Meet Ebony Tate, a makeup artist, business owner and entrepreneur out of North Carolina. Get to know more about her and her business in our full interview below and be sure to submit to us!
Where are you from and explain life growing up? So I’m from a really small town in North Carolina called Willard and there is a subtown there called Tate Town (my last name). So I grew up on a farm in Tate Town on Tate Road surrounded by family. My childhood was nothing but outdoor play dates and imagination. Now that life is so hectic, I truly appreciate the stillness and quietness of that time.
When did you decide you wanted to start your own business? I started selling my mom’s tea light candles out of her house to the neighbors next door at the age of 6, haha. I believe I’ve always had this innate drive to have my own business, because of my desire for more freedom, but officially after moving to Raleigh in 2016 and starting school at North Carolina State University. It exposed me to so many people chasing after and living out their dreams. I decided to pursue mine as well.
What exactly do you offer as far as services and why would a company/artist want to work with you? I offer a range of services including makeup consultations, makeup application, makeup tutorial services and group makeup events. Companies and artists alike can trust that I will not stop until I deliver services BEYOND their expectations, especially when it comes to customer service. There are so many good makeup artists. While it is one thing to do great makeup, which I strive to do with every client, it is another thing when you can make another person FEEL something during and after the process. My clients tell me they love the makeup, but they come for me.
How do you plan on continuing to grow? Growth is so imperative to any business. I’m dedicated to investing in myself with marketing, promo, media, word-of-mouth. Another important tool for my growth is continuing my education. I am constantly studying new makeup techniques on videos and will take lessons at makeup master classes. I also plan on finding a mentor who is doing what I dream of doing and surrounding myself with high-level business partners, so that I can be exposed to the methods required to get there.
Has the current COVID-19 situation effected your business in anyway? Covid has affected my business in the BEST way actually, for multiple reasons. For one, with quarantine it pushed the billions of people in the world online for entertainment, which allowed me to market to more people. Being in the house myself forced me to get more creative. I began designing my own graphix which attracted more of a following, as well. I’ve gotten more consistent clientele during Covid-19 than I’ve had in my two years of business. I am now overly zealous about cleaning and sanitizing my station and makeup, so that’s a good thing too.
What was the most difficult part of starting an agency from scratch? I would say just not knowing the ins and outs when it comes to conducting business. You have to study paperwork, contracts and really understand them. You have to do work to understand customers and what draws them. Also, not having sponsors or consistent revenue at first can be very difficult. It’s a lot of work, but thank God I enjoy it.
How do you deal with bad clients? I can’t say I’ve had one. Of course you may have someone who is always late or says something harsh, but I think it comes down to perspective though. For example, some one may say a client who complains about their makeup is “bad”, however, I look at it as the client being unsatisfied with a job they paid for. It is my duty to make sure they are satisfied, so I fix whatever it is. I truly love my clients and making them happy.
What’s your biggest goals for the year? My biggest goal of the year is to be able to pay all of my bills for the first time with my business alone. I always have to supplement with part-time work, but I’m ready to let my dream feed me.
What other life goals do you have outside of your current business? Well, I’m 27 so I would love to be married someday if somebody will act right, haha. I’m a believer in Christ, so of course a life goal is to stay spiritually sound and fulfill my purpose on Earth which is to help serve and build up families. I’ve always been passionate about helping those who are disadvantaged, so to do that I want to open community centers that serve as housing, food, media and recreation stations (all in one stop). It will serve as a place for children and families to minister to them and build on their passions, while also giving genuine help with applications, food relief and residential assistance.
What advice would you give to a young entrepreneur who wants to start their own business? My best advice, and listen to me closely. Take care of yourself. Take care of your spirit. Take care of your mind and body. When you neglect these things to focus on things that will not serve your future, your business and YOU will suffer. You can’t pour anything out of an empty cup, so make sure you’re filled. No matter how many breaks you need to take or how many people you have to distance yourself from, keep fighting for it and keep your head held high in the process.
