We had the good fortune of connecting with Monique Whaley and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Monique, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
Honestly, it came naturally. See a lot of people don’t recognize permanent makeup and sometimes tattooing, and makeup in general as art however it is. Learning about colors, corrections, saturation, value color depth, and how the color changes once emerged in the skin is all a skill practiced and learned as someone does when they are creating on a canvas. I still love my simple art to, drawing, painting, photographer, etc but to be able to use art to help women and men to feel better about themselves and highlight their beauty with the slightest changes using my artistic views feels great. I think of it as a artist that makes a lot if money lol

What should our readers know about your business?
So, my business MEHIR Beauty, formally known as Lashed By MEHIR is all about beauty. I started out doing lashes for about 2.5 years before taking my business to the next level adding brows, lips and etc. I started out a graduate in engineering, honestly doing great for myself. However I was miserable and developed chronic migraines. I stopped working and moved to Cali and that’s when all the lights came on. Beauty is where its at! When you look good, you feel good. Your steps are wider, your smile is bigger, and your head is held a little bit higher! I started taking lash classes and to be honest she was all about the money rather than the information and quality of learning. I promised myself I would never be that teacher! I’m still not everyone’s cup of tea but I know one thing is I want ALL my students to succeed! I take pride in my work, I practiced, I got discouraged and I practiced some more, I hated my work and practiced some more! I didn’t give up and there’s times today that i want to give up but I don’t! I looked at people who I wanted to be like and I tried mimicking how they did things, I invested thousands and thousands and thousands into myself and my business. Nothing was easy about starting my business back when i did in 2014/15. Nothing I was doing or brought in the beauty industry was very known at all in Louisiana and I had to be the mold for alot of girls coming up. But I think the #1 thing was not just overcoming the challenges but allowing myself to grow through them and learning from each and every one of them! I love what I do and i want to continue to grow in it! I have so much to offer as an artist and business owner!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
LOL yikes Im not a very “party over here” type of person to be honest. Im more of an adventure, laughter and fun type of person more than anything else. But my number 1 breakfast/ brunch spot I bring everyone to is “Atlanta Breakfast Club”. Its the Peach Cobbler Chicken and Waffles for me!
Something fun – Andretti Indoor Karting and Games.
Movies- Starlight Drive In. Yup a DRIVE IN

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
It would have to be my parents! I lost my father at 15 and mother at 19 due to cancer. At 19, yes, I’m a young adult but realty was I was still very much a kid. I told myself there was no way I was failing. I would have my parents proud of me rather it was me finishing school and never taking off to actually process their death and be the engineer that would bring honor to their names or becoming the first millionaire entrepreneur in the family. And here I am at 31 completing and reaching both! My father was in electrical and my mother was in business so this was who I was, who I am! I will finish and fulfill their goals while accomplishing mine!.

Website: www.mehirbeauty.wixsite.com

Instagram: @lashedbymehir

Facebook: @Lashed.bymehir

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