Meet Leslie: Backstage Life
Leslie Hernandez is the founder of Backstage Life: a makeup brand set apart by their desire to give each woman an experience unique to her individual beauty! No single look is the same! Leslie and I instantly connected when I could feel her genuine desire to empower women in everything she does- she is collaborative, willing, dedicated, and talented. Read to find out where she first opened her very first beauty salon and more!
1. Can you share a little of your journey with us and who you are?
I discovered makeup when I was 10 years old and it changed my life. I started with a caboodle that I would fill with samples from my mother's and aunt's purchases from Estee Lauder and Clinique. The small blushes and eyeshadows were fascinating to me. I would do makeup on my Cabbage Patch dolls and one of them had a retractible pony tail that I could style short or long.
When I was a teen my aunt gave me the best makeup tip that I still use to this date: pencil the inner eye rim with brown or black pencil- now a days this is called tight lining. When I wore it my classmates and teachers would notice that my eyes stood out, but couldn't figure that it was the liner at first-this made me realize that makeup is powerful, and it's every women's secret weapon.
During college I opened my own beauty salon in Mexico and operated it for 8 years before moving to Dallas. I fell in love with the Dallas makeup scene and diversity of it. I loved the transformative power of makeup and the confidence it can give a woman. I started working at MAC to learn more about makeup in Dallas. It was the best and most convenient way to learn product knowledge and client relations while getting paid at the same time. After a few months with MAC, I was ready to have my own business like back in Mexico. I love the artistic part of makeup as much as I love to take on the business side.
I consider myself a life enthusiast. I get excited about the day, the sounds, sun rays, the clouds, etc. Having fun and feeling joyful is my daily intention for myself, business, and people I interact.
2. Tell us about the mission of your brand- how does it empower women?
OUR MISSION is to ignite women in being authentic and expressing their uniqueness that allows them to be more of what they already are by highlighting and standing out their femininity through makeup and classes with highly trained makeup artists in a fun, friendly, and supportive environment. We are determined to put Dallas on the map of the beauty world by bringing the best makeup education to our beauty community.
3. What is the biggest challenge you’ve had to press through as a female entrepreneur? What are the steps you had to take to overcome it?
I find challenges to be internal and not external. I believe in myself and my purpose so as long as I stay true to myself and the message of my brand it will resonate to the right people. I cannot control the environment- what I can control is how hard and how smart I work. I overcome my internal challenges by reading and educating myself and giving myself time to focus on being creative and implementing knowledge as I learn it.
Running your own business is incredibly rewarding, but it also comes with worries as I never have the luxury of wrapping up the day. After working hours, I still invest time and energy on administrative tasks, marketing strategies, social media etc. so I wear a lot of hats in my business, but I love it. Every day is different and is challenging in a good way because my mind is always thinking creatively, and I´m not stuck in a mental routine. That has helped me develop thick skin because it has taught me to manage difficult situations and not allow setbacks to affect me emotionally.
4. What sets your brand apart from others?
What sets Backstage apart from other beauty brands is the connection we have with our clients or as we call them: Backstage Girls. I love working with women and helping them feel more confident and see themselves as beautiful as I see them. When you have your hands literally on someone else, they can feel your intentions. People can tell if you are working in the moment to create the best look for their bone structure and eye shape, just as they can tell if you are going through the motions doing the same tired look on every face you encounter. I listen to my clients. Everybody has a way of looking at themselves, and I respect that. When I do makeup I stay true to my clients beauty and how they perceive themselves as beautiful. I love to see a client leave my chair, look in the mirror and smile back at herself.
Backstage was inspired by the energy and excitement that build up before your WOW moment. When someone's makeup is complete, they have that moment of finding themselves in the mirror and thinking "There SHE is!" Being at Backstage is knowing that when the process comes to an end you will look good, you will feel good, and the world reacts to you in a different way. Makeup is something you want to show off. There's a body language that goes with confidence. If she throws her shoulders back and holds her head high when she leaves then I know I did my job well.
5. How do you collaborate with others working towards a better world?
Transmitting a message of positivity is what I love most about my job. We support other women’s business and dreams with a non competitive mind set. We cheer female entreprenuers and girl bosses in general so other know about their accomplishments and join the support. We are collaborating with bloggers and business owners and female hustlers by supporting their events and creating community.
6. What advice would you give to female entrepreneurs in the beginning stages of launching their brand or business?
To believe in herself and to commit herself with all her strength to achieve the goals. Surround yourself with trusted, competent and top-notch people in every field. Be open to feedback. We all know that constructive feedback means that we can grow as individuals and if you grow everything around you will grow. Be willing to hear what others have to say—both the good and bad—and not take it personally. Have a non-competitive attitude. Know that supporting the success of others will never dampen your own. There’s enough to go around for everyone.