Conversations with Danielle Brown

Today we’d like to introduce you to Danielle Brown

Hi Danielle , thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Eat Beauty was birthed back in 2014. I landed in this field after much prayer and research on how I could be a great parent and provider at the same time. I was a single mother of 2 boys, one (the eldest) of which was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. I had no prior knowledge or information about this ASD so I had no idea at the time how much of getting him quality care and therapy would consume our life. It was overwhelming for all 3 of us but of course being the parent the responsibility of tending to their emotional/social/mental needs wasn’t the only need I had to meet.
With my back feeling like it was against the wall, I prayed and every time I prayed it was like GOD would send someone to ask me to perform some type of beauty service. Me at the time being completely unaware of just how mysteriously GOD can answer prayers, I would turn them away because I never considered the beauty industry as a career for me. Long story short, one day the light bulb finally clicked and i thought to myself “if people are asking, trusting & willing to pay for my skills and I’m not licensed how much more lucrative could this be if I decide to make a profession out of it” so I did and 10 years later here we are.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
This process has had its moments of smooth sailing and has also had its time of rough roads. I’m glad to say that the good and smooth times definitely outweigh the rough ones which ultimately makes it worth it to push through the tougher times.

What I learned is entrepreneurship is full of unaccountable moments. You don’t take into consideration how much of your time is consumed so unfortunately I’ve experienced some long term relationships ending due to unavailability etc. More recently I experienced an “unaccountable” situation where I became pregnant and around my 4th month my father passed, around month 5 my water broke and I ended up spending the following 2 months in the hospital before an emergency surgery to deliver my baby who was only 7 months. As a result I spent the next 2 months in the NICU supporting my baby until she was able to come home.

Needless to say I had to shut the business down abruptly and unexpectedly remained closed for following 6 months. Rough and tough roads was an understatement. I lost all sources of income, was bed ridden (life style change) and grieving all at the same time. Being a business owner and experiencing these recent challenges has definitely shined a light on some grey areas I didn’t even realized existed in the business. Trying to pick up where business left off in an economy that has drastically changed in a short time also presents its own set of challenges but my “why” keeps me going and full of hope especially with a new little one.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a creative person, always have been and always will be. So as a beauty professional I have the absolute pleasure of seeing each of my clients beauty in a very unique way. As a hairstylist I get to apply what I’ve learned and what’s appropriate and tailor it to my clients specific needs or mood. As a makeup artist I get to expound on their beauty in various ways, not just with colors, hues and lipsticks but by occasion, how they’re feeling or a want to feel. I literally help my clients set the tone and make a statement without ever saying a word.

I am most proud of building such a strong professional presence that I’ve been able to work for Legendary artist like the Van Della’s, Shelia E and Stevie Wonder. My clients range from local leaders like the first African American President for Detroit One Credit Union, To major Social Media Influencers to my everyday superstars like GM executives, Stay at home moms, Entrepreneurs, Sales associates, Teachers, Plant Workers and more.

What sets Eat Beauty apart is our knowledge and experience. I am a licensed cosmetologist (10 years) and a licensed esthetician (8 years). I am able to combine what I’ve learned & mastered with my 25 plus years of customer service experience and my experience of working with high profile/legendary artist and present skills that match the service and service that match our skills. We provide quality service that our clients trust.

What does success mean to you?
My definition of success is simple… find your purpose and live in it! Being in alignment with what’s for me has always been key. I’ve tried to take other avenues and just didn’t find my work fulfilling. Yes it might have paid the bills but life is more than paying bills. There are times when you’ll need to do what you have to do but always allow the roads to point you back to purpose because it’s there that opportunities only destined for you will become a reality.

Pricing:

• $15 LipSting Liquid Lipstick
• Makeup $125 and up
• Hair $85 and up
• Body butter $15
• Hair oils $15

Contact Info:

• Website: www.EatBeautyMakeup.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamdannybee

Image Credits
Tyrone Holmes, OMG