Carlissa LeBlanc (00:06)
hello, Courtney, and welcome to the side hustler podcast. I'm doing good. I'm so excited to have you here. So Courtney has been a friend, a fellow entrepreneur that I had known through other connections with other people. And she's an amazing makeup artist here in Houston. Courtney has been doing this for a while now, because when
Courtney Darden (00:13)
Hello, how are you?
Carlissa LeBlanc (00:34)
when she did my makeup, was for my sister's wedding and that was back in 2021. So yeah, she's been in the game for a nice little chunk of time now, but I wanted to have you on here because I am so inspired by you. I follow you on Instagram. I've been following you on Instagram for a very long time now. I see how you balance your full-time job, how you balance your business, how you balance being a mom.
And it's just truly inspirational because I feel like a lot of people are in this position where they can relate to you and your journey of trying to balance it all. And so I wanted to have you on here because I know you have a wealth of knowledge of how you manage your business, how you manage. I mean, the fact that you're a teacher, that's no easy job. So wanted to have you on here because I just feel like you have a wealth of knowledge to share with the audience.
Courtney Darden (01:25)
Well, thanks for having me.
Carlissa LeBlanc (01:27)
Yes. So I guess we will start off with taking us back on your journey. So take us back to day one when you decided to first start your business. What made you want to start a business? Where were you? Were you in school? Were you working your full-time job? Take us back from the jump.
Courtney Darden (01:48)
Honestly, I never intended on starting a business. It wasn't something that was just like, this is what I want to do when I grow up. It kind of just happened naturally. As a previous athlete in high school, I loved makeup. I always wore eyeshadow on the court. I always had eyeshadow on in my team pictures. So I liked makeup. I desired makeup, but I never saw myself as a makeup artist. So when I
to college when my daughter would go to bed at night, I would like study YouTubers and believe it or not, YouTube University. I studied YouTubers and I studied beauty influencers and whatever products that they purchased, I purchased. It was kind of like trial and error. So honestly, it kind of just happened naturally. I originally was a YouTube learner and that's it.
Carlissa LeBlanc (02:47)
I love that, I love that. And so when did you start your business?
Courtney Darden (02:52)
I would say I officially started my brand in Paris Shilla Beauty Bar in 2014. Now, was I doing like family and friends prior to 2014? Yes, but actually having a brand, getting a logo, setting prices, making like it official in 2014.
Carlissa LeBlanc (03:00)
Wow.
Wow, so you've been in business for a whole decade in this stuff. So this will be in year 11 for you. See, that's amazing, because I did not even know that.
Courtney Darden (03:20)
Yes. Well, yes, starting 2025.
Yes, starting 2025 will be year 11. So yeah, I just wrapped up year 10.
Carlissa LeBlanc (03:30)
Wow, now that is amazing. Congratulations. That's no dropping a bucket. No dropping a bucket at all. Wow. That's amazing. And so when you first started your business, take us back to 2014, how did you put yourself out there to start getting clients, to start letting people know that you're in business? What was your strategy on getting clients to book your services?
Courtney Darden (03:32)
Yep. Yep. Thank you. Gotta do it.
So, you know, back then it was like my face and Facebook only. And also like word of mouth. So, again, I study other YouTubers. I came across this website called Vista Print where you can create your own business card. So, back then before the social media platform, it was kind of like a business card industry. that's the first thing I did was created an email that was appropriate.
Carlissa LeBlanc (04:04)
Mm-hmm.
Mmm.
Courtney Darden (04:26)
to match my business and then Facebook and MySpace. So Facebook is kind of where I started posting myself with makeup on and then eventually friends and family was sort of messaging me for, know, how much do I charge or can I do their face, things like that. So again, it happened naturally. I did not have a booking link back then. So it was kind of like, contact me, email me, text me.
Carlissa LeBlanc (04:33)
Wow.
Wow, that is amazing. That's amazing how like you think about 10 years ago where we were in like social media, like social media was not what it is nowadays where now it's like a tool, but before it's like you had to really be creative, but then also you had to hustle, you know, and get it out the mud, like they say, to get the clients. So, and of course, mean, word of mouth is good too, but it's like when you, I think now we all relate, we all rely solely on social media as a way to market our business, but.
Courtney Darden (05:05)
Nope.
Yup.
to meet.
Carlissa LeBlanc (05:25)
the fact that you have the experience of marketing your business prior to this evolution of social media, of influencers, of all of these things where now it's like you can invest in somebody, know, doing somebody's makeup and then they can market your business on your behalf, like where that was not a thing 10 years ago. So that's amazing. That is amazing. And so even at the beginning, so you are currently working a full-time job when you started your business.
Courtney Darden (05:42)
Right. I'm late. I'm late.
Actually, when I started makeup artistry in 2014, I was a college student. I didn't even have a job. I was a college student. I was a college student. Yes, I, when I started studying makeup artistry, I was living in Lufkin, Texas, because I was going to Angelina College. And then when I moved back home and I attended U of H, that's kind of when I started taking clients. But no, I didn't have a job in 2014 when I first started makeup artistry.
Carlissa LeBlanc (05:59)
Woah! Woooow!
Wow, wow. And so what was the, I guess, transformation where you're like, okay, I'm thinking about making this an actual business. Like this isn't just a hobby anymore. Like I wanna actually do this and make it a real business.
Courtney Darden (06:38)
Right. I would say the demand, the request, practice makes perfect. So I felt like the more I got to touch other faces, other skin tones, other shape, other cultures, the better I got at it. The more portfolio experience I had, that's kind of what took it there. Because there's a difference between a beauty influencer and a makeup artist.
Carlissa LeBlanc (06:45)
Mm-hmm.
Yeah.
Courtney Darden (07:06)
So beauty influencers being able to do your own face, being able to show what you can do in your own face or you're showcasing a sponsored product, but being a makeup artist is other faces. So I think the more comfortable I got with servicing others, that's what made it take it there. And to be completely honest, people think I'm just a bright old makeup artist now because for the past six years, it's just been a lot of wedding.
So I think whatever was in demand, that's kind of what I went with. If it flowed naturally and God gave it to me, I went with it.
Carlissa LeBlanc (07:40)
No, facts, facts, that's really good. And so when you started, you weren't working a full-time job. And so when did you actually start working full-time or becoming a teacher?
Courtney Darden (07:51)
So once I moved back to Houston, I actually was working in the restaurant industry at P.F. Chains. I had worked at P.F. Chains for four years. So then at that point, I was a college student working at P.F. Chains and I did makeup artistry on the side. So yes, it was a time for me back when I was in college.
Carlissa LeBlanc (08:08)
Wow
Wow. And so then with that being said, you have, okay, so now you have your business, now you have your, you're in school, now you have your job. Now how in the world have you been able to manage? Cause you, were you a mom at this time or no? yeah you were, yeah you were.
Courtney Darden (08:30)
Yes, yes, yes, yes,
yes. When my daughter went with me to college, she was two years old. When I came back to Houston for year late, she was four years old. So yes.
Carlissa LeBlanc (08:36)
Wow!
I am baffled. I am baffled. Cause I think about like me being in college, I was not, mean, I was in college, but in work the job, having a job aside from a kid and school.
Courtney Darden (08:46)
Yep. Yep.
You know, you become a parent and you learn sacrifice and you see your parent do it, you know, when you don't have a choice, you don't know what you're capable of until you have to do it right. So, yeah.
Carlissa LeBlanc (09:11)
until you have no other choice. No, that's real.
That's real. And so walk us through like, what did that look like as far as like balancing your schedule because there's only 24 hours in a day. So like from the beginning, from the beginning, like how were you able to take on clients? Cause even like with me right now, I'm in this place where I'm like, man, if I, you know, have client work, like I'm neglected my husband, I'm neglected my kid.
Courtney Darden (09:23)
you
You know who I'm talking
Carlissa LeBlanc (09:40)
something is getting forgotten about. And so it's like, how were you able to balance your schedule with being in school, with your child, with your job, with your business? That's a lot.
Courtney Darden (09:42)
Right, right.
Girl yes. Well, I would say time management, having a village. My mom always kept my daughter for me when I was at work or when I was busy using calendars. I'm going to be honest, I still struggle with balancing all to this day. To this day and right now my daughter is 16 to this day and everyone thinks because she's older that the parenting stops, but they're actually more involved.
Carlissa LeBlanc (10:16)
Mmm. Mmm.
Yeah. Yeah.
Courtney Darden (10:20)
when they get older.
man, learning how to balance, learning discipline, learning how to use the schedule, using the calendar, using the calendar. With me being a teacher, I just transitioned out of coaching, coaching volleyball and basketball. I just transitioned out of that two years ago. So, with my daughter's volleyball tournaments and my own game tournaments and having weddings on the weekends, using my calendar. So,
And I actually talk about that in my ebook that I created, Beyond the Artistry of like what it takes to be a beauty entrepreneur outside of makeup artistry. But man, using calendars saved me and you got to do what works for you because I want to say for the past five years, I decided to just open my books monthly because that's what works for me. And I know clients probably prefer three months out or two months out.
Carlissa LeBlanc (11:14)
Mm.
Courtney Darden (11:19)
But I needed to see my daughter's schedule. I needed to see my district education schedule. And then I would create my availability for clients around those schedules. So open my books monthly on the 20th is what works for me.
Carlissa LeBlanc (11:37)
That's strategy within itself. feel like that's something I probably could use for myself. Cause for me, when people book me, they're like thinking ahead and I'm like, I have no idea. Like I can only focus on right now. Yeah. Yeah. And I mean, I think that that's good because then you have a sense of not feeling overwhelmed.
Courtney Darden (11:43)
Okay.
Right? So month to month, month to month is what worked for me.
Carlissa LeBlanc (11:58)
or over committing or even where it's like, if somebody tries to book something in May and you have no idea and then your daughter's like, I have something on that day that helps with a lot of things because it's like when you're and you know this, when you're in the beauty industry, the people are a little ruthless when they can't get their hair done and they make up done and all of the things because they typically get those things done for events. Right. And so if you last minute have to cancel or reschedule because you know,
Courtney Darden (12:04)
Right.
Right.
All right, good.
All right.
Carlissa LeBlanc (12:27)
scheduling conflicts with something that's going on or even when you get sick like it's a big deal. It's a huge deal and that's something I also want to talk about too because I will get into that because I'm like I
Courtney Darden (12:28)
immediately to volunteer early.
Right, right, right, right. So I only commit, I only commit to weddings,
I only commit to weddings like months out, but individual clients, months a month, yeah.
Carlissa LeBlanc (12:50)
That's good. Now that's something that I would definitely use in my own business. I would say, what advice, or actually I'm gonna come back to that question. Okay, so a lot of people think that you have to have a huge following to be successful as an entrepreneur. And so I think with you talking about how you got started before it was this exponential growth of social media,
Courtney Darden (12:56)
Good.
Carlissa LeBlanc (13:17)
I think you will be the perfect person to attest that you don't need a huge following in order to build a business. So other than the other strategies that you discussed earlier, as far as like, know, business cards, word of mouth, referrals, what would, what encouragement would you give someone that is starting a business or building a beauty business right now in this moment? That feels like that also feel like they have to have a huge following in order for them to be successful as.
a beauty in entrepreneurs.
Courtney Darden (13:50)
Honestly, I would say focus on the data. I would say don't measure your success or your goals based on your followers, if that makes sense. Because the long-term goal is you want to bring in revenue, right? And so followers doesn't necessarily give you revenue. Followers may give you a platform, but it's not putting money in your pockets, right?
Carlissa LeBlanc (14:01)
Mmm.
Courtney Darden (14:20)
So I would say like, be realistic about what it is that you, what do you want long-term, right? So for example, if I, what is my monthly goal? Is my monthly goal to get 25 new followers per month or is my monthly goal is to gain 10 new clients for the month?
Which one am I going to benefit from? Am I going to benefit from the 25 followers per month or am I going to benefit from gaining 10 new clients for the month? So I will say, I know social media can be a blessing and a curse. I also talk about that in my journal that I created, Beyond the Artistry is halftone of vision. Don't compare, don't look left and right. Like you can admire somebody else.
Carlissa LeBlanc (15:05)
Mmm.
Courtney Darden (15:12)
but don't try to compare and contrast with somebody else. Because you know what they say, comparison is the thief of joy. So I say set measurable goals for yourself and don't let followers measure what God has in store for you.
Carlissa LeBlanc (15:14)
Mm-hmm.
Yeah, that's really good. That is really, really good. And I think that's where I'm at right now as well, because I've been on this entrepreneur journey for about a year and a half. you know, at the beginning, when you first start, you feel so like inclined to follow all of the people that are in the industry that are doing what you're doing. So you can get inspired, so you can do market research, so you can, you know, just figure out what they're doing. And
Courtney Darden (15:48)
Right. Right. Right.
Carlissa LeBlanc (15:55)
It's a blessing in curse because yes, you can inspire, but then also like you're focusing on their year three and comparing it to your day one. And then you feel as if like you're not adequate enough or if you're not good enough because your work doesn't look like theirs or your client base doesn't look like theirs or your audience doesn't look like theirs. And so I think that having tunnel vision has really helped me to stay focused on what I need to do instead of getting distracted and discouraged by what everybody else is doing.
Courtney Darden (15:59)
Great. Great.
Right.
Carlissa LeBlanc (16:25)
And then finding myself in this place where I'm like, you know, depressed or sad as an entrepreneur, because I don't feel adequate enough or so and so is doing this and they got this going on it. They're on this panel and they're doing this event and I'm just here, you know? And so I think that that's a really, really good word of wisdom, especially when you're starting off to not compare, but also just focus on your own paper, focus on what you have to do in order to grow your business a thousand percent.
Courtney Darden (16:50)
right. Everybody has
their own journey. Everybody has their own journey. Everybody has their own timing. And then, you know, what are you doing while you're waiting for your moment? What does that look like while you're waiting for your moment? So just just kind of keep that. Keep that thought in your mind like, yes, not my time yet. But what am I doing until my time comes is I think that's very important.
Carlissa LeBlanc (17:02)
Mmm.
Mmm.
Yeah.
Courtney Darden (17:19)
because you
might not even get there if you can't appreciate where you are.
Carlissa LeBlanc (17:22)
Yeah, that's good. Okay, Courtney.
Courtney Darden (17:29)
Well, I am a mom.
Carlissa LeBlanc (17:30)
Yes.
No, that's really good. That's really good. And so I know that with you, with you being in the game for 10 plus years, you have had repeat clients. You have had people that are loyal to you and your brand. What do you feel like is the thing that like helps you build a brand that has like a loyal client base or a loyal, loyal customer base?
What do you feel like helps you stand out to where you can get those repeat clients in your chair often?
Courtney Darden (18:04)
I would say being consistent. I think being consistent and being you. I know that sounds so cliche. I feel like everybody say that, just be yourself, be yourself. But seriously, I feel like if you can be consistent and keep it professional in your business, your clients will come back you. Because you're giving them a reason to come back. Like they don't want to see a different Courtney every time they come.
Carlissa LeBlanc (18:30)
No
Courtney Darden (18:30)
Like they don't want
to wait 30 minutes for their appointments every time they come. They don't want to see an unclean environment every time they come. Like they know what they're coming into and they know what they're walking out of. So I think being consistent and time management, being consistent in time management, I think that will go a long way. And then as far as media, social media presence has to be consistent, you know.
Carlissa LeBlanc (18:44)
Mmm.
Yeah.
Courtney Darden (18:59)
Nowadays, yes, we need to unplug and take a break occasionally, but how often are you posting? How often are you working on your craft? How often are you working with other faces? What does your social media life look like compared to real life? So I feel like my clients know that about me. So I think that's what's, what retains my clients.
Carlissa LeBlanc (19:15)
Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm.
Yeah, yeah. And I think you do an amazing job of like balancing. It's like we see Courtney behind the camera with the brushes, but we also see like you doing different things. Like where you're talking about your fitness journey. That's one thing that I see a lot where you're trying different things. Like you're at the gym or you doing some kind of step class or you're showing like moments of you being a mom.
And I feel like that, like having that balance shows that you're a well-rounded person. Like it's nothing wrong with being all business, but I think also people relate to the person behind the business before they even decide to purchase or to spend their money with you. And also I feel like with you showing all of these different components of you.
Courtney Darden (19:57)
Right.
Carlissa LeBlanc (20:05)
It also allows someone to be able to relate to you and wanna support you more. Like I'm more likely to support you because you're a mom, because I can relate to you with you being where you are and where I am being where I am. But people don't really get to see that part if you are keeping it. And it's nothing wrong with keeping things private. Of course you share what you feel comfortable with sharing. But I think showing that you're a well-rounded person, that you're not just all business and you have no personality, you don't have fun.
Courtney Darden (20:15)
Right.
Carlissa LeBlanc (20:34)
Like it's just like, hurts your business more than it helps. And so many people think like, if I just am professional on social media, like that's what's gonna help me convert. But it's like, no, if you actually show people that you're a real person, that you're a relatable person, that people can actually enjoy being in your presence, like people are more likely to spend their money with you, you know?
Courtney Darden (20:38)
right.
Right.
Yeah, I would say I would agree. think people want to see transparency. You don't have to give them everything, but give them something, right?
Carlissa LeBlanc (20:58)
Yeah!
Yeah,
yeah. And I feel like even Courtney, Courtney, you give me introvert vibes. So I feel like it is probably hard for you to put yourself out there, but I feel like you do a great job with doing it, you know?
Courtney Darden (21:13)
Yes, I
am working on. I've always been, I like small settings. I would say I'm selective. Hectrovert, is that what it's called? The opposite, I'm selective. I need time to warm up to people. So, it probably has a lot to do with distrust. Obviously, you know, I'm on the education side and I run a business.
Carlissa LeBlanc (21:28)
Yes! Yes!
Courtney Darden (21:40)
So you got to just be mindful all the time. But yes, I am. I would say I'm camera shy. This is something new. I'm stepping out of my comfort zone for 2025. But you know, it has a lot to do with my careers, like with the role of being an assistant coach. I was an assistant coach for six years. I've been doing makeup artistry for 10 years. Both of those roles are behind the scenes, if that makes sense. Neither of those roles are spotlights.
Carlissa LeBlanc (21:43)
Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
Courtney Darden (22:10)
Okay, so we're serving others. I'm behind
Carlissa LeBlanc (22:10)
Yeah. Yeah.
Courtney Darden (22:12)
the camera filming others or I'm servicing others or I'm helping my head coach. So not being in that main spotlight role probably has a lot to do with me being introverted.
Carlissa LeBlanc (22:18)
Mm-hmm.
That's good.
That's good. I've never really heard it explained like that because I do feel like whenever you feel like you are not in the main spotlight, like you don't feel compelled to always like showcase. But then also on the other hand, I think it's good that you can show because even there's so many people that are not in the main spotlight that want to see like, okay, well, how do they do this? And how do they manage this? you know,
And so I think that you have a really good balance of being able to do so because I mean, the fact that you are, I know several educators that are like, I can't even think about doing anything else once I get home from work, once I clock out, once I'm done being a teacher. And so I even commend you because that's not easy. That is not easy.
Courtney Darden (23:10)
there.
but I'm on the high school end.
I'm on the high school end. I think they help. Those kids are older, they're a little bit more self-sufficient, versus elementary teachers. They're pretty much setting the foundation in their babysitting throughout the day. none of it is easy. Let me just say that. I'm still working on balance.
Carlissa LeBlanc (23:20)
Yeah.
Got it.
Yeah.
Yeah, yeah, well, I still commend you. Because I mean, being an educator, I feel like even you just being an educator and having a business, now that is a whole different lane that I feel takes a lot of discipline, a lot of commitment and a lot of hard work. Because I know there are days when you're tired and you still like, got to clock in, I got to get this stuff done. So I commend you. Because I'm like, I work from home.
Courtney Darden (23:58)
Yes.
Carlissa LeBlanc (24:00)
And I, you know, it's a little bit easier because once I, you know, I can easily clock out at five, close my work computer, open my laptop at five, one. But it's not easy when you dealing with other people, and people, people, kids be bad.
Courtney Darden (24:06)
Yeah
Yeah, they can be a challenge. can definitely. I'm honestly, I'm 10 years later, I am still working on balance. I'm actually reading a daily devotional journal right now called 100 Days of Believing Bigger. And I encourage every woman to get this journal. It is right here, 100 Days of Believing Bigger.
Carlissa LeBlanc (24:35)
WHAAAT
I have the blue one, I don't know what it's called. It's called 100 Days of, but it's the blue one. Ah!
Courtney Darden (24:44)
It's a daily journal
and it's by Marshawn Evans Daniels. And let me just briefly go over what day 34 says. So she talks about in the journal, the five success mountains. And so she talks about number one being a marriage mountain, two there's a motherhood mountain.
Three, there's a money mountain. Four, there is a mending mountain, which is mending relationships, always helping others. And then five, there's a making a difference mountain. Like what are you doing to make a difference? she pretty much talks about the question that she asks is what mountain do you gravitate to the most? And how is this mountain defining you or confining you? And so when I think about balance, I'm like saying.
Carlissa LeBlanc (25:36)
you
Courtney Darden (25:39)
I like to think that I'm hitting four out of those five mountains. So I am trying to balance the, I'm obviously not in the marriage mountain. I don't have a husband, but I'm in the motherhood mountain. I'm in the mending mountain, helping others solve problems. I'm in the making a difference mountain with being a teacher. So yeah, I'm learning how to balance it all. But that question popped out like, okay, which mountain do you gravitate to the most?
Carlissa LeBlanc (25:43)
Wow.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Courtney Darden (26:07)
and how does it confine you or define you. So I do think no mountain is bigger than the other and no mountain is worse than the other. But being okay with juggling multiple mountains and still climbing them.
Carlissa LeBlanc (26:22)
Yeah, no, that's good. That's good. And I feel like I can attest to all of them. I honestly feel, and I shared on my stories today, I feel like I'm at this place, like this week for some reason, I feel like my faith has been tested like no other in all the departments of my life. And it's a lot. Normally it's like, I'm dealing with one or two at the same time, but it's like when you're dealing with all of them at the same time, it's overwhelming.
Courtney Darden (26:50)
Yeah.
Carlissa LeBlanc (26:52)
overwhelming like my husband is away for he went to travel to Norway for two weeks for work. So he's been away for two weeks. So I've been solo parenting. Yeah. So then, you know, I still have my full time job and I'm like doing all of my projects and stuff, trying to knock it out. So that way when I get off at five, before I go pick up Avery from school at 5 45, I'm like, okay, what can I get done in these quick 45 minutes? How can I make sure I'm still showing up consistently for my
Courtney Darden (26:59)
Wow, so you're single parenting right now.
Carlissa LeBlanc (27:20)
getting out the emails, sending out pictures, all of these things. And it's like, it's just, I felt so overwhelmed. like, I don't know how I'm doing this, but God, I really need you like no other right now.
Courtney Darden (27:32)
But you're doing it. But you're doing it. And God
always provides. God will always provide. He will make a way. You have made a way. You're doing it now. You're on this interview. So God provides. If He brings you through, He'll bring you through it. Trust me.
Carlissa LeBlanc (27:39)
Yeah.
Yeah!
Absolutely,
and that's how I know like this is something that's not not of my own strength like this has to be like God because there's no way that I by myself will be able to do any of this but it's like if God calls you to do something he will also give you the strength to be able to endure through it and so that's all I'm like every time I feel like giving up I'm like I can't give up because God has already equipped me with the strength
Courtney Darden (27:57)
Right. Right.
right.
right?
Carlissa LeBlanc (28:15)
tools to go through it. It's just me getting out my head and telling myself that I can do it, you know? So I, yeah, I'm definitely going to be grabbing that book because I like stuff like that. And I like things that just like really stimulate me intellectually. So yeah, that's good. That's good.
Courtney Darden (28:18)
All right.
Yep.
Yeah, yeah.
It
makes you think and it makes you write it down and it makes you hold yourself accountable when you have to write it down.
Carlissa LeBlanc (28:37)
Yeah, for sure. For sure. So how do you find time to make time? Like, how do you find the time to make time for Courtney? Courtney as Courtney, not Courtney as the entrepreneur, Courtney as the mom, not Courtney as the teacher, not any of those other roles, because I do feel like as a mompreneur, we do have to have that sense of individuality where we can, you know, take away all of the other titles and just do things for us.
Courtney Darden (28:52)
Right.
Right.
Right.
Carlissa LeBlanc (29:07)
as the individual.
Courtney Darden (29:09)
Again, very transparent. I'm still working on this. You know, when my daughter got to 10th grade and I was like, you know, I have given myself to so many people. The kids in the classroom, the athletes on the floor. So when 10th grade came around, I say, you know, this is my time to step back from coaching. This is my time to start.
Carlissa LeBlanc (29:26)
Mm-hmm.
Courtney Darden (29:38)
removing some stuff from my plate because I know that there's only so much time left I'm going to have with my kiddo in the house, right, with her getting ready to go off to college. So for one, just kind of like evaluating like, okay, I know I'm spread thin and as much as I like coaching and it's so much fun, where can I use my time better? Right? So, so removing one portion of my job, which was coaching.
Carlissa LeBlanc (29:47)
OOOOH
Mm-hmm.
Courtney Darden (30:06)
And then second, I realized like, okay, now I've censored so much of my life around parenting. I thought, okay, like when she got to 10th grade, that's when I started going to step classes. What can I do that I like that's only for me? Right? And so that's where I find myself in the gym. So with step classes, I go to the gym after work now. I love arts and crafts, not really big on TV.
Carlissa LeBlanc (30:13)
Mmm.
Mm-hmm.
Courtney Darden (30:36)
But I will say I'm still learning Courtney outside of mother. I'm going to always be a mother, but it's definitely like getting yourself set up and I'm ready and prepared for her to go off to college, right? So I know that time is coming. She's a junior now. So I'm doing things for myself now, whether that's massages or I just had a facial two weeks ago. Wanted to a facial, a nail shop.
Carlissa LeBlanc (30:49)
Yeah.
you
Mmmmm
Courtney Darden (31:04)
But yeah, I would say like definitely the fitness, the fitness is where it's at.
Carlissa LeBlanc (31:10)
That's good.
I love that that's your thing because I struggle. I have to force myself to make fitness my thing. But the fact that it comes easy to you is great.
Courtney Darden (31:13)
Yeah. Right.
It
comes easy. I'm getting better at it. know, same thing with everything else. The more you do it, the better you get.
Carlissa LeBlanc (31:27)
Yeah, no, I love that. I love that. Because I think that that's another thing where I'm really trying to make time to do. And so like even on Sundays, like one thing that I've started to do is I bought this like stress relief coloring book, and it's like a color by number situation. So on Sundays, Sundays are my rest days are my Sabbath day, I don't work, I just go to church, I come home, spend time with my family, get Avery off to sleep, straight into my house, stuff like that.
Courtney Darden (31:43)
Thanks
Carlissa LeBlanc (31:55)
But then Sunday evenings are my time where I pour my glass of wine. sit in my bed and I color one sheet of my color by number. And that like, just that for some reason, it's just the tone for my, it does it for me. So even when I can't like, know, schedule a staycation or when I can't do, you know, anything else lavish, like if I want to go to the spa and I can't go to the spa or something like that, cause even the nail shop.
Courtney Darden (31:56)
As you see.
finally.
Carlissa LeBlanc (32:22)
The nail shop used be my thing, but now I feel like it's a job, because I have to be there for two hours and I can't do anything. So it used to be my thing, but it's not, I still go, but it's not like my self care thing. But that one thing that I really like to do is my little color by number with my glass of wine where the house is quiet. My husband is either in his man cave, the baby is asleep, like I'm in the room, you know, just a whole vibe.
Courtney Darden (32:26)
Right.
Right.
There you go. Creating
space for yourself. Creating space for yourself. I love that for you.
Carlissa LeBlanc (32:53)
Yes,
yes. And so I think that that's really good. But also I want to talk about like experiencing mom guilt because you know, sometimes we feel like when we are doing all of these things, we're providing for our family, we're trying to build wealth, we're trying to, you know, make sure that they're taken care of so they never want for anything. then in exchange for those things, exchange of time, you know, where we sometimes find ourselves experiencing mom guilt because we can't be
you know, with them all the time. And so I want to talk about like how you navigate mom guilt as a mompreneur. Cause that I feel like is crucial. It's a real thing.
Courtney Darden (33:33)
It's the thing, it's the thing, and
it's real, you know, that's the humaneness is wanting to be pulled in different directions or wanting to give to others. Just learning the boundaries of saying no, something I'm still working on. But now that I feel like she's old enough to understand sacrifice, she's old enough to understand what has been given or what has been provided and now that she can do for herself, it's the thing. Honestly, I would just say.
Carlissa LeBlanc (33:51)
Mm-hmm.
Courtney Darden (34:01)
pray about it. There's really no answer for that. feel like some things just come with time. Just like you evolve in your business, you have to evolve in that relationship of knowing that my child understands what I'm doing or why I'm doing it because we have to be whole and healthy first, Your parents and them. So it wouldn't be realistic to say, don't worry about having mom guilt because it's gonna come. It's gonna come.
Carlissa LeBlanc (34:28)
Yeah.
Courtney Darden (34:31)
It's gonna come sporadically over the ages. It's gonna come with sports. It's gonna come with birthdays. It's gonna come. It's gonna come. But I feel like if you know within your heart what you're doing as a parent is you're sacrificing something for the betterment of them, you'll be okay.
Carlissa LeBlanc (34:50)
Yeah, that's good. I like that. I like that. I like that. Cause I do find myself sometimes like if I'm working really hard, I have to work on something and Avery's like mommy, mommy. And he wants to play and do stuff. Like there are times I'm like, okay, like let's just take a step back and go play with him for a little bit, get him situated and then you come back to it. But there are some times where like one time where Avery was sick and I had a shoot with a client and I felt
Courtney Darden (34:52)
Yeah, you'll be okay.
Carlissa LeBlanc (35:19)
absolutely terrible. It took everything out of me not to cancel this lady. But I'm like, he is going to be okay. Like he is in good hands. He was with his godparents because my husband was working and yeah, tap into your village. Tap into your, and I had to remind myself, like he's going to be okay. Like this is all a part of the journey. And so it's like, you can't always be there. And that's another thing that I feel like I had to realize is like,
Courtney Darden (35:22)
Yeah.
Yeah, use the village, use the village.
huh.
Carlissa LeBlanc (35:47)
can't always be there. I'm not gonna always be there, but I should be able to have people that I can lean on, that I can trust to be there when I can't and that can step into the gaps whenever I'm not available. But then also like another word of encouragement and wisdom is understanding that like when you're building a business, like there are gonna be times where you have to sacrifice, but I think also just like making sure that you are doing your due diligence of making time for your family.
Courtney Darden (35:49)
Right.
Carlissa LeBlanc (36:16)
Like I said, I don't work seven days a week. don't. Sundays, I do not work at all. Like that is my, like I cannot do anything on Sunday, but go to church and spend time with my family. I don't care how great the opportunity is. I don't care what it is. Like that is my non-negotiable time with my family. And so even when I know that like I, if there's something going on in the week and I already have like a conflict or something, I know for a fact, like I can make up.
Courtney Darden (36:19)
Right.
Right.
as you should.
Carlissa LeBlanc (36:42)
time and spend time with my family that following Sunday because that's the time that is non-negotiable.
Courtney Darden (36:49)
Good for you, hey. Look, I need to be following your lead.
Carlissa LeBlanc (36:55)
harder for you. It's harder for you.
Courtney Darden (36:56)
You know,
I'm definitely still working on it. I'm definitely a work in progress, let's say that. You know, even like with education, know, like some districts do the mental health day where you can take off one day a month for mental health. Right now I'm on February break, so this is my downtime. So I use it when I can use it, right? Obviously Sundays are sometimes weddings, so I'm still working on Sundays and then I'm back in the classroom on Mondays.
Carlissa LeBlanc (37:18)
Yeah.
Mm-hmm.
Courtney Darden (37:26)
But I use my time wisely. Like I don't have any, I didn't have any clients. Super Bowl, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, yeah. So I use my time. That's why I have this monthly calendar. When is my downtime and when is my highs and my lows.
Carlissa LeBlanc (37:29)
Mm-hmm.
you today.
Mm-hmm.
Yeah. And so basically whenever you, whenever you, you open up your book, you allow people to book and then you assess your calendar and you're like, okay, well I don't have anything going on this week. So this week is going to be for me or I don't have anything going on this day. So maybe I'll spend time with my daughter. You know, is that like typically how you, how you.
Courtney Darden (38:00)
Right.
Yeah, or, you know, if it's necessary, I'll out out outcap my clients. I close my book. I typically do about 25 to 35 faces a month. And I know that sounds like a lot, but you got to think about brighter parties. I know me do like six faces for if I have two brighter parties per month. That's already 12 faces, right? So if I can cap it at 30, I'll cap it at 30. I'll close off my book. And that allows me some some
Carlissa LeBlanc (38:25)
Mm-hmm.
Courtney Darden (38:32)
some time on my end.
Carlissa LeBlanc (38:34)
So, and that's a good thing because then that kind of brings me into like burnout. So obviously with you doing all of these things, like, you know, and always being on the go, you are more likely to be a type of person that is susceptible to burnout, right? And I think that by what you kind of already hit on it is that one way that you combat burnout is setting limits. Like there's no way I'm, I don't set a, I don't just allow a hundred people to book me in one month.
Courtney Darden (38:51)
Uh-huh.
Correct.
Carlissa LeBlanc (39:04)
or I
don't allow myself to have, you know, a wedding every single weekend or something like, like you set boundaries and limits. And I think also we're coming with that. Cause I think a lot of people, when you're first starting out, like, you know, or whenever you start seeing a volume pickup of clients, it's so easy for you to fall into this trap. Like, the money's good. The money's good. The money's good. But not all money is good money. Especially if you're going to be burnt out and you're not going to be able to, you know,
Courtney Darden (39:29)
you
Carlissa LeBlanc (39:33)
be able to perform your services with excellence. Because when you're burnt out, you can't be excellent when you're burnt out. You can't. Something is compromised, whether that's the customer experience, whether that's the customer service, whether that's the quality of your work, whatever it is, you cannot be a hundred percent when you're operating on fumes. And so as far as like your limits, and I know that this is probably something that you also talk about in your book is like setting, like when you first start out, like having a structure in how you run.
Courtney Darden (39:39)
Right, right.
Carlissa LeBlanc (40:03)
I love the idea of you just opening your calendar one month at a time, but then also like, what does it look like as far as like your boundaries with clients? Like you said, I only do 25 to 35, or how do you combat like somebody like Courtney, I really, really need you. know, I really, really need you. Like, how do you even manage that?
Courtney Darden (40:24)
You know, I'm human too. You know, I'm human too. So I have to realize that sometimes it's okay to put yourself first. Sometimes it's okay to say no. And I talk about that again in my little journal here, Beyond the Artist Street. Sometimes it's okay to say no. I understand at the beginning, you want overflow. You don't want to say no. You want to kind of take every opportunity that you can.
Carlissa LeBlanc (40:34)
Mmm.
Courtney Darden (40:53)
But again, as time went on, as my business evolved, as I have grown as a young woman, definitely quality over quantity, right? So I want to make sure I'm at my very best. I'm at the best version I can be for myself. So I want to make sure I'm that for my clients as well. So yeah, just be realistic. Be realistic.
Plan it out, write it down and plan it out. Like, am I able to do this many faces? Am I able to service this many clients in this month? Or am I spreading myself too thin? So I will say, man, time management and planning helps so much. And being an educationist, it comes easy now, because you have to do that anyway when you're planning for your classroom lessons. So yeah.
Carlissa LeBlanc (41:30)
Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm.
Yeah.
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
That's good. That's good. I want to hit on one thing about content creation because I feel like you are like killing it as far as a beauty, as far as like a beauty entrepreneur online, I feel like you do a phenomenal job with your content. And one reason why I say this, one reason I say this is because I always see your content pop up on Facebook and Instagram, first of all. But it was this one post that you did
Courtney Darden (41:59)
I'll take that.
I appreciate that.
Carlissa LeBlanc (42:17)
that was talking about how people take inspiration pictures from other people, not realizing that makeup artists are using like filters on their photos. And like you were showing the difference between like, okay, this is what it looks like raw. This is what it looks like, like, you know, with the light and this is what it looks like with a filter and like how the difference it was. And so how do you, first of all, what made you even think of doing that? Cause that was genius, first of all.
Courtney Darden (42:41)
Right.
Carlissa LeBlanc (42:46)
And then also like, how do you manage like your content creation as a beauty, a beauty entrepreneur? Because a lot of people think, you know, I got this going on. I got this going on. I got to do this. I got to do that. I don't have time for content, but it's like, you make, you're making it work. So how, how do you do this?
Courtney Darden (42:47)
Really?
Well first, I'm going to say thank you for calling me a content creator. I don't really see myself or label myself as a content creator, but I do understand that we are definitely in the time of reals, thanks to social media and Instagram. We're definitely in the time of people need to see it to believe it, right? So they want to see if I say I'm a bridal party makeup artist, they need to see how many faces I can do. They need to see.
Carlissa LeBlanc (43:26)
Mmm.
Courtney Darden (43:35)
the different skin tones that I work with. They need to see if I say I can service in one hour. They need to see that I finished a brighter party in one hour. So we're definitely in a time of, and again, learning as I go, because these were not my issues four and five, six years ago. I didn't have to worry about setting up a tripod, having a second phone, letting it time lapse or letting it, but if that's what the viewers want to see, sometimes you have to do what the viewers need to see. It's almost just like the whole like,
Carlissa LeBlanc (43:48)
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
Courtney Darden (44:05)
whatever your customer wants, the customer is always right or whatever your understanding or your perspective is on that. But we're definitely in the world of videos and media. So for me personally, I like to show my live videos. I like to post my videos of each client when I work with brighter parties because most of the time your videos can't be filtered, right?
So versus like if you put one pictures next to the other picture, you'll have like them with no makeup and that's like the raw shot. And then there's like a cartoon one and there's like over editing light. And we've all been there. Like even when I first started, used to like back in 2014, I used to like put one picture next to the other picture and like, this one's really pretty and this one is just like supernatural. But, and it's like the lighting is even different or like the contrast is different. So for me, I think.
That particular day I had a wedding party that they like show me like the picture, like the look and I'm like, hey, you know, what's the look y'all are going for? And it's like this highly like over edited, like filtered and it, and it kind of like, it's not realistic. I feel like the more artistry is promoted as like filters and face tunes and beauty apps. I don't think it gives the clients a realistic view of what they will look like when they leave the chair. If that makes sense.
Carlissa LeBlanc (45:30)
Yes.
Courtney Darden (45:30)
or I have
a few weddings that say like, I like this, I like this wedding makeup look, but they have this high tech professional photographer, very popular, his work is amazing. So like, it's not, it's not a in-person view if that makes sense. So I was like, let me put something out there to where like, it's not like an act.
Carlissa LeBlanc (45:46)
Yeah, yeah.
Courtney Darden (45:54)
kind of struggle with how I was going to present it because like depending on the person or the maturity of the understanding of other artistry it can look like like okay is she throwing shade right is she throwing shade or is she trying to like educate like okay so was like okay let me just put a disclaimer that is for education purposes of like this is what the client looks like original shot and this is what beauty apps can do it can
Carlissa LeBlanc (46:02)
Like you're bashing
Courtney Darden (46:22)
put hair volume, it could add volume on the lashes, it can deeply contour, it can change the eye shape, it can make the lips fuller. But that's what clients work. We gotta get away from like the catfishing world of like, this is my work or this is what they look like when they left when it's not even real skin, right? But we do have fine lines, we do have texture. It's normal, we're human. But yeah, I was like.
Okay, how can I present this? It needs to be said, but how can I present it to where it's not looking like, she's a mean girl or, she's bashing somebody else. It's just the real deal. They need to see the real deal.
Carlissa LeBlanc (46:59)
Yeah.
Yeah,
yeah. No, I think you did a phenomenal job with that because it was like, cause you know how they have the beauty professionals that are like always yelling at you screaming like, don't bring your kids, like, know, make fun of people that are always like mean and then like they are always yelling in their instructions. I feel like you do a great job of getting a message across, but being super professional with it because like when I saw it, was like, Courtney, this is brilliant.
Courtney Darden (47:28)
Girl, sure ain't she.
Carlissa LeBlanc (47:32)
this is brilliant because there's several times where like I'll go and I'll see, I'll see like makeup artists and you could tell that the photos like they use face tuning. I don't know if it's just me because me being in the content creation space, like knowing about the ads and edits, but I'm like, you can tell this is face tuned. Like this don't even look real. And I mean, it's a beautiful photo, but it's like, you're selling a false.
Courtney Darden (47:44)
Right.
correct.
Yeah. Yeah.
Bye.
Carlissa LeBlanc (47:59)
Promise to people who landed on your page and are like, I want my makeup to look like this They go book you and look nothing like that in there, you know, so yeah
Courtney Darden (48:00)
Right.
right and then
they want to go on social media and rant about like this is what I asked for and this is what I look like but it's like some of them honestly don't know if they're truly not in the makeup artistry industry or they're truly not in the beauty industry and they're just coming for a special occasion they probably really don't know what the expectation is so they are specifically going off your work so my advice even to clients is what I say on the post like
Carlissa LeBlanc (48:13)
And this is what I got.
Courtney Darden (48:37)
Study the artistry that you like. Review their pages. Check their Instagram stories. Check their work. Look for videos. Everything can't be side by side cartoon looks like. Also do your part when you're shopping for the type of makeup artist you're looking for or the makeup artistry style. Everybody's style is different. Some people like older, some people like softer. So yeah.
Carlissa LeBlanc (48:50)
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm.
Courtney Darden (49:04)
I would say even for the client, on the client side, you have to do your homework and do your research as well as far as what type of artistry style you're looking for.
Carlissa LeBlanc (49:14)
Yeah, no, that's good. That's really, really good. Yeah. I think you did a great job with that. just, I just wanted to add that in there. Cause I was like, this is so good, Courtney. So good.
Courtney Darden (49:20)
Thank you.
Thank you. I appreciate it. And
again, that was just natural though. It just happened naturally. Like I said, I just had a wedding party that same day and I was like, this is the perfect time for me to show like she's beautiful even in the original shot. But let me take the shot up a notch and let people see like what it can look like if I keep adding something new. So yeah, it just happened naturally.
Carlissa LeBlanc (49:39)
Yeah.
Yeah, yeah,
that's good, that's good. So I wanna talk about, I wanna move into as we close, some encouragement for aspiring side hustlers, for inspiring mompreneurs. What is one thing that you wish you knew before you decided to start your business?
Courtney Darden (50:09)
I'm sorry, can you repeat that question?
Carlissa LeBlanc (50:11)
Yeah,
what is one thing that you wish you knew before you started your business?
Courtney Darden (50:16)
Ooh, there's a lot. How many you learn something new as your business grows? There's a lot I wish. Honestly, like that's part of the reason why I created my beauty professional learners guide. I feel like it's a learning guide because I feel like YouTube shows tutorials on how to
do your brows or hides how to do skincare or how to apply lashes and things like that. But back when I was coming into the makeup artist, there was no guide on how to start a business, what that looks like, what are some booking links you can use, what are some graphic designers that you can use. I just learned in 2023, I would say.
I just purchased business insurance. Nobody gave you all the tools behind the work, even as a hairstylist. Like, okay, yeah, you have these curling irons and you can watch videos on how to use them. like what happens when a wedding venue says like, do you have business insurance because you have like hot tools? Like I'm still learning as I go. I was like, you know, to give back to the community or to inspiring artists for year 10, that was something that I just.
wanted to get back. just thought about like, let me create like a learned guy, like something beyond makeup artist. Anybody can get on TikTok and click for a video. Anybody can go on YouTube and click for video. What are some things that I wish I knew coming into the game? So things like setting boundaries, setting your prices, how to manage family and friends that want the discount. Being okay with saying no, not comparing yourself to others.
Carlissa LeBlanc (52:10)
Mmm!
Courtney Darden (52:15)
What did God, what vision do you have for your business and what did God say he was going to do for your business? Like all the things beyond when I put these brushes down, how am I still able to maintain and sustain my business? So, um, man, it's a lot. wish I would have, like I said in 2023, I'm just now getting business insurance. Sounds crazy, but it's real like, because now wedding venues are now asking for business insurance to protect their property.
Carlissa LeBlanc (52:29)
Mm-hmm.
Courtney Darden (52:43)
or their tile floor, if something gets burned or damaged, or if I accidentally get makeup on their curtains. So like things that you should have in place before you come into make the artistry. And so, yeah, I kind of talk about that, you know, making it an official business, like setting yourself apart from like it being a side hustle versus being like a business. These are the things and the tools you probably need before you start the business.
Carlissa LeBlanc (53:12)
yeah,
thousand percent, one thousand percent and that's really good.
Courtney Darden (53:16)
So a lie.
My answer to that is a lie.
Carlissa LeBlanc (53:20)
Yeah, the answer is get the book. That is the answer. No, that's really good. And I guess my final question is, is what would you say to women who feel like they don't have time to start their side hustle? What encouragement would you give them?
Courtney Darden (53:25)
Yeah, yeah.
again, you never know what you are capable of doing it. And so you are in the position to do it. man, if, if, if it's on your heart to do it, pray about it. If God bought it to you, you can do it. Because for me, like back then, I used to like just arts and crafts. I love arts and crafts. I
Used to make homecoming moms and I used to make baby shower gift baskets. Those are the things that I like to do. I actually never picked up a makeup brush and saw myself as a makeup artist. so I would say you, if it's something you want to do, you can make it happen. You really just got to come up with a plan. it's, if it's an, reachable goal, reachable plan. If that's like, Hey, I need to set aside two days a week to order some products, or I need to set aside two days a week.
Carlissa LeBlanc (54:14)
Mmm.
Yeah.
Courtney Darden (54:36)
to look for someone to build my logo or I need to set aside two days a week, like give yourself some measurable goals. Like, okay, this month I wanna have my logo made. Next month I wanna have a photo shoot. The month after that I wanna have my website created. I wanna partner with a hairstylist so maybe we can do some shots together, like make some reachable goals and be okay with being a beginner.
Carlissa LeBlanc (55:04)
Mm.
Courtney Darden (55:05)
Being okay
with being an amateur, being okay with not starting off with a thousand followers, being okay with where you are and enjoy the journey. Enjoy the journey. Too many people I feel like in social media, they want this overnight success. Enjoy the journey because it honestly like again, I'm forever learning. I'm still learning. I just told you, I just now purchased business insurance. So enjoy the journey.
Man, because if you skip it or if you're too far ahead or if you're premature, it may not be what you thought it was going to be. So I just say pray about it. Write some steps. Execute the steps. Hold yourself accountable too though. Don't give yourself a date and don't follow through on the date. So enjoy the process. Ask questions. Ask for help.
Carlissa LeBlanc (55:47)
Thank
Yeah.
That's good.
Ask for help. That's really the key. Like ask for help. And I think that that's really, especially if you are an entrepreneur or a mompreneur, asking for help, asking for help is going to be like the key component to your success. Because so many times we think we have to prove to everybody that we can do everything and end up causing ourselves.
Courtney Darden (55:58)
Yeah.
Carlissa LeBlanc (56:25)
Threwing ourselves short, stressing ourselves out for nothing, all because we don't want to open our mouths up and ask for help. And God has given us people that he has strategically placed in our lives for us to lean on in this season of building something for help. But it's like we choose to be the strong black woman and I'm gonna struggle and I'm just gonna, no, there's no way you can be successful if you only have 10 hands,
Courtney Darden (56:29)
Yeah.
Nope.
Yep, yep, yep. But you know, all of that comes with like trust and being human, right? Do you trust to ask that person for help? Or are they gonna use it against you later? Or are they gonna be able to say what they did for you if you blow up? if this podcast goes viral, if specific one goes viral, like is this person gonna feel like entitled to something that God gave you?
Carlissa LeBlanc (56:54)
Two hands, 10 fingers.
Mm-hmm. Yeah.
For sure. For sure.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Courtney Darden (57:24)
Like
things that I think a lot of that is centered around trust, right? Yeah.
Carlissa LeBlanc (57:29)
Yeah, yeah.
And I think that you have to have, you do, because I, even as a mom, even as a first time mom, like, you know, you go through this, this patch of where you're like, nobody can touch my baby, watch my baby, nothing, like, you know, and so I think it's important for you to, even though you ask for help, you also want to use discernment on who you ask for help, you know? And most of the time, most of the time when you have people that are in your circle and are truly, truly, truly for you,
Courtney Darden (57:50)
Yeah.
Carlissa LeBlanc (57:58)
like you will be able to lean on those people. Like I have a small, small, like my village is not big at all. And I, I'm grateful for it because I've seen people who have like aunties, cousins, grandmas and all these people that they can trust to watch their kid, but that's not me and that's okay. But even though my village is so small, like I know for a fact one, two or three people that I can trust to make sure that my child is going to be taken care of.
Courtney Darden (58:04)
Me either.
Right.
Yeah.
Carlissa LeBlanc (58:25)
to make sure my home is gonna be taken care of, if I have to step away for however long, know? And so having discernment to figure out who is in your circle while you're building your business is gonna be another key thing too. But don't feel obligated like I don't trust anybody, so I'm not gonna trust nobody, so I'm just gonna do it on my own because you're setting yourself way, way, way behind by having that mindset already from the jump. Yeah, that's good. Well, thank you, Courtney. This was amazing.
Courtney Darden (58:28)
Absolutely.
Yeah.
Right.
Yep, yep.
You're
welcome. Thank you. I'm proud of you. Look at you. You got me on this. I told you I'm a behind the camera type of.
Carlissa LeBlanc (58:55)
And I'm so proud of you. I'm so proud of you. listen.
No, and the funny thing is is that I have sent Courtney an email like 2 a.m. one morning and I was like Courtney come be on my podcast and I didn't hear anything back and then the next day I went to the gym I said Courtney I sent you an email she's like you sure did
Courtney Darden (59:23)
I was just like, it was just, was the beginning of the year, was a going on. I saw the email, I processed the email, I was like, dang, she want me to do a I'm so camera shy, this is not for me right now. I'm gonna this to the side, I'm gonna put this to the side, and then I'm gonna get back. Yeah, I was telling my daughter that today, I was like, you know, sometimes God just don't push you off the ledge. say, know, I say, I seen her at the gym. I said, I seen her at the gym.
Carlissa LeBlanc (59:35)
exactly what you said.
That's what I said. I was like see see God must have my God must
have knew what you needed cuz he cuz I normally don't ever see you at the gym That's the crazy thing. I don't ever see you at the gym
Courtney Darden (59:58)
And you know, and I go to
that gym four days a week and that was my first time seeing you there.
Carlissa LeBlanc (1:00:03)
Yes, so I was like, what are the odds? So you was
trying to escape me, but God was like, no, I'm a strategically plant her here.
Courtney Darden (1:00:09)
He say
I'ma push you, you might fall, but I'ma push you. You gon' get it.
Carlissa LeBlanc (1:00:16)
love
that. God is so good. No, that is amazing.
Courtney Darden (1:00:19)
Yes, yes,
yes. Delayed, not denied. I guess I gotta go.
Carlissa LeBlanc (1:00:25)
Absolutely, absolutely.
But before we go, Courtney, where can the people follow you, follow your journey, support your business? Where can they find you online?
Courtney Darden (1:00:36)
I appreciate you. So my Facebook name is Courtney Darden Courtney with a C. It is a public page. Shoot me a friend request. I will follow you back. My Instagram is underscore imperishable beauty bar with another underscore. But honestly I think if you can just type I P U R it might pop up. But yeah and then my
business page on Facebook is also imperishable beauty bar. And my TikTok is underscore imperishable beauty bar underscore. trying to stay consistent on the brand, on the hashtags, continuing to get the word out. Good reputation goes a long way. yeah, imperishable beauty bar or Courtney Darden, either of those will work.
Carlissa LeBlanc (1:01:12)
beautiful.
Yes, and we'll put them in the description box as well below. And then also before we go Courtney, want you to plug, I want you to tell people about your book. Where can they grab it? What's it about? Who's it for? And where can they get it?
Courtney Darden (1:01:32)
Thank you.
So yes, my learner's guide for beauty professionals beyond the artistry. If you click my booking link, you can purchase my book. You can get electronic copy for $15 or you can get this hard copy for 25. But again, as we stated before, it was something that I wanted to do for beginning makeup artistry or beginning beauty influencers.
And a few of my concepts of experience. I don't know if you can see, but so my first chapter is God. That's the first thing we're going to do is we're going to keep God at the center of our business at all times. And then I talk about my second chapter is called Determine Your Success. And that's kind of what we talk about. How do you measure your success? Because it's not from followers, right? And where do you see yourself in the next few years?
Carlissa LeBlanc (1:02:35)
Mmm.
Courtney Darden (1:02:39)
And then we talk about my other chapters are called the C word. The C word means comparison. So don't compare. We talk about contacts and customer service, what that looks like when you're sending emails back and forth, how your content should be professional at all time. Policies and structures, contact agreements. I'm sorry, contract agreements. Business besties building communities like like Herlista and I on this thing together or my Harris House and our team together.
for photo shoots, reflection and reviews, legalities where we talk about business insurance, social media representation and presentation. Yeah, that's, it's a lot. It's consistency, transparency, be inspired, but don't copy and paste. These are kind of like all the topics that I have experienced within my 10 years of artistry. And so I was like, okay, let me just.
Carlissa LeBlanc (1:03:29)
Wow.
Courtney Darden (1:03:38)
put everything I know into this blueprint. This is my Beyond the Autistry blueprint that I feel that is very, very helpful. And it's not specifically just for beginners. If you want to support or you're okay with being open to learning, I do think that everybody could take something out of this.
Carlissa LeBlanc (1:03:42)
That is so good.
That is so good. I love that.
Courtney Darden (1:04:02)
There's always room
for growth. There's always room for improvement. There's always something that somebody else knows that you might not have known. Like even creating bridal contracts. Like let's just say if you're a makeup artist, but you're not on the bridal side, like what does the contract look like? What should your contract have in it? What does that agreement entail? What are you agreeing to? What is the client agreeing to? Like I have pretty much all of that in here that is going to be helpful.
for others and like I said, all beauty professionals, not just yourself.
Carlissa LeBlanc (1:04:38)
Yeah,
yeah, no, that's really good. That's really good. So if you wanna grab your copy of Beyond the Artistry, can click the link in the description box below. If you just wanna support Courtney, you love Courtney after this episode, you can definitely go grab her book too. I I will definitely be getting my hands on one. I want the physical copy though, and I want it autographed.
Courtney Darden (1:04:43)
the world.
little prank.
Thank you.
You can,
hey, that, the electronic copy, come right to your phone. You can read it, you can screenshot it, you can use those tools, whatever works for you.
Carlissa LeBlanc (1:05:13)
Yeah,
yeah, but like I said, I won't mind his autograph,
Courtney Darden (1:05:16)
Thank you, I appreciate it.
Carlissa LeBlanc (1:05:20)
But yes, thank you so much, Courtney, for hopping on the podcast with me today. This is so much fun and I am so excited for you, your business, your success. And yeah, I know a lot of people are gonna get so many gems from this episode. So thank you so much for getting out your comfort zone and hopping on the episode with me.
Courtney Darden (1:05:26)
Thank you for having me.
Thanks for having me.