Meet Jess Tiel | Owner & Master Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jess Tiel and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jess, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
After graduating college, I was on a completely different career path that did not pertain at all to beauty. But during that time, I decided that I wanted to get my eyebrows tattooed. I really struggled to find a local artist that I felt like I could trust with my face. There were certainly a few artists performing this service, but none of them felt like they were the right fit for me. After expanding my search, I finally found an artist out of state that was tattooing brows in a way that looked more modern and natural, and was exactly what I was looking for. So I flew all the way to Salt Lake City, twice, to get my brows done (once for the initial session, and once for the touchup 6 weeks later).

That’s when it dawned on me – there’s clearly a need for this in Colorado. I can’t be the only person interested in the convenience of permanent makeup, so I’m surely not the only person experiencing the same frustration at the lack of artists here. While I don’t have a background in art, I do have an appreciation for it and would consider myself more artistic. So I looked into the rules and regulations for becoming a permanent makeup artist and made the decision to quit my job and enroll in school. While in school, I tried to consider every possible option of where I could work after I graduate. Do I work in a med spa, a traditional tattoo shop, a hair salon, or maybe a nail salon? Nothing really felt right, and there weren’t any brow specialty salons at that time. So ultimately, I decided to start my own business, which would be just that – a brow salon. I had no idea what I was doing, because there was no existing business in Colorado that embodied what I was envisioning that I could model my business after. It felt like the wild west, but for brows.

My business has gone through many different phases. I started solo, in a tiny room with no windows in the basement of a building. And soon after, the demand was so great, and I was booking so far out that I felt like I needed to expand and grow my team. I moved to a bigger location and hired 2 other artists who were equally as passionate about brows as I was, and we continued to grow from there. Boulder Brows is now a full service salon offering all things brows, lashes, and permanent cosmetics, and we’ve now opened another location in Fort Collins.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’m a cosmetic tattoo artist, specializing in eyebrows and eyeliner, as well as corrective work. I pride myself on being a very versatile tattoo artist While I do feel that I have a signature style that I love to get to do often, that doesn’t mean I’m going to push my clients into getting something that they don’t feel comfortable with. I really take the time to listen to what my client wants, by identifying very specific elements on a brow that they like and don’t like. So together we create an end result that brings their vision/preferences to life. I’m happy to make recommendations, or guide people towards a more aesthetically pleasing shape/style. But ultimately it’s their face, so I make bringing their vision to life my priority. I feel that this is why my portfolio is so diverse, with a wide range of different shapes and styles. I love to be challenged, because it forces me to not become complacent. I find corrective work really exciting for this reason. It’s like being a brow detective. It’s my job to try and figure out what a previous artist did that resulted in a less than desirable outcome, and then to develop a plan to correct their work so my client leaves with a beautiful result.

I’m really inspired by the other talented and driven artists in my industry. It takes years of hard work and dedication to gain the recognition some of the top artists in my field have. Their drive and the evolution of their work is so inspiring, and it helps me objectively look at my own growth and appreciate how hard I’ve worked to get to where I am today. And thankfully I have a team of incredibly kind, talented, and motivated women who push me to reach higher and be the best artist and teammate that I can be. We have a very collective atmosphere that allows for anyone to bring new ideas to the table, as well as provides the opportunity to receive other artist’s feedback in the creative process. I truly wouldn’t be where I am today without my team.

I’ve learned so many things and tough lessons after being in this industry for the last 8 years. Managing client expectations is huge. I know my talking points throughout the appointment can feel quite redundant. But my goal is to mitigate a shocked mirror reaction by preparing my clients for what to expect. Cosmetic tattoos are always much bolder and more intense when they’re freshly done. So prepping your clients to expect that when they look in the mirror, and walking them through exactly what they can expect in the healing process is so important.

I’ve also learned that as a boss, you have to have the tough conversations. If you don’t address issues and let things go unchecked, it’s a breeding ground for resentment and less productivity. So get ahead of conflict/issues and address them directly with that employee as soon as possible.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I always take my friends to Boulder to hike Mount Sanitas and South Boulder Peak. Sanitas is a decent hike in terms of a workout, but it’s short enough that I feel like the out-of-towners can handle it. South Boulder Peak is a really cool hike that takes about 3.5 hours. There’s a spot if you go up through the shadow canyon that feels like your suddenly in the rainforest – the temperature and humidity changes and I swear the plants look more lush. It’s wild.

Then after, one of my go-to brunch spots is Moxie in downtown Louisville. They have the best sandwiches, and fresh baked bread. I also really like Tangerine for breakfast or brunch. Super fresh and tasty and their lattes are really good.

My friends are big into climbing, so I usually take them to the Movement RiNo location which is a huge bouldering gym in Denver. It’s great to hang out and socialize while also getting a good workout in. It’s attached to the Improper City collective that’s a really fun place to hangout. They have a full bar inside, and there’s always people getting rowdy even on a weeknight. What makes it cool is the outdoor area with the fake grass, yard games, and fire pits. It’s a place you can bring kids and dogs and grab a bite from one of their rotating food trucks. It’s a great vibe.

If you’re down to catch a show, Red Rocks is a must. It’s the most magical music venue I’ve ever been to, and if you get there early to snag a closer spot, the sound is unreal. Any genre, any time of year, it’s going to be an incredible time. Just be prepared to get stuck in the parking lot if you don’t start running to your car before the last song of the encore ends. Sometimes it’s worth it to stay till the end. But if you’re not ready to become an olympic sprinter when the lights come on, you’re not making it home until 2am.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Two people immediately come to mind – Emily Geubelle was my first artist to complete the apprenticeship program. She’s been handed a lot of tough situations, especially at the start of her tattoo career, and I really believe my business would have gone under if she hadn’t come into my life at the moment that she did. She has never refused a request, or shied away from a challenge. She has always given me her honest feedback, and has somehow stuck with me these last few years. There truly is no one in this world like her, and Boulder Brows hasn’t been the same since she left our shop family. For so many years, she was one of the pillars that made Boulder Brows what it is, and I hope that she knows that.

Jesse Goodrich is the second name that came to mind. He was my partner during the genesis of Boulder Brows. When I told him I wanted to quit my 9 to 5 job at Boulder Community Hospital, go to esthetics school, learn how to do cosmetic tattoos, and open an eyebrow salon, I half expected him to laugh and say I was crazy (which arguably I’d say it still sounds ridiculous). But he NEVER doubted me for a second, saying “If you believe there’s a need for it, and that you can do it, then I believe you can too.” He always genuinely encouraged me, and I poured my heart and soul into getting my business off the ground, at the expense of our relationship. He just loved and supported me every step of the way.

Website: https://www.boulderbrows.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/boulderbrows/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/boulderbrows

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/boulder-brows-louisville

Image Credits
Anna Salzer of Smiling Eyes Photography (Prairie Rose Ranch Photography)