Meet Nicole LaFrance of LaFrance Glam Artistry in Millbury

Today we’d like to introduce you to Nicole LaFrance.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I consider myself one of the lucky ones who were born knowing EXACTLY what I wanted to do. As long as I can remember, hair and makeup were always my passion. I wanted to get a jump start on this growing industry as soon as I could. By my senior year in high school, I received my cosmetology license and immediately started working in a salon. It took a lot of hard work and dedication but after a few years in a salon. I grew to have a full clientele. Sometimes that takes 10+ years to do. After spending a few years working for someone, I decided it was time to be my own boss. I have to say, that was one of the scariest and BEST decisions that I have ever made. Within the past 4 years, I have started to shift my focus to the wedding industry. Nothing is better than making a bride feel her absolute best on her wedding day. Currently, I am a hairstylist during the week and a wedding makeup artist on the weekends. Talk about living the absolute dream.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I have to say, I have been pretty fortunate. I have not encountered too many struggles. Although, when starting out in the hair and makeup industry, it’s pretty tough. There’s A LOT of long days waiting around with little to no clients, paychecks that are next to nothing, and the exhaustion of constantly promoting yourself and not seeing a lot of response. I remember being so broke at one point that I wasn’t even sure how I was going to pay for the color class that I was taking the following week.

Another struggle for me along the way would be right after I had my son. It was really hard for me to try and balance being a full-time Mom and a full-time business owner as well. I have to say, I don’t think that this subject is talked about enough. I think a lot of times people think that once you have a baby, you can just jump right back into your old routine and live your life like normal, but that’s not the case. It’s hard being a Mom and an entrepreneur. You want to be able to put a lot of your time in your business, but not have that constant Mom guilt while doing so. It took a little time for me to adjust to my new schedule (and twice the amount of hard work) but now I get to enjoy the absolute best of both worlds. Never miss any of my son’s first and growing my business to its fullest potential.

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about LaFrance Glam Artistry – what should we know?
When creating LaFrance Glam Artistry, I really wanted it to have the type of environment where when people leave my chair they look and feel their best.

During the week, you can find me behind the chair. I specialize in balayage, hair extensions, hair coloring and more. On the weekends I am a bridal artist. I travel to brides on their big day and specialize in intricate updos and airbrush makeup. There is nothing better than seeing a bride’s reaction to herself when she sees the finished look.

I take pride in my art, and I am constantly staying up to date on the latest trends. Education is the key in this industry.

You can never stop learning. When I’m not physically doing hair or makeup, I’m at home watching a webinar on it. I think it’s so important to never get comfortable with where you at. You can always be better. Something that I am really passionate about is giving back to the community. I’m constantly doing generous giveaways to try and brighten up people’s days and bring a little more good into the world. Supporting small businesses is huge to me. It feels good knowing that by supporting them I’m helping their families pay for things that they need.

Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
Oh gosh, I could write a book on this question alone. I have the best support system in the world. If anyone has ever watched my videos on my Facebook, I’m constantly thanking everyone for all of the support that I receive. My clients play a HUGE role in my success. They are my number one fans and are constantly promoting me and my work. The bond that we have together and their loyalty to me are absolutely amazing. I would have to say my parents as well. They drilled it into my head at a very young age that you need to work for everything that you want in life.

My father was a business owner my whole life and I truly learned everything from him. I saw all of the hard work that he put in 7 days a week, and I remember thinking “I want to be just like that.” One of my biggest cheerleaders would be my former cosmetology teacher, Dawn. She went from teaching me how to braid hair, to watching my get my hairdressing license, to hiring me at her salon, to helping me run my business. She is a great friend and I am lucky to have her. What truly motivates me the most is my son and my fiancé. They constantly make me want to be the best me that I can possibly be.

Contact Info:

• Address: 22 West Street, Millbury, MA
• Website: www.lafranceglamartistry.com
• Phone: (774)276-1950
• Email: lafranceglamartistry@gmail.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/lafranceglam
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/lafranceglam

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