STUDENT SPOTLIGHT

Welcome to our Student Spotlight.

We are excited to bring to you another amazing and talented business owner and multiple award winning talent. Are you ready to be inspired again!

The talented Jantakan Kunsakorn (the lovely Kwan) is owner/operator of the Extension Lounge and is a multiple award winner for numerous lash competitions which we will share with you as well.  I just love her outlook, “I don’t have a job, I am just doing what I love and get paid as a Lash and Brow artist. She runs a salon that is welcoming, accommodating, friendly and professional.  It is a peaceful modern home salon that offers bespoke eyelash extensions, lash lift, lash filler, lash tint, brow lamination, brow tint, brow henna and brow waxing.

We asked Kwan if she could share with you how her journey unfolded. Read on…

Q1. What is your USP (Unique Selling Point)? 

I follow the three B’s.

1. Be Honest
2. Be accurate
3. Be-fore and after images (proof of results)

Extension Lounge

Q2. Tell us about your life, before you started this journey, why you chose this pathway, how it’s changed you and your relationships?

My whole life I’ve work to support my family back home in Thailand.  I have a 12 year old daughter who is living in Thailand with my parents and brother.  Her father left us at a young age and I have always worked away from home since she was young so don’t get to spend much time with her.  Everything I do, I just want them to be proud of me.  I left Thailand in 2013 and moved to Australia on my own leaving my daughter in my families care.  I never graduated so my jobs were always low earning.  I first started working in Australia as a Room Attendant.

A close friend is a Lash Artist and she told me to become an artist and it would change my life.  It did, from black to white the change was so quick and clear and hopeful.  I was always running from one job to the next.  Keeping multiple jobs at one time to support my family.  I was always sleepy, never happy and always hungry.  In 2019 lashes and brows came into my life and I quit one of my other jobs that I was not enjoying.  Once I was fully booked I upped my prices and quit another job.  It took me 4 months to be at the level where I could quit all the multiple jobs I did not like and earn the same from doing something I love.  It has almost been 2 years now and I’m running my own fulltime business.

I am still me but my thinking has definitely changed and my life has changed forever for the better.  I find that I am surrounded now by more business like minded people and that makes me happy.  You have to be brave.  To take that first step and to let all the negative things in your life go.  Now I just welcome positive things into my life.  I focus a lot on my business and my routine is so different. I want my business to grow and be ready to expand when the time is right.

Q3. How long have you been in beauty? 

I have been in the industry now for 2 years since 2019.

Q4. What made you choose this industry? 

I am very creative I love art and craft.  Brows and Lashes are my own piece of art work with every client being a different canvas.

Q5. Tell us about your journey? 

I first started to look at eyelash extensions in April 2019.  In June 2019 I became an Enchanted Beauty Institute Architect student studying Volume Lash Extensions, Lash Lift and Brows. In August of 2019 I completed the Beauty Business online course package with Enchanted Beauty Institute.  Thanks to my training I won 1st place in December 2019 at the Amazing Work Award Fenix Lash Cup – Junior category. In January 2020 I won 3rd place in the Gold Lash Championships Scotland – Junior category and in February 2020 I competed in the the Advance Volume & Mega Volume with Angel Wing Eyelash Extension Academy awards.  During COVID I have spent my time continuing to learn investing my time in webinars from famous lash and brow artists around the world.

May 2020                               1st Place Dolled up! Lash competition – Strip Lash Art in Master Level / Theme Spring

July 2020                                Artistic Fur Award Nominee – Lash Artist of the year 2020

August 2020                           Top 3 Artistic Fur Award – Lash Artist of the year 2020

September 2020                    1st place NYC Volume Lash Cup – Master / 3D

September 2020                    3rd place Lash Art Fantasy Perth Expo – Live Competition – Galaxy Theme

February 2021                       Mega Volume Advance Program with Lash Box LA

Stay tune for my 2021 competition entries!

Q6. Tell me about your working week, do you have a life balance? 

My goal for this year is to find that work/life balance.  I am very busy, which is good I want to build my business and for it to succeed.  Now I need to learn to make some time for myself as well.  Owning your own business is great because you can allocate that time, you just have to remember to schedule some ME time.

Q7. What inspires you when lashing? 

I love seeing women being happy and pretty inside and out!.  Seeing them leave with a smile on their face makes me happy.

Q8. Who inspires you? 

I have so many, but this one you will know and her name is ‘Kelly Storer’. She is a mother, she is kind, she is strong, she is smart, she is a business women and she cares, sympathizes and supports others around her.

Q9. Have you had to overcome anything with your business? 

Dealing with difficult clients is an ongoing challenge that I don’t like but it is something all business owners will have to deal with from time to time.  It’s essential that you get this practice right.

Q10. Are your family supportive of the work that you do? Did anyone tell you that you can’t do this or shouldn’t do this? 

Yes my family is very supportive. Many, many people tried to discourage me from this pathway.

Q11. What advice can you give people thinking of starting a career in eye design? 

Just go for it!  It’s now or never.

Q12. Anything funny, embarrassing or interesting ever happen to you while working on a client? 

Can you relate to this……..farting and snoring!

Q13. Anything else you think may be interesting or you think the world should know? 

Have you ever heard being a Lash Artist sucks cause they earn nothing? Well it’s not true.

Q14. Did you ever think you could achieve what you have? What achievement are you most proud of? 

I actually never thought that I could become a business owner.  But look at me ! Here I am owner/operator of my own home business salon.  And I am so proud of this achievement and that it makes my family and expecially my daughter proud.

Q15. Do you believe in yourself that you can achieve more? What would those goals be? 

Yes, I do.  In four months I was able to quite all my other jobs so I can definitely achieve bigger and better still. I was going to buy a house this year but I have chosen to re-assess and I am starting another business soon…..and it’s not about lashes or brows…..watch this space.

Q16. When you hear the words Enchanted Beauty Institute, what do you think of? Would you recommend other women to train here? 

Beauty is magic.  Enchanted Beauty Institute is the best Beauty Academy in WA.  I recommend anyone who is looking to upskill or just starting out to train here 1000000000%.

From Kelly Harris, CEO Enchanted Beauty Institute:

I am so proud of Kwan, she has achieved so much and all through hard work and determination.  My dream for you  is that this year you can get your work/life balance so you get to indulge in some ME time that you so deserve.  It has been an absolute please to teach you the skills and watch you grow into an amazing award winning artist who can support their family in your own time, in your own business. I will love you forever and I will always cherish our one to one chat that ended in happy proud tears. I think you are amazing – Kelly xx

To check out more of Kwan’s amazing work or to book a service with her, head to:

http://facebook.com/extension.lounge.bykwan

http://instagram.com/extension_lounge