It's about the feeling too. It's not just about outside, because we could do a million things to ourselves on the outside, but if we're not feeling good on the inside, I've seen it, I've seen oh, I felt that.

Speaker 1: 32:05

Yeah, I feel that with myself. You know, you notice things on the outside. You're like if I could just do this one thing to my face or my body, maybe then I'm going to feel happy, and that's not the case. We have to work on our inside, meaning spiritual strength, emotional, mental and our health, and that's something else that I'm working on this year is I'm going to give myself some me time to go to the gym and, you know, go to see it, get a checkup, which I haven't done in a long time, because we tend to forget ourselves and that journey of helping others. So I feel like both businesses the words that inspire me are beauty inside out.

Speaker 2: 32:49

Perfect. I mean I feel like you live and honor what you say and just by you helping with your business, helping women who need that confidence, giving them jobs in Afghanistan, that's just so inspiring. I love that.

Speaker 1: 33:02

Thank you, I love that about you.

Speaker 2: 33:03

I really like you. I don't know if you've noticed that, but I really do oh that makes me so happy to hear it.

Speaker 1: 33:07

Thank you, I appreciate that I didn't want to come here and just you know. Okay, here's my business. Come and book with me. I feel like because I haven't been on social as much with these businesses, I haven't connected with people who don't know me. My clients know me and they come and we talk, but I'm trying to get on camera more and really, for those who don't know who I am, what is important to me as an artist, as an entrepreneur, is it's not just about the dollars. It is that I do care about making a difference in people's lives and women's lives.

Speaker 1: 33:44

I've been doing that for 20-something years. If I tell you all the projects I've done in the past, you would see a common theme and then it is beauty inside out. I feel like I'm learning that with myself too. In my 40s, my 20s, I was very hard on myself. It's about starting a family and giving towards everyone else, and now I feel like I'm coming within and learning about who I am, what I've learned in my life and trying to help others and teach others. I feel like that's going to be the path for me. Next is education, teaching. I'd love to write a book about the different things that I've done whether illustrated costume history or about microblading.

Speaker 1: 34:31

there's just so many topics that I've learned in my career that I'm excited to share with others. That's the common theme is that it is about what we feel within is going to radiate out. The outside is just part of the puzzle of the complex beings that we are as women. Inside, yeah, it's from the inside. I've been working on that the past few years. I feel like I've gotten really closer to a more grander spiritual connection. It helps me to see things on a day-to-day in a more clearer way, where I'm not so hung up on the smaller things that happened, I'm not thinking so much about oh my God, this didn't work out, or?

Speaker 2: 35:15

I have to do this.

Speaker 1: 35:16

What are they going to think? Because I do have a tendency to overthink things. That's why I'm always writing. I'm writing journals. I have to do this. I have four or five journals with the projects that I want to do. Then, if I'm leaning towards it, once my energy is going that way, I can't stop it. I'm like I have to do this.

Speaker 2: 35:39

The common thread to it with you is having persistence. It seems Like you said you had a lot of ideas and businesses. I feel like the key component here, too, is that you never gave up and you believed in yourself.

Speaker 1: 35:50

Yeah, because I feel like growing up in my cultural background, women were always told not always, but a good amount. Were told no, that's not you know.

Speaker 2: 36:00

What's your background?

Speaker 1: 36:01

I was born in Afghanistan. I've lived in America for over 40 years, but there are some cultural threads from living in two worlds living in one world, at home, and living in another world, the American world. Yes, and I'm sure you know what I mean. Yes, I do. I'm so shocked. God bless them. I appreciate that now, but growing up I did not. We're young, you know, yeah, when I was young and I don't have brothers, so that was one thing my parents did teach my sisters and I get an education do what you want to do, but you can't do all these other things right. So I always heard no and I have a very stubborn edge to me inside. I'm like I don't like that. I'm going to try Aliyah's like this too.

Speaker 2: 36:47

Oh yeah, oh okay, I think it's something entrepreneurial.

Speaker 1: 36:51

Yeah, it's like in your blood, it's in my blood and I just made it happen. If I really wanted to do it, I was going to find a way, for example, fashion design. When I was younger, in high school, my parents didn't want me to go to New York, and I understand that now as a mom, but back then I did not understand it. So I reluctantly went and got a four year bachelor's degree and I took art classes. I tried to weave in some creative elements into that degree, you know, to fashion shows on campus, and I was trying to always look out for creative ways of expressing myself. And in this area, in Virginia DC area, it's not always easy and there was no at that time Google or internet resource.

Speaker 1: 37:36

I'm showing my age, but I don't care, because it is what it is.

Speaker 1: 37:39

I had to go to libraries and bookstores to find out how to become a fashion designer and how do I do this and how to make patterns. And then I enrolled in Parsons in my early 20s. I went there, I did a program. When I came out of it I said I'm just going to start my own label. And how old were you? I was 20. Wow, A long time ago. And I went to New York and I found fabrics at one place, trims at another, and just put it all together, did a photo shoot and launched my first collection Girl. The determination, yes. And then the first dress. I had a model wear it and took pictures. She went on a casting call to Men in Black, the movie Men in Black 2., and yeah, and she was in the background with my dress. And then, Okay, now I'm going to watch.

Speaker 2: 38:32

Men in Black 2 and look out. It's a short part of the movie. I don't care who to see, I know that.

Speaker 1: 38:37

It's like a black and white puzzle piece dress, and that was my first. I designed something that went on film, and then I thought to myself I want to be a costume designer because I love history, I love learning about different cultures, I love researching how fashion and beauty impacts our society, and that's what led me to the beauty industry too. So I was hired to do costume research for an independent film. I was in LA for about four months doing that, and then I did another collection. I actually went to Afghanistan to work with Afghan women because my dream was to open up a sewing factory there. Oh, look at you.

Speaker 2: 39:15

Your heart's always.

Speaker 1: 39:16

So my heart is like, okay, I want to do that because it's going to make an impact, or I'm going to do something that my community hasn't seen before and I'll be the first, I'll pave the way, I'll help other women. And I don't think I share that motivation so much because I don't want to seem like I'm showing off like, oh look, I'm doing this, but that's not. It could look like that on the outside, that it's easy, oh. But I've had nights of crying, I've had my depression, I've had my tears, I've had my setbacks and failures. I've had my days of losing money. I've had my starving artist days in New York where I was eating like spaghetti and living on credit card.

Speaker 1: 39:53

But I feel like when your intention is good in the world, you're going to get that back somehow, absolutely. Maybe not right away. You have to be patient, but if your intention is good and you're putting out the energy of, I'm doing this not just for me, but I'm doing this for a bigger purpose. I guarantee you and this is for my life experience, and I've done it both ways where I maybe did a project where it was just more oh, this will be fun, I'm going to do it more, just let me do it, it'll be for me kind of thing. And it wasn't fulfilling. But I did something else and it took blood, sweat and tears and I stuck with it. Like the microblading business blood, sweat and tears. This business is. It's growing. I have to put more attention to it, which I plan on doing, but there's a lot of other things that I've done that have just not worked. And I cry, you know I do cry.

Speaker 1: 40:49

I cry to your face and then, a month later, I'm like okay, what's next? I love that. You pick yourself right back up. You don't stay there, you pick yourself up, and that's the product of being told no, Because I think when I was younger I was trying to prove to my parents no, I can do this. See, you don't have to worry about me, and it took them a long time to see. Okay hmm, it wasn't just a little silly?

Speaker 2: 41:13

Maybe Samira's not so crazy Right, not so exactly.

Speaker 1: 41:17

Oh, how cute. Fashion design Because you like to wear nice clothes or you're like fashion. No, it wasn't just being on the I, because you see a lot of designers because they like fashion, they think fashion design is a career. There's a lot of work that goes behind it. You've got to be behind the scenes and the garment, working with the contractors and pulling together pieces and marketing. Everything you do is work. But I put that work in, even when it cost me money and time and effort. And I'm looking back I realize all of these pieces have come together because you know the fashion design, the beauty and the fashion and the cultural history that I like to research about. It's going to come together in the next few years because it's going to come into education and books.

Speaker 1: 42:03

I'm excited I can't wait to see that part of your business. Thank you so much.

Speaker 2: 42:06

Maybe you can come back and share more about that too.

Speaker 1: 42:07

Oh, my God, I love that. That would be great.

Speaker 2: 42:10

And then, just to wrap things up here, my final question is, if you would like you know, let me start that again. My final question is do you have a message for any potential people who are thinking about microblading, powdered brows, anything like that? What would you like to tell them? Or why should they come to you?

Speaker 1: 42:29

Oh, if they want to get it done or open a business.

Speaker 2: 42:32

No, if they want to get it done, yeah, yeah, yeah. For potential clients, I can start that again yeah, okay, okay. So just to wrap things up here, for any potential clients or entrepreneurs who are thinking of getting their eyebrows done with microblading powdered brows, what is a message that you would like to let them know about your business if they're interested?

Speaker 1: 42:54

Well, number one, you're in good hands. You can be rest assured that we know what we're doing. We've worked on I probably worked on thousands of clients, between new clients and touch-ups on every skin type, skin tone. I've never botched anyone's brows, I've never messed up, knock on wood and just feel relaxed, knowing that you're in good hands, that you'll be taken care of with your shape and your color, which is very important.

Speaker 1: 43:23

So, whether you're looking to choose our studio or someone else always looked at pictures from the artist, look at their work, their healed results and make sure they have videos, not just pictures, because nowadays I see a lot of artists pulling pictures from other places and claiming it's theirs. So you want to make sure any portfolio you work look at has videos too, and healed work, and that you feel in your gut you trust them. You could always schedule a consult, phone or in person. You could book online. I typically 99% of my clients just book and we do the consultation before. But if you're wondering should I do microblading or do a combo brow, just email me and I'll help SamiraBrowCouture at gmailcom and I'll help answer that. What should I get done and am I a candidate? Our website has a page that says are you a candidate? And frequently asked questions. So it answers a lot of the questions that anyone out there watching may have about should I do this or can I do this, and what will it look like?

Speaker 2: 44:29

Perfect. You hear that.

Speaker 1: 44:30

So go to our website SamiraBrowCouturecom.

Speaker 2: 44:33

Perfect, Thank you so much for your time and for coming in.

Speaker 1: 44:35

You're welcome, thank you for having me.