Meet Milisent Cruz | Cosmetic Tattoo Artist & Owner of Monarch Microblading

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

Hi Milisent, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I had been in the beauty industry as a freelance makeup artist for about twelve years prior to launching Monarch Microblading in 2019. Makeup was my first passion, but as the art of Microblading started becoming more prevalent, I took an interest in it. The best way to start a business is to find a solution to a problem and I noticed a common complaint was that none of my clients were ever satisfied with their natural brows. I figured there was a void I could fill by offering my existing clientele a service that was more niche and of course something they can keep with them since it is a semi-permanent procedure. Unlike makeup which they would have to wash off at the end of the night. I’ve always loved making other women feel beautiful and I’m beyond grateful to have a career where doing just that is how I support myself financially. Not only do I have the opportunity to empower women through the gift of glam and cosmetic tattooing, but I have also created a training course called The Monarch Method. This is a mentorship program where I teach others my technique and show them how they too can monetize their passion for beauty.

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.
As a cosmetic tattoo artist, I offer my clients hair loss solutions for the eyebrows and scalp. I specialize in previous tattoo corrections by bringing their brows back to life with hyper realistic 3D hair strokes that appear extremely authentic. Although I enjoy transforming all brows, I definitely have a soft spot for paramedical tattooing. I love helping patients with medical conditions such as Alopecia, Thyroid disease or Cancer survivors feel like themselves again by creating beautiful, natural looking brows. I’m proud to say that in a few short months, I’ll be celebrating Monarch’s fourth year anniversary. Opening a business isn’t the easiest path to take, but it’s honestly one of the most rewarding! In order to evolve you have to be willing to bet on yourself. The comfort zone is a beautiful place, but nothing ever grows there! I believe in taking calculated risk, you have to be strategic but there will always be an element of uncertainty which is exciting when trying to conquer a new venture. When I chose to open up a retail location I made sure I had six months worth of savings in the event I didn’t book a single client. That part, was the strategy. However, I made the decision to take a leave of absence (and a pay cut) from my corporate job without really knowing what I was going to do with that time. I just knew it had to be something beauty related. A part of me was curious to see what I’m really made of without using the excuse that a full-time job was holding me back. In a way, I was testing myself to see if I was up for the challenge of going all in! When I finally decided on “Microblading” I signed the lease to my first studio before taking the actual course. I didn’t even know if I would even be any good or not. I was also betting on the fact my current clients would trust me enough to work on them. Let’s just say I had very high hopes. Something inside told me to take this leap of faith. Although I was terrified at first, I also had a sense of peace that everything would work out. That part, was the risk! After the leave of absence I took from my employer was up, my book of business at Monarch wasn’t where it needed to be in order to replace my full-time income. I had to learn how to balance managing an eight hour work shift while being a full-time business owner. There were days I would get up at 7AM, put my corporate hat on and then turn the switch on to “beauty mode” to work at my studio after hours. I would get home at 11PM only to do it all over again the next day. No days off! The name of the game was short term sacrifice for long term goals. You have to forgo hanging out with your friends, partying, even spending quality time with loved ones in pursuit of building your empire. I did that for a couple of years and regardless of how much I love Monarch, sometimes you’re exhausted but you have to keep pushing yourself. You have to live a few years of your life the way most people won’t, so you can live the rest of your life the way most people can’t! When I tell my story, I want to inspire others to dive into their dreams. The biggest takeaway I want them to remember is that you don’t have to have it all figured out before you begin. You just have to start! Experience is the best teacher, how will you ever learn if you’re not willing to fail?

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I’m a major foodie who definitely enjoys fine dining, especially if it’s accompanied with a show! If my best friend was in town we would start our night by getting dolled up, then going for dinner and drinks at places like El Tucán, CHICA Miami or Esotico. Although I tend to be a planner in most aspects of my life, when it comes time to play I’m a very go with the flow kind of gal! We can either end the night at a friends house and relax with some wine and charcuterie, head to Hard Rock hotel if we’re feeling lucky enough to gamble or maybe a burlesque show at Red Velvet would be the icing on the cake to top off our fabulous girls night! The Wreck Bar is also an amazing place to check out for burlesque, the food is great and who wouldn’t want to see real live mermaids dancing underwater? During the day we can check out local spas to pamper ourselves or just lounge by the pool at my building. I love to do things that are creative and luckily most of my friends do too so they would definitely enjoy the experimental art exhibited at Superblue Miami or even just Painting with a Twist. I love a good challenge so doing an escape room would absolutely be on our list of things to do! Last but not least, who would pass up an opportunity for bottomless Mimosas or Bellinis? What is Miami without brunch! Prime Fish, Juvia, R House, The Wharf… we are there!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I am blessed to have the most amazing support system! My friends, family and clients were all so proud of me for taking the initiative to open up my own studio and they made it a point to spread the word like wildfire. It was definitely a team effort to create brand awareness from the moment I launched Monarch. Every referral, repost, and story mention on their social media platforms never went unnoticed and helped me create a community of supportive men and women who know and trust my work.

Website: https://www.monarchesthetique.com/

Instagram: https://instagram.com/monarchmicroblading?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lis.m.roberts