Real case: Unveiling the journey from makeup artist to successful entrepreneur

From makeup artist to successful entrepreneur, this is far more than just a role transition. It is a journey filled with passion, challenges, and the mix of anxiety and fulfillment that comes with entrepreneurship. For many, the idea of building their own brand from 0 to 1 can feel daunting. However, this story proves that not only is it possible, but it is also incredibly rewarding.

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Why This Journey Matters for Aspiring Entrepreneurs

Every seasoned makeup artist dreams of building something of their own after years of honing their craft in the service industry. But for those with little to no experience in running a brand, the path can be daunting. From identifying the right niche to building a brand, creating customized products, and executing tailored marketing strategies—every step requires meticulous planning and execution. A single misstep in any detail could potentially jeopardize the entire business.

The reality of business is unforgiving. Success often demands thorough preparation and an unwavering focus on the goal.

Today’s story is about an experienced makeup artist who embarked on this challenging but rewarding journey. I took time to carefully review a year’s worth of collaboration and conversations, with her full consent. While ensuring her privacy, I’m excited to present her inspiring story.

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Our First Encounter: From LinkedIn to WhatsApp

Lui and I first connected on October 30, 2023.

While browsing LinkedIn, I happened upon Lui’s profile. Taking a chance, I sent her a message: “We’re looking for makeup artists to collaborate on brand promotions. Would you be interested?” To my surprise and delight, Lui responded. She shared that she was searching for a manufacturer specializing in makeup brushes and asked if we provided such services.

What followed was an engaging conversation on WhatsApp. I introduced her to our past collaborations with renowned brands like Sephora, MAC, and Sigma, as well as highlighted our strengths in makeup brush manufacturing and intricate craftsmanship. Through this dialogue, trust was quickly established, and we reached an initial agreement to collaborate. It felt like chatting with an old friend again, very relaxed!

PS: At the time, I was also managing an e-commerce makeup brush brand called AINOCHI, actively seeking partnerships with makeup artists for promotional collaborations.

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About Lui

Lui is a highly experienced makeup artist with nearly 20 years of expertise. Having served as a project manager at L'Oréal, she possesses extensive knowledge in both makeup artistry and marketing. Her understanding of makeup brushes and market demands is both profound and insightful.

In addition to her professional experience, Lui has built a substantial following on Instagram and TikTok, where many of her fans are loyal beauty enthusiasts.

"Using synthetic fiber brushes for a professional makeup artist is like asking a Michelin chef to use a plastic knife," Lui said

using this analogy to express her frustration with the current market landscape. She believes that many makeup artists today are missing out on the exceptional quality of natural hair brushes, which is truly regrettable. With her brand, she hopes to reintroduce this unparalleled experience to the market.

Lui also shared that she is still using several early MAC natural hair brushes, which she has had for about 15 years but can no longer find on the market. She hopes I can help her replicate them.

"This conversation highlights Lui's perspective on the current state of the natural brush industry and demonstrates her professional insights."

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Identifying the Niche

Lui has a profound understanding of the market. Her analysis, based on the actual needs of end-users, complements our technical perspective as a manufacturer. This dual perspective allowed us to more precisely identify market gaps and seize business opportunities.

Currently, the makeup brush industry is undergoing significant changes, with synthetic fibers becoming the mainstream choice. While this trend may be driven by environmental and cost-saving factors, it has come at the expense of consumers losing the opportunity to experience the exceptional quality of natural hair brushes. As a manufacturer focused on craftsmanship, we deeply understand the demand for premium natural hair brushes. At international beauty expos such as Cosmoprof in Italy, Hong Kong, and North America, as well as Beautyworld in Dubai, our natural hair brushes sell out almost instantly. This demonstrates that high-quality natural hair brushes still hold strong market demand.

she mentioned, "It’s not that consumers reject natural hair brushes; they simply can’t find good ones. Most mainstream brands have nearly abandoned this category."

Lui resonates deeply with this reality. her observation aligned with our insights and became a crucial foundation for defining the brand’s direction.

To better meet this demand, I presented Lui with our core product lines, including the M Master Series and the AIN Luxury Series. These products are crafted using high-grade goat and squirrel hair, combined with our unique quality control techniques:

• Physical locking technology to ensure bristle durability.
• Glue injection technology for enhanced stability.
• Special lacquer treatments to improve handle texture and longevity.

These techniques not only significantly enhance the functionality of the brushes but also ensure a sophisticated appearance and long-lasting performance for each piece.

‍Defining the Market Position

After extensive discussions, we finalized the niche market positioning:

1. Focus on High-Quality Natural Hair Brushes
   For powder brushes, we use premium natural hair, while foundation brushes are crafted with straight synthetic fibers. This combination leverages their respective strengths to achieve the best possible application results.
2. Emphasize Brush Shape and Detail
   From shape to size, density, and softness, each brush undergoes multiple tests and revisions by Lui to ensure it achieves optimal performance. This is our greatest advantage in standing out from the market, with customer satisfaction and repeat purchase rates being our top priorities.
3. Steer Clear of Low-Cost Competition
   By bypassing the homogeneous, price-driven low-end brush market, we focus on a differentiated mid-to-high-end market that values exceptional quality and distinctiveness.

When it came to identifying our niche market, we were almost instantly aligned: serving the mid-to-high-end market with exceptional products. Customers value quality over quantity, and this strategic positioning has laid the foundation for the brand's unique competitive advantage.

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Identifying the Target Audience

Building on the niche market, we further refined the profile of our target customers. Leveraging Lui’s extensive experience in client service, combined with insights into consumer behavior and psychology, as well as data gathered from her social media surveys, we defined the core customer group with the following characteristics:

1. Professional Background and Lifestyle

The target audience primarily includes office professionals, high-level freelancers, and professional makeup artists.

• Office professionals: They seek cost-effective, high-quality products that meet the needs of everyday makeup and special occasions.
• Freelancers and makeup artists: They focus more on product professionalism and durability to support their work requirements.

2. Age and Education Level

• Age range: Customers are mainly between 25-35 years old, a group with a high interest in beauty and a strong willingness to spend.
• Education level: Predominantly with a bachelor’s degree or higher, this group shows a keen interest in product functionality, design, and brand stories.

3. Income Level and Spending Capacity

• Average income: Annual income ranges from $40,000 to $70,000, providing stable economic capability and a willingness to pay a premium for quality products.
• Spending capacity: They are comfortable paying around $30 for an individual makeup brush or $400–$600 for a complete set, especially for products with added value (e.g., design Aesthetics or superior performance).

4. Consumer Behavior

• Shopping channels: Around 70% of customers shop online (e.g., Amazon, Sephora, and Ulta Beauty), often referencing user reviews and influencer recommendations. Occasionally, they engage in experiential shopping at offline stores.
• Shopping habits: They prioritize cost-effectiveness, leaning toward products with superior performance and long lifespans rather than simply seeking luxury labels.
• Decision-making factors: They value superior performance products, high-end designs, and added features like eco-friendly materials or compelling brand stories.

5. Psychological Needs and Interests

The target audience not only seeks functional products but also appreciates the emotional value behind them:

• Multi-functionality: They desire versatile brushes that are well-crafted and durable, lasting three years or longer.
• Eco-friendly materials: They favor brands that use sustainable materials and advocate for environmentally conscious practices.
• Luxury experience: They appreciate products with a premium feel, aiming for a refined makeup experience that delights the senses.
• Brand story: They are more inclined to support brands with a clear mission and values.

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Tailored Strategies for the Target Audience

Recognizing the characteristics of the niche market and target customers, Lui leveraged her professional identity and influence as a makeup artist to build her brand’s sales system with the following strategies:

1. Creating a Dedicated Brand Website
   She designed a professional and high-quality website to convey her brand values effectively.
2. Social Media Integration
   Through platforms like Instagram and TikTok, Lui shared high-quality video content to drive traffic. These videos not only showcased the products' unique features and usage but also highlighted Lui’s personal identity. By sharing her makeup techniques, industry expertise, and behind-the-scenes stories, she strengthened her audience's trust in the brand.

Through these efforts, we have successfully visualized our target customer profile. Imagine this scenario:

A potential customer comes across your makeup brush through an Instagram post, gets intrigued, and clicks into the website. There, she learns about Lui’s industry background and brand story, and is drawn to blogs that showcase the makeup brush's application results. This motivates her to explore the specific brush's material, design inspiration, and practical benefits. Her interest grows, and after comparing it with some other brushes on Amazon, she ultimately decides to place an order directly from the website.

This is not an idealized story, but a strategic process based on a professional sales funnel, carefully guiding the target customer through each step toward conversion. Only by truly understanding our target customers can we effectively hit the mark.

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Brand Development

Establishing the Brand

Lui's past experience in project management showcases her impressive brand awareness. She understands that a successful personal brand is not just a collection of products, but a reflection of the founder’s values and professional expertise.

As she said: "The reason many personal brands thrive is that people’s understanding and trust in a new brand are deeply influenced by the founder’s personal identity."

Lui also set a clear mission for her brand:
“To revive the extraordinary craftsmanship and superior quality of the world’s most iconic professional brushes. I have poured all my technical knowledge and experience into the design of each brush to ensure exceptional results that elevate makeup to a higher level of elegance and perfection.”

The Key to Success: Respect for Craftsmanship

Lui’s approach to makeup brushes reflects her profound respect for traditional craftsmanship. To her, a makeup brush is not merely a tool, but a work of art.This belief gives her products a greater significance, transforming them into more than just commodities. She firmly believes that only when a founder truly values their products can they earn the trust of consumers, inspiring them to invest. This respect for craftsmanship has become the cornerstone of the brand’s success.

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Brush Sample Confirmation and Prototyping

Sharing Ideas and Design Inspiration

Lui shared her detailed vision for the brush set and provided examples of classic designs she admired, including a MAC natural hair brush she had been using for over 15 years.

Selection of Brush Shapes and Materials

During the design process, we carefully defined the functionality, specific dimensions, and intended use for each brush. Based on the requirements of different brush types, I proposed the following material options:

• Goat Hair: Ideal for brushes requiring high precision and softness, such as powder and blush brushes, delivering optimal application results.
• Pony Hair: Durable and suitable for blending, used in eyeshadow brushes for detailed application, offering consistent powder pick-up and smooth blending.
• Synthetic Fibers: Used for brushes requiring easier cleaning and specific applications, such as foundation or concealer brushes, ensuring durability and easy maintenance.

By combining the characteristics of each material with Lui’s functional requirements for every brush type, we finalized the best material combination for each design.

Luxurious and Classic Exterior Design

Lui’s preference for a blend of luxurious gold and classic black guided the exterior design choices. We incorporated the following design elements:

• Ferrule: Made from thickened brass with gold plating, enhancing the premium feel of the brushes while ensuring durability.
• Handle: Crafted from sturdy maple wood, specially treated to enhance its texture and durability.
• Shape: Ergonomically customized handle shapes for comfortable and stable grip.

Refining the Details for Quality Assurance

To ensure the quality and performance of the brushes, we meticulously selected production techniques:

• Locking Technique: High-strength locking technology to prevent separation between the handle and ferrule, a crucial step in maintaining product reliability, as any loosening could compromise customer trust in the brand.
• Gold Foil Logo: Gold-stamped logos paired with the gold-plated ferrule to elevate the luxurious aesthetic.
• Smooth Lacquer Finish: A mirror-like lacquer finish that is flawlessly smooth to the touch, without any unevenness or imperfections, enhancing the overall elegance of the brush handles.

Adding a Personal Touch with Unique Names

Lui proposed an innovative idea to assign each brush a unique name rather than using traditional numeric codes. This approach not only increased the product’s distinctiveness but also fostered a deeper emotional connection with customers, giving each brush its own story.

After finalizing all the details, we initiated the prototyping process, eagerly anticipating the creation of the new samples.

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Niche Market Testing

Sample Completion and Initial Feedback
On November 20, 2023, the first batch of 14 samples was successfully completed. Upon receiving the samples, Lui was amazed by their design and quality, stating that these brushes fully met her expectations for high-end makeup tools.

After 10 days of internal testing, Lui expressed great satisfaction with the samples. She used the brushes in daily makeup creations as well as professional settings, remarking that their performance exceeded her expectations. From the softness of the bristles to the comfort of the handle and the overall craftsmanship, she felt immensely proud.

Social Media Sharing and Customer Feedback
After verifying the product’s quality, Lui showcased the makeup brush samples on her social media platforms (Instagram and TikTok), sharing them with her followers for the first time. Through high-quality content, Lui not only received enthusiastic responses from her audience but also engaged deeply with her target customers:

• Her audience showed great interest in the brushes’ design and materials.
• Some beauty enthusiasts and professional makeup artists inquired about the product details and launch date.
• She also collected feedback on the price range for high-end makeup brushes through these interactions.

This direct engagement with her target customers helped her establish initial brand awareness and provided valuable data for subsequent market positioning and pricing strategies.

Determining the Pricing Strategy
Based on the feedback received, we finalized the pricing strategy for the brushes. Each brush’s price was carefully calculated to reflect its high-end quality while aligning with the psychological expectations of the target customers. The process went smoothly, as Lui’s extensive marketing experience allowed her to accurately identify her audience's willingness to pay a premium for quality products.

Providing Professional Support for Customer Feedback
Before launching the samples to the market, Lui raised some professional questions based on consumer feedback, and I promptly provided answers. I also suggested she create an FAQ section on her website to address potential customer concerns and emphasize the brand’s professionalism. For instance:

• Bristle Shedding: I explained that slight shedding during the initial use of natural bristle brushes is normal and provided maintenance tips.
• Restoring Brush Shape: I detailed simple methods to restore the brush shape if it became deformed during packaging and transportation.

This professional support not only boosted Lui’s confidence in the product but also provided technical backing for her customer interactions.

Validating the Niche Market
Through the successful testing of the samples and effective customer feedback, we further validated the feasibility of the niche market. This stage’s success laid a solid foundation for the product launch and helped Lui’s brand build initial recognition and trust among her target audience.

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Developing and Implementing a Marketing Strategy

The First Order
On December 15, 2023, Lui officially placed her first order with us for 300 sets of makeup brushes. Considering the financial pressure and risks associated with launching a new brand, I agreed to a flexible payment policy, allowing her to pay in three installments to ease the process of starting her marketing efforts.

After confirming the order, we finalized the delivery timeline, while Lui simultaneously began preparing her branding campaign. She hired professional photographers to create high-quality product images and promotional videos for the makeup brushes, which would play a critical role in her social media marketing and website presentation.

Implementing the Pre-Sale Plan
At the same time, Lui launched a pre-sale campaign on TikTok and Instagram, using short videos to showcase the design details and functionality of the makeup brushes. As a professional makeup artist, she shared tips on selecting and using premium makeup brushes, enhancing her followers’ trust in the products.

This straightforward yet highly interactive promotional strategy not only attracted potential customers but also effectively converted her loyal followers into buyers, driving significant growth in pre-sale orders.

Unexpected Challenge: Logistics and a Swift Response

‍Lui’s pre-sale campaign had a strict sales schedule, which placed high demands on our delivery timeline. However, during production, we encountered an unforeseen challenge.

With Chinese New Year approaching, many suppliers and factories closed early, delaying the arrival of some raw materials. As a result, the initial plan to transport goods by rail could not meet the timeline.

To ensure on-time delivery, we urgently coordinated with suppliers, and all parties agreed to resume production three days earlier than the end of the holiday. Additionally, we switched the transportation method from rail to air freight. Despite the extra costs incurred, this decision was necessary to ensure Lui’s pre-sale campaign remained unaffected.

Through the team’s collective efforts, we successfully delivered the goods three days before the scheduled sales launch. This not only gave Lui ample time to prepare for her campaign but also demonstrated our commitment and flexibility as a partner.

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Sales Feedback and Review

Initial Sales Results
In July 2024, Lui excitedly shared her brand’s sales data with me. Since the launch of her first batch of products, the brand’s monthly revenue has reached €10,000, and this number continues to grow. This milestone not only marks her entry into the premium makeup brush market but also serves as strong evidence of the brand’s positioning and product quality.

Positive Consumer Feedback
Despite Lui’s products being priced significantly higher than the market average, her loyal customers remain willing to pay for the exceptional quality and brand value. Customer feedback has included comments such as:

• "Your makeup brushes are on par with Japanese premium brands."
• "Even though the price is higher, every brush reflects meticulous craftsmanship and is absolutely worth it."

These reviews further validate that quality is the foundation for a brand's long-term success.

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The Continuation of Collaboration

First Meeting: A 5-Hour Late-Night Conversation in Shanghai
In early November, Lui informed me that she would be in Shanghai from November 13th to 15th for her birthday trip and asked if we could meet on the 15th. Unfortunately, I was attending the Cosmoprof Asia beauty expo in Hong Kong during those dates. To accommodate my schedule, Lui extended her stay until the 17th. This situation made our rare opportunity to meet even more meaningful.

On the evening of November 16th, at 7 PM, we met at my Shanghai office. The conversation lasted for nearly five hours, continuing until midnight. Despite the rushed arrangement, our discussion went exceptionally well. We talked about the current trends in the makeup brush industry and laid out a clear cooperation plan for 2025.

After the meeting, we enjoyed a simple yet warm dinner together. Over glasses of red wine, our conversation extended beyond work, touching on life and dreams. This relaxed dialogue strengthened our trust and deepened our friendship.

During our discussion, Lui shared a challenge she faces in her local market: two competitors had copied her makeup brushes and were selling them at lower prices. Despite this, customer feedback indicated that these imitations fell far short of Lui's products in terms of performance. While this competition brought some pressure, it also reaffirmed the unique value of exceptional craftsmanship and thoughtful design in the high-end market. Lui expressed pride in her brand and a stronger commitment to maintaining quality.

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Upcoming Second Meeting: A Factory Visit
Lui has shown a deep interest in the makeup brush manufacturing process. She shared her desire to witness firsthand how each brush is meticulously handcrafted and plans to visit our factory in May 2025. I look forward to this upcoming visit, as it will offer Lui an opportunity to better understand the rich history of China's makeup brush industry.

A Lasting Friendship and Partnership
Lui and I have maintained close contact. Beyond our business discussions (we have already completed three successful collaborations), we frequently share snippets of our daily lives, sales updates, and customer feedback. This relationship has grown far beyond a simple business partnership—Lui has become one of my most trusted partners in this industry.

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In Closing

A client's success is never a matter of luck; it stems from her profound expertise and precise understanding of market dynamics. From identifying a niche market to clearly articulating her vision and selecting a reliable supplier, every step has been systematically planned and executed with a steady and focused mindset. This meticulous approach has laid a solid foundation for a stable and sustainable business launch.

P.S. Recently, we have been analyzing the traffic composition of her website and discussing strategies to further boost sales. Interestingly, I noticed that she does not place much emphasis on website traffic metrics or rush into paid marketing strategies. Instead, she focuses her energy on creating more makeup tutorial content. Perhaps it is this authentic and dedicated approach that truly sets her apart and enables her to achieve lasting success.

In the end, I must apologize for not including many details. There are simply too many chat records, making it difficult to search through them, and I also need to respect Lui and her brand's privacy. Moreover, sharing chat screenshots wouldn’t appear very formal. However, I believe this is sufficient to convey the authenticity of the case. We are not just business partners but will always remain very good friends, and our friendship will continue forever.