JaGurl TV caught up with professional makeup artist, hairstylist, and television/film star, Kelli J. She uses her lifestyle brand platform to promote her own line of luxury beauty products. This includes the Kelli J Mold Shine Foam which is out for purchase now. This is only the tip of the iceberg! Come with us as we learn more about how she got started in her career.
What motivated you to take multiple roles as an entrepreneur?
“I’m going to be perfectly honest, it’s because I like to make a lot of money, but I also love to do hair. So I thought about ways to take my career to the top level. That’s what made me get into creative directing.” Kelli J has always been a go-getter. With someone who has so much drive when it comes to their career, we had to know who she pulls inspiration from. ”I’ve looked up to a couple people for different reasons, like, Nikki Nelms works with a lot of celebrities, from television, personal styling, and more. But I haven’t found one person that does everything I do.”
What’s your favorite makeup look or hairstyle you prefer to do?
”I tend to lean more towards the natural look, so I love the natural girls, corporate girls look.” As an entrepreneur with different avenues, she dove deeper into her work as a freelance artist and wanting to share her knowledge with other artists. “A lot of people don’t know that they are freelance artists when it comes to them not actually working for a company, but you work for multiple companies at one time. So I use the term ‘freelance beauty professionals’ and that’s just a freelance person who is working in multiple areas and doing their jobs in television, film, and commercials so this just compensates everything in one. That’s why I decided to teach others how to be their own boss.”
How did you come up with your product Kelli J Mold Shine Foam?
“When I started my business, I started to get a lot of short hair clients. I would use this foam that would make my clients’ hair shed. My clients that had blonde hair, I wouldn’t be able to use it due to the harsh chemicals and dye in that foam.” She did research on what she could use to create a foam that would help her clients’ hair to be healthier and stronger.
What is the ultimate goal that you have for yourself?
“I would like to have my product a household name as well as streamline my freelance media academy into the hair schools because everyone thinks that if you go to beauty school you want to work in a salon or open your own salon, but there are other opportunities and I want the upcoming generation of cosmetology students to know that.”
Learn more about Kelli J, her businesses, and products at Kellij.com and on Instagram.