Inspiring Conversations with Amber Syer Jackson of Bad Cat Beauty

Today we’d like to introduce you to Amber Syer Jackson.

Hi Amber, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
I started my career in the beauty industry over 20 years ago. My mom had a one-woman salon suite in the basement of our home in Rochester, NY, where I grew up. As a teen, I taught myself how to do makeup and tweezed all my friend’s eyebrows. This was way before YouTube. I relied solely on magazines for makeup and style advice. My family moved to Kansas City in the early 2000s, and I moved back and forth from MO to NY, wondering what was next. After years of working retail jobs, freelancing in cosmetics, and still not finding my direct path, I moved back to Kansas City in 2008 and decided to go to school for esthetics. I suffered greatly from acne and wanted to help those with skincare problems like mine. With my passion for skincare, healing acne, and years of perfecting my brow-shaping technique, I knew that it was something I wanted to make my career. Over the years, I have received various brand certifications and extensive professional training. I am an expert in ingredient knowledge, which allows me to effectively treat many stages of acne, rosacea, pigmentation, and aging. Only a few weeks ago, I started my skincare and brow business, Bad Cat Beauty. My focus is ensuring every client feels comfortable, receives results-driven treatments, and leaves feeling empowered.

Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned? Looking back, has it been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has taken 14 years for me to feel confident enough to start my own business. An esthetics career, or any service career, is challenging to start. I spent many years working for others in management roles, part-time freelance jobs, and many other esthetics-related gigs to advance rapport in the industry, increase my education, and ensure I was making a living wage. It takes an exceptional kind of person to succeed in this industry. It also takes support. Support makes everything go smoother. Overcoming your demons is key. Self-doubt is a killer; it can diminish creativity and dim your light. You have to do what you can to shine. No matter what. I’ve failed many times and will continue to fail, but it will be worth it if I succeed just once.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next, you can tell us more about your business.
I started the Bad Cat brand in 2017 after becoming certified in microblading. Then, my business was known as Bad Cat Brows and Beauty. I’ve been perfecting my eyebrow-shaping technique for as long as I can remember. It’s something so simple that it can completely change the look of someone’s face. They’re the frame around the gorgeous picture that is you. In 2020 I was laid off. The world shut down, and I had to reevaluate my career quickly. Skincare and brows were no longer essential. It took me an entire year to find a job, and when I did, I began again—starting from the bottom. It was disheartening, but I knew it was what I needed to do to reach my end goal. Here we are in 2023, and I’ve been lucky enough to maintain loyal clients supporting everything I do, from various facial treatments, waxing, brow shaping, brow lamination, lash lifts, and maybe even a vent session. My clients mean everything to me. They’re guests in my home, friends; they’re colleagues. They’re people I genuinely care about. I’m able to offer extensive knowledge about skincare regarding ingredients and lifestyle. I’ve been lucky enough to work with some of the biggest skincare names in the world and advance my education in many ways. This sets me apart from a lot of estheticians. I’m a born educator and trainer. I use Rhonda Allison in the treatment room, but my sales technique is never pushy. I aim to ensure my clients feel comfortable, educated, and empowered with their at-home routines, whether they go home with Rhonda Allison or I give them another recommendation that suits their needs.

Do you have any advice for those just starting?
To anyone that is starting, GO FOR IT! Do not let fear rule you, and don’t wait. There will never be “the right time.” Seek out a mentor. If it weren’t for my professional mentors in this industry, I’m not sure I would have the confidence and knowledge I have today. Be open. Be fierce.

Contact Info:

• Website: badcatbeauty.glossgenius.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/badcatbeautykc
• Other: instagram.com/badcatamber

Image Credits
Amber Syer Jackson