Updated: Aug 17
Welcome to the Dubsado Industry Series, where we highlight how Dubsado works for all the amazing professions that make up our Dubsado family! From Photographers to Lawyers; Calligraphers to Doulas, our Dubsado family is a rich collection of skills, talents, and expertise.
This week, we're hearing from our amazing Hair and Makeup Artists!
We asked them a little about themselves, their industry and what makes Dubsado the perfect Client Management System for them!
Aleigha: I am Aleigha Hans owner of Captivate Beauty and Captivate Salon & The Barbershop in Castle Rock, CO. I have specialized in bridal hair and makeup for the last 6 years of my career and love every minute. My team and I complete about 200 weddings per year and we travel all over CO making people pretty.
Heena: Hi! I’m Heena Das a born and raised New Yorker that does bridal hair and makeup. I mainly specialize in South Asian weddings, which I love because it keeps me close to my culture! While I eat sleep and breathe all things bridal and beauty, I love spending time with my family and friends!
Jennifer: I'm Jennifer Alexander Thorpe and I am the owner and lead makeup artist at Jennifer Thorpe Beauty. Although I'm a native New Yorker, the Washington, D.C. area is now my home. I started Jennifer Thorpe Beauty four years ago and it has truly been one of my biggest accomplishments. You'll usually find me reading a blog or magazine looking for the newest trends or products so I can share the info with my clients and friends.
Aleigha: I am a second generation hair stylist. When I was young I would help my dad out around the salon by answering the phones, cleaning and folding towels. When I was 18 I went to cosmetology school. I knew the minute I started that I was a natural; I enjoy helping people look and feel good about themselves.
Makeup came into my career about 7 years ago and it set me apart from most others by offering both hair and makeup. I love the immediate reaction a from someone who has received a makeover. Best feeling ever!
Heena: Unlike most makeup artists who held a makeup brush before they held a pen/crayon, my story is a little different. Growing up in a strict household, I was told makeup was for married ladies only. This, however, never stopped me from carefully sneaking into my mother’s room and playing with her adults-only foundation. Though it was too light for me, I managed to borrow shades from various family members and just like that, created the perfect shade for myself.
During those later years, which I like to call my “experimental phase," I used my skill to cover up teenage acne, and meticulously match and blend my eyeshadows to the day’s ensemble. No one had any idea how I got my face to look so flawless, including myself! Soon I became the go-to person for friends when they wanted to look their best!
Jennifer: I have always loved makeup and all things beauty. As a young adult, friends and family would ask me to do their makeup for special events. That soon progressed to being asked to do weddings and larger scale events. I finally realized that "I might be kinda good at this makeup thing!" so I was determined to take my skills to the next level.
From there, I began taking lessons and classes from several accomplished makeup artists to really find my signature style. Ultimately, I found my niche of specializing in Brides and Special Occasions and Jennifer Thorpe Beauty was born!
Aleigha: Two reasons
Heena: Dubsado has been a serious game changer for me! Prior to Dubsado, even though my brides thought I was pretty organized, they didn’t see what my home looked like, ha! I had contracts sitting on my computer desk waiting to be filed, or sometimes in the printer scanner for weeks, after being printed, signed and scanned over.
I’d forget to deposit checks. Who wants to live with a mess of papers or files upon files? So many people think hair and makeup is just that. We don’t just show up and beautify our clients – it’s much more than that. Essentially, we are planners too. We’re the 1st vendor the brides see, if we're not on time, NOTHING IS ON TIME.
Jennifer: OMG! Where do I start??
Dubsado has definitely elevated my brand and enhanced my client experience. I love how everything is branded to Jennifer Thorpe Beauty, so everything is uniform from my first interaction with a client to the end. I still get compliments on how easy it is to book with me!
For me, it has streamlined my entire operation from inquiries to contracts and payments. I never have to worry about what stage I am at with any of my clients - whether a bride or a repeat customer - everything I need to know is right in Dubsado. It was so easy to create my contracts and packages, followed by creating various workflows and forms. Now, all those systems work for me automatically so I can spend more time with my family.
Aleigha: You will always remember your wedding day and that is why hiring a professional hair stylist and makeup artist is so important.
As of recently, I hear a lot of people claiming to be makeup artists that have not been properly trained or licensed. This is scary because they do not know proper sanitation procedures. I have always prided myself and team in having top-notch education to set myself apart from others. When we help our brides we take a lot of the stress away because we are trusted and come to them.
It is also fun to relax and have a getting ready party on your wedding day with your bridesmaids and mom before the main event. It a good memory you can reminisce about.
Heena: Imagine not having to do a single thing on the morning of your wedding except, sit back and relax! Your hair and makeup would be styled in the comfort of own home or venue. Your mom, bridal party and whoever else you choose would also feel pampered and be picture perfect on the most special day of your life. You’ll look and feel beautiful and most importantly stress-free when you hire the right team. Hair and makeup aren’t just about how you look but also a big part of the planning process.
Jennifer: Since I primarily focus on bridal makeup, I believe that it is extremely important to hire a makeup artist for your wedding for three reasons:
Aleigha: Leads - Without a doubt the lead capture form which I embedded onto my website. I get immediate notifications when it's filled out making my response time minimal.
Jobs - The workflow is key. You have to figure the steps of your service process and then plan them out through Dubsado. One thing I like about my workflow is the service request form which I was able to create and customize. It makes invoices very simple because I don't have to add one by one and eliminates most chances of mistake.
Heena: One of my biggest concerns prior to purchasing Dubs was finding a way to organize all of my leads and the stages they were in. I would get emails, respond to them and then that was it. Going through my sent emails to figure out who didn’t respond was time-consuming. I started to make spreadsheets but that didn’t help when I was always on the road. With Dubsado all of my leads are in 1 place, organized by date.
I have different fields (funnels for each stage). I know exactly who responded, who needs a follow-up, clients that are close to booking or the ones that went MIA. I also love how clients can return forms to me easily and how everything is organized. I can even work on the go since their website works well on my mobile phone.
Jennifer: I realize that there are many beauty professionals for customers to choose from. I think that having a CRM like Dubsado really sets my business apart and sets the tone for what clients can expect when they work with me.
Aleigha: I enjoy empowering people. One day I could be a mentor to a fellow makeup artist or hairstylist and teach them a new tip or trick and the next making a girl with no self-esteem feel beautiful.
Some say I have a talent, but what they don't know is that I have a gift that I am lucky enough to share with others.
Heena: Of course, the 1st time a bride sees her hair and makeup and how much she loves her look is rewarding but sometimes it’s more than that! Most brides book me for multiple looks and between the planning process and spending the entire weekend with them and their families, it’s so special to be a part of it all. The families are so hospitable and treat me like one of their own!
Jennifer: The most rewarding part of my work is seeing my clients reaction when she looks in the mirror after her makeup is finished. It is truly an honor to be a part of someone's special day. I find the most fulfillment in my ability to make someone feel beautiful, whether it is a bride or a repeat client. From smiles to tears, screams of joy, hugs, and kisses, each reaction is priceless and reassures me that I am doing what I am called to do.
Learn more about our featured guests at their websites:
Aleigha: Captivate Beauty Services
Heena: Heena Das Beauty
Jennifer: Jennifer Thorpe Beauty
