Meet Madison Hardy | Lash Extension Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Madison Hardy and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Madison, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
So since stopping working for someone else and starting my own business, work life balance has been a major topic of conversation with the people most important to me. I’ve honestly majorly struggled with it and would say I really don’t even have a work life balance, it’s just work! However, as I near my one year in business mark (ahhh so cool & exciting! One year happened FAST) I have been able to draw some good boundaries, allowing me more of a work life balance. I made the choice very recently to stop responding to DMs and texts regarding work, once I am outside of my business hours. It seems like that would be an easy thing to do, but it definitely is not. What I had to realize is that I am a place of business! Yes I am one person, and my “business” line is my personal cell phone number, but at the end of the day I am a BUSINESS and businesses have business hours. If you text a chain lash salon a question at 10:30 pm on a Saturday, you’re not going to get a response until they are open during normal business hours. Why should I be any different? It definitely has taken some getting used to, especially for me, because I want to be known for having the absolute best customer service and being prompt and professional, but it’s SO important to be present with my family and loved ones when I’m not at work, and being able to do that means not being on my phone 24/7. Drawing that boundary with my clients is something I wish I did at the very beginning, but we live & we learn, and when I posted about my choice I had an insane amount of support from my clients, which just solidified that I was making the right choice.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
So I own an eyelash extension business named Lash Queen, and I couldn’t be more proud or excited about it & it’s future! I’ve been a lash artist, and a lash client of other artists for over 5 years now. I believe what sets me apart from other lash artists is my passion. I get complimented almost daily by clients saying things along the lines of “I can tell you really really love your job!” And honestly, especially working with all women, I do believe that makes a huge difference. I also think my super power in life is that I am a true empath and have the ability to understand and connect with almost anyone on a deeper level than most people. When you’re paying for an extremely luxury service that requires you spend at least an hour with someone every two weeks, you’re not going to want to go do that unless you LIKE the person and know you’re going to have a good time in the appointment! Sometimes at the end of the day I’m like “should I even get paid for this? Like I feel like I just get get to hang out with my best friends all day long!”

There was a time at the very beginning, I’d say the first 3/4 months that I was in business where I had anxiety levels off the charts (still sometimes do), and worried constantly I wasn’t doing everything I needed to be doing. I’m kind of a perfectionist (which I think contributes to me being great at lashes!) but when I went from having a full book of clients at my other job, to quitting and starting completely over, it was slightly terrifying. I would have one or two clients a day and would just in my suite FREAKING OUT that I was never going to grow my clientele to what I used to have. Obviously that was all for nothing, because not only did I grow it to what I had before, it’s getting bigger and bigger than I could have ever imagined for myself just 6 short months ago! My clients refer EVERYONE to me, and it’s truly been incredible! It honestly makes me a little emotional to think about and write about, because to refer someone to me, means they love me, and they love my work enough to send the people they love to come and see me! Of course Instagram contributes to new clients all the time as well, but client referrals are definitely my number one way of growing my client list from nothing, to being booked three weeks in advance, and it’s a pretty damn good feeling!

I named my business Lash Queen because I want clients to know I’m confident in my work just from reading my name! When I worked for someone else I called myself “the lash queen” all the time, my parents and grandparents started calling me that in funny conversations regularly. When I made the choice to start this business I was chatting with my mom for weeks about what to name it! I was like this is so serious I can’t change it once I decide it has to be PERFECT, and I wasn’t in love with anything we were coming up with, until she reminded me I am in fact the Lash Queen and I just knew right then, that was IT! I think it fits my girly, bubbly personality, and once clients get to know me and my confidence and my passion, they lovingly respond to me with “well you are the lash queen, after all” and it’s so sweet and funny!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My parents & incredible grandparents, who both gave me a monetary loan, which without that money, I would’ve never been able to make this incredible leap of faith in starting my business. I’d also love to give a shout-out to my sweet, sweet boyfriend, who is my absolute biggest fan and supporter and gives me strength and encouragement when I doubt myself. I don’t know if I ever would have made the choice to quit my job working for someone else and start this business if it weren’t for him!

Instagram: @thelashqueenmadison

Facebook: @LashQueenTX