Today we’d like to introduce you to Stacie Ford.
Hi Stacie, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My name is Stacie Ford, I’m a pro makeup artist and my story starts in Nashville where I lived before packing my bags and heading to NYC. I applied and got accepted to the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York to study cosmetics and fragrance marketing. While studying at F.I.T. I landed a job with L’Oreal where I worked as a lead artist for the pro beauty team while continuing to finish up my classes at night.
I worked at L’Oreal for several years where I learned a lot about the beauty industry. When the crash of 08 happened, unfortunately we were all let go of our jobs and I had to find a new career or figure something out! I had done a few hi-profile weddings while working for L’oreal and had some experience so I thought we’ll maybe I can make this a career somehow… everyone gets married right?
I started thinking about how to design a website, started sketching out the layout, the name/logo, and what my new company would be all about. I built my first makeup studio on the 2nd floor of my loft apartment . I went door to door advertising my new services for wedding makeup artistry around town trying to get business but not much was happening so I thought what better way to get my name out there than to do photoshoot… so that’s what I did!
I organized my first professional photoshoot with a model whom I had worked with while at L’Oreal. I was able to get a wedding dress designer to loan me a sample dress and already had some great photographer connections. As I started to increase my portfolio one page at a time, I networked as much as I could trying to make connections and get my name out there to be published.
I was quickly noticed within the wedding industry and started working with some of the top photographers in the field. Fast forward a few years later and I have been honored with several awards within the industry including Martha Stewart’s weddings top beauty expert and Style Me Pretty’s little black book member. My company has now expanded into several regions and houses some of the most elite artists in the industry under my brand. Our work can be seen in Vogue, Martha Stewart Weddings, Brides, and doing makeup for star-studded events like the Oscars.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It was definitely far from a smooth road, in fact it was one of the most tumultuous times of my life.
When I got the news that I had been accepted to the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York. I started traveling back n forth between Nashville & NY trying to get familiar with the city and what would be my new way of life. When I heard the news of the world trade center falling I was in complete shock as I was just in World Trade a few weeks before it collapsed. It seemed like the world had stopped and my dream of going to New York looked cloudy.
The school admission was pushed back due to everything that happened in NY but it did eventually get back on track and I had a new start date for school. I worked two jobs to save up enough money to make the move, get settled in and find an apartment in New York. It was getting closer to the the big move date and I was beyond excited!
My best friend whom I had known my whole life back in California had just opened a furniture business and asked me for a favor. She needed to borrow some money to cover some advertising expenses and would pay me back by the time I left for NY. I didn’t even think twice about it as I knew she would pay me back. I loaned her everything I had saved up for the move. A few days later I got a phone call while I was at work that she had been tragically killed in a car crash.
My whole world was shattered and I was devastated. She was my biggest supporter, best friend and always wanted the best for me. It was one of the saddest times of my life. I thought about not going to NY but I know she would have wanted me to go on and follow my dreams. I still wanted to go but just didn’t know how I was going to make it or survive as I never recovered the money I loaned her and thats all I had to live on. Miraculously, I had a girlfriend who just happened to be relocating from California to NY at the same time and asked if I wanted to ride up there together with her and that she would come pick me up. We drove from Nashville to NY and she let me stay with her for a little while in her apartment in NJ. I barely had any money and was in desperate need of a job. Her apartment was in Montclair, NJ so that meant I had to take the train into the city to look for work before school started. I went every day to the city looking for work and was running out of money fast! I was getting nowhere and was down to my last $20 and the train ticket into NY was $8 so that meant I had $12 to make it through the rest of the week to eat and live on! I remember going to a grocery store and buying a pan of cornbread that I would divide up into sections so I would have enough food to live for on for a few days. I was too proud to ask my family for help as I wanted to do this on my own. It was my dream and I was going to make it happen one way or another!
I headed into the city and applied at Saks Fifth Avenue where I found a job as a freelance fragrance sprayer. It’s not what I was hoping for or was experienced at like makeup… but hey it was a job. I continued to hustle up enough money every day to pay for the train ticket into the city to make it to work. One day I was standing in the aisle handing out fragrance strips and handed one to this nicely dressed lady. We started talking and she asked me where I was from , how long I had been working this job and want I wanted to do? To make a long story short, she ended up being the vice president of L’Oreal beauty and offered me a job on the spot. She said “Here’s my card, meet me in my office on Monday morning and you’ve got a job”! I had no idea what type of job she was referring to but I was thankful that it would get me out of that aisle! I ended up getting the job in artistry and doing some freelance work for the marketing team and the rest is history.
It’s a Cinderella kind of story but it definitely wasn’t an easy road. I cried many tears, faced unimaginable obstacles, endured many sleepless nights yet somehow made it through the storm and came out on the other side of the rainbow. Even with all the hard times and struggles I went through, I wouldn’t change it for the world. It’s made me who I am today and I’m proud of that. It’s true what they say “If you can make it here you can make it anywhere”. Im living proof of that. It just depends on how bad you want it.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a professional makeup artist, I work in Bridal, fashion and do events such as the Golden Globes, the Oscars, and other television performances. I’m known for perfecting the natural- glam beauty look. I am most proud of my team and my industry of bridal.
In the last few years we’ve endured some of the hardest years of our career yet we are still here.
Something that sets me apart from others I believe is my story. Where I come from, where I’ve been and where I’m going. My artistry is a form of self reflection and the way I express myself through art.
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
To find a great mentor you have to find out what it is that you’re passionate about and what you love to do and work on that dream… every single day! Never stop learning, never give up and surround yourself with like-minded people that are just as passionate about your dream as you are. Network as much as you can at social events and in school. Believe in yourself even if no one else standing believes in you. Sometimes something ordinary can become extraordinary if you just believe in it with your whole heart.
Pricing:
- My day rate is $3,500-$4,500
- Artist packages vary from $,1500-$2,500
Contact Info:
- Email: info@staciefordbeautyco.com
- Website: www.staciefordbeautyco.com
- Instagram: @StacieFord BeautyCo.
