How to Turn Dreams Into Destiny! Incredible Underdog Story of Anastasia Beverly Hills Founder & Her Billion Dollar Beauty Empire

When you were a little girl, did you ever have a feeling like you were destined for great things? Yes, I did. I'm the perfect poster child of American Dream. I came here with nothing. I didn't speak the language, but I saw the opportunities which this country really offers you. And I achieve my wildest dream. Imagine turning your dreams into your destiny and believing you have what it takes to figure out how to do that no matter what obstacles might be holding you back. Today is the day to ignite your dreams and know they're possible. And I want you to share this episode with everyone in your life who needs a jolt of inspiration in theirs too. Because we're joined by someone who's underdog to billion dollar beauty empire story is living proof that your goals and dreams are possible. The amazing and inspiring Anastasia Sware, founder and CEO of Anastasia Beverly Hills. Anastasia is one of the world's most successful self-made women and is often referred to as the Queen of Eyebrows. And now for the very first time she's sharing incredible journey in her brand new book Raising Brows. My story of building a billion dollar beauty empire, which is not only a behind the scenes look at building a global brand from nothing, it's packed with tools on how you can achieve your own big dreams too. As an esthetician and single mother with no connections at the time, Anastasia risked her life escaping communist Romania to come to America. Raising Brows tells the remarkable story of how she built a billion dollar beauty brand and went from watching Oprah's TV show to learn English, to then shaping Oprah's eyebrows along with building a glittering roster of clients including Jennifer Lopez, Kim Kardashian, Haley Bieber, Cindy Crawford and pretty much all of Hollywood. But beneath the glossy exterior Anastasia's path wasn't easy. From landlords and bank managers laughing at her dreams, she learned to ignore the naysayers and turn her dreams into her destiny anyways. Anastasia is such a powerful testament to courage, persistence and believing in yourself when others might not. I am so excited for us all to learn from and be inspired by her grit, talent, passion and wisdom today. And whether today you're listening for yourself or because someone that you love shared this episode with you, I want to welcome you to the Jamie Kernley Michelle podcast family. Thank you so much for being here. And if you have two seconds and can do me a favor, hit the subscribe or follow button on the app you're listening or watching on, it truly means so much to me. And you can also get free inspiration right into your inbox from me for free. Just join my newsletter community at janeykernleymouth.com. I'm this incredible podcast episode today. It's not just for you and me. Please share this with every person that you know who might need some inspiration today or perhaps a little boost in their self belief because what you are about to hear can truly impact mine yours and their life too. I am so excited for this conversation. Welcome to Jamie Kernley Michelle. Oprah, how have you defied the mind? Her show is unlike any I've ever done. A revelation. When you listen, it feels like a hug but your brain and your spirit and your heart is like wow Melinda French gates. When I look into Jamie's eyes, I feel like I am on some other cosmic level with her. I could see the light around her. She's infused with light. Imagine overcoming self-doubt, learning to believe in yourself and trust yourself and know you are enough. Welcome to the Jamie Kernley Michelle. Jamie Kernley Ma's for name. Everybody needs Jamie Kernley Ma in their life. Jamie Kernley Ma. Jamie you're so inspiring. Jamie Kernley Ma. Anastasia Sware. Welcome to the Jamie Kernley Ma's show. Thank you so much for having me. I'm so excited to be here today. I'm so excited. Your story is incredible and I'm so excited for your new book. I read it cover to cover every word. It is so good. I love when we connect with other people's stories and then by the end of the book we're like rooting for ourselves and we believe in ourselves again and they want to ask you just right off the top. There's so many people who you know want to turn their dreams into their destiny but maybe they feel like it's too late or they don't have the right connections or they're too old. I know with you, you worked in your first salon when you were around 30 and then opened your first one when you were around 40. Now today you're on Forbes America's Richest Self Made Women's List and have built this billion dollar brand. What would you say to the person who's going, Anastasia, I want to turn my dreams into my destiny too but you know do I have what it takes? It's never too late. Never too late. Yeah. But I think you need to know exactly what do you want? What exactly you want? What are you passionate about? Because as you know it's not easy. So if you don't love what you do and if you're not passionate it's very difficult. You will give up sooner or later. Yeah. Yeah. There is a moment you talk about in the book where you were working in the salon and as a statistician. It was when you started shaping eyebrows that you had this sort of like just ignited passion inside of you. Did you feel like there is a moment for you where you're like, oh this is something I need to do. Like kind of an aha moment as I would say. When I started working as an aesthetician doing facial and bodywashing it was I started with that feeling of doing something for somebody else making her beautiful or at least doing something that we give her confidence making her feel beautiful. I think you get that energy back and I start liking. Then later on I bought a disposable camera and I start taking pictures of myself with my family and my friends and I realized that my I look surprised. So I remember my art teacher talking about eyebrows. How important eyebrows are and if you want to draw a portrait and change an emotion you change the eyebrow shape. And I realized looking at the pictures of myself that I look surprised in the pictures. So I thought, oh it's my eyebrows. Let me go back to the library and start studying the golden ratio technique that we used to apply in art classes. And I fixed my eyebrows and I start doing that to my clients because I thought that it's incredible changes your entire look well-shaped eyebrows. And I think that was the moment when I really fell in love with I thought, oh my god, I could transform somebody's face. It was such a moment of an aha moment number one, but two, I felt so good that I was able to do that for somebody. Yeah. Isn't it so interesting when we look back at the things that we go through and then we have this experience, this sort of like sparks this idea. I think a lot about this idea of our steps ordered in life. And because there's a lot of people right now who might be listening or watching us right now and they have a dream or something they're passionate about, but then they're in a job that maybe feels like it has nothing to do with it or it's not helping them. But I actually, I think so often the things we go through can set us up and I think about the days I was waitressing at Denny's. And Anastasia, I worked at a Denny's. I love the job. I love the job. But at the particular location I was in, the kitchen had major operational problems, so they would take a get hour to get pancakes out. And I'm waitressing and people would get so upset they'd get up and leave. And so I became really good at talking like to people and just trying to, because I was like a poor broke student trying to pay my bills. But I'll never forget, you know, in that moment in time, you know, I had a lot of dreams with a lot of self-doubt. I never knew I'd be building a company one day. But what I learned was like, oh, you've got to get your operations right? If you want to have a successful brand, right? And so later when I'm building it cosmetics, I was like, oh, we've got to get our operations right? We've got to get our, you know, and for you, I, oh my gosh, I loved, I loved reading your book so much, raising brows. It's out now because we go on this journey with you. When you spent your days growing up in Romania and you were in, you know, with your mom who was designing dresses and you got to watch patterns and watch women just be like delighted when, when, when the outcome helped make them feel their most beautiful. Do you think that planted seeds in you for what you're doing now? Absolutely. Absolutely. I think in my mom's atelier, the seed was planted because I could witness my mother showing and giving her clients so much love and making them feel so important and so beautiful. And I think that was the seed. Exactly how you just said about you working at Denny's, you realized that was the seed that was implanted in you. Like I have to do something and operation is the most important thing. How I I will plan this A to Z and execute not only I have a dream. Yes, there are many people that are super smart and they have dreams and they are talented. But from that to putting in practice and deliver and do it every day and every day you should do it better and better to master your craft, I think that's the magic in everything you do. Yeah. And I think when I, you know, when I was reading so many different pieces of your journey along the way, I just think of everyone who's listening or watching going, okay, I'm in this job right now where I had this different type of way I was raised. But those things are exposed to you one day can really be these seeds that blossom in unexpected ways that become really valuable. Absolutely. Absolutely. I want to talk about nose and rejection because they stop a whole lot of people from trying or from thinking that they have what it takes. And when you were working in a salon with owners, bosses that you loved and you were doing working as a statistician and you came to them and you said I want to do a stand-alone brow service and like a whole brow thing and that was a big moment and a big no. Yes. And can you talk about that for a moment? Well, in 1990, eyebrow shaping wasn't a service. People didn't believe that you have to charge for shaping eyebrows. So, used to take me maybe half an hour to shape eyebrow at the beginning because I was just building my technique trying to perfect my technique. So, used to take me half an hour, 40 minutes. Well, I used to have a block for a facial, block for an hour to get a facial finish for my client. So, the charge for a facial was way more than the charge for an eyebrow because at the beginning they said, okay, how much we could charge $10. So, it didn't make sense for the business, which I understood at that time. Didn't make sense for their business, the owner. And because I really believed in that magic, the science combined with beauty, I really believed in that. I thought that I could rent a room in a salon and I could do facial and body waxing. I would work extra hour, but I would still try to build the eyebrow business because I really believed in that. And it wasn't easy to make that decision because my husband didn't work. I had a little kid. I was the breadwinner in the family, but still I thought this is the reason why I came in this country. I need to do something. I believe in this, even so nobody believed, including my husband in my dream. But I thought, what do I have to lose? If I don't make it in six months, I could go and work as an institution in another place. And it's very interesting that when I used to work in the salon and shape eyebrows or to facials or body waxing, I used to have clients that used to ask me, you know, I'm an accountant or I work in a bank or they were in a job that they were not happy, but my dream is to do something else. And I used to tell them like, okay, you need to have a plan, okay? Don't give up your job because you have a family to raise. Try slowly to build whatever you believe in it. If you want another business, don't give your daytime job. And when you feel like you could make the money that were equal with your salary, then slowly you could switch. Because it's scary to start something. Yeah. So drastic and so you know, important in your life that if you cannot make it, then what are you going to do? So there are moments definitely when you feel like, okay, I want, I have this dream, I want to build, I don't know what, but you have to have a strategy. Or go to a company that you could work for and you could learn. Because it's so easier to look at things from outside. Yes. But when you are inside, you know very well. It's cosmetics. It's you feel like, oh my God, I love beauty products. I want to start the beauty brand. And then when you start a beauty brand and you start dealing with the operation, with the warehouse, with shipping, with everything that takes to do that, you feel like, okay, I don't know what I got myself into. Yes. Yes. I know. Sometimes I think there are moments. I was like, if I knew it was this hard, but yes, I don't know if I would have done, I'm glad I didn't know. I'm glad I didn't know. That's another thing. If I knew how difficult it was, I would never do it. But it's exactly like when you have a baby, you feel like, oh, if she had the baby and was able to do it, I could do it too. And then you have the baby you think like, oh my God, this is way harder than I thought. Yes. With the business is the same. Yes. Yes. It's so true. And like, we almost have to do it ourselves, though, to figure that out. You know, someone can tell us. And it's so hard. You know, I wonder if the owners of the salon at the time, who I know you love dearly, how they said, yes, yes, we'll add the service in the salon. Do you think that would have changed the course of things at all? Like, was that no, we don't want to add it? Was that a huge gift? Because then you were like, okay, I'm going to bed on myself. I'm going to do my own thing. I'm going to go for it. Absolutely. Absolutely was a gift for me. Because in all the knows that I always got was a reason for me to push even harder. Yeah. You know, like, I'm going to do it. I'm going to work twice as much. I'm going to make it because I know I'm going to succeed. I'm not going to give up. Yeah. I want everyone to hear this because we need to pause for a super brief break. And while we do take a moment to share this episode with every single person that you know who this could inspire because this conversation can truly be the words and inspiration they need to hear today to keep going. To remember that they matter and to feel less alone and more enough, more connected, more inspired and more worthy. In life, you don't sort the level of your hopes and dreams. You stay stuck at the level of your self-worth. When you build your self-worth, you change your entire life. And that's exactly why I wrote my new book, Worthy, how to believe you are enough and transform your life for you. If you have some self-doubt to destroy and a destiny to fulfill, Worthy is for you. In Worthy, you'll learn proven tools and simple steps that bring life-changing results like how to get unstuck from the things holding you back. Build unshakable self-love. Unlearn the lies that lead to self-doubt and embrace the truth that wake up worthiness. Overcome limiting beliefs and imposter syndrome. Achieve your hopes and dreams by believing you are worthy of them and so much more. Are you ready to unleash your greatness and step into the person you were born to be? Imagine a life with zero self-doubt and unshakable self-worth. Get your copy of Worthy plus some amazing thank you bonus gifts for you at Worthybook.com or the link in the show notes below. Imagine what you do if you fully believed in you. It's time to find out with Worthy. Who you spend time around is so important as energy is contagious and so is self-belief and I love to hang out with you even more especially if you could use an extra dose of inspiration which is exactly why I've created my free weekly newsletter that's also a love letter to you delivered straight to your inbox each and every Tuesday morning from me. If you haven't signed up to make sure that you get it each week just go to jameycurnleema.com to make sure you're on the list and you'll get your one-on-one with Jamie weekly newsletter and get ready to believe in you. If you're tired of hearing the bad news every single day and need some inspiration, some tips, tools, joy and love hitting your inbox I'm your girl. Subscribe at jameycurnleema.com or in the link in the show notes. Do you struggle with negative self-talk? Living with a constant mental narrative that you're not good enough is exhausting. I know because I spent most of my life in that habit. The words you say to yourself about yourself are so powerful and when you learn to take control over your self-talk it's life-changing and I wanted to give you a free resource that I created for you if this is something that could benefit your life. It's called five ways to overcome negative self-talk and build self-love and it's a free how-to guide to overcome that negative self-talk to build confidence and develop unshakeable self-love so that you can dream big and keep going in the pursuit of your goals. Don't let self-sabotaging thoughts hinder your progress any longer. It's time to rewrite the script of your life when filled with self-love, resilience and unwavering belief. If you're ready to take charge of your narrative, build unwavering confidence and empower yourself to persevere on the path to your dreams, you can grab your free guide to stop overthinking and learn to trust yourself at jameycurnlema.com slash resources or click the link in the show notes below. And now more of this incredible conversation together. I want everyone to hear this because I get emails, DMs, letters every day from people saying like I just got my fourth rejection from a publisher or I just got another no on my business. I feel like I don't have what it takes. And I think that we always hear about cancel culture, which of course is a real thing, but I think the biggest form of cancel culture that a lot of people don't realize is us cancelling ourselves before we even try or before we keep going. Everyone knows your outcome. If they Google your name, they're going to see Anastasia Swari, builds billion dollar beauty empire. But really understanding, oh wow, she had nose too. She had setbacks, she had hardships. And how did she handle them? Right? Because we both, you and I both have had a million nose. Yes. Yeah. And I have to say that every time I will get to know, I wanted to know why I got rejected. Okay. Because I was thinking, okay, I need to to use a totally different avenue. So why they don't like my idea or what they don't want me to do this. And then use that for my next page. You know what I mean? Yes. And sometimes maybe it's not the right time when you want to start something or they are not the right people. Yes. Always, you know, timing is everything. Yes. Yes. Yeah, there's so many reasons why I could happen. And so often it's not an indication that you don't have what it takes or that your idea is not going to make it. And I just love the meanings that you assign to know and rejection because I always talk about how success leaves clues. And I think that, you know, we can all just take, save ourselves so many nights, cry on ourselves asleep and so much self-doubt if we connect and understand stories like yours. And how did you handle the nose? And how did you, oh, how you went through that too. But wait, you didn't let it stop you. And so I love that so much. I wonder when you were a little girl, did you ever have a feeling like you're a destined for great things? Yes, I did. You did? Yes, I did. I always wanted to be significant to do something that would be different than my life in Romania. I lived in a communist regime. It was very difficult. But in a way, I think that made me resilient, made me resourceful, made me who I am today. And I'm really thankful for, you know. Yeah. You always had to adapt every day because you didn't know tomorrow if you could survive, you know, you were in a survivor mood. Yeah. And I think it was important for me to to realize that it's always another answer. I'm thinking of an obvious second on the imagine, but I'm thinking of all of the little kids. You're same age going through similar situations in Romania or any part of the country or the world right now. And a lot of them, my handle thing is different. Where do you think that knowing of I want to do great things? Where do you think that came from when you were a little girl? I think came from my grandfather. He was an immigrant in Romania and he constantly used to tell me that he made a mistake leaving Macedonia and coming to Romania instead of going to United States. And I was in a room with him and we had a tiny little radio and we used to close the window and drapes and the doors and listening to voice of America because was the only way for us to know what was happening everywhere. And he used to tell me like I made a huge mistake not going to America, but you should go because this is what freedom is. This is where freedom is not here. I made a mistake. And I think he installed that in me. Like I have to go to America. I mean, now I look back and I was even when I came here. I thought, wow, what the hell I was thinking. I didn't speak the language. I didn't know anyone. I didn't have one penny to make a phone call. And I don't know. I was just my grandfather voice was in my mind. You have to go there. Any plant at the scene? He planted the seed. Then he trusted it. He went for it. Yes. I was the only one in the family that wanted to come here. Nobody wanted to come. I love the pattern of you betting on yourself and believing yourself. I want to ask you about being in school and getting in the red boots that you are. Tell us about the red boots because I fell in love with you again reading the story about the red boots in school. You really read the book. Of course, in a communist regime, everybody had to wear the same uniform. We had flats, black shoes. I really didn't like them. I felt like they were not sexy enough or not sexy, but not feminine enough. My mother bought me a pair of red boots from Italy. They were platform. Exactly how the fashion is right now, believe it or not. I went to school with wearing those boots and pulled my uniform and make it a little shorter because you always had to have it below the knee. I felt like I was breaking the rules. Of course, the teacher were not happy, but I wanted to kind of make my point and I wanted to feel like I am going to do something breaking a rule that I wanted to feel or at least dream that this is what people in the west are wearing. I used to get some vogue magazines and it was not easy because everything was black market. We couldn't buy anything from the west. Of course, looking at the fashion was incredible for me and I wanted to feel like I am like all those girls in the west. You mentioned knowing that some of the other kids at school, like me, judge you for it and have a problem with it and you might feel like a little bit. Yes, but I never really paid attention to I wasn't really, I didn't care if people would judge me. I mean, everything was in a communist Romania, everybody will judge you. And I thought I want to go in a country where nobody is going to judge me for what I want to do, what I want to be, who I want to be. And probably that's why I picked Los Angeles. I feel like this is the freedom. Do you, where do you think that strength came from? Because a lot of us going through especially school years, whether it's elementary school, junior high, high school, I mean, people are plagued by trying to fit in and worrying about not fitting in and what do people think. Where do you think that strength came from? I don't know, I never had that growing up. I never wanted to be like somebody else. And I was the shortest in the class because I was a gymnast and I was so skinny. But I never really, it didn't matter to me. I had my own agenda. I wanted to go to our classes. I want to be the best gymnast. I wanted to paint the best paintings. That was more important for me that being like somebody else. Do you care what people think now? Never. I never care. Never. Never. I wanted to do the right thing for me. Yeah. But I never care what other people think of me. In the stay-in-age now being such a global, well-known person. I feel like now in 2025, everybody, no matter who it is, with social media and everything going on, there's a million people that love you and every person. And have something to say. Yeah. This and that. When you are aware of any of that stuff that comes with everybody nowadays, do you, you don't care? You know, I like myself. Yeah. And if you don't like me, it's okay. That's your entitled to your opinion. Yeah. But I like myself. Yeah. I try to be a good person. I try to do the right thing in life. I try to do good for other people, to help other people. And again, if you don't like what I do or how I look or what I wear, it's okay. You are entitled to your opinion. Doesn't mean that it's going to affect me. Don't you think? How are you strong enough not to let it affect you? You just don't. No, I don't. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, I do not spend the time Yes. I don't waste my time. Yes. Because my time is so precious. I want to use my time in things that I could I could grow. I could learn. I could do amazing things for other people. Yes. If I will focus on on the negative, then it pushes me back. And I can't do that. I just want to call this out because I'm about to jump out of my chair. Because I'm so excited. Because you are going to there's going to be someone that just heard I'm going to cry. There's going to be someone that just heard what you shared in the last two minutes. And it's going to change their life for two reasons. So many people right now are so scared to put themselves out there or to post how they are authentically on social media or to raise their hand in a meeting and share an idea or to bet on themselves because they're scared of what other people will think. They're scared of they won't fit in anymore. And why I'm so excited right now on Asakusa is like when you share even in school, you know, you were you know, you share that you were maybe yourself full. You didn't need to fit in. You were a gymnast and really skinny and wanted to wear red shoes and wanted to go to art class and and look at you look at when success leaves clues. I think one of the keys for every single person to living their greatest life is when they fully are all of who they are. And you are talking about how, you know, you've been all of who you are. And like that's your superpower, right? Like if you were like, oh, let me fit in in school. Let me try to make sure everyone likes me or oh, now let me care what everyone thinks. That kind of stuff will will doubt ourselves out of our own destiny so fast when we do that. And I love that you're sitting here as somebody who, you know, was a mom with no connections trying to figure out how do I make money betting on yourself, starting with nothing and you're sitting here having built a billion plus dollar beauty empire, having almost every single person I can think of, um, who's, you know, loves you and has been impacted by your work and the impact you have every single day and you look at that pattern and everyone right now can decide, you know what, I'm going to stop freaking caring about all this. I'm going to be who I fully have. And if someone says something against me, I'm not going to care. No, I'm going to give you another example. So when I came, I had $200 and I bought myself a fourth station wagon that it was, was because this room. And, uh, the car was so bad. I mean, the hood was open and the exhaust was a tube coming out of the hood in front. The windows in the back didn't close properly. So it was open like in a diagonal. It was a bad car, but I don't care. My daughter used to say, Mom, we can't even go to park or to valid the car because this is such a bad car. Now you make enough money or I was working renting. I was making decent money, but to me, it wasn't, it wasn't important to save those money because I had a bigger dream. And she used to say, Mom, just like, can you buy another car? Like no, like what people would say, we, we, you work in Beverly Hills, like, I don't care what they say. I don't need to, uh, to get in debt and, and drive a Mercedes because I want to save the money and build something to me. I always, I always think of the, in the long run. Now, I don't care what I really didn't matter to me. What other people thought? What the valet parking, uh, gentlemen thought of my car or it wasn't important. It's important who I am. Yeah. It doesn't matter what car I drive. This is what I think. Yeah. Yeah. Well, and it's so beautiful because I feel like even with so many people now that start businesses, they see what's going on all over social media and they prioritize sort of like flash over cash and making sure that they're like thinking long term, you say in the book that there were some values that refused to park your car. Yeah. They didn't want to park my car. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. You know, one other thing you said, I just want to highlight because it's so good. You, and I want everyone at home to think of their own time this way as well. But you mentioned your time so precious. You can be doing so many things to impact to help other people to, and so it's like anything we do comes at the price of what we could be doing. Anytime we're spending focusing on what this person thinks about me or this person said that that comes at the price of our time. Absolutely. And energy that we could be doing something completely different. And sometimes what will happen, you will spend so much time on focusing on that negative instead of putting your whole persona into, let me see how I could grow. Let me see how I could learn something else. Let me think of me. What else I could do to prosper, to do better for my family, to do better for other people, for my customers, for my friends. To me, I mean, always stay positive and look at the bright, look at the half full glass, not half empty glass. Yeah. So good. You know, a lot of us are in loving families, well-intended families. We have great friends, but when we share a big idea, they don't get it. Or we get laughed at. You, you were laughed at by potential landlords, not given loans by the bank, and you chose to bet on yourself anyway. And, you know, now you've been at the White House being celebrated by the most powerful people in the country. You've been, you know, celebrated by so many people. But to go from that moment of being in that spot, which so many of us can relate to, where we have this idea, but in your case, the landlord thinks it's ridiculous. Like, it's not going to, like, that's not a real business doing, doing browse. You're not going to be able to pay rent for me, doing browse. You have banks not wanting to give you loan. And those kind of moments, can you share how you handle them? Yes. So we need to pause for a super brief break. And while we do, take a moment to share this episode with every single person that you know who this could inspire, because this conversation can truly be the words and inspiration they need to hear today to keep going. To remember that they matter and to feel less alone and more enough, more connected, more inspired and more worthy. Who you spend time around is so important as energy is contagious. And so is self belief. And I love to hang out with you even more, especially if you could use an extra dose of inspiration, which is exactly why I've created my free weekly newsletter. That's also a love letter to you delivered straight to your inbox each and every Tuesday morning from me. If you haven't signed up to make sure that you get it each week, just go to jmecarlingma.com to make sure you're on the list. And you'll get your one on one with Jamie weekly newsletter and get ready to believe in you. If you're tired of hearing the bad news every single day and need some inspiration, some tips, tools, joy and love hitting your inbox, I'm your girl. Subscribe at jmecarlingma.com or in the link in the show notes. I am so excited for this book. You know why? Because it's going to say so. You're the new beautiful book. Get this book. This book. I'm telling you. It's a book that can change anybody's life. We picks it up. Anybody who's ever felt that they were not good enough. Didn't measure up. Something's missing in your life. I have to tell you it's powerful. It's happening. It's really. Imagine what would you do if you fully believe in you? I went from struggling waitress facing non-stop rejection to founder of It Cosmetics, a billion dollar company. My learning how to overcome self-doubt and believe I'm worthy of my hopes and dreams and I'm sharing how you can too. My new book worthy. How to believe you are enough and transform your life. If you're ready to truly trust yourself and break through that barrier of self-doubt and know that where you come from or even where you are right now doesn't determine where you're going, then worthy is for you. It's time to go from doubting your enough to knowing your enough. It's time to step into all of who you are and into the person you were born to be. And it's time to believe that you are worthy of it because in life we don't become what we want. We become what we believe we're worthy of. Join the worthy movement today by grabbing your copy of worthy anywhere books are sold and head to worthybook.com now for free gifts including my five-part course on becoming unstoppable and my 95 page worthy workbook action plan that teaches you how to implement the tools from the book into your real life right now. worthy is groundbreaking. Yo my god worthy you are worthy. It's book to change lives. This book literally will teach you how to actually feel worthy so that you can have the strength. You can have the confidence. The lessons in this book and the strategies will change your life. You will never be the same again if you read this book. Jamie's book worthy is a must read. It is going to inspire you, empower you, give you the hope that you need and the kick in the rear end that you deserve. Jamie's book worthy is incredible. The gifts are going away but they're all free right now on worthybook.com. And now more of this incredible conversation together. You have banks not wanting to give you loan. In those kind of moments can you share how you handle them? Yes. So I wanted to rent the spot that I have the salon even today. Believer or not is still there for 38 not bad for drive. I went to the landlord and I told him that. I want to and of course he asked me what's your business. I said well I shape eyebrows and I'm working with the biggest celebrity in Hollywood. So the gentleman looked at me and said you do eyebrows. I was like lady this is Beverly Hills. You can't pay rent in Beverly Hills shaping eyebrows. He didn't even know what that service was. And I he didn't want to rent me the space. So the space I knew for sure because I used to work around the corner was empty for two years. In 96 97 the economy was not that great in US and especially Los Angeles. So they were a lot of empty spots. And I stayed there for two hours trying to convince the landlord that he needs to give me the space. I tried every avenue. If you would say oh no no I brought it's impossible. You cannot pay the rent. Then I used something else. I said well you know the space it's empty for two years. Give me six months. Give me the space for six months and if I don't make it I'm going to lose. I'm going to leave. I'm going to rent or go again and rent a tiny little room. But give me the space for six months. Still he wasn't convinced. And then I used my last card. I said well I'm sure your parents your grandparents or grand-grandparents were immigrants in this country. It's like I'm an immigrant. Give me a chance. Somebody gave them a chance. And you know what? He said okay I will give you for six months. The space. Is everyone recognizing a pattern here? Because again a lot of people would hear no relief. Or they might get offended or they might... I mean who knows or they would hear no for an hour. And then leave and you're just like unremitting and you keep going and then you connect at that heart level. Yes. I tried every card. Actually the broker, Dembo I will never forget was there after like half an hour. No, no, no. He looked at me and was like let's leave. He's not going to give you the space. Like I'm not leaving. We don't leave this place until I'm going to get an yes. And I did. Yeah. So you created the iconic. The iconic golden ratio for eyebrows. And I love which just brings out someone's most beautiful face. And I love when you when you say that for you and you're one of your many talents is like I think you say in the movie the sixth sense where but instead of them seeing I see dead people you're like I see eyebrows. I see eyebrows. When you look at someone's face can you talk about that? I know you shared that you were studying the golden ratio in libraries and with art and then how you brought that to life because this is so good. Because we can get inspiration from so many places. You brought that into an industry first ever and you transformed the beauty industry. Yes. Can you talk about that? So in art school I studied them of course the golden ratio technique that Leonardo da Vinci used this technique in all his art. And when I realized that my eyebrows made me look surprise I wanted to create a technique that will shape the perfect eyebrow according to my bone structure and my natural shape. And I started going to the library and kind of revisited the work that Leonardo da Vinci did. He studied the entire body the face as you know the only thing he didn't was the eyebrows. And of course it took me hours and hours to kind of create that perfect shape or the technique. And once I started doing was so much easier. Another important element was that working in Beverly Hills I had clients from everywhere, every ethnicity because it was important. We all have different bone structure, different hair in our eyebrows, different length of the eyebrows. And was so good that I was able to kind of compare every bone structure and kind of create the stencils and then there were not eyebrow products. And I was mixing eyeshadow with Aloe vera and Vaseline to create the opomat. And from art store I used to buy the brushes because there were no brushes for eyebrows. And this is how I used to finish the perfect arch when my client would leave. And then they would come back after three weeks and they would say well Anastasia my eyebrow looked great when I left but after I took a shower my eyebrow still was missing hairs. And that was the moment when I thought okay I have to create products. I went to Cosmo Profim Bolonia and I started working on the products. And the beauty of that was I couldn't find other products to copy or to be inspired. I created every product based on the need of my clients. So I will give them the samples and ask them okay text me or not text me, call me and tell me how do you like it? It's too soft, it's too dark, it's too you know just to create the perfect arch, the perfect product. And this is how the products were created. And it gave the golden ratio like you named it, you owned it, you claimed it, and you created this whole shift in an industry and you know what I love is it applies to everybody. So every person listening right now can figure out the golden ratio for them, you have a chart in the book. So when you get your copy of Raising Browse, Anastasia's Brand New Book that's out now, so good, there's even a chart in there that can show you exactly how to do that for your face shape, no matter what age you are or ethnicity or bone structure or yeah and it just and tell everyone maybe if they're hearing this for the first time, when they do their brows with the golden ratio, what happens to them, what happens to their face? Well the perfect eyebrow shape brings balance and proportion, a harmony within all their features and the human eyes encoded to recognize that harmony. And it's all of a sudden, even if you are not an expert and that was probably the reason why was Wart of Mout because when I started, didn't exist social media and was the Wart of Mout, the client will walk on the street and somebody will say, wow, it's something different about you and they will of course, proudly they will say, well, I just got my eyebrows at Anastasia and it was wonderful to get that and at the beginning, I remember how hard I worked and so many hours because I wanted to do the perfect eyebrows, I wanted to master my skill and I think it was very important for me, I think of course, I wanted to be successful, I wanted to make money, but that wasn't my primal objective, I wanted to do the best eyebrows. And you have, for pretty much half the world now, you say when you feel beautiful, you feel powerful and what do you say because you've had so many people who you've met throughout the years, now there's millions of women and people impacted by your work, who love your products, who love your message, when you say you feel, when you feel beautiful, you feel powerful, what do you say to the woman who's like, Anastasia, I've not felt beautiful ever or in a very long time. What I would tell her, in a way she needs to get her eyebrows done, but I worked in the salon for many years and every five minutes I used to have another client, I used to have three hours waiting list, so working nonstop, but every single time when I finish the eyebrow and my client, I will give my client the mirror and she will look in the mirror, you could see her face was lit, she will feel like a million bucks, I thought wow, the effect that an eyebrow, you could see, I could feel it, I could see it, she will, her energy, that explosive energy kind of gave me so much power to keep doing this and many times I have to say this, I think my clients were the one that will keep me going because I had days and nights when I would go home and think like, I can't do this anymore, this is hard, this is difficult, but they will keep that fire in me and I felt like they were the ones that will keep me going. Internet love about that, I think about for anyone who's maybe an entrepreneur now or putting their art out in the world of their ideas or anything, who's having those days where you're just like, am I even supposed to do this? And I think one thing you just shared is so powerful that I think is a big key to success that we can all lean on when times are tough, I think we all have to have a reason or more than one that we're doing at that's bigger than ourselves and I remember there were, I was going to say days, but honestly, years that I spent in the QVC green room where I was so grateful to be on, but I was absolutely utterly burnt out working 100 hour weeks going, is my business going to make it? It was just, it was so much and there were days that were so hard and I would have emails and messages printed out from customers in a stack and if I was having a really bad day, I would go through those and I'd be like, okay, this is why I'm doing what I'm doing, this is why I'm doing what I'm doing and when you just shared that there were days were so hard, but you have somebody in your salon who's like, wow, and then you just saw their, you know, them come alive and that's sort of something bigger than yourself and I want to call that out because I think that's important, I think a lot of people maybe haven't thought of that in what they're doing and I think we've all got to have something that we can lean on on those hard days. You have to find an anchor that will keep you going. Yeah, yeah, I remember those QVC, that's Sheraton, I mean, even right now, if you tell me about QVC, I think the smell of the carpet that was 20 years ago, Sheraton, the only hotel close to QVC and I used to go there at two o'clock in the morning and being on the show and then fly back in the next morning, I will be in the salon, I mean, working seven days a week. Yeah, nonstop. But again, you have those moments where you have people that you have to stay anchor to the people that at least they will keep you going, could be one, could be 10, could be a hundred, but you have to keep those people that will believe in you because that's the way you keep going and not give up. Yeah, you know, one of the things I love so much, I'm like, many with raising brows, your new book, that's out now. I'm excited for everyone to get this in their hands because we can see ourselves and what's possible for us and someone else's story and there's so much that you share what, you know, you talk a lot about how even to this day, you check every, you know, batch of products, I mean, there's all these, there's so much that you share and hear that I think we can all think about our own situation and learn from or recognize clues as to why you're so successful now. But if you were to think of maybe a couple of the big needle movers for anyone listening that really make a difference in building a business that, you know, that, you know, you're so glad you did or continue to do now that you would tell everyone else to do. What would you say those are? There's sort of the keys to success. Well, first I think you need to be authentically who you are. What do you want? What do you believe in it? Don't try to be like somebody else. Yeah. Because at the end of the day is going to come out. You have to be authentically you. You don't need to make yourself like somebody else thinking that they will like you more. No. You are perfect the way you are. Just you will shine. Just show us who you are. That's the most important thing when you start doing a business. You need to really be passionate about because it's very easy to give up. Then you have to be resilient and stay focused. Don't lose your focus. I mean, during my career, there were many days when maybe I wanted to do something else. My part I job to get money and to invest in the company was flipping houses. I used to buy house, remodel and sell them. I became so good at it. I had moments when I was thinking, maybe I should do this, not eyebrows because this is difficult. But no, I stayed focused on eyebrows. I used that money and that business just to be able to have the revenue to put into the business. Stay constantly in your dream because it's going to take a long time. Or if you are lucky to take you just a year or two, that's a different story. But most of the time, every overnight success takes at least 10 years. Yeah. That's so good to stay focused on your dream because especially nowadays, we scroll Instagram for five minutes and we can be like, oh, there's everything out there that can distract us or make us think that we're on the wrong track or that someone else has it easier and better or maybe I should do that thing. That's really good. Yeah. Yeah. Because it's not easy. For you, you talk about the words your grandpa shared when you were little and listening to the radio with the drapes closed and then being the one from your family. The only one who's like, I'm going to America. What does the American dream mean to you? Do you feel like you've created the American dream and do you think it's still alive and well today? Well, I think I'm the perfect the poster child of American dream. I came here with nothing. I didn't speak the language, but I saw the opportunities which this country really offers you and I achieved my wildest dream. I ever thought that I would achieve that much but I work really hard and I still work really hard because I love it. And I still believe that the American dream is still alive. I think people need to see the opportunities. I think opportunities are everywhere. It will be different. Now, today, the AI's social media, when I started, the opportunities were different. I still believe this country offers so many opportunities. And you still work so hard because you do not need to work at all. And I have people say to me like, because I work a lot right now. I actually work too much right now. But I love it. I love the show. I want to look. I'm so honored to share your story with so many people. So I love it. I'm curious for you because you don't have to do nothing. Why is it right now? You still work so hard. I love it. I love to be, I'm so competitive. I love to be involved. I love to win. This conversation with Anastasia is so incredible. We made it into more than one part. If you want to gain stories, insights and true inspiration to turn your dreams into your destiny, you are not going to want to miss this incredible part too of our conversation with Anastasia Svore coming up in the next episode of the Jamie Kern Lima show. Remember this episode is not just for you and me. Please share this with every single person that you know because it can impact and change their life too. And if you love today's episode, please click the follow or subscribe button for the show on the app that you're listening to it on or washing it on. And if it added value to your life, if you could please give it a five star rating review, I would be so grateful. And again, share it with everyone you believe in. Maybe it's another person in your life who could benefit from it, who's building something of their own or facing a season, a setback or just needs a boost of inspiration. And please post the episode and share it with others online or in your community who just might need the words and tools and lessons in this episode today. You never know whose life your meant to change today by sharing this episode. Thank you so much for joining me today. Before you go, I want to share some words with you that couldn't be more true. You right now, exactly as you are, are enough and fully worthy. You're worthy of your greatest hopes, your wildest dreams and all the unconditional love in the world. And it's an honor to welcome you to each and every episode of the Jamie Kermey Meshau. Here, I hope you'll come as you are and heal where you need blossom what you choose journey toward your calling and stay as long as you'd like because you belong here. You are worthy. You are loved. You are loved. And I love you. And I cannot wait to join you on the next episode of the Jamie Kermey Meshau. In life, you don't sort the level of your hopes and dreams. You stay stuck at the level of your self-worth. When you build your self-worth, you change your entire life. And that's exactly why I wrote my new book, Worthy. How to believe you are enough and transform your life for you. If you have some self-doubt to destroy and a destiny to fulfill, Worthy is for you. In Worthy, you'll learn to prove in tools and simple steps that bring life-changing results like how to get unstuck from the things holding you back. Build unshakable self-love. Unlearn the lies that lead to self-doubt and embrace the truths that wake up worthiness. Overcome limiting beliefs and imposter syndrome. Achieve your hopes and dreams by believing you are worthy of them and so much more. Are you ready to unleash your greatness and step into the person you were born to be? Imagine a life with zero self-doubt and unshakable self-worth. Get your copy of Worthy plus some amazing thank you bonus gifts for you at Worthybook.com or the link in the show notes below. Imagine what you do if you fully believed in you. It's time to find out with Worthy. Who you spend time around is so important as energy is contagious and so is self-belief. And I'd love to hang out with you even more especially if you could use an extra dose of inspiration which is exactly why I've created my free weekly newsletter that's also a love letter to you delivered straight to your inbox from me. If you haven't signed up to make sure that you get it each week just go to jameycurnleema.com to make sure you're on the list and you'll get your one-on-one with Jamie Weekly newsletter and get ready to believe in you. If you're tired of hearing the bad news every single day and need some inspiration, some tips, tools, joy, and love hitting your inbox, I'm your girl. 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