Conversations with Ekta Kansara

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ekta Kansara.  

Hi Ekta, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers?
I grew up in the wedding industry. My mom is a henna artist to the stars and I started working with her at a young age of 8 years old. My aunt is a beautician to the stars, and I used to model for her after school. My work as a henna artist took me around the world and gave me the real exposure of how weddings around the world are planned and executed. I was always very fascinated by it. Now I am a hair, makeup, mehndi, and a saree draping artist all in one. I am always looking to gain more experience through my work. 

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?
When I moved to this country, I was at the peak of my career in India. I and my mom Usha Shah had a bustling business of more than 80 artist staff. Coming to the US, I had to start from scratch with my business and career. I also expanded as a hair, makeup, and draping artist. Going from being a well-known, sort-after artist to introducing myself to everyone and proving my skills. It was also a challenge to adapt to the different business cultures here. When I moved to the US, I had to learn how to take care of all the tasks of running a business on my own while also being the face of my business. Running my own business has taught me the amount of work which is put into a one-person team. 

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I do hair, makeup, draping, and henna for weddings/events. I am known for being a one-person team for all services needed. I am most proud of my versatility, work ethic, and the standard I hold myself and my products to. 

What sets me apart from others is my drive and passion for my work. I have 40+ years of experience working globally. I have also collaborated with other well-established vendors around the world at weddings. I have studied each culture and their looks and I am able to execute them to the minutest detail. For example, the look for a North Indian bride is very different than the look for a South Indian bride to a Catholic Indian bride. I specialize in all of them. 

Every so often, I come across a new cultural look and learn how to perfect it. 

Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
For those who start out believe in yourself, be thorough, set small goals and continue to work towards them. Remember, good work always brings success. Starting out, I wish I knew that I would be starting my career all over again in a different country. I would be more diligent about collecting pictures of my work. I worked with my mom and never imagined starting over by myself. 

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beautybyekta/?hl=en

Image Credits
Perfect Harmony Images
Rag Artistry
Ashni Kansara
Bella Marchant
Killer Creations Photography
Sonika Ahluwalia