In the glamorous world of Hollywood, there’s an army of anonymous workers who ensure that your favorite celebrities always look fantastic. Behind every star on the red carpet, there’s a team of experts, including make-up artists like Mikki Bey, who have the skills and contacts to make them shine. Mikki’s work has graced networks like E!, MTV, and VH1. She’s even had the honor of being a member of the exclusive Grammyglam squad, reporting live on the annual Grammy Awards.
Originally from Detroit, Mikki began her career as a producer for CBS. However, she soon realized that the corporate world was stifling her creativity. So she ventured into the world of celebrity make-up artistry and opened her own business in 2011, specializing in eyelash extensions. Her salon, Mikki Bey Eyelash Extensions, based in Culver City, California, aimed to provide ordinary women with professional eyelash extensions worthy of any Hollywood star. But Mikki had even bigger dreams – she wanted to expand her brand to every major city in America.
To turn her dreams into reality, Mikki knew she needed substantial funding and expert guidance. That’s why she decided to apply to appear on Shark Tank in mid-2015.
Mikki Bey Eyelash Extensions On Shark Tank
In October 2015, Mikki was introduced to Shark Tank viewers. The segment began with a glimpse of Mikki in her salon, which she described as a “Barbie Dream-house.” She explained that she wanted to take her brand of beauty nationwide and sought the sharks’ investment to make it happen.
Mikki entered the tank seeking $300,000 in exchange for 20% of the Mikki Bey business. She confidently asserted that the glamorous look common to all celebrities was, in fact, a result of professionals like her. And she believed that everyone could look like a celebrity with her professional help.
Her pitch caught the attention of the sharks, especially when she mentioned that even men were getting on board with eyelash extensions. Mikki invited Mark Cuban to try out her service, which he loved. In a quick demonstration, Mikki showcased her unique process by attaching a single extension to one of Mark’s eyelashes, emphasizing the before and after effect with her accompanying models.
While some sharks had doubts about the proprietary value of her business, Mikki’s unwavering confidence impressed them. She revealed her plans to seek a patent for her technique and license it to other beauty salons across the country. Additionally, she aimed to train more staff to increase her own salon’s potential for profits.
However, not all the sharks were convinced. Kevin O’Leary couldn’t see the uniqueness of her business and dropped out. Barbara Corcoran believed that Mikki lacked the skills to motivate others and therefore couldn’t see the business growing as Mikki envisioned. Lori Greiner admired Mikki’s passion but couldn’t identify an investment opportunity. Mark Cuban, while appreciating Mikki’s success so far, didn’t feel he could add value to her business. Robert Herjavec saw Mikki’s business as profitable but not scalable, leading him to drop out as well.
Mikki made an emotional plea to the remaining sharks, expressing her unwavering determination to turn Mikki Bey into a nationwide brand. However, the sharks were concerned about her sudden loss of control, and ultimately, no deal was made.
Mikki Bey Eyelash Extensions Now in 2023 – The After Shark Tank Update
Following her appearance on Shark Tank, Mikki faced both praise and criticism. Barbara Corcoran received backlash for telling Mikki to “lose the crying stuff.” Mikki, however, stood her ground, asserting that crying didn’t give away power. She cited examples of influential women like Sheryl Sandberg and Hilary Clinton, who had shown emotion in professional settings.
Despite the challenges, Mikki’s business continued to grow, and she eventually had to hire more staff. She also began teaching two-day-long eyelash certification classes across several cities, sharing her expertise and helping others profit in the beauty industry. However, details about her students are scarce.
Unfortunately, Mikki’s salon closed its doors in 2017, just a year after her Shark Tank appearance. Despite her passion, Mikki had to make the difficult decision to move on.
So what is Mikki up to nowadays? According to her LinkedIn profile, she worked at abbVie in various roles from 2017 to 2020. Currently, she holds the position of Vice President and General Manager at Aesthetic Dermatology. Additionally, Mikki works as a life coach based in Atlanta, Georgia, offering coaching programs and a masterclass for beauty entrepreneurs on her website, getmikkibey.com. She also has a podcast titled “Bliss by Design” in the works.
While Mikki has moved on from eyelash extensions, it seems unlikely that she’ll return to the tank anytime soon. She continues to inspire others with her passion and expertise, helping them find their own paths to success.
