Episode
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An Interview with Neema Ali
MJ sits with Neema Ali herself this week! Neema Ali is a Washington, DC native. However, she grew up in the North Carolina triad area where she got her start as a hair stylist in high school. She embraced a passion for makeup artistry when she began doing makeup for friends, family, and co-workers as a hobby. Fast forward, and Neema has been working as a professional makeup artist for over sixteen years and a hair stylist for over twenty-four. Notably her professional makeup career grew while working as a freelancer for Mac Cosmetics, Smashbox, and Nars and ended with a thriving permanent position as Operations Manager for Mac Cosmetics where she led a $3 million dollar store to consecutive double-digit sales growth. From there, she became a sought-after makeup artist, not only in her hometown Washington, DC, but also in Atlanta, New York, and Los Angeles. Along the way, she was represented by elite agencies Hollywood Faces and Make Up Drama (Los Angeles) and New York’s boutique Teknique Agency. Neema’s early passion has made her a force in the industry in print, on the runway, on television, and in films. However, her greatest joy is in sharing the knowledge that she has acquired in nearly three decades of building her brand. From all of it, she has coined the phrase, “Grow Through It”, encapsulating the importance of every step in the creative journey. This is the spirit of the Creative Artists Unite Network (CAUN), of which she is the founder. As Neema is setting her sights on the accomplishment of even bigger goals for herself, she is also bringing other artists together in the Creative Artists Unite Network. Sharing her expertise and opportunities is nothing new. CAUN is an extension of who she is. Creative Artists Unite Network (CAUN) exists to cultivate and share profitable relationships with training, collaboration, and opportunities among non-union professionals.
