The average age of business owners is 45, but for 16-year-old Jolee Sutton, age is truly just a number; she’s been starting businesses since the 6th grade.
She dipped her feet in by selling slime and paper airplanes. Now, she’s dived into the world of business with her lash business Elite Blinkz which is soon to be expanded to include other services such as facials, waxing, and brow tints, following her plan to attend esthetician school this winter. One thing is for certain, this AMPA junior has her entrepreneur mindset on lock.
Elite Blinkz (@eliteblinkz on Instagram) has been a rather large but successful commitment. Although it’s forced her to miss out or postpone certain activities with friends and has cut into her outside life, she finds genuine joy in what she does and she’s confident in her ability – even if she has to endure back pain after sessions. “I’m doing what I love and making money doing it,” she said. “When I tell you I finish work with an aching back, I’m serious, but overall, the pain is worth seeing my clients happy with the outcome and leaving confident every time.”
As far as getting into it, she found it rather easy to begin. “My journey began just by doing research on what this generation was fond of and it was lashes and nails,” she explained. With this fact in mind, she knew she had to create a distinction between herself and other lash techs. For her, it has become her specialty with volume and wet sets – and of course, her age. “There’s many lash techs in the world all doing the same thing so people could go to anybody, but if you had a look that nobody else can perfect, then people would come to you just for that.”
As far as prices go, she’s distinct in that aspect too. “I don’t charge extra for every single thing, it’s unnecessary,” commented Jolee. Her sets range from $80-$120 with a nonrefundable $25 deposit credited to your fee. Full wet sets begin at $80 and volume sets begin at $90, with a freestyle set being the highest price at $130. Compared to common lash prices, her sets are cheaper than normal, as the common price for a classic set averages at $120.
Although she now seems to have everything down, it was not always that way. Since beginning her business in July 2023, she has noticed major improvements. “Looking at pictures side by side from July up to now, I’d say I grown tremendously from not being able to see the lashes to giving people fuller and visible sets.”
Her clients have motivated her to keep her going, and their loyalty has been a core memory in her experience. “My sets weren’t the best at the time, but I have consistent clients who come back to me which means they like what I do and have faith in me. They make me want to keep trying and master my skill.”
Joana, a client of hers, described the experience with Jolee’s service as “oustanding.” She noted she’s great for beginners with lashes, commenting, “She’s very informative and friendly.” Additionally, she commends Jolee’s personality, recalling that she “graciously offered to do them free of charge because I previously went to a different lash tech and had a terrible experience and no refund.”
Another client, Erica, shares the same opinion on Jolee’s personality. “[My favorite part of the service is] our conversations while getting my lashes done.”
Jolee emphasizes client’s comfort to ensure they’re happy during and after their appointments. From offering silent appointments to having a clean and calming space, she makes it an enjoyable experience. “It’s supposed to be a safe place and I want them to know that!”
Although Jolee has only been lashing for 6 months, she has already earned loyal customers, who praise her energy, lash retention, and skill. This loyalty is reflected in her reviews. One of them described their experience as, “Good service, comfortable table, amazing lashes that stay on for long, and a fire playlist.”
Khan Watson • Dec 12, 2023 at 2:35 pm
Congratulation! That is awesome! Keep up the great work.