Intentionality in Entrepreneurship: Meet Karina of GLAM Studio

Meet Karina, owner of GLAM Studio - the woman who had everything figured out until God showed her she was doing it all wrong. Her story will challenge everything you think you know about success, failure, and what it really means to trust God's timing in business. If you've ever felt the tension between ambition and surrender, or wondered what happens when you actually put God first in your entrepreneurship, this conversation will transform how you see both faith and business.

How did your childhood love of beauty lead you to where you are today?

Since a very young age, I have always loved anything that involved playing with makeup and dressing up using whatever items I could find in my mother's closet. I have so many memories of pretending to be a contestant in a beauty pageant. I would watch my mom put on makeup and I would sneak away with a lipstick or eyeshadow palette without her noticing it. This was definitely the foundation of my passion and appreciation for beauty.

But I wasn't always in the beauty industry. I was doing office work - human resources, payroll at different companies. I always kept having this pull towards the beauty industry, something creative. I just wasn't being fulfilled. It was just computer work, being at a desk. I wanted more.

So I left that job after three years, went back to school for esthetics. When I graduated, finding work was challenging because everyone wanted experience I didn't have. I had to settle for waxing at a tanning salon for two years, just building my clientele.

Then I saw an Instagram post from a spa looking for someone to train for lashes. I didn't know anything about lashes - I was just like, okay, sounds fun. She trained me, hired me, and I was there for three and a half years until COVID hit. Sometimes the biggest opportunities come disguised as random Instagram posts.

How did you not just survive COVID, but actually thrive during it?

Even through COVID, I still had clients, which was a blessing from God. It was only by God's grace that I didn't get sick in those years working from home, taking clients. I mean, it was insane - I had to be so close to people's faces when everyone around me was getting sick.

But I was very cautious. I made sure they were existing clients, did screenings, no symptoms. Still, I was nervous about bringing people home because I love my mom and didn't want to put her at risk.

I knew I couldn't keep doing that, so I saved money from clients and government relief and found this location in Bloomfield through a friend. The key wasn't just surviving the storm - it was using it to build something better.

What's the biggest business mistake you've made, and how did it change everything?

I expanded into a larger studio to create a lash boutique - not just services, but supplies for local lash artists. I noticed everything I needed had to be ordered online, and not everything on Amazon was quality. So I thought, there's no stores here for adhesive or lashes - always ordering and waiting.

But then I had months where I wasn't getting a single sale on my products. The lash business is insane - everyone's branding themselves. I started feeling defeated. I have this online store but no sales, no profit. It was scary.

Then I started reflecting: Did I do this the wrong way? Did I not come to God first? I kind of just threw myself into it. So I closed down my online shop until I could figure out how God wanted me to do it.

I want to do it His way, because doing it on my own didn't function. That was God's loving way of saying "that wasn't it." My faith is strongly connected to my purpose because it is the core principle of my success. God has allowed me to be in this industry because He knew how many women I would impact and point towards Him. Sometimes our biggest failures are just God redirecting us to His better plan.

How did you turn your lash studio into a ministry without being "that pushy Christian"?

I'm starting to realize that with all the people I come across daily - people coming in with different weight, problems, lifestyles - I can have a ministry just by playing a song. Whether it's worship music, I've had people tear up, start breaking down on my table because the song spoke to them.

I've been able to go to a Christian concert with a client who I never thought we'd be serving the Lord together like that. Just by creating genuine relationships first, doors open naturally.

I had a client take their own life over depression two years ago - she was with me for four years. I've had people ask me to turn off worship music. I've had people with disturbing spirits. But I think this is where He wants me to focus - be Jesus to people without hovering over them.

I create relationships first, then when they need advice, I'm gonna mention God, because honestly, it's what helps me.

What does "living intentionally" actually look like in practice?

For me, being intentional means doing what you love in order to positively impact someone in the process. When someone says "I love my lashes, I feel so much more confident," that's because I want them to feel that way. I try my best to give the best service, make sure they're comfortable, adjust anything before they leave.

I want to leave people better than how I found them - not just physically, but internally too. I have so many clients I can call friends. Intentionality makes you connect with people beyond just transactions.

It's about creating an atmosphere where women feel feminine, safe, cared for, and uplifted. Whether it's mentoring a new lash artist, choosing uplifting music for the salon, praying over a client, or simply listening to her vent - my intention is to make a lasting, meaningful impact. God can see where my heart is and how I'm able to plant seeds.

What's one thing you’re being intentional about in your life right now?

The one thing I am being deeply intentional about in my life right now is seeking God more in different ways. Every Wednesday I go to Bible study because the Bible can be overwhelming alone. I've learned to ask God for wisdom before reading, to reveal what chapter or verse He wants me to open.

But here's what's been game-changing: I connect with church friends for our own Bible study. We go to parks, Starbucks, coffee shops, review what we learned or open different chapters together. When you get together with like-minded people pursuing the same goal, it's so refreshing.

Aside from journaling and reading the Word, I am part of a ministry at my church that gives me the opportunity to be more involved in projects to support the body of Christ. Right now I'm helping out in the media and children's ministry. I really do feel genuine joy being involved in these very vital ministries within the church.

I've been intentionally investing more time in relationships that encourage my spiritual growth, while still loving and praying for all my friends wherever they are in their journey. It's amazing how God brings the right people into your life at just the right time.

What would you tell someone who's overwhelmed and doesn't know their next step?

I've been that girl. I'm still sometimes that girl that gets overwhelmed, frustrated, wondering "did I make the right decision? Did I do too much too soon?"

Here's what I've learned: Just pray about it. Take that time, hand it over to God, let Him guide you. Sometimes He'll answer right away. Sometimes it takes months, even years. But He will always answer if you're genuinely seeking Him.

The best advice I can offer someone who feels overwhelmed would be to remember the why. We all feel the pressure, we all experience heavy days when the load gets hard to carry. We all fall short of our own expectations, but I would remind myself of why I am doing what I'm doing. What lives I'm impacting and changing, and why I can't give up.

I would offer that person the opportunity to pray for them, because it's mostly always a spiritual battle that only God can fight for them. I would speak life into them and remind them that they can do all things through Christ who strengthens them.

How can we stay connected with you?

Karina's story is a powerful reminder that business and faith aren’t separate—they can grow together, when rooted in intentionality. Whether you're starting over, scaling up, or standing still—trusting God through every step might just be your greatest business strategy yet.

Follow Karina's journey: 

📍 @glamstudioxo 

📍 @itshersmile