Guest Spotlight: Joey Healy
Hi Joey! So good having you. I found you through YouTube on a brow search. I admired your wealth of solid, timeless wisdom on brows, and I felt so convinced that I was making the right decisions on so many things I was doing in my brow services and business. THANK YOU for keeping it so real! I’d love to share with my community more about you and those great tips from a Celeb Brow Artist who has been doing this for more than your average artists and also inspire someone out there getting started in their career. Let’s inspire this new brow artist generation to classic, timeless brow knowledge…
When and how did you launch Joey Healy Brows?
[I] launched it in 2010. I lived in the upper east side doing house calls, visiting homes and offices and also working in theatre for ballet, doing makeup. I only offered tweezing and trimming and I got attention by doing that. It was mainly word of mouth how I built clientele. In 2012, I opened my brow studio in Manhattan. No rent for two years [and] doing house calls gave me that opportunity to open up a studio. I was able to slowly build up for that.
What does a typical day look like being the business owner of Joey Healy Brows in NY? Can you start from your mornings as a business owner?
I work at the studio Wed-Sat., wake up at about 8:30, [drink] coffee, skin care routine, jump to work on [the] phone, booking [and] accounting, [respond to] emails. Setting up interviews [and] approving. [I] leave for work [at] 10:20 am, walk or Uber, and get to the store at 10:40. [I] start my day, [the] store open’s up at 11, [appointments] are 40 min. long. I see 11 clients a day, [with] 1 or 2 other artists working with me too. Marketing director and manager work in the back, he’s also approving all that with them. I have meetings sometimes at night, for dinner business meetings. Salon opens up 7 days a week (that NYC life).
Tips for anyone wanting to start their own business in the brow beauty business?
Really have to make sacrifices early on, but now, later on, there’s more time to vacation more. For product line start ups, you can chip away on your off-time after work. Being a service provider is about performance, personality, and giving 100 percent all the time. Always be ready to be giving your all. You don’t get to call the shots when you’re early, you can’t be a diva.
You currently offer brow products through your brand. Which is your personal favorite? Can we expect any new products in the future?
Brow Renovation Serum. It helps to repair [the brows] and help them grow. Tons of peptides [and] botanicals. [I] started it in 2011. Working now on a skincare launch [and] getting ready to launch this spring. Hint-hint: it has to do with electricity and lifting. I’m so excited!!!!
Did you take classes in how to launch your own products? Tips for someone dreaming of doing it?
Look for white space and see what’s missing, when he worked at department stores he would come across all the brands and wasn’t finding many brow products, but now, even if it seems like everything has been invented. What’s your mission? Is luxe for for everyone? Is it clean?
Understand your Philosophy and extension that is for your brand. Try to solve a problem that is unique. Work with small manufactures that can work small batch. Google North American cosmetic manufactures.
What is your most and least favorite brow trend? (Be completely honest) 😆 thoughts on brow trends?
Contrast in brows as a trend right now. Even if the hair is light, think Marilyn Monroe.
Trend wise, I'm not a fan of microblading. Or maybe it’s more of a modality since it’s been here for a while now. It can be tricky, at first it looks good, but then the color changes. You might not realize until later and there’s a lot of regrets I hear about.
I see you have an incredible PR company you hired, how and when should a business owner hire one?
I would say take advantage of groups you can join at first, like mom groups. Be a part of any giveaways they’re doing, etc., and when your brand is ready to be noticed by more and you’ve launched a product line, I would say, then you can hire PR. You can also try to find a smaller PR company that can offer a 3 month trail. Find other brands you see a lot, being advertised, and ask them if they mind sharing their PR company.
I LOVE your outgoing personality along with so much educational knowledge you have in the brow business. I personally look up to you and agree on so much you say about it. How did you learn so much? And what are 3 nuggets of wisdom you can tell someone new in the brow biz (technical)?
Learned a lot in trail in error. I wasn’t very fast, but it took so much craft and practice. No substitute in practice, so practice practice practice. It’s better than just watching videos or anything, which is good, but being hands-on is so much better. Also, it won’t be a smooth ride. Go in knowing that and expect hardships.
I hired a lot of people with talent, but they blossomed with practice (practical). Also, seeing [the] big picture, when you’re feeling stuck or down on yourself, look at the big picture. Not just based off of a trend, where do you stand in this market and how can you get longevity and have a philosophy on how to create foundation for a brand that can grow- big picture!
Also, comparison is the thief of joy. Don’t safeguard all your secrets. Don’t talk poorly about competition. We’re all in this together. Don’t base goals or jump on trends that others are doing. Keep your blinders and stay in your lane and focus on you. What others are doing, is not all that measures your success.
