Diamond Studio Lashes and Brows
Operating a small business takes clear vision and personal determination. Jackeline (Jacki) Quezada embodies both of these qualities. Attracted to the beauty business from a young age, she began training as a teenager in her sister’s beauty salon in Ecuador. After coming to the U.S., she earned her cosmetology license in 2000 and gained operational experience working in other people’s salons. Desiring her own shop, she opened her first full service Spa in 2007. Business was good until a series of unforeseen mishaps changed everything. The spa experienced a fire, and before she could consider how to rebuild, she was in a serious car accident.
Not to sit idle during her recovery, she studied to earn a certificate to practice permanent make-up, adding to her resume. With time to think about her future business model she decided to focus on specialized services that would set her business apart from others in a very competitive field.
Visiting Rahway one day to celebrate the grand opening of her brother’s barbershop she was charmed by the downtown and decided to relocate the new studio in Rahway. Today, Diamond Studio Lashes and Brows has expanded beyond providing services for brows, lashes, and waxing to include the Permanent Make-Up School. Offering classes in English, Spanish and Portuguese, Jackie and her team of instructors are licensed by the American Academy of Micropigmentation (AAM), to prepare students to earn certification to practice microblading in the State of New Jersey.
Jackie’s ambitions haven’t diminished and she is working to include how to share her experiences to mentor the women and students she works with. She continues her own professional development and is studying to become a business coach to expand her skills as an educator. Her current goal is to fully integrate business workshops into the curriculum at the Diamond Studio PMU School to give students comprehensive building blocks to reach their own professional goals. And perhaps help them avoid some of the pitfalls she has experienced over the years. She recognizes the strength in working for and building community.