VoyageATL: Meet Faith “Audrey Monroe” Merritt

View article on VoyageATL here.

Today we’d like to introduce you to Faith Merritt.

Faith, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Early high school, I was a tomboy. As I progressed through high school, I wanted to put more into myself and gain more confidence. That’s how I fell in love with makeup. It started with watching YouTube videos and seeing how creative you could be with makeup. Not to mention the way it enhanced the beauty of women. I wanted to be a part of that process.

As my love for makeup grew stronger in the 12th grade, I knew I wanted to become a makeup artist and a cosmetic brand owner. When I entered college, my passion for makeup became deeper. I started experimenting with applying makeup on myself and teaching myself different makeup techniques, which led to me practicing those learned techniques on my sorority sisters and friends.

From 2010 to the end of 2014, I became a self-taught makeup artist and learned the makeup application process and how makeup is made. And with the encouragement of my dearest and closest friends, I started Audrey’s Artistry on January 1, 2015, after a trip to Miami. That’s when I started taking clients as a makeup artist.

After years of teaching myself and classes, I started taking clients to build my makeup portfolio. From there, I started researching how I could begin a cosmetic brand and how I could create my own cosmetics for Audrey’s Artistry. In April 2018, I launched my first mink and 3D mink lash collections for the A.A Collection Cosmetics. I wanted to start small, then build my way up to producing more beauty products. I spent that year and the previous year conducting research and testing the creation of makeup products.

After seeing my lash sales, I received overwhelming support from clients, social media followers as a beauty influencer, and local supporters in Birmingham, AL, and surrounding areas. I decided to launch my very first makeup collection from the A.A Collection Cosmetics in February 2019. And ever since then, the company has been gaining an audience, a support system, press, and participating in pop-up shops around the Southeastern Region. The company has grown, and we’re excited to see where to see this journey will take us.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I don’t think I’ve ever met a business owner with a smooth sailing experience with starting and running a business. As a full-time engineer and 24/7 entrepreneur, of course, I have run into my fair share of obstacles. Being a first-generation entrepreneur in my family, I didn’t know where to begin when starting a business. When I started, I had to learn a lot of things along the way – for instance: how to form a business, making sure all of the appropriate documentation was processed correctly, and the list could go on.

At one point, I found myself becoming overwhelmed with the process. That’s when I learned I had to take a step back and handle obstacles one at a time. And with plenty of research and talking to other entrepreneurs and lawyers, I learned from their lessons on how to form a successful business. Customer service was always a top priority for me. I wanted to make sure that I handled my customers, who we call Beauty Monroes, with the upmost care. That’s why I work so hard on finding the best quality products for my customers. For instance, it was a difficult shipping process. I had to sneak off during my lunch break to ensure the packages arrived on time. Now I’ve simplified my shipping process, and I don’t have to pick between eating lunch and getting the Beauty Monroes’ products on-time. I went from a one-women team to a black three-women team. I was learning that I’m unable to do everything by myself. Teamwork definitely makes the dream work!

These struggles have helped me become the entrepreneur I am today. I’m grateful to experience them because it only helps build Audrey’s Artistry into a bigger and better brand.

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Audrey’s Artistry – what should we know?
The A.A Collection Cosmetics is an inclusive brand for women of all ethnicities, backgrounds, and walks of life. Our company’s mission and vision statement is “Let your Inner Monroe Come Out and Play,” which encourages each Beauty Monroe, also known as our customer, to bring out their inner alter ego we all possess once you begin to use the A.A Collection Cosmetics.

The A.A Collection Cosmetics manufactures high-quality, vegan, and cruelty-free beauty products for women of all ages and different personalities. All products are curated in a vendor lab with quality pigments and formulas to ensure the customer is provided high-quality products. The makeup features bright colors and bold lashes for the girl who likes to be seen, as well as neutral tones for a woman who’s looking for a classic look. The A.A Collection Cosmetics will leave a lasting imprint in the beauty industry as it can be applied on women from different walks of life from the girl next door, the career woman, the classy & chic woman whose always on-the-go, and the woman who doesn’t shy away from bold colors and loves a dramatic entrance.

At Audrey’s Artistry, we’re most proud of the community of support, especially during 2020. Makeup has allowed our Beauty Monroes across the globe, to create a universal language of love. Our team loves receiving product reviews with our Beauty Monroes’ finished looks. Each look tells a story that allowed their “Inner Monroe ‘to’ Come Out and Play.” Feeling good after using our products is a win for us.

Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
Determination. My determination fueled the passion and love for the art of makeup. Which lit the fire for me to create a product that makes each Beauty Monroe embrace they’re alter ego and enhance their beauty and inner self.

Those late nights and early mornings kept me going. And seeing the fruit of my labor pay off with each Beauty Monroe and press recognition at a time. Determination got this first-time entrepreneur to defy the odds of her background to create an inclusive brand that all women could relate to. We all have an alter ego that exudes confidence, and it’s just waiting to come on out. That’s where the A.A Collection Cosmetics come in.

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View article on VoyageATL here.

Faith Merritt