Exploring Life & Business with Kierra Gray of The Babe Cave Lash Lounge

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kierra Gray.

Hi Kierra, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I moved to Cookeville when I was freshly 18 from a very small rural town that I grew up in. I had no direction or knew what path I’d take in life so it was a shot in the dark to figure it out. I tried college as a political science major and quickly found that this wasn’t for me. I enjoyed the social aspect of college, but after dropping out I was back to square one on where life would take me. Fast forward, I enrolled in hair school and graduated in 2016. While doing hair and trying to build a clientele, I was introduced to the lash industry and how much investment could be made from working in it, so I drove myself to Nashville and took a course to become certified in lash extension artistry, and so it began… In 2019, I had completely stopped taking hair clientele and pursued a career full time doing lash extensions, only this time I was opening my own small business in a small salon studio and navigating this new industry with little education and no idea how to be a business owner. It was stressful, intimidating to a young professional, and alot of times I felt lost without having the mentorship of being in a salon. A year later, COVID shut down my new business. It was one of the most trying times of my life having no income and only to worry if I would have a clientele or business to come back to. Thankfully, I had an incredible support system full of people and clients who never let me fail. They truly pulled me through that darkness. 2 years later, after COVID had become accepted by society, my husband encouraged me that I should expand. The lash industry was booming and I had been present from the start of it in our area. Within that 2 years before expanding, I started teaching lash certification courses and had the opportunity to certify women from cities all over TN and even states away in lash artistry. I truly turned this “hobby job” into an entire career and was given the chance to share the same opportunities to other individuals, even in my town of Cookeville. I expanded my services and business into what is now called The Babe Cave Lash Lounge: a luxurious and exclusive lash lounge being the first and only one in Cookeville to date. I expanded my team and hired girls to perform lash extensions and select brow services, I also continue to offer lash and brow service, and I host lash certification courses to an expansive portion of women in Middle TN. To look back and see that girl who had no direction of where she was going, it’s truly inspiring to see now that every stepping stone of life lead me here to be the successful business woman I am today with a successful business that allows me the freedom to work for myself and give employment opportunities to those likeminded individuals who I once saw as myself.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
There were many struggles along the way. I think being a young entrepreneur is a struggle in itself honestly. Trying to build clout and relevance as a 21 year old isn’t easy. Then building clientele in an industry that basically didn’t exist in our area was extremely scary. I was laughed at, questioned, and probably not taken too seriously. COVID was the biggest hurdle to cross. Once the pandemic shut down my business, it was terrifying trying to source income to fund a living.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about The Babe Cave Lash Lounge ?
The Babe Cave Lash Lounge is Cookeville’s exclusive lash lounge. What sets us apart from your everyday salon, is that we specialize in the craft of lash and brow artistry and while most salons house one or two lash artists in their own private rooms, we offer an open concept style room for individuals looking to receive our services. Each individual is trained to meet a specific standard of lashing so every guest that comes to us can be assured they are getting the same care and service throughout their time with us. I am proud of our brand in knowing that our guests acknowledge our reputation of good customer care and service. It’s a core value that I went into this whole business idea with and it will carry through for as long as The Babe Cave Lash Lounge still stands.

Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
Jane Van Laar from Franklin, TN was my mentor. It was a meeting of fate when I was introduced to her. I was working as a sales rep for Babyliss Pro at a hair show in Orlando and I actually met her on the plane ride back to Nashville. She had a kindness to her that anyone could be drawn to. When we parted, she said to me that she would be happy to certify me in lash extensions one day if I’d like. When that opportunity came up, I knew she was put in my life for a reason.

My husband is also my biggest supporter. When we met and I told him about my vision for The Babe Cave, he encouraged me to go for it. Probably more than I had believed in myself at the time that I could actually do it. This type of business is unheard of in my city, so he put my mind at ease when I had a moment of doubt. He was there every step of the way to have my back and help me find a system of how to navigate expanding this type of business and taking on a leadership role over other girls aspiring for success in this industry as well.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @thebabecave.ckvl
• Facebook: @thebabecave.ckvl