Meet Malin Spearman | Independent Lash Artist

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

Hi Malin, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
More freedom to spend with my family, both my husband and I are not from Denver and we don’t have any family living here. I’m an immigrant from Norway and my entire family is still there, so a big drive to go on my own was that I could have more time to visit them, and to the rest of our family who lives in Kansas City. Although owning my own business requires a lot of work, it allows me to have more of a work/life balance.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I never in my life thought about owning my own business, and I never thought I could have accomplished what I have accomplished so far in my life. Coming from Norway, I arrived in the United States in 2013 for college. I studied Criminal Justice at Long Island University Post in New York. Never had I ever been to the US, but what sparked me on this journey was an exchange program I was lucky enough to attend during my second year of high school. I attended an agricultural focused high school back home in Norway. I chose to attend this school because of my love for animals, horses in particular, and the school offered an equestrian program as part of my schooling so of course I was eager to go there. 20 horse-crazy girls from all over Norway attended this school together with me. The second year 8 of us were elected to move to Hungary for 6 months to attend a riding program and there I went. I didn’t think I was going to be elected, so when I did I was terrified. I used to be extremely shy, and so fear came over me and I did not want to go. My mother told me a phrase that I have ever since lived by. She said, if you have an opportunity, take it, or else you may live a life of regret. Fast forward, when college time came around I knew I wanted something more. I couldn’t see myself at any colleges at home, so I decided to apply to college here in the US. At the time, I had no idea what I wanted to be, and so I picked criminal justice because I thought it was interesting. I have no regrets coming here for college, but criminal justice just wasn’t for me. I don’t thrive in chaotic environments, so I knew I wanted to work with people but in a more positive environment. My very first job was a caregiver at a nursing home. I come from a family of caregivers and so it came natural to me. However, working in this field as a caregiver and dialysis technician on and off for years, I always knew I wanted to do something different. 2 days after my 27th birthday, I broke my ankle. At the time I was working as a dialysis technician and I had to take a break to heal my injury. Again, I felt lost, and I ended up not going back to my dialysis job, instead I needed to clear my head and I had not seen my family for 2 and a half years due to covid 19. When I was visiting my family I talked with a family member about feeling so lost at what my true calling was. After all I was 27 and not knowing what I wanted to do with my life. I felt behind, and I felt discouraged. A seed was planted in my head from this conversation. My family member was a little older than me and told me all her experience, she mentioned she had attended esthetics school in Norway but that she did not end up liking the field. However, somehow, it lit a fire in, and led me to call my husband and I said I am going to apply for esthetics school. The thought of making someone feel pretty for a living sounded like a dream. 1 month after coming back from Norway I started my 6 month esthetics program at Paul Mitchell.
Coming back to school with a clearer vision felt amazing. I was motivated to learn as much as I could in school, and that’s when the thoughts of owning my own beauty business kicked in. I found inspiration in people who were owning their own beauty businesses and thought to myself, if they can do it, so can I. Never had I ever felt such drive and excitement in the thoughts of what I could accomplish. In school we learned mostly about skin, and I loved connecting with clients and the act of doing facials. I graduated early, and was eager to start working and earning income again. I did not hear back from any skin salons, and it felt extremely discouraging. At the time, I was an eyelash extension model for my friend. My perception of lash extensions was that it was time consuming and not a career one could have for a long time. Oh boy, was I wrong. I remember walking into the salon, and I vividly remember I loved the atmosphere and my lashes of course. I loved being there so much that I asked the owner if they needed another lash artist, and if they provided training. I was all in at least giving it a shot. It was a pivotal moment in my life, turns out I love lash extensions. I love harnessing a skill that is my own, I love to be in an environment where I can be creative, and interact with people every single day. I worked at this salon for about 1 and a half years before I went on my own. Norwegian Skin and Lash was created to make people feel more confident. Lashes have this magic sense of enhancing all our beautiful features, and it also saves people time every single day on getting ready for the day. It truly gives myself and others a confidence boost.

It was not easy to make the deciding of going on my own, it was scary. I was afraid I wasn’t going to get enough clients so I could pay my bills, but it was pretty incredible to see that when I believed in myself I can do anything. Every single month since I went on my own was better and better, and I gained new clientele. Going on my own gave me time to actually learn new skills such as marketing, time management, bookkeeping, customer service and various other business skills that have helped my business tremendously.

I want the world to know that Norwegian Skin and Lash is a place that welcomes diversity, kindness and professionalism. Every single person who interacts with me and my business will be respected and treated well. I want people to feel confident in who they are, their authentic self and I want my business to reflect that and help people gaining that confidence. It’s incredible what lash extensions can do.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I would take them to San Juan Mountains, specifically to the base of Handies Peak. It is the most beautiful place I’ve ever camped. It is located a few hour from Denver, outside the town of Ouray, Colorado. I would want us to be camping there for a day or 2, hike Handies Peak and probably camp around in this mountain range and occasionally go to town and eat a good burger at Maggie’s Kitchen. There is so many adventures in the San Juan Mountains and would love to show my best friend that!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
There is 3 people who has been the best support I could’ve ever asked for. Marccus Spearman, my amazing husband who is a impactful leader for Denver Public Schools, to always pushing me to greater heights than I could have ever imagined. I’d like to shoutout Jenny Uribe for being on this entrepreneurship journey along side me, we share a studio and we started our Podcast Lash Cuties together to help aspiring lash artist on their journeys but sharing out experiences and I would also like to shoutout to Summer Kim Davis, my dear friend who is an outstanding business woman, author and mentor who has always believed in me and helped pushed me to where I am today.

Website: https://norwegianskinandlash.glossgenius.com

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

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Norwegianskinandlash

Image Credits
Viktoria Andreassen