Joanna Keller has had an impressive come up story. Following her passion for makeup and beauty, Joanna has built her tiny empire from the ground up. While helping support the goals and dreams of her fellow industry maven’s Joanna has made Beautique a staple for beauty services in Vancouver. From lashes to makeup, to nails, hair and you name it, we’ve got it all in store thanks to her vision.
For International Women’s Day, we thought it was only appropriate to highlight our very own girl boss. Read up on Joanna Keller in the interview below.
Q: Before you were a business owner, what were you doing?
A: I started freelancing right after I graduated from makeup school, so I was always doing this right from start. I worked for other lash and beauty companies for a few years to gain experience. Once I decided to work for myself 100 percent, I did a lot of hair and makeup for headshots, styling, creatives, models and lashes on anyone who would let me ( at the time it wasn’t a very well known service). I would travel everywhere and lash people on their couches or mine because I didn’t have a studio yet.
Q: What inspired you to start your own business?
A: Honestly, it just kind of happened. I got too busy to handle the workload and my clients so I hired someone, then I did it again and again and again until I had over 15 staff, a new space and a business. I just put one foot in front of the other, you know ?
I always had a vision of a cool space that I wanted to hang out in and get pretty. This is something I have had in my head since I was very young – and then it appeared one day after the dust settled.
Q: Who are some Girl Bosses that you admire?
A: Oh man, that’s a hard one. I admire women. Women who get up in the morning, take the time to put them selves together, go to work, kick ass then come home and do it all over again.
A girl boss to me can be a stay-at-home mom raising children or a CEO. If you can take care of your business, be yourself and still have a smile on your face (at least some of the time) that’s a girl boss to me – cuz it’s all hard, you know?
Q: What does equality in the workplace mean to you?
A: Equality just means equal in every way. Making sure the girls all feel valued and appreciated is very important to me. I don’t really believe in special treatment but if someone has something going on or isn’t feeling well, I’ll do my best to give them the time, space and love to heal.
I hire women of all races, ages and skill levels and if there is an amazing MALE lash artist out there – holler at me . I’m not exclusive to female artists.
Q: How do you empower other females?
A: This is a hard one for me to answer personally because I’m not really sure. I do my best to be very open with my clients about my own life and challenges and listen to theirs while making them feel beautiful – of coarse that helps. To anyone who tells me I’m inspiring, I give them deets on my challenges so they can see that really anyone can achieve anything, in any circumstance, it may be harder or take longer – but it’s doable.
I have a very supportive and awesome team that I couldn’t have done anything without. They have been with me through some very hard times allowing me to handle things and keep the business going.
Q: When it comes to beauty, what is the one service you can’t live without?
A: Well, since I am extremely allergic to lashes – I would have to say blow outs. I get one religiously before anything important and it lasts for a week and saves me sooo much time. I always look put together. Even if I’m having a no makeup day I look good. The girls give a little head massage when they wash your hair too and I die. I didn’t realize how poorly I was washing my hair before.
Q: What makes you feel most sexy/feminine?
A: Lipstick, getting pampered at a spa, baths, wearing red and black, having a good cocktail with a beautiful view, listening to girly 90s R&B, hairless lotioned legs on satin sheets, being in nature and the RIGHT man – I could go on about that.
