Morgan Jones x Elloparley
Amazing people are everywhere. Many of us believe you must be naturally talented to become successful, and assume that, if you weren’t born with it, then you were never meant to do it, but that is a fallacy; you can be as talented as the sun, but never shine a day in your life—simply because you haven’t put in the effort.
Angela Duckworth’s equation “(talent x effort) = skill and (skill x effort) = achievement” paired with her famous words: “Without effort, your skill is nothing more than what you could have done but didn’t,” is a perfect parallel point in this world of so many talented contenders.
Ms.Morgan Jones honored us by allowing me to eloquently parley with her at her first ever (and hopefully not last) 2-day makeup class, Made by Morgan’s Makeup Basics 101.
We conversed right before the event’s start, as she was getting her hair polished up by another amazing (hair) artist at the occasion, and, although Morgan may have expressed that she was anxious (who wouldn’t be?), you would never be able to tell. She looked stunning, cool as a cucumber, and ready to express to the world the essence of Morgan Jones.
I asked her:
Who does the world see you as & what do you do as you?
“I feel like the world views me as somebody who is very business-oriented, professional, about her money, a sweetheart, and the life of the party.
And then what do I do as me? I just make sure that I wake up every day and just give the best me—no matter if that's being a good friend, or in my business, or in my family. I just do me.”
Who do you see yourself as & what would you like to be doing?
“I see myself as a very successful, not only makeup artist, but makeup coach. With this being my first event, I do kind of wish that I could take it to a broader, higher scale and kind of maybe do this around the United States—like in different cities—like, get my name out there. I just see myself 10 times bigger than I am now. I still feel like I'm big right now, but I can be so much bigger.
I don't wanna be behind the chair no more. I wanna be in the front of the room while everybody else is getting into the ‘Behind the Chair’ level. That’s my ultimate goal: To not have to do actual makeup, but stay in the makeup industry.”
What is Present-You most proud of?
“How far I've came, like, just seeing like this—you couldn't tell me six years ago I would be doing something as big as this. I'm just proud that I persevered and knew that it was gonna take a while for me to get to the level that I wanna be at. And I'm still not even there, but I'm way further than how I started.”
What is your vision for change and how motivated are you to do as such?
“I just want everybody to know that, even though some people think that makeup is like such an expensive craft, it doesn't have to be. Like—today for example—I gave kits to everybody, but they’re starter kits. So, it's like there’s such thing as starter makeup; you don't have to go and buy the most expensive makeups in order to call yourself a makeup artist. It starts with the skill first and then you elevate to the more expensive products. So, I feel like, for people who may not have the means to start, I would like to be the change as far as motivating people to start whether they got $5 or $500.” Like, it doesn't matter; this is something you wanna do. Take it seriously, invest in your craft, and watch yourself grow and grow and grow.”
What has been your most negative experience in your field and how did you overcome that?
“My most negative experience… I have a really big heart, so, I kind of sometimes don't know how to differentiate between business and being a good person.
For example, somebody let me know that they weren't gonna be able to pay their cost. I could have been like, ‘No, you can't come if you aren't gonna pay,’ but I'm like, “Just get it to me when you get it. I still want you to come and get the knowledge, but just gimme it later.’ And, sometimes, that might be viewed as bad business because I'm here for a job.
I invest the money. I want my money back, but my heart is like, ‘I feel bad,’ and I want everybody to win. So, if it takes you two weeks from now to—versus people who can, you know, do what they gotta do today, it's still, if you signed up, I want you here regardless of like what you got going on.
So, I feel like sometimes that's a negative trait for me—that I'm too compassionate at times, and, when you are in business, sometimes, you can't be.”
What is the best part about doing what you do that the average person may be envious of?
“I don't have to try, like, it's so genuine and natural. Some people have to get up and say, ‘I'm gonna act like this today’—no; if I'm doing makeup—if I'm hanging out with my friends—if I'm at church—I’m gonna do me in the best way I know. ‘Cause I consider myself a light. Like, I’m gonna brighten up the room no matter like where I go; that’s just my personality. Some people are envious of that, because they feel like, ‘Why is everybody flocking towards her?’ You know? ‘Why does everybody like her?’ And it's just—I’m just a likable person. Everybody doesn't have that ability to be likable, but I do.”
How much work would you say you put into your profession and process?
“More work than I *chuckles* than I thought I was capable of putting in. It's so crazy. Just sitting back and realizing, like, I done had 14 hour days—16 clients in one day… Like just the work for this I've been preparing for two months and it just seems like… like I’m about to break down or shut down. But I didn't do it by myself. I had like a good support system that helped me to get to where I'm at. But it's definitely been a lot of strain on me personally.”
If you would’ve never started down this journey, where do you think you’d be today?
“I would be utilizing my college degree. I went to Youngstown State University. I got a bachelor's degree in communications and management. So, I feel like if I never became a makeup artist, I would be in a suit, nine to five, in an office, doing a job behind a desk or something like that.”
What’s the best advice you’ve ever heard?
“The best advice I've ever heard is, when you're sitting down analyzing a situation that you feel like you're not gonna get out of, or it's not gonna pass—or you're just so down—you have to remember that there's a light at the end of the tunnel—which—it sounds cliche, but, literally, like I can sit here right now and, looking back on the time where I thought it was the end of the world, and I was literally about to die—I couldn't move on. And, now, it was just like, I'm here now. I got past that—which I never thought I was going to, but I did. And that's the mindset you gotta have when you're going through dark times. ‘Cause it's never gonna be dark forever.”
What would you say to someone whose fear prevents them from starting the journey to their wildest dreams?
“I would say fear is okay and fear is normal. And, if you're not scared of it, that means you're not really excited about it, because fear motivates great things. So, if you're not fearful of it, maybe that's not the path you should be on because fear literally is what's gonna drive you to want to get up and go get it. So, if you're scared, that's okay. You should be scared. And, if you're not scared, you should be worried.”
Is there anything you’d like to let the readers know?
“I love y’all! *laughs* No, but anybody who took the time out to read, I just want you to know that this did not happen overnight. And makeup artists watching me or seeing me and looking up to me—this did not happen overnight. I'm on year six, I believe. And, when I started out, it was rough. I've quit multiple times. I got back to it, but I just felt sometimes that maybe this isn't the right profession for me—the right field for me. But after, you know, realizing that this is what I wanna do, I put the work in and I stayed down till I came up.”
Wow, wow, wow! Even with this being one of my first Elloparleys, I know it will also be one of my most favored. To be in the room with Morgan Jones is to understand her power—to understand the heights she has climbed, and to understand the heights she will be able to climb in the very near future.
Big up to Morgan’s family and friends as well! Every great star needs their solar system, and every part is as equally important as the other. It was clear to see that she is endorsed and adored by many in her circle and outside of it. May her galaxy continue to expand and may she continue to brighten the universe with her presence, words, and achievements in the makeup enterprise and beyond.
See the full gallery HERE.
Enjoyed this Elloparley? Want to be interviewed next? Know someone just as talented who is rising to the top of their industry in the Youngstown area? Contact me HERE and let’s set something up! The future is now.