"Balancing Act: Navigating Entrepreneurship and a 9-5 with Raven Cornwall"

Welcome to another episode of Hair what I'm Saying , where we explore the dynamic intersection of entrepreneurship and traditional careers . I'm your host , Kenetra Stewart , and today we have the pleasure of speaking with the talented Raven Cornwall .

Girl .

I'm good , I'm feeling good , feeling great . It's a good day . Yes , beautiful outside it is . It is I'm ready for the fall , absolutely my favorite time of the year for sure .

Yes , thanks , so Raven how do you manage the balance between your full time job and your entrepreneur venture as a makeup artist ? So right now I've been managing . Well , I work full time at a financial firm , so you know when . I have an opportunity that comes up .

Absolutely , I agree , especially if you know that's the overall long term goal . Yes , what about like ? Do you use any specific apps ? Like , I think it's like a motion app in order to like delegate through all the responsibilities of balancing between the entrepreneur job and also your , you know , nine to five . Yes , so I use .

HoneyBook . Ok , we have the CRM systems and that has helped me tremendously throughout being a makeup artist . So , like , when I get inquiries , my honey book automatically sends a response back and then , once I view over the inquiry , that's when I email the bride and our client . I mainly focus on bridal makeup .

So it's like from one job to the next job ? Yes , okay . So do you have any free time at your 9 to 5 to do any business you know for your entrepreneur job at all ?

No , so it's pretty busy .

Yes , it's busy . What your nine-to-five job is it ? When you clock in you at work and when you clock out you off work ? Yes , okay , that's good . So that , do you feel like that also play a role in helping you balance , so that work doesn't overflow from your nine-to-five at home ?

yes , yes , that does help . Um , I'm not supposed to work from like do anything once I'm out of the office . I'm out of the office . Yes , so I do not play no games . Five o'clock come I am out the zone good not talk to me because I am out the zone .

Okay , so do you get ? So ? You say you mostly focus on brides . Yes , so is the demand high ? Or you feel like it's at a comfortable pace right now , where you do have an opportunity to like juggle between the two jobs ?

I feel like right now it's at a comfortable pace , because I do get a lot of inquiries , a lot , lot of inquiries , but a lot of those inquiries do not reply back um so yeah , you mean it don't reply back .

I don't Got you , ok , yes , so .

But it's very manageable right now . I just what really has helped me I've taken bridal classes , so that's really helped me with making sure I am communicating with potential brides .

OK , so do you feel like those classes ? They teach organization skills as well , like time management .

Yes .

Just in case you know , you are , you know , in a situation like you , Mm-hmm .

Okay , and it has helped tremendously .

Like and what like .

I feel like I'm still learning how to manage everything . My boyfriend complains that I'm on my laptop a lot uh-huh , yeah , because I can .

I feel like it's so it was . It's really hard to balance it all . Yeah , you know if you you can get it done , but it like it's so , it was it's really hard to balance it all .

Yeah , it is .

You know you can get it done , but it's just so challenging . Yes , it is very challenging .

So he complained yes , he complained . I'm like I'm trying to quit my full-time job and this is what it's going to be like . If you're going to be an entrepreneur , you got to , especially with with me , I'm like adamant . I do not want to work a nine-to-five yeah so I'm like always on my laptop .

Yeah , well , and it was challenging we talked about that outside of here , yeah , but that's a lot of people to manage throughout the day , you know . So I'm sure that was pretty challenging , I guess . Um , you know , carla and I we've done a podcast , you know , and we discuss timelines and we never built our own timelines , really , we never did .

I'm learning some do it some don't I like create my own timeline , because I am not no 45 minute makeup artist .

Yeah so .

Yeah , I like to put in because I know how long it's going to take me . Yeah , so I like to be in control of the timeline . So that's why I just reach out to the planner or the photographer to see what their timeline is like .

Okay , yes , Well , what motivated you to start your makeup business while still maintaining your full time career ?

OK , this is going to be a little deep but OK .

No , thank you , I am not good at math .

I'm good at customer service . I'm good at administrative work got you , and so that part of the job like working where I work now it really also is helping me with the administrative part of being a makeup artist .

I love that , okay , and also the customer service too .

Right , yeah , so um , I just I've been at banks , I've , and now I'm at a financial firm working for a financial advisor and I just it's like I'm just never satisfied , I'm not happy where I'm at . So I really like , when I first started working where I work now , I was like I'm gonna retire from here , I'm gonna do makeup as a hobby .

I really do believe , like you know , like working at a financial , financial institution , I mean it's a great job , you know , provide stability , security , Right , and things of that nature .

So I don't have a timeline , which I was just telling my mom . I was like I just need to walk out on faith , because every person that I've interacted with , like a makeup artist , a hairstylist , they literally just walked out on faith . And they got over that fear and once they did that , you know they just took off .

And .

I really I need to do that , but I got a lot of debt right now . I got credit cards . I need to pay off . Yeah Listen , don really I need to do that , but I got a lot of debt right now .

I got credit cards I need to pay . Yeah , listen , don't . I highly advise , stay at that . Nine to five , take care of them . Bills yes , before you enter entrepreneurship , because you know it costs money . In order to start the business yes , you don't want to keep putting yourself in debt .

Yes , because I can't go up in there and be like I'm about to leave today , right ? And then I got some bills coming up .

No , you cannot and we are highly advising y'all to not do that . Yes , do not do that . If you got debt , take care of your debt or at least get it down to a comfortable number that you can juggle and make sure y'all are . You know that's a whole nother podcast Investing into these , you know , high yield savings accounts .

Get your we're not going to go there . Yeah , that's a whole nother podcast . That's a whole nother podcast . Look , I do this , I do that job Monday through Friday , and that's why I feel like you being involved in a financial corporation , you know .

You know , in a financial institution , it's gonna help you on the financial aspect of your entrepreneur business . Because I feel as though when we , as artists , embark on this new journey , that's where we suffer the most . Right , because we're focused on being a creator . We're only taught to be creators .

um , I don't . I don't think it . It may not be for everyone . I feel like people should , um , educate themselves , um , and take classes and make sure that you know you're . You're taking marketing classes . Yes , um , because it is not easy . Even financial literacy classes . Financial literacy classes , like it's just not easy .

It's like failure to success .

Yeah , so you just got to make sure you have you know plans .

Yeah , plans For sure , for sure , yeah . So do you feel as though social media is like pushing this narrative on everyone , like , oh , you need to quit your nine to five and you need to be an entrepreneur and you need to be making your own money ?

And do you feel like yeah , yeah , I see it a lot , especially on TikTok , because I'm a TikTok girly , so I do see it a lot where I see people quitting their corporate jobs to do what you know , what they love to do , which is fine , perfectly fine . They're ready for that .

And they have a good way of like influencing , right , you know , people who probably shouldn't be stepping into the entrepreneurial world .

I do not know . I'm not about to be pushing people to do something that you know they're not ready to do , or I'm just not one of those type of people , so

be , Right , like we can't all be entrepreneurs . Exactly , exactly , what is the motive behind pushing entrepreneurship on everyone ? You know I speak to veterans that are , you know , entrepreneur veterans and they wish they would have done it the other way .

That's for sure , and it is challenging .

It's very challenging .

Yes , I've came across so much things and I'm like how do I handle this situation ? I never thought I would come across certain situations . And what type of situations Um with my business , just basically standing on business , like I have to advocate for myself because it's my business . That's right , let's talk about that .

Like advocating for yourself and you don't have a boss to report to when something has escalated right .

I would say with I haven't't experienced .

Luckily , all of my clients have been great positive and great you must have a great screening process I had to learn I .

I haven't had any difficult clients um as of yet um , but there has been situations that have came about to where I had to figure out how to communicate it with a client um so that it doesn't come off as um like I don't want to do something for them , but it's like maybe something that they're asking outside of the boundaries of your business .

Yeah , okay yes .

So , um , like , for instance , I get a lot of , you know , clients that do ask about , they question my prices , and don't y'all and my price is my price .

this is just not your client . You know , exactly , and we all have to . You know that's a boundary we all need to keep in our business is we don't negotiate price . This is a price and this is just what it is , and I feel like that's how you do unintentionally invite problematic clients .

because they post every day . Let me get a sip artist , because they post every day . Let me get a sip . I'm gonna . What'd you say , girl ? Influencers post every single day .

Consistently .

Oh , consistently .

I wish I had it in me , but you also have your 9 to 5 . Exactly , and your daughter ? You know you have other obligations . Yes , you know , and I feel like social media that's another unhealthy influence that they push on influencers , artists , lifestyle bloggers , whoever it's like you need to be posting every day .

other reasons and I just feel like they're because they have so much time . They have time to keep up with all the changes with the algorithm , because it's just a lot you know .

Now , all the bad ways they , they know how to bring it in . Yes , they do .

I wish I knew what they was doing .

I have noticed like a lot of them will tag those brands whenever they are like using their products . They tag them a lot , and I believe that also gains exposure for them as well . You know , so that these brands are reaching out and trying to collaborate with them too , you know , and some of them do have other jobs too .

Yes , I did notice that some of them do have other jobs and for them to get off their job and go and have a camera in their face and do a whole routine of how they do their makeup .

Yeah , that's a balance too . I don't know how they're balancing all of that , because I couldn do their makeup . Yeah , that's a balance too . Yeah , how they balancing all of that , because I couldn't do it . Yeah , do you also feel as though they also have more following because they may be more relatable to the masters ?

Yeah , yeah , right yeah .

Because I feel like sometimes they can probably get lost in translation with our professional terminology .

Right , you know what I'm saying ?

Yes , and they can probably get lost in translation with our professional terminology , right ? You know what I'm saying ? Yes , and with them they can talk , like how the other person needs to hear it you know versus us ? we might .

Yeah , and they can get free makeup lessons from a content creator . I just watched a content creator this morning and she did her whole makeup routine , which it was sure it was like cut in pieces , you know , but she literally like what primer , uh , foundation ? But all of those steps don't work for everybody .

I was gonna say that I was gonna say but it might work for her but not for everyone . But I guess she's laying the foundation Right , like this is what you need to complete a look , but not necessarily Nell your look , right . I do appreciate the content creators that say this is what works for me , right , but not necessarily is going to work for you .

Yeah , exactly , not for you . Yeah , exactly , because a lot of people , because they're influencers , a lot of people believe that whatever they see their their favorite influencer doing , that is going to work for them when it does it .

Yeah , that's true . That's true . What are some of the ?

biggest challenges you face in your full time job that are different from those in your makeup business . So the challenges that I face in my full-time job is working with the elderly . When are they going to retire these baby boomers ? The elderly , the elderly , the elderly ?

So give us some examples like two Okay .

So one they're stuck in their own ways . Number two , the biggest one , is that they don't adapt to change . So in the industry working financial industry there's always changes . There's always changes to the system and we're in 2024 .

I'm like you don't want to cooperate .

No , like I'll be dealing with some food you don't want to cooperate .

So basically , they're stuck in their ways and they don't want . They're not flexible . Okay , is it like apps or like what are some examples like ? They are just not open to wanting to change .

Just like the software . Okay , because the software updates . You know , for instance , like we have this new system that we're now doing like appointments and we're and we're all learning how to , how this system works and how to use it , you know , efficiently , and they be frustrated and it's like the first frustrated work .

Like , since y'all are learning , are they frustrated and they don't have patience with y'all also learning ? Or is it like they just don't want to change , or both ? Or is it like they just don't want to change ?

Or both , both for one lady . But my advisor , she's willing to learn , she's open to learn , she understands that this system is evolving .

Yes , so she understands that .

But just getting frustrated and having these little outbreaks and all this I'm the type of person Outbreaks , yes , like this stupid system . I can't handle this calendar .

This is craziness , okay , like girl , omg , put in the retirement paper , okay , you going to have a damn stroke .

The fuck Gonna have a stroke over here letting a system stress you out ? Oh dear God .

I can't die what you say , I just have a stroke Girl . Get with the change and it's gonna keep evolving and it's evolving on a faster pace . We used to have years to get on an accord and now it's just like every year is something different . It's a new update , it's always something new always something new .

and then , once you get to a certain age , um , your attitude changes as well , so you can tell when you're not happy to come into work . You're miserable , and then with you , bringing that negative energy into the office that passes on other people around you because that energy is heavy . Yeah , it is , it's very heavy .

Yeah , it's important and they should also adopt the same , you know , mindset , because if you're here more than you are at home , like intentionally , make it a point .

Right to have good energy , right , good vibes , you know yes , and I feel like when you are a positive person , it shows in your work as well . When you're negative , it shows in your work show .

Yeah , that's true , that is very , very true . It's like that law of attraction thing . Yes , you know , whatever you attract , you will put out Right , exactly . Or whatever you put out , you're going to get or attract , you know Mm-hmm For sure . So what about the challenges in your makeup business ? You know , like , what is the difference in between those two ?

Well , one big difference is I am my own boss , so I do not have to answer to anyone . You know , because I love what I do , I'm happy . You know , other than being where I'm at , I'm not happy , I'm just . You know , that's just a paycheck , but right now I don't have any challenges

Yeah , absolutely .

So I invested in taking artistry classes and getting my confidence up because that , you know , as a professional artist , I found myself in the past comparing my work to other makeup artists and thinking that I wasn't good enough . So I , you know , I had to get out of that space . I , you know , I had to get out of that space .

virtual , okay , okay .

Yeah .

So even the practical classes ? Yeah , that's amazing . Yeah , because your artistry is really impressive . For it to be virtual only yeah , oh my goodness , I would have never thought that all of this has been virtual training . Yes , so when you first started off , you just went by what you naturally know .

Yes , because .

I graduated from . Youtube University . Okay , it's okay . Okay , I feel like most makeup artists kind of start there a little bit , you know , opposed to hairstylists , right , you know ? Um , I feel like most makeup artists do start there .

Yeah , just watching YouTube videos . And then I went to I went to Ritty Vasquez and Sam Fine's masterclass . Oh , yeah , yeah , okay , that was a game changer right there . In what ways ? Oh , my gosh , just like watching both of them apply their makeup application and how it just it like .

That is my skin , is my thing , yeah I do not , like I don't do makeup , but baby , please don't I like for my clients to look like themselves , but just enhance .

Absolutely , yeah , you know , but yeah , like just taking those master classes really really helped okay so , basically , you so your confidence level .

Those are some of the challenges that you face , like just getting your confidence level up , the skill set level and things like that . What about any back end ? Did you have any challenges like running your back end in the beginning ? Like , did you have to learn through experience ?

I have dealt with some things in the past , even with like payment wise , getting coming from clients and deposits and things like that , but now that I'm I have , I actively use honey book honey book , and that's the only software you've ever used . Yes , okay , yes , and they send payment reminders to my client . I don't even have to do any of that .

And then you have to hunt these people down to get paid . They don't want to pay , then nobody wants to pay . I don't care , nobody's happy to give you that money , you know , yes , so so , on the flip side , what are like some of the rewards of becoming a makeup artist ?

um a lot . You get to work for yourself . You know you're , you're happy because opposed to your full-time job opposed to my full time job . I am more . I'm just myself . I can be myself , my true , authentic self . So you don't feel like you can be yourself at your nine to five job . Hell to the mother , why not ? No , why not ?

A little , acting A little acting A little bit .

You have to tell them a little acting , but I am quiet as a peep at work and it's just like I don't relate . I can't relate to them .

Yeah , do you feel like you're one of the younger few , or is it more older people in your nine to five ?

So in the office I work with a 73 year old and a 63 year old , and then I'm 34 .

Yes , ma'am , but could not , could not .

No , yes , yes . So I be having gray hairs coming out . Okay , I be having gray hairs coming out . Okay , y'all , I be having gray hairs . Yes , so you're quiet . I'm quiet because I can't . I talk , I have conversation , but I can't fully relate and embrace you . Yes , and embrace who I am Like .

Yeah , do they ever ask any questions about it at all ? Like yeah , yeah , on the surface level .

Yeah , but I feel like it's more so questions to see if I'm going to be staying at the company or if I'm gonna be leaving . You know what I'm saying , like trying to get a feel , yeah , trying to , you know , and I'm just like I answer them . I'm honest . Yeah , I'm honest . I'm going to tell you straight up .

Yeah , absolutely , but you definitely . If that's the goal to be a full-time entrepreneur makeup artist then those are some of the sacrifices that you just gotta make . It do comes

Um , I have , yes , and how do you manage that ? Um , I have to think of ways . Are you referencing , like , from my nine to five , to makeup ? Um , I just have to , um , get creative , get creative and think of ways to have major jinx you put on yourself . Yes , yes , All right , look , let me tell y'all , I have no sick time left and it is September .

Y'all , this is how you balance it . Yes , this is the truth .

This is the truth .

Sometimes there is no formal balance . Yes , okay , some balances come with sacrifices .

Yes , okay , and I am not a liar , but like I told my boyfriend .

I said but it's your days that you earn to take off . Yes , you know so .

I told him . I said I'm going to do anything to get where I need to be . That's right . And if I got , if I got to do , if I got to tell a little white lie , dude , it's just going to be a little white lie , not a white lie , no white lie , little white lie it's your days .

You earned it . Take it off and move on yes , it's a mental health day .

I'm taking mental health day . My mental health can be mental health .

You know what I'm saying like exactly it's such a passion of yours that you actually you know experience happiness through it , and it is stimulated mentally , right , let's be honest , it is especially when you love what you do .

I would say to them um , to don't quit your job unless you fully have a plan on um running a successful business like you have that mapped out .

Would you advise them to do something like that later though , like once they've established ? Themselves , yeah what about if they just wanted to come straight out of high school and do makeup ?

Would you advise that , or would you advise them to still go get a job and then I would say work at a makeup counter , because that's something that I always wanted to do . But my life was different , set up differently .

Right .

So , whatever state that you're in , make sure that you know you . You gotta take whatever classes to be a licensed makeup artist .

is that complimentary or yes ?

okay , gotcha yes , because you're practicing um . Once you feel like you're up there in the skill set and you know you're working um with , you know really good photographers , then you know you can um start including a rate . But I feel like when you're first starting out it should just be complimentary um tips maybe ?

That don't give me , do you advise them to probably have like a contract in place , you know saying like if this is going to be an exchange , you know this is our agreement , and that way it's kind of like upholding them to that . Yeah , agreement , yeah .

I would advise that . I necessarily um , haven't done that , but I would advise you more established . Yeah , yeah , you know , in the beginning , when you're vulnerable .

Oh yeah , I feel like people do take , you know , advantage of you because they know ultimately you just want to get your work out there versus when you get established . It's like I want my work out there , but I definitely want to get paid . Now you know , because you are more confident and you know what you can provide and what you bring to the table .

I am not a teacher . I have no patience . I'm sorry , wait a minute . You said mentor I am not a teacher .

I have no patience . I'm sorry , don't come to me wanting help practice yes , I am , it's just not in me like at least you know . Yeah , there's a lot of people teaching and I'm like you shouldn't be teaching .

Yeah , like it's just it's not in me . But long term , I want to be the bridal makeup artist that black brides reach out to , here in Austin , to here in austin , uh-huh , um , I want to be like their go-to bridal makeup artist , because I know it's very hard for them to find us in the austin area .

That's what we're missing , uh-huh heavy , yeah , lacking in so many different . You know beauty , you know spectrums everywhere .

Hair , makeup , nails , you know everywhere , yeah and then I just want to get to the point where , um , where I can have a lead makeup artist and I no longer have to be the one going out to the job , working more on the back yes , I'll be more working on the back end , doing the admin and the finances of the business , so that's that's one of my goals .

I think that's a great idea yeah , yeah . If you do decide to push forward with the team , do you have like a set timeline that you working against , or it's like right now you're just trying to still work on , you know , I guess , grooming and perfecting yourself first ?

Yeah , I'm still working on grooming and perfecting myself and I feel like once I do that , then I'll be more ready to create that team . I'm starting to like I'm writing things down , but I feel like I would need to take leadership classes . Amen , look , I've worked under so many people that I know what a good leader is , and what they don't understand .

Absolutely . I love it .

Yeah .

Okay . Well , that wraps up our conversation . Raven , thank you so much for allotting some time to spend with us today . I really appreciate your feedback and all the insightful information that you provided for us today .

So I am on Instagram Raven Cornwall Beauty . That's R-A-V-E-N-C-O-R-N-W-v-e-n , c-o-r-n-w-a-l-l . Beauty . People be messing up my last name . So bad that's why the ? Ad I am . That is , my ads on tiktok , instagram and facebook . My website is wwwravencornwallbeautycom . All right , well , thank you . Thank you , it was nice doing this .

Absolutely . We've explored the challenges and rewards of balancing a full-time job with entrepreneurial aspirations , and Raven's insights on managing dual roles are truly inspiring . Thank you , raven , for sharing your journey with us and offering such valuable perspectives .