Today we’d like to introduce you to Delcina Brown.
Hi Delcina, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
As a toddler, my mother said that I was always interested watching her put on makeup and called it her “Beauty Style”. It was no surprise to her that I chose this path. I started doing makeup around 1998 at the Chanel counter inside Marshall Fields. From there, I moved to Bobbi Brown at Nordstrom, then proceeded to do freelance work for Bobbi Brown and Laura Mercier. Around the time that I graduated from OSU, I was working at Henri Bendel at Easton when a man came in one night and asked me if I was looking for a new job. I was in fact, because part time did not offer benefits. I interviewed the next day and have been a licensed optician ever since, about 14 years now. Makeup artistry took a backseat for several years. I would do friends’ makeup here and there, or a wedding, but that was about it. Although I was the top seller of glasses in the stores I worked in, I never really liked the career.
One day, I was standing in my living room when the idea literally popped into my head, that I needed to start doing makeup again. I started my company, 614 BEAUTY, that week. Going online to figure out how to best promote my business to make it a success from the start. The first year I started with two weddings referred by friends. The second year, I launched the 614 Beauty website and social media outlets. The business demand was increasing which required me to contract with additional makeup artists. We did 19 weddings that year. Clients started asking for hair services, so it was clear that I needed to partner with some local hairstylists, as well. In 2020, we successfully provided makeup and hair. 614 Beauty’s success was due to the weddings, senior photos, corporate headshots, production work and makeup classes for those wanting to know more about makeup application, This year the business growth has tripled from last year!
In 2021, I started esthetics school and will graduate in mid-January 2022. I am so happy to be able to offer new services to our clients, and help my brides with any skin concerns they may have months leading up to their wedding day.
I have an amazing team! They are not only so amazing at what they do, but they are some of the nicest, coolest people I know. I am so grateful to have such a talented group.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
When I started my business, I was 39 and wondered if that was too old to start something new. I thought of Bobbi Brown and how she started her company at 40 and how successful she has been. The idea of leaving the optical world for good, and doing something I love motivated me to strive for success with my makeup business. I didn’t have anyone hold my hand through the process, I really had to do a lot of research and figure things out on my own. Looking back, I am grateful for the experience, because it has helped me grow.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Aside from doing weddings, we do production work, photoshoots and makeup/hair classes. In 2022, I will start offering customized facials, dermaplaning, LED, lash lift and tint, brow lamination, chemical peels. I also offer permanent makeup such as mircoblading and powder brows.
We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking?
Starting a business later in life was definitely risky. I hadn’t been heavily immersed in the makeup industry for so long, I was nervous. I also had a makeup kit that was entirely expired and had to drop some serious cash to update all the products I use including disposables. The rest of the profits went to marketing the business.
Contact Info:
- Email: info@614beauty.com
- Website: www.614beauty.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/614.beauty
- Facebook: facebook.com/614beauty
Image Credits
Aseel Brodd Photography
Curtis Wallis Photography
Ashleigh Grzybowski Photography
Marissa Belle Photography
Swidrak & Co
Kismet Visuals
