S2 E37 | Beyond Beauty: How Marandan Renea Built Her Empire

When Marandan Renea picked up a brush at age six, little did she know she was taking her first steps toward a dazzling career creating iconic looks for WWE superstars, New York Fashion Week models, and brides across the country. From getting her cosmetology license in high school to establishing a thriving "concierge beauty" empire, Marandan's journey reveals what it truly takes to succeed in the competitive world of beauty.

On this episode, Marandan pulls back the curtain on her fascinating work with WWE wrestlers like Jade Cargill, where her distinctive makeup designs (including that jaw-dropping symmetrical line down the face) have become part of wrestling history. She shares the adrenaline rush of transforming a performer's entire look in just nine minutes backstage at Wrestlemania, proving that grace under pressure might be her greatest superpower.

But Marandan's wisdom extends far beyond technique. She delivers candid insights about the business side of beauty – why bridesmaid drama is more common than bridezilla moments, how collaboration trumps gatekeeping for real success, and why genuine service must remain at the heart of even the most glamorous beauty brand. Her "I Touch Myself" series takes makeup beyond the surface, creating space for women to explore self-love and confidence beyond cosmetics.

Whether you're an aspiring beauty professional, a business owner looking to scale, or simply fascinated by the behind-the-scenes magic of entertainment, Marandan's blend of creativity, entrepreneurial savvy, and authentic perspective offers something valuable. Because as Marandan reminds us, the most important foundation for success isn't found in any makeup kit – it's ensuring your happiness isn't compromised in pursuit of your dreams.

Transcript

Meet Miranda Renee: Beauty Entrepreneur

Sean Febre 0:00

Welcome to Happy Hour Holidays. I am your host today, Sean Fabre. We got our co-host, Vince Serrano. What's up?

Vince Serrano 0:08

I am Vince Serrano. I am Vince Serrano, Youngest City Yacht Club Happy Hour Holidays guest co-host.

Sean Febre 0:14

Co-host. Yeah, I mean, manny, we're missing you today. I know that you're moving and you just bought another house, so congrats on that Kind of sucks. You couldn't make it. Today. Our guest is Miranda Renee, who is a entrepreneur and mainly dabbles in makeup, but also sells products, correct?

Marandan Renea 0:36

I sell a lot of things.

Sean Febre 0:38

She sells herself.

Marandan Renea 0:39

She sells like not like that, though Not like that you are a brand, though she's a beast now, and you've worked with WWE wrestlers yes, jade and Bianca.

Sean Febre 0:56

You've also done some shows where Drake was involved as well, correct?

Marandan Renea 1:00

Well, drake was there, okay, and then we just had a little dinner Not like that. It was a business setting. Everybody was there. But, yes, I got to meet Drake at a show.

Sean Febre 1:12

And you also have done New York Fashion Week.

Marandan Renea 1:15

New York Fashion Week, bridal Fashion Week, men's Fashion Week all of the weeks in New York I have done them.

Sean Febre 1:21

So can you tell us a little about your background? How did you?

Marandan Renea 1:30

get into this kind of industry? What got you motivated to be? Is it a cosmetologist? Is that what you call yourself? I am a licensed cosmetologist and a licensed instructor, and I've been doing hair since I was six. So in high school I got my cosmetology license and graduated, so I had to trade at 18. So I've never really worked a job. This is all I've done.

Sean Febre 1:52

So then you got into it just from the jump.

Marandan Renea 1:54

From the jump right out of high school.

Sean Febre 1:56

And you're not from Tampa Florida, are you I?

Marandan Renea 1:58

am not. I'm from South Carolina.

Sean Febre 1:59

And why did you decide to move from South Carolina to here? Let's hear the story, let's get it.

Marandan Renea 2:05

Okay, born and raised in South Carolina, I met my boo in Florida and we have just been. We've gone from Orlando to Jacksonville to now Tampa and we're loving Tampa. We think we're going to set roots here.

Vince Serrano 2:21

Oh, okay, that's what I'm talking about, man. You heard that Tampa is the place to be y'all it is, I love it, I love it.

Sean Febre 2:28

And so can you tell the audience what exactly it is that you do in your business.

Marandan Renea 2:34

Yes, so I have a hair and makeup business. It's a concierge business, so we do weddings, but we also do events, red carpets. So we do weddings, but we also do events, red carpets. I hire out people for production, so people that are doing small films or book covers or whatever made up for podcasts, whatever it is Like. I send a team to them. If they want me, I'll go out, but you know my fee is a little bit different. But, yeah, so beauty services. And then I also do hair and makeup classes.

Marandan Renea 3:07

I do online classes, in-person classes. I just started Well, I didn't just start it, I just started back up my classes for bridesmaids Because, for some reason, bridesmaids don't want to pay the fee, even though they know the wedding was coming for a whole year. You could have put your $20 to the side, but that's okay, just $20?. They could have put it to the side to pay us up in a year. They just don't want to spend the money. But it's fine, because now I have a bridesmaids class, all the girls can get together. I'm going to teach you to look at the bride. I want you to have your hair, your makeup. I'll even bring a little drink, a drink. We can make it fun.

Marandan Renea 3:43

There we go A little appetizer, but now I have a class for that, so I'm going to be lunching that soon. But that's pretty much what I do in my business.

Sean Febre 3:50

And you also have something on your website that is interesting, what you called it I Touch Myself, I Touch Myself.

Marandan Renea 3:56

What is?

Sean Febre 3:57

that exactly.

Marandan Renea 3:58

I Touch Myself. It is a play on words, however it words, however, it can get a little nasty, if you like that it's really sensual hair and makeup videos to teach women, um, how to care for themselves, how to fall in love with themselves, women empowerment, um, and I do. I have a series of videos asking some women like how do you touch yourself? And if her answer is literal, I don it. However, it could be. They like to go to the beach and read a book, and they feel they're most beautiful when they take a bath and put oil on or when they are having conversations with their girls, whatever that thing is that makes them dig deep and feel great about themselves is how you touch yourself. So that's what the whole series is about.

Sean Febre 4:46

So what you called it a concierge service. Can you elaborate a little bit about that, because I keep hearing people use that word and I'm not entirely sure what it means.

Marandan Renea 4:57

For me, it means like it's just at your service, like we'll pull up and show up wherever you are, wherever you need the service to be, whatever you need, because this is a service-based business, which is why I don't understand why a lot of hair and makeup artists get the big head when they you know they out here and they pop and they you know, I understand, like you you're very talented is great, but it's service-based. We are still here to serve our client. So if our client is crying and she needs some eye drops or whatever that means we're, we're gonna be there to get it for her. I mean, she is paying the fee for the services.

Vince Serrano 5:35

So whatever she needs, whatever he needs, whoever we're at their service concierge, I feel like a lot of people not to cut you off, but I feel like a lot of people they, they, they just think that the service just means, hey, I'm gonna get in and get out and collect my bread, where a lot of times it's really you selling an experience.

Concierge Beauty Services and Bridesmaid Classes

Marandan Renea 5:53

It's an experience, you know experience and I take it very seriously, especially with my you know the celebrity people and, of course, my brides like it's your moment, it's your day. Whatever it is you're trying to accomplish, we need to make sure it goes smoothly, and I take that personal. So if there's somebody in the room getting on your nerves, like, excuse me, ma'am, we're gonna have you to kindly exit the room. I'll be the bad guy. I don't mind it. I don't care if it's your mama look you tearing up her nerves.

Marandan Renea 6:21

For the moment we just just need to get her calm. So if you could just quietly exit, we'll appreciate that.

Sean Febre 6:28

Wedding's got to be kind of a stressful situation to do because the bride wants to look perfect. I'm sure you've worked with a couple bridezillas before.

Marandan Renea 6:36

Actually, the brides have never been my issue, it's the bridesmaids.

Sean Febre 6:41

Yeah, still.

Marandan Renea 6:42

And I'm going to go ahead and tell this story. Sweetheart, if you're mad, it's going to be fine. It's been years. I hope you're over it. But I had a bridesmaid because I do contracts with my brides and I do a schedule and we're going to stick to the schedule. So I allow everybody allows a 15 minute grace period, so I feel like that's fair. So, especially if there's more than five bridesmaids, because I always save my brides for last because she needs to be the freshest. So you need to be in your spot at the time I take to be there, please.

Marandan Renea 7:12

This young lady had been given the bride issues since the beginning, so she decided to get her nails done on the day of the wedding, went that morning to get her nails done. Of course, sometimes that takes time, so she went over her time slot with me like by an hour. Oh wow, I was packing up because the bride was done. I was doing her finishing touches. This particular bride didn't ask me to stay for anything else, so I'm on my way out the door. She come in, I'm here, I'm here. Oh, my God, where do you want me to sit? Sweetheart, you can sit wherever you like. I'm about to go. So she was so upset Just what am I supposed to do? Sweetheart her the contract. Like you missed your time slot. So yeah, we take that serious. Like you just can't just do what you want to do. So yeah, the brides are not really ever the issues. Like I said, the bridesmaids sometimes.

Vince Serrano 8:10

Did old girl get her makeup done or no?

Marandan Renea 8:14

If she paid somebody else to do it.

Sean Febre 8:16

I don't know I left. I was going to ask like did she pay up front? Pay you up front?

Marandan Renea 8:20

The contract is the contract. Right, right, yes, all up front the contract is the contract right.

Sean Febre 8:24

Yes, all fees are paid before I arrived. So then she didn't get no refund, nothing right per the contract yeah, yeah, yeah, no, she broke her end of the contract in breach.

Marandan Renea 8:32

So I don't know what she done, but it's just like this is a business and I and I felt bad. But I did have another booking like and that's why I go per the schedule. So, yeah, my brides make, my brides are great. They know like most of the time they know who I am already, so they know how I operate and everything was the bride cool.

Vince Serrano 8:54

Like was the bride like?

Marandan Renea 8:55

okay, yeah, I already told her and she was already mad too because, like I said, all the events leading up until that day, she was constantly late for rehearsals, constantly late, late for this, constantly this Like you know, kind of hater vibes, like girl I don't know if they talk anymore. Do you see that a lot, though? Do you see that a lot, bridesmaids, that kind of.

Vince Serrano 9:17

Kind of with the hater vibes.

Marandan Renea 9:20

You see it a lot. You see it a lot you can tell who will be there after the wedding and then, 10 years later, I always can tell who will be here and who wouldn't be.

Sean Febre 9:30

I mean, I figure that that probably happens quite a bit because they're a little bit envious that their friend is getting married and they're probably still single and they're like I need to make this all about me, and then there are a lot that do that, bro, ain't that like?

Vince Serrano 9:43

that's like some like therapy, like she probably sees, like, oh, this one's like, this one's fucked up, this one's trying to ruin this one, no wonder you ain't married yet, that's gonna be the one right there. I can tell you better watch that girl right there you said you had another booking after that.

Sean Febre 10:04

So I mean, like how long are these bookings and how long do you normally have them for?

Marandan Renea 10:07

Depending on the.

Sean Febre 10:09

Like how many in a day?

Marandan Renea 10:11

I usually don't do more than two. Yeah, but for brunch weddings, because I think her wedding started super early because like she had like brunch for her reception and all that, so I started with her at 5 am. The whole the bridesmaids party and I had to drive an hour to get there, so I was up at 1.

Vince Serrano 10:30

And this was showing up an hour late, yeah.

Marandan Renea 10:33

Girl. I mean so, yeah, so I had another booking at. It was that evening but it was for like a gala or something like that, but I still had to pack up, I had to drive that extra hour, I had to switch. It's just too much stuff for me to be like okay, girl, I'm gonna take you, it's okay. No, it's not okay.

Sean Febre 10:49

So you got. You got in at five. How long did it take you? Like how many girls?

Marandan Renea 10:55

There were eight. There were, I think I left by night.

Sean Febre 11:01

nine oh, so each one takes about 30 minutes. It sounds like.

Marandan Renea 11:05

Well, I had two girls there with me, so that we can get them done.

Vince Serrano 11:08

So you have a staff, you're not just out here. This ain't a one person show. How many employees do you have?

Marandan Renea 11:15

No, no, no. There are seven of us total, but some of my girls are in South Carolina still, so I still get calls and bookings to go for South Carolina, and if they don't want me, they have to take them.

Vince Serrano 11:28

Yeah.

Marandan Renea 11:30

Now you have to fly me in because I'm not making that drive.

Vince Serrano 11:32

Yeah, so you delegate and you like a real leader in your industry, like you're like hey look, we could do this. This is how it is Based on what you want this.

Marandan Renea 11:45

I contract out other artists just depending on how big the project is. And then I have a friend, Hana Ali. Shout out to her. She owns a makeup agency down in Georgia and we plan on actually merging so that our team can be even bigger and we can spread across more territory. Just have Florida, Georgia and South Carolina on lock.

Sean Febre 12:02

So are they like commission based 1099 contractors, or are they?

Marandan Renea 12:05

W-2? I have one hourly employee and then everybody else to contract it out.

Sean Febre 12:10

How do people normally find you? Do they go on your website and, like you, have a schedule on there that people book, or do they call you directly? Is it all referral-based?

Marandan Renea 12:19

My business right now is really referral-based because even though I do weddings, my weddings are strictly word of mouth, just from people that I've previously previously done or clients that know me and like, hey, my sister's getting married and my this and that. So getting married and here lately it's been more of my celebrity clientele's family because I work with them and then they have people getting married and they'll call me up, but mostly I've been hiring myself out for production projects.

Sean Febre 12:49

What do you mean by that production?

Marandan Renea 12:51

Because I'm a contractor with WWE. It's not, like you know, employee-based, like they contract you out and I contract myself out to another company. I can't really say the name of the project at the moment until everything is solidified, but it's very exciting. But yeah, then I contract myself out to HSN or whoever needs services.

Navigating Wedding Drama and Professionalism

Sean Febre 13:17

Do you see that it's a little bit more difficult to do makeup for live TV than it is to do it for weddings or glamour events.

Marandan Renea 13:24

It's all the same, it's all the same. Weddings or glamour events, it's all the same. It's all the same. It doesn't matter, it's all the same, it's all pressure, you don't have to use some kind of different product or something like that?

Sean Febre 13:31

What? If they sweat. Are you touching up in the commercial In terms of technique?

Marandan Renea 13:34

yes, different techniques that are used For my brides. Of course, it's layers of different things, because she has to last all day yeah, because, honestly, I can do your makeup to last you until that night. If you want to pay me for touching up honey, I'm going to be right by your side all day. But I really think it's just for her to feel confident, like like she's here for me, like, yeah, do me, because I'm really just touching you, just because, because you still look flawless eight hours later. But I'm here for you, girl. I got your champagne. Oh, your lip. Let me get you a little more gloss, not a problem for me.

Sean Febre 14:13

What about dudes Are?

Marandan Renea 14:15

you. We call that male grooming Male grooming Because a lot of them don't want to say that they have on makeup. It's male grooming.

Sean Febre 14:20

But is it makeup?

Marandan Renea 14:22

It's male grooming, but is it makeup? It's makeup, but it's male grooming. Guys, do any of?

Vince Serrano 14:27

them have issues with the same type of stuff that you run into with the bride and stuff. There are some guys that are a little bit more Feminine, demanding, not feminine, they're just a little bit more particular Metrosexual men.

Marandan Renea 14:45

I'll say that If they have a blemish or a breakout or their skin is a little bit red, of course they want to look, even especially if they're on TV. They want to look their best too. But sometimes if I just put on like a sheer, just a mattifier, just so they won't be oily, and they're like wait, like you see this, I want this covered. Oh my bad. Okay, you want to get done. Done, I got you.

Sean Febre 15:12

So you know there's nothing how does it work with, like, say, they shave their face? I mean, they still got like stubble and shit like well, that's a little bit different.

Marandan Renea 15:21

Um, because sometimes on tv their face looks green. Almost you know what I'm saying Then that makeup artist has no clue what she's doing.

Sean Febre 15:28

Yeah.

Marandan Renea 15:28

It should be no green cast, no gray cast. You should not look casket sharp on TV. So yeah, she's not color correcting something right. But usually when guys are shaving and stuff, it's not a matter of like covering up their stubble, it's just more hiding a little bit of the imperfections. I've never really hidden a shaved beard unless I was doing drag. Yeah, oh man.

Vince Serrano 15:53

You see, I'm all man. You can hide my beard.

Marandan Renea 15:56

No, not out of hair. No, not out of hair. No, I'm saying when they shave.

Vince Serrano 16:03

you know you had hair Like that hair.

Marandan Renea 16:04

No, I'm saying when they shave and you don't want everybody to know. You had hair Like damn dog no.

Vince Serrano 16:08

You put a whole different man on there like a whole different person.

Marandan Renea 16:11

No, that's there.

Sean Febre 16:14

So do you also, like, when you're doing male grooming, like cut their hair, yeah. Edge them up yeah, so you're also a barber.

Marandan Renea 16:20

Yeah, I've had a cosmetology license and my first job was great clips. I was cutting men's hair all day long.

Sean Febre 16:26

Oh shit, so you could fade somebody up.

Marandan Renea 16:29

Yeah, I cut my hair. I'm going to have to shut down.

Vince Serrano 16:32

Do you ever get issues with? Because it is a service-based. You know people who don't want to pay after they've booked you.

Marandan Renea 16:43

I don't get that, because they pay up front. Yeah, I'm not even showing up if my fee isn't covered. But have you had?

Vince Serrano 16:51

people say hey look, I want to book you, and then like, or, and they give you like a deposit and then act like brand new.

Marandan Renea 17:01

At the beginning of my career, like when I was just in the salon, I ran into those issues, but not now. They know, yeah, no.

Sean Febre 17:09

What if they're like oh, I don't like what you did, I'm not paying. I mean that happens.

Vince Serrano 17:12

Has that ever happened?

Sean Febre 17:13

Yeah, even in the beginning In the beginning absolutely, yeah several times, smack them in the back of the head and say, no, you gotta pay.

Marandan Renea 17:20

No, no, no, it's nothing like that.

Sean Febre 17:22

You want to put a lien on your house.

Marandan Renea 17:25

No, the thing of it is there's been times I didn't satisfy a client and I'm just like okay, I'll make it right, I'll give you your money back, I will redo your hair Back. Then I did that If you genuinely didn't like it. Now there has been instances where I had girls get weaves and they'd be like uh-uh, I'm not paying you, I don't like it. And then I'd see them two months later with the same hairstyle. So yeah, different things like that will happen in the industry.

Marandan Renea 17:53

But now, like that's why I do trial runs. Like there are brides that if I don't really know you like that or I've never worked with you, a trial run is mandatory. Like I have to give, you have to do this with me, and then they'll find out like oh yeah, this might be too much for me, this might be too heavy, this might be too, this too that, and then we won't work together anymore and you just pay me for your trial run and not for your wedding day, or whatever a trial run is when I do your hair makeup before your event, um, just to see how well we work together, if you like my technique, if there's and, and also if there's things that they want to try that they haven't tried before, um, the hairstyle or whatever so they get their hair done basically like twice, like twice.

Vince Serrano 18:37

That's what it sounds like.

Marandan Renea 18:38

Yeah, yeah it's included in the package if they decide to book with me. But but if they decide to go another route, then that's completely fine, because there are some brides that like, oh my God, I want to look natural, I want to look this and I'm like, but you reached out to me, I'm a full glam artist, like soft glam, full glam. But that Meghan Markle, like that, completely nothing. I can do that, but it's just not my, that's not my thing, that's that's not my brand.

Sean Febre 19:08

So you can like almost make it look like they have nothing on.

Marandan Renea 19:12

Yeah, and just chisel out their features and everything. But I like to put it on baby. I like glitz, glam, like, why not? I like structure.

Sean Febre 19:21

I know you said you you're getting into production, more production, makeup and glamour. What about Hollywood? What about it? I don't know. What about doing it for movies? I would love to, I mean Atlanta is a popular hub for filmmaking now it is and I've done some reality TV stuff down there.

Marandan Renea 19:38

But as far as doing movies you have to be in the union and I've been lazy. I know people in the union. They've. They've offered to help me get in. There is a packet this big that you got to fill out. I've just been lazy and honestly, at this point, the people that I know, the contacts that I've made, if I want to get in, like I'm pretty sure I could call a person and call a person to get in there.

Vince Serrano 20:07

Yeah, it's not really your thing.

Marandan Renea 20:09

I'm not pressed about it.

Sean Febre 20:11

And they probably don't, you wouldn't make as much money, either, I'm assuming, or would you?

Marandan Renea 20:15

They make good money. It's just, I travel enough and sometimes, if productions are in other places, you have to stay on set for however many weeks or however many months, and if you don't live in that city it's hard. And I have 50 little kids, like I used to. Going for a day or two, that's cool, but mommy being gone for a couple weeks, for a month, the juggernaut would not like that. So no, it just depends, cool, but mommy being gone for a couple weeks, for a month, the juggernaut would not like that?

Marandan Renea 20:46

No, it just depends on the circumstance and if the money right we can make some adjustments.

Sean Febre 20:51

Is Lorenzo your husband yes, oh, no way.

Marandan Renea 20:55

Yes, I had no clue. That's fake.

Sean Febre 20:58

Yeah yeah, Because when I was doing some research I saw your last name was Ferguson. It just took me right now to put that together.

Marandan Renea 21:07

Yeah, don't even say that name. No more on this podcast. Get that paperwork changed as soon as I can. That's a process too, I got to get that off of there.

Sean Febre 21:21

You didn't tell me that.

Vince Serrano 21:23

You know, I figured you put two and two together.

Sean Febre 21:25

No, I'm not that smart.

Marandan Renea 21:28

Yeah, legally that's what it is, but I got to get that paperwork changed.

Sean Febre 21:32

Yeah, that's cool, so all right. So doing those kinds of films is not really something that you want to pursue at this moment.

Marandan Renea 21:41

It kind of sounds like right films is not really something that you want to pursue at this moment. It kind of sounds like right. I mean I like I said, if the circumstances are right, if the money is right, if we can work that out, then we can explore it, but it's just not something that I'm pursuing what do you mean by joining the union?

Sean Febre 21:54

what union do you have to join? I?

Marandan Renea 21:56

can't even remember the initials of it is a sag after a problem.

Vince Serrano 22:00

Is that what it is?

Marandan Renea 22:02

Something like that you have to apply for it. It's a whole hair and makeup union.

Sean Febre 22:07

And then you probably have to pay union dues. You have to pay?

Marandan Renea 22:11

Yes, a couple thousand dollars to get in.

Vince Serrano 22:13

It's the mob, basically it's the mob that's really what it is.

Sean Febre 22:17

It's the mob of Hollywood.

Marandan Renea 22:18

But that's how they book out people for movies.

Sean Febre 22:23

Yeah, and TV shows, but they never book contractors, it sounds like.

Marandan Renea 22:27

That's not true, like there are depending on, like the artists.

Sean Febre 22:30

Like if the Avengers call and they're like we want you hey, then I can come. I'm on the first plane out of here.

Marandan Renea 22:39

Yeah, because if my girl Jay get on up in there, you know they can choose their artist. They don't necessarily have to go that route. I don't think I've seen people that aren't in the union do hair and makeup for talent in their own shows and stuff like that, so I'm sure there's other ways in.

From Salon Work to Celebrity Clients

Sean Febre 22:59

So we got to take a quick break and we'll be right back. Like, comment and subscribe. Make sure you hit that follow button, that notification button, so you can get notified anytime an episode appears on YouTube or on Apple, spotify, iheart, all those great streaming platforms. We'll be right back with Happy Hour Holidays. And we're back with Happy Hour Holidays. And we're here with Miranda and Renee. And we're back with Happy Hour Holidays. And we're here with Miranda and Renee. And I want to know how did you make that jump from working at a salon and thinking to yourself you know, I'm going to start my own business.

Marandan Renea 23:37

Did someone say, hey, can you maybe do an event, or how exactly did that take off for you? So in being in a salon, like aside from working at Grey Clips, I kind of jumped into Booth Rental, which is ultimately owning your own business, and then I just started wanting more. Doing hair and makeup is like well, at first I was just doing hair. I wasn't doing makeup at the time when I had first started getting out of cosmetology school, and it's just like the ladies come in and you know we switch stuff up weekly sometimes, like I had clients come in every week and it's just like it was cool. But I just wanted to do more. I wanted to be more impactful.

Marandan Renea 24:19

I felt like my purpose, even in the industry, was to work with people that felt like they couldn't necessarily be themselves or they had to be perfect all the time. And because I was always the voice of reason, like I'm coming in like girl, calm down, it's OK. Like they don't love you, it's cool. Oh, my God, I haven't eaten in three days. I'm like, wait a minute minute eat this sandwich.

Marandan Renea 24:40

I won't tell nobody and so from there, I started taking classes all over the country um came down for hair and makeup I started taking classes, um, and then I started working with some of the leading people in the industry because I would take classes from them, because there's something about once you do get into certain rooms, like if they like you like, like they're going to invite you back.

Marandan Renea 25:05

So I started working with Ted Gibson, john Raymond they are leading guys in the fashion industry and they're like hey, we want to add you to the team. So that's how I got into New York Fashion Week. I started going back and forth doing different shows with them and I worked with the biggest designers in the industry I can't even name them all, just going back and forth doing that. So in meeting people going back and forth to New York or California, I just started being asked to do certain things Meeting photographers and producers and just started networking from just being in the room. So it just kind of grew from there, me being able to do hair and makeup for other things from then behind the chair.

Vince Serrano 25:52

When you also go ahead. I was going to ask, like, for somebody who's up and coming, who's about like, like, oh man, I just got invited to go work with a fashion designer in New York Fashion Week. What advice would you give somebody to get like hey, this is my first time. Tell me what I got to do to get called back.

Marandan Renea 26:13

They definitely need to be professional, punctual. They actually need to look the part, because you can't go up there with your hair a mess. You need to look decent and listen. You have to listen. I feel like a lot of people these days, like they think they know everything. So you're talking to people oh, I got that. Oh, I know they are. Do this Like listen, even if you think you know, because I'm not going to lie.

Marandan Renea 26:39

There were some times I was there and I'm a black woman.

Marandan Renea 26:43

I work with our texture hair.

Marandan Renea 26:45

I have done it millions of times and I watched the lead hairstylist struggle with a girl from Africa and her texture was tightly coiled, it was thick, it was coarse and he's trying to put this look that he's put on everybody else with fine hair, wavy hair, and he was struggling and I'm just sitting there like, okay, I do not try to be a know-it-all. In these situations you have to humble yourself and listen to them and then, when you are called upon, shine. So when I'm standing there and he looking at me, he's sweating at this point and he was like do you know another way to do this? Absolutely excuse me. And then I went in there and whipped that thing up and made her look as close to the desired look for the designer and of course it wasn't going to be the same because she had different hair texture but he was like, oh my god, you made it look so easy.

Marandan Renea 27:39

When it's your time to show your, your technique and your skill, then do it, but don't do it in a way that's like you don't know what you're doing. Move out the way, just that.

Sean Febre 27:50

That would be my advice so you're also associated with uh makeup, mastery of business and beauty right makeup mastery of business makeup mob oh, the mob, hannah's business.

Vince Serrano 28:03

Yes, my friend.

Marandan Renea 28:05

We collab together to go overseas and do different classes. We've done a class in Putsa Kanadiyar last year.

Sean Febre 28:13

This year is in Jamaica, can you tell us a little bit more about that. What exactly is it?

Marandan Renea 28:18

So she has a makeup agency and she just she hires different artists and it's pretty much the same thing that I do. And we go way back. We've known each other almost 15 years and she's just in Atlanta, so she does a lot of production, a lot of music videos. She's worked with me at the other, the other wrestling company that I worked for, me at the other wrestling company that I worked for, and she hires out her clients to do different things for makeup, because you know Atlanta's Black Hollywood.

Sean Febre 28:49

So there's always things going on down there. Are you finding that the more you collab with people, the bigger you're getting, the more influential that you're getting, the more celebrities that you can work with, the more everything, the more everything.

Marandan Renea 29:01

People who try to gatekeep and work to themselves will never get anywhere. I definitely aspire to have the seven figures and above. I aspire to live nicely. I aspire to be able to continue my outreach. You need money to do that. In order to get the kind of money you need, you need more hands. So collaboration and network is key to everything that you're trying to accomplish, because you can't do it alone.

Sean Febre 29:29

Would you say social media has played a big role on your rise. Absolutely and if so, which like platform in general?

Marandan Renea 29:36

Instagram has been my staple. I'm not big on tiktok and all that. I have an account. I was tiktoking during the pandemic, just weird stuff and and kind of grew a following from that, just because people got to see a different side of me, because I am very goofy. So you're like girl, you I had no idea you was this stupid.

Sean Febre 29:57

I'm like, yeah, a little ignorant steering there, but, like for business, instagram has been cute for me yeah and uh, any tips for people trying to grow their following post every day, or some shit, you know what?

Marandan Renea 30:13

I can't even sit here and tell a lie. I have not mastered a strategy for that. I show up on that platform. When I show up, I try to put my best foot forward there. I will say collaborating does make a difference, like when the wrestlers collab with me, their followers start being interested in what I'm doing. So that has been a great thing for me. And collaborate and do things that speak to you.

Marandan Renea 30:40

Like there's a lot of people that will veer off into different avenues on their platforms and it's just like they don't know what you're doing. Like even on your pages. When I look at your page and you're telling me that you do hair and makeup but you got all these different pictures of different things and what you're eating and all that and I'm not saying not to put that on there, but there's a place to put it on there for the initial review. When people go to book you or want to look up and see what you're doing, they need to look at your page and know exactly what's going on. Then you can have a little tab for food, tab for for Bay life, tab for vacation. But you need to be consistent in what you doing. It needs to look like what you're preaching.

Sean Febre 31:21

It almost makes sense to have that, where you just add it to your story and, like you said, you have those highlight reels at the top, or at least at the bottom, and rename it everything that you know. That's exactly what I did, instead of posting, say, a picture of you, you know, sliding down a water slide in Adventure Island, or some shit like that Exactly.

Marandan Renea 31:38

Exactly. And then I have a whole separate page for my private life with me and bae, because the sexy pictures, sex sales, all of that. But when a bride is trying to find somebody to do her hand makeup, you got to be around, my man.

Vince Serrano 31:58

It's like oh no, her ass too fat.

Marandan Renea 32:00

We ain't doing that we can't have her running off in the makeup artist. So you know I do me like, my brand is very sexy and I am who I am. However, I don't overdo it on that page because I don't want them to be like, yeah, nah.

Vince Serrano 32:16

No, when you're working with, like the wrestlers right, because I've seen that they'll actually share your stories and especially because you've you've got like a big uh, like you play such a part in how they look like when they come out on tv, like your style is being shown.

Marandan Renea 32:36

that's your work that's your walking billboard literally, my makeup is is on action figures and shit. That's what I'm saying. So how does that feel Like.

Creating Iconic Looks for WWE Stars

Vince Serrano 32:45

How does that like? And how did you, how did you like, figure that out? Like, how did you figure out that kind of look, because it's not the normal, like when you did Jade Cargill, like you drew a line down the middle of her face. Like to other people that might've been like what the hell is going on right here. Right, people that might have been like what the hell is going on right here, right, can you get it up on the screen?

Sean Febre 33:01

Yeah, yeah, yeah, for sure, damn right, I want to see that.

Marandan Renea 33:05

Well, when? We're creating straight down we show how symmetrical she is in life, how perfectly balanced she can be, as this wrestler, as a mother, as this entertainer, as you're also doing like creative makeup.

Marandan Renea 33:25

Yeah, you're not just doing oh okay, boom makeup, that's it yeah, and then, and depending on the the angle that they're in, like you the heel, you the baby face, like let's, let's play on this, let's figure out what we can do, and and jade is into a lot of like futuristic shit. She's very creative, she. She's like I'm wearing this, like here's my outfit, and that's really pretty much all she has to show. Like she'll show me her gear and I'm just like okay, this is what I think we should have the one with the one yeah, she's, she's actually.

Vince Serrano 33:57

This is the one right here where she's doing it like a couple of them, like you see, that is the look, like she's literally on TV with the look, and then like the one where she's going and she's doing the Damn, she's really pretty yeah. And this is like, this is a real live, like wrestler, like she's it, like where the one.

Marandan Renea 34:18

I took the one of my. You can keep scrolling. Okay, I just took that one down off of my thing. I was trying to clean up my page a little bit you have an amazing page.

Vince Serrano 34:28

Though the aesthetic of your page looks amazing, are?

Sean Febre 34:30

you the one that's controlling all of it, or like posting everything?

Marandan Renea 34:34

yeah.

Vince Serrano 34:36

I like creating all my things she's got like a great story when you're going through.

Sean Febre 34:41

She's a soccer player.

Vince Serrano 34:42

She's got a great story of when you're going through-.

Sean Febre 34:42

She should be coming up in a minute. Yeah, she's a soccer player.

Marandan Renea 34:46

She's the referee for AW. I can't remember. It must be on down.

Sean Febre 34:51

I'll go on the Reels page. Wait, wait, wait, go down one more One. Oh, okay, no, it's all on.

Marandan Renea 34:57

Yeah, yeah, I mean so that was probably a million.

Vince Serrano 35:06

She's drawing a line right down.

Sean Febre 35:09

You can play the audio.

Marandan Renea 35:11

And she did. She trusted that whatever I done to her, she was like, yeah, let's do it. I'm with it, oh shit.

Sean Febre 35:22

Oh, you went all the way down, all the way. You cut her in half.

Marandan Renea 35:27

I did. All the way down the breath line I did. I had to literally hold my breath to make sure that line was perfectly straight.

Vince Serrano 35:40

This is something that people don't even like. You're not. You're not. You're not creating like. You're not doing what other people are doing. You're creating your like. You're not doing what other people are doing. You're creating your own style and you're demonstrating it, like on live TV. Like this is like hey, do they rock with this or not? And every single time it's been pretty dope. So it's like how do you come up with those ideas? And how did the wrestlers? Are the wrestlers just like yeah, do whatever you want, okay, well, Jade and I like she'll send me pictures and stuff.

Marandan Renea 36:17

Like she'll send me like 35 pictures and I'm looking at them and I'm just like, okay, like ideas, like yeah, just throwing things out there. And then, as I'm looking through it and I'll be like what you like about this one, what do you like about this one? Like we, as I'm looking through it and I'm like what you like about this one, what do you like about this one? Like we'll go through, and she'd be like I like the eyes on this, I like this on this, and eventually I'd be like, okay, I might take like an idea from a pic, a part of the picture, but ultimately it's just like, yeah, simple is better, like that would be a whole statement, cause it was a picture.

Marandan Renea 36:52

The girl had like lines going, she's like an avatar. And I was just like we don't have to do all that. Like you want to look futuristic, we can do the silver eyeshadow, but let's just put one line down there, one balanced line, like one stream line, like just keep it simple. And she, she was like yes, is that like body paint, almost? Yep, mehron.

Sean Febre 37:12

Metallic paint. How does that like? How do you get?

Marandan Renea 37:20

that off Because I mean she's sweating in the shower. You're going to shower. Sometimes alcohol Like I do have to make sure it stays because, like, even after that match it was there and of course I had to. I actually had to go through and scrub it off and redo her makeup so that she could do her post interviews and all See.

Sean Febre 37:37

That's what I'm saying. So it's not just doing the makeup, it's also removing the makeup too Heck.

Marandan Renea 37:41

Yeah, you got to establish that kind of confidence with these wrestlers, though right, flip it in five to ten minutes, because actually after Wrestlemania in Vegas, this time, um, her hairstylist was back there, um, switching out her hairstyle, and I was in the upper room and they were like Jade has a segment in about 20 minutes and I was like what? And I went back there and I was like girl, let me start with her, because I know you got to be gone in about 18 minutes now. She was like what you talking about? She had no clue that she even had another interview.

Marandan Renea 38:15

Not only was it an interview, it was live, in front of hundreds of people right outside of the stadium. People were cheering for her and all kinds of stuff. I need to post that. But me and her hairstylist had to do full glam curls, redo her face, everything I kid you not in like nine minutes, jesus. And in that moment you have to know when to cut corners, like when to leave some things out, but still make it look like a full face. So that's when your skill really come out when you only have 10 minutes to make it look like you spent two hours.

Vince Serrano 38:52

When that pressure's on right.

Sean Febre 38:53

Well not only that, but you're working around the hairstylist too. Yes, so it's two people on one head, we are all.

Marandan Renea 38:59

And then Jade's hair is white, so I have to be careful not to touch anything up in there Like it's a lot going on.

Sean Febre 39:06

Did you ever get burned by a curling iron from the hairstylist while you're doing the makeup?

Marandan Renea 39:11

Oh no, not from the hairstylist. I can say I've burnt myself, I have yeah, Well, I'm going to say you guys Ha In part again Just waiting on there just trying to get the stuff together and fumbling. That's why I'm a messy artist.

Sean Febre 39:27

Like I have stuff everywhere but I get the job done. Damn, five minutes to go from.

Vince Serrano 39:30

Yes, that's gotta be stressful, Bro, this is Wrestlemania too, man, this is not like hey, this is like.

Sean Febre 39:35

This is like the biggest wrestling event of the year, right For WWE or WE WWE yeah. No, I think it's WE now isn't?

Vince Serrano 39:43

it yeah.

Marandan Renea 39:44

I thought it was WWE.

Sean Febre 39:45

It's WWE. Oh, I thought they changed that.

Vince Serrano 39:47

No no.

Marandan Renea 39:52

WWF, right, that's. Don't they change that? No, no, you know, wwf, right, that's what it used to be yeah, yeah, huge.

Sean Febre 39:54

So many people, so much pressure. That must have been wild, though, because I mean, you're behind the scenes, right? Do you ever see them, like you know, when they do the skits and and shit like that? Do you ever see them where they're running around? And I see cameras following. I see everything you ever try to maybe just pop your head in the camera.

Marandan Renea 40:08

No, no, but I have been in several promos, like the guys, like when I'm braiding hair and stuff and I'm sitting there just doing my thing and they just straight up and I'm like, and they be like, can we out here? We look good, we feel good, my makeup artists look good and I'm like, oh yeah, dude.

Vince Serrano 40:27

I have to get in character right quick Like oh I didn't know you was going to include me.

Marandan Renea 40:30

Include me Like I'm in the shot. But yeah, sometimes I got to you know, play my part, especially like Jay just put me in her promos before and I got to you know.

Vince Serrano 40:41

So like right, when they're cutting those, like those shit-talking pieces, right, you're like literally working.

Marandan Renea 40:50

So like I was literally braiding hair and he was like I'm like, yeah, go do your thing, do your thing, I got you, it's fine, it's fine are you ever watching like the matches, like in the stands when you go there, or you're just looking at it on tv in the back, just I? Will go like when my girls go girls go out I will go out on the side to watch them walk out the stage and to see how my makeup looks on the jumbotrons.

Marandan Renea 41:18

Like that's a big thing for me. Like I'm like oh my God, you can see every detail. Make sure that you know, because that right there is scary too. Like you do a face and you mess around and not color match correctly or not blend something out, like the internet is vicious, they will crucify you, like why the hell was her face orange and her neck was brown? Like yeah, that type of thing happens, not to me.

Vince Serrano 41:45

But you've seen it.

Marandan Renea 41:46

I have seen it, and it does keep me on my toes.

Vince Serrano 41:50

I'm on my feet. Shannon Sharp had that one time. They were crucified as makeup artists because he was looking like. Shannon Sharp is a black man, but I'm saying his texture, his color is dark. And they had my dog looking like he was the Incredible Hulk. He was like with the greenish, like the greenish black. It looked like it was too much.

Sean Febre 42:11

It's crazy because she's wearing, um, you know, nothing in her midriff, so do you have to make up like her whole body?

Marandan Renea 42:18

no, no, no. You just have to be that on point to make sure that her face matches her body so it's just absolutely, and that's, that's training, that's repetitiveness.

Beauty Industry Insights and Final Advice

Marandan Renea 42:29

Like you have to keep doing that and know and have the eye for it. That's why everybody thinks they can be a makeup artist. There's so many things that go into that. Going to YouTube University is not enough. You can watch it. There's a lot of girls that look on it and it's pretty. But doing it on different people. Our face structures are different. Even for hair, our textures are different. Like there's a lot of different things going on. You have to know how to highlight and contour those different faces, which is why I'm really good at what I do. Like I can insinuate your best features and hide the things that you don't like very well, because the devil's in the details. And I study. Like I can sit here, I can see how to rearrange your whole everything. Like I study people. That's your job, like you're looking at it.

Marandan Renea 43:17

And to make sure everything is symmetric and all of the things.

Vince Serrano 43:21

Have you seen it where it's like I ain't going to lie, like I'm very picky with my girl because I feel like my woman is very natural?

Marandan Renea 43:29

looking. She's naturally beautiful.

Vince Serrano 43:30

Right girl, because I feel like my woman is very natural looking beautiful right and I hate when they overdo her makeup where they, she looks like she's plastic and that's the thing like, especially for the things that you do, like when you're out and y'all are going to these events and things like that.

Marandan Renea 43:46

Heavy makeup should never be more, especially in florida yeah your woman can just need a good glow to her Big fire. Of course, I know exactly what to do in the event. What's to do it? When you are plastering on makeup, it's because you're under those bright lights, it's because you're in front of that TV or you're about to be taking a lot of pictures. But when people show up and see you putting all that on and caking it, it's like a tea.

Vince Serrano 44:09

Who are you? And what'd you do with my wife?

Marandan Renea 44:11

And a lot of men don't like it.

Sean Febre 44:14

I didn't see my wife without makeup for like fuck man, like a year. Wow, I was like I thought that was your face.

Marandan Renea 44:22

Okay, oh wow.

Vince Serrano 44:27

How did you feel, though, knowing that she took it off?

Sean Febre 44:30

I was like well, y'all a bunch of liars.

Vince Serrano 44:33

Oh, it is true, they do be lying, yeah, because sometimes you can't even fucking tell.

Sean Febre 44:39

I mean, it's like to the point where I was, like okay, so that's how she looks.

Marandan Renea 44:42

My man met me without makeup. That's cool, that's good, I don't wear makeup all the time doing this kind of course, but my normal day to day like. That's why you gotta keep your skin together. Wear makeup, especially it's hot and humid, like here, especially in Florida.

Vince Serrano 45:01

Yeah, I feel like that's a thing, though, bro, you were talking about it, though like I feel like seeing like you meet somebody and then you see them without it and it's almost like yo, where are your eyebrows?

Sean Febre 45:17

Those were drawn on Yo, what the hell.

Vince Serrano 45:20

Damn. I'm not judging, but I need you to go put them back on. Damn. You know what I'm saying that's cool.

Marandan Renea 45:29

That's cool, bro. My men tell me a lot of men don't like makeup. That's why, like I'm at the store and I don't have my, my kids with me and men be trying to talk to me and stuff with my kids and my daughter like, get on somewhere, my daddy at the house and it's like every time.

Marandan Renea 45:43

It's when I don't have on makeup, like and that's something that I talk about and I touch myself because learning how to assimilate yourself and make yourself feel beautiful but still look natural is a thing, Even though, like, that's not what I do for, like my broads and stuff, that's not my style Every day. You don't need to place that on every day. I'm sorry. I'm sure your wife is lovely, but there's no reason why she would have to wear it all day every day Now she doesn't wear it at all.

Sean Febre 46:13

She shouldn't have to Married like seven years almost.

Marandan Renea 46:18

She shouldn't have to.

Vince Serrano 46:19

Are you happy about that? Yeah, I'm fine with that. See, that's good, bro, it's when you're not, you just shouldn't.

Marandan Renea 46:24

It's just like I didn't know you shouldn't catch your man off guard when you take your face off. Catch your man off guard when you take your face off.

Sean Febre 46:30

That's all I'm saying. That's all I'm saying. I didn't know you wore makeup.

Marandan Renea 46:32

That's good that you didn't know.

Sean Febre 46:34

So we're coming down to you know, a final couple minutes here. How can they find you?

Marandan Renea 46:41

You can put Miranda Renee in any search engine and all of my things pop up. I am consistent across the board with all my accounts, even the ones that I'm not as active on, but Instagram is Miranda Renee, facebook, twitter, snapchat. My website is Miranda Renee.

Sean Febre 47:01

Any advice for the folks out there. It could be anything. It could be about business, personal life, makeup. Don't hide your face for a year no, don't do that.

Marandan Renea 47:12

My overall advice is just whatever it is that you're doing, make sure that you are happy, because in all things, if your happiness is compromised, like, you're not gonna be your best at anything and that's a miserable ass life I love it.

Sean Febre 47:28

Alright, guys, we're wrapping up happy hour holidays. I hope, uh, that you took something informational from here, like comment, subscribe, follow. We're on all the socials. We're on all the streaming platforms and podcast streaming platforms. Have a great rest of your days and cheers to your future.