Today we’d like to introduce you to Daniela Pelaez.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
My story starts long before I ever opened a beauty business.
I moved to the United States in 2014 I was 14 years old at the time. I helped my mother as a housekeeper until I got my first job was working at the front desk of a sportsplex facility. At just 16 years old, I quickly worked my way up into a supervisor position. At the time I also volunteered as a volleyball assistant coach at Hylton Boys & Girls Club.
From there, my career took many different turns. I worked in a Dental Office as a dental assistant and front desk, later becoming an assistant manager and eventually a general manager. Along the way, I also drove for Uber, worked as a liposuction surgery assistant, and held several other jobs. By the age of 21, it felt like I had already lived seven different lives.
Looking back, there was one common theme throughout every position I held: leadership. Whether I started in an entry-level role or not, I often found myself quickly moving into positions of responsibility, becoming a lead, supervisor, or manager.
Leadership was something I witnessed every day growing up. Both of my parents are entrepreneurs. My stepfather has spent years managing a team of more than 20 employees while overseeing sales for his flooring company. My mother also started her own business when I was 18 years old. Because of them, conversations about customers, employees, leadership, and business were simply a part of everyday life.
As I write this, I realize how much influence they had on who I am today and what I have built.
My name is Daniela Pelaez, and I am a 26-year-old entrepreneur who has been in business since 2021. While that may not sound like a long time, my business has already gone through many seasons. Some seasons pushed me forward, while others taught me lessons I desperately needed to learn. Looking back, I am grateful for all of them. The good seasons gave me momentum, and the difficult seasons kept me from heading in the wrong direction.
Just six months after opening my lash extension business, I became fully booked and hired my first team member. To be honest, I had no idea what I was doing. I didn’t know how to interview, train, or lead a team properly. I was learning as I went. But that first hire changed everything. During the year and a half she worked with me, she generated over $40,000 in revenue. Seeing those numbers opened my eyes to what was possible and encouraged me to continue building within the beauty industry.
Not long after, I met an incredibly talented nail artist and business owner, Gabriela. We began by exchanging services and eventually became business partners. Together, we opened a 500-square-foot location in 2021 and expanded to 1200sq ft by 2026. The business became profitable quickly because we complemented each other’s strengths and shared a common vision.
As the business grew, we realized we had the opportunity to help more beauty professionals build careers of their own. We hired additional lash artists and nail artists, and we haven’t stopped growing since.
Today, we operate out of a 1,200-square-foot salon with a team of 9 professionals. Thousands of clients in our books and hundreds of clients walk through our doors every month. What I am most grateful for the people behind it. Our team is incredibly talented, hardworking, and dedicated, and we genuinely care about their success.
Beyond the salon, I have had the privilege of becoming an educator within the beauty industry. Over the years, I have trained hundreds of lash artists, many of whom have gone on to build successful businesses of their own. Watching my students gain confidence, serve their communities, and create careers that support their families has been one of the most rewarding parts of my journey.
I also have the opportunity to speak at beauty conventions across multiple states such as The International Lash Expo in AZ, sharing lessons I’ve learned as both an artist and business owner.
What’s funny is that when I moved to the United States from Madrid, Spain, at 15 years old, I barely spoke English. I was incredibly shy and quiet.
But that’s the beautiful thing about growth. Sometimes the plan written for us is much bigger than we can see for ourselves.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
In the early stages of my business, I wore every hat imaginable. I was the artist, receptionist, cleaner, marketer, educator, customer service representative, sales representative, and manager all at once. There were moments of burnout, self-doubt, financial pressure, staffing challenges, and the unique challenge of learning how to lead a team while still becoming confident in a language that wasn’t my first.
As the business grew, so did the responsibility. Transitioning from being a solo artist to managing operations, building systems, and mentoring others required an entirely different skill set. Every stage of growth demanded to work harder and smarted.
I also made my fair share of business mistakes. I hired people who weren’t the right fit for the company, which taught me the importance of hiring based on values and culture rather than just talent alone. I also invested heavily into developing a product line before I had fully validated the demand for it. This taught me valuable lessons about inventory, cash flow, and making strategic business decisions.
One of the most difficult moments I experienced came when I became so overworked and stressed that I suffered a major seizure while sitting in front of my computer. It was a wake-up call that forced me to reevaluate everything. In that moment, I realized that success means very little if you are sacrificing your health, peace, and well-being in the process.
That experience changed the way I lead and operate my business. Since then, I have become much more intentional about creating systems, delegating responsibilities, building structure, and protecting my personal well-being. I learned that sustainable growth is not about doing everything yourself it’s about building a strong team, making thoughtful decisions, and creating an environment where everyone can succeed.
Looking back, every challenge taught me something valuable. Today, those lessons continue to shape not only the way I run my business, but also the way I live my life.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Curvilashes?
Curvilashes was built with the vision of creating more than just beauty services — I wanted to create opportunities. We are known for lash and brow trainings designed to help aspiring beauty professionals build real careers within the industry.
We specialize in customized lash extensions, brow services, and hands-on education for students at different stages of their journey. Our trainings go beyond teaching technique alone. I’m passionate about helping students understand the full picture of what it takes to grow in this industry- from client experience and retention to social media, branding, professionalism, systems, and confidence-building.
What sets our trainings apart is the level of support, transparency, and real- world experience behind them. I teach from personal experience- from starting with zero clients to building a fully booked business, leading teams, managing salon operations, and becoming an educator and keynote speaker in the beauty industry. I want students to leave not only with technical skills, but with clarity, motivation, and belief in what’s possible for them.
One thing I’m especially proud of is seeing students go from feeling nervous and uncertain to confidently taking clients, launching businesses, and creating financial independence for themselves. Watching that transformation is one of the most rewarding parts of what I do.
I want readers to know that Curvilashes is a brand built on growth, education, and empowerment. Whether someone comes to us for a lash set, a brow service, or a training program, our goal is always the same — to help people feel more confident, capable, and inspired to elevate their lives and careers.
Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other resources you think our readers should check out?
Today, my work is divided across several areas of the beauty industry, all of which are connected by a common goal: helping beauty professionals build successful and sustainable careers.
I am the founder of Curvilashes, a beauty education and mentorship company that I started in 2021. Through Curvilashes, I provide lash training programs, business mentorship, and educational resources for beauty professionals who want to improve their technical skills, grow their clientele, and build businesses of their own. Over the years, I have trained hundreds of lash artists, many of whom have gone on to launch successful businesses and serve their communities. I also have the opportunity to speak at beauty conventions and industry events across the country, sharing lessons I’ve learned as both an artist and entrepreneur.
In addition to my education company, I am also the co-owner of The Beauty Theory Salon, a beauty salon based in Virginia that I operate alongside my business partner, Gabriela. Together, we have built a team of beauty professionals specializing in lashes, brows, nails, and other beauty services.
One of the reasons our partnership works so well is because our strengths complement each other. While we both contribute to the overall vision and growth of the company, our day-to-day responsibilities are different. I oversee much of the business operations, including financial management, payroll, reporting, systems, marketing strategy, and long-term planning. Gabriela focuses heavily on team development, mentorship, coaching, education, and supporting our service providers in their day-to-day growth. Our ability to stay in our strengths while working toward a shared vision has been a major contributor to our success.
What makes our business model unique is that I currently live in South Florida while our salon operates in Virginia. Thanks to technology, strong systems, and an incredible team, I am able to remain actively involved in the business from another state while continuing to travel, educate, create content, and serve clients through my VIP-only lash services in South Florida. This experience has taught me the importance of delegation, communication, and building businesses that can operate beyond the owner’s physical presence.
Whether I’m teaching a class, mentoring an artist, speaking on stage, reviewing business reports, or working alongside our salon team, my passion remains the same: helping people create opportunities for themselves through entrepreneurship. The beauty industry has completely changed my life, and I feel incredibly grateful to now play a small role in helping others change theirs as well.
Pricing:
- Lash Training $1200
- Beauty Services $80-200
- Brow Trainings $700
- Mentorship $1000
Contact Info:
- Website: https://curvilashes.luxebeauty.ai/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/curvilashes/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/curvilashes-100083978801268/?_rdr
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@curvilashes
