This is the scenario. You’ll leave the office at 5pm, run to the makeup counter, then make a stop at the blowout bar before going home to leisurely get ready for the big gala. In reality, your meeting runs long, your shade of lipstick is out of stock, and you totally miss your blowout appoint. So rather than going glam in a big way, you pull a comb through your hair, resort to a top bun, and do your makeup while on a bumpy taxi ride to the party. You know what the best stress reliever is in a situation like this? It’s Vensette.
Celeb-status hair and makeup is literally an iPhone tap away thanks to a beauty app created by founder, CEO, and fashionable New York socialite, Lauren Remington Platt. Her members-only service deploys hair stylists and makeup artist, where you want them, when you want them, and for whatever occasion, whether you’re hitting a black-tie wedding or just meeting an old flame for a casual lunch that you want to look casually hot for.
Here’s how it works. Download the app. Pick your time and location, be it your home, your office, or you BFF’s pad. Then, pick your look from a visual menu that includes things like smokey lids and a pale lip (the Cat) or contoured eyes with a bold red lip (the Grace Kelly). The visual menu is awesome because it lets you know exactly what you’re getting. There’s none of that “Oh, I thought a chignon looked like this” stuff going on here.
And this is where things get super exciting. It’s the part where a beauty dream team shows up at your front door. And we really do mean dream team. All the brush-packing pros have been vetted to guarantee killer consistency, and they all have resumes sporting experience in movies, television, and magazines. So rest assured. You’re in good hands.
By now you’re wondering how much this full-service, Avon-lady-gone-glam house call is going to cost you? Probably not as much as you think. Prices range from $150 for hair only to $225 for a complete look, which when you consider the cost of going to the salon (time and energy), plus the service of getting your hair and makeup done, the price point isn’t that much higher. Not to mention, you get to feel totally spectacular with a beauty team swarming around you in your own abode.
The downside? Vensette is currently only available to the busy women of New York. We hope the service spreads fast with beauty consultants at your beck and call in every major city in the US.
Oh, and did we mention that the team arrives with mini bottles of champagne? Because they definitely do that too.
Who’s up for some in-home primping and polishing? Let us know in the comments below!
It can be intimidating to step out on your own and build a business from the ground up. As part of our collaboration with Office Depot, we're talking with Selfmade alum and solopreneur Colette Lawrence, the faith-based motivator and relationship builder behind The M.E.E. Movement, about ways in which women in business can find success.
B + C: How did you know M.E.E. Movement was your business to start?
The M.E.E Movement represents motivation, empowerment, and encouragement for women. It is what represents me. I did not know at first that it was my business to start, but then the thought of monetizing what I loved came to me. It scared me, however. I registered the business in July 2020 and have been slowly building my wings since.
B + C: What's one strategy that's helped you start your business?
Thinking through and researching what the requirements are to start my business, and then asking questions of people who are in the business. Not all advice worked; however, it helped me to figure out what I needed to do and not to do.
B + C: Did you always know life coaching would be your entrepreneurial path?
(Smiles) No, I did not. I 'stumbled" on it. I knew that people were always coming to me for advice and I found that I loved having conversations with them, especially with women, young and old.
B + C: What was your most valuable takeaway from Selfmade?
My most valuable takeaway was the first day of training: Get out of your own way. There were a lot of great moments and important takeaways from every presenter. However, getting out of my own way, pushing past doubts, was for me my most valuable takeaway. Doing something that I had never done before took courage. If I do not focus on what is happening with me mentally then I cannot deliver to my clients successfully.
B + C: What's one piece of advice you would give to female entrepreneurs on the brink of starting?
Get out of your head. You have something to offer. You have what you need to succeed so go ahead and do it.
B + C: How do you stay motivated?
I stay motivated by listening to music and listening to motivational speakers, and sometimes someone will just reach out and talk about the impact that I made in their life. That adds the extra juice or sauce I need to pummel through the day.
B + C: What's your best organizational tip?
Keep a diary and journal. It's the best way for me to keep organized and it also provides a source motivation as I record not only my "losses" but my wins as well.
B + C: Who inspires you in the entrepreneurial space?
Shirley Toliver – She motivates and empowers and makes me always want to show up.
B + C: What has receiving the Office Depot scholarship to Selfmade done to help you start or grow your business?
The scholarship was a blessing in that all the areas that were covered offered valuable information that I needed, from social media to HR. As a new business owner, I needed to know this to increase my own personal awareness in what it takes to run a successful business. The candidness of the presenters made it easy to see myself in their shoes and helped me to realize that I can also get there.
Thanks Colette! You can follow The M.E.E. Movement on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
Want to feel motivated to take the next step for your business? Let Office Depot OfficeMax give you the confidence you need with a suite of business services & solutions to help you put your best foot forward. Make a good first impression with business cards & build the business pitch of your dreams with custom presentations. With Office Depot OfficeMax you'll find the tools to reach new customers with confidence.
Head to Office Depot's Selfmade page to check out even more amazing business resources (and discounts!) to help you accomplish more on your entrepreneurial journey. These offers are available for a limited time only, so be sure to take advantage of all this goodness while supplies last. Want to join the next Selfmade cohort this summer? Check out all of the scholarship details right here.