Today we’d like to introduce you to Pa Vang.
Hi Pa, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Hello, I am honored to have this opportunity to share my story with you. My name is Pa Vang and I am Hmong-American. With my parents being Hmong refugees, they weren’t fluent in English nor did they understand English well. That didn’t stop them from working hard to provide for my siblings and me. At the age of 10 years old, my love for the beauty industry grew from fashion to makeup, nails to hairstyling, you name it, I loved it all. Unfortunately, when I was at the age of 12 years old, my dad passed away and my mom was left as a widow with 8 children. The strength my mom had in her is incredible. Even when she was at her lowest, she was never doubtful of the situation. She held it together with the help of my older siblings. Dealing with our loss, we learned to embrace the pain and use it as fuel to continue our lives.
With the love I have for the beauty industry, my plan after high school was to go to Cosmetology school. Things took a different turn when I became a teen parent. Becoming a teen parent was one of the hardest yet most rewarding challenges. I had to make new plans and sacrifices for my little family and I. After high school, my husband and I decided to work full time instead of continuing our education. My husband is an amazing family man and worked hard to purchase our first home in 2016. As the years went by with my three children being in school, I realized it was finally time for me to pursue my dream again. Instead of going to Cosmetology school, I decided to go to school in a different field within the beauty industry. I started my eyelash technician course in November 2021 and became licensed quickly after. Although it may seem like a small achievement to others, I was extremely proud of myself. I started my business at home and then moved into my studio in February 2022 at Sola Salon where I am currently located.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
When you are starting a business or going down any challenging endeavor, you are bound to encounter challenges. With this journey, I’ve hit a few bumps here and there. Still working a full time job and focusing on my business part time was a different adjustment for me physically and mentally. The first few months within my business were the hardest, as I was trying to build my clientele. I lost some clients but did gain more along the way. I’ve felt discouraged and shredded tears but at the end of the day, my husband and mom showered me with endless support and motivation. I remind myself that I’m not aiming to be a role model for my kids but yet set an example for them. Every day I aim to do and be better than yesterday.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
I’m the owner of Lashify Beauty. I’m an eyelash stylist, also known as an eyelash technician located in Maplewood Minnesota. I specialize in improving the appearance of each client’s eyelashes with cosmetic lashes. Individual lash extensions are applied to each of your individual natural eyelashes (one extension per natural eyelash) using a semi-permanent adhesive. The process may be considered tedious but the outcome is beautiful. Each set’s outcome is unique with the difference in each client’s eye shape and the amount of fullness their natural lashes have. The sets may last up to 4-6 weeks but are recommended for a refill every 2-3 weeks to maintain the fullness as you will experience some fallouts. It is a luxury to have if you haven’t already tried them.
What sets me apart from others is, I have passion for my work. I treat it with great importance for my clients. I don’t just build clientele, I build new friendships. I stay humble and don’t view similar businesses as competition. I want everyone to be a winner.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
This is a journey of self-discovery and personal growth. Stay positive and happy. Work hard and don’t give up. Be open-minded to criticism to allow growth. Not everyone may support you but don’t be discouraged. Stay focused on your journey and you will go further than you think.
“Don’t stress about being successful but work towards being significant and the success will naturally follow.” -Oprah Winfrey
Pricing:
- Classic Set: $100
- Hybrid Set: $120
- Volume Set: $140
- Wispy Volume Set: $155
- 2 weeks refill prices of half the amount of each full set.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://lashify-beauty-llc.square.site/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lashifybeautybypavang/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lashifybeautyllc
