12Qs with Gretzie Parth

 

Today we are in conversation with the one and only Gretzie Parth. She is an Entrepreneur, Educator and co-owner of Glam Artistry Inc. 

 

 

 

1. Tell us about Gretzie! Where are you from, what do you do – give us the run-down?

 

 

My name is Gretzie Parth, but my real name is Graziella! I am 23 years old, and I have lived in St. Albert for my whole life. I am a pro makeup artist, educator, and entrepreneur with a Bachelor of Commerce Degree from the University of Alberta.

 

 

2. When did you first realize that makeup was a passion that you wanted to commit to pursuing as a career?

 

 

My story is very interesting. I was never that interested in cosmetics during my childhood – I wasn’t even allowed to wear mascara until grade nine. Fast forward to high school, I thought that I wanted to be a Dentist, so I started to pursue that by enrolling in a science degree right after graduating. After a semester in undergrad, I quickly knew in my heart that Dentistry was not the path for me. I was not interested in what I was learning, and I did not feel motivated by the environment that I was in. It was at this time that I decided to apply to the Alberta School of Business, in which I would major in Accounting and a Minor in Marketing. 

 

At this time, I was working at Earls in St. Albert for a few years as a hostess and waitress. As many can relate, the last thing you want to do as a full-time student is to work every Friday and Saturday night till late. It is so exhausting! Aimee, a lifelong friend of mine (who is now one of my business partners) was finishing up her role as the lead makeup artist for Lise Watier Cosmetics in Edmonton at the time and suggested that I enrol in a makeup artistry course to apply for her position. Her suggestion didn’t appeal to me given my lack of knowledge in the industry, which is when my mom piped in and told me that if I didn’t take the makeup course, she was going to take it LOL. So of course, I enrolled in the program and within hours of learning, I knew that this was what I was meant to do. It shocked me as much as it shocked everyone else. 

 

 

3. What motivated you to open The Beauty Haus?

 

 

After working in the beauty industry for just under four years, I pursued my career as a freelance makeup artist and co-founded Glam Artistry Inc, while also working on my personal business GPMAKEUP Inc. 

 

Under GPMAKEUP, I created a luxury lash line called #GCLASSLASHES, which were primarily sold online. The issue I was having with e-commerce came down to two things. 

  1. It was not personal.
  2. A large portion of my customers were local and didn’t want to pay shipping fees. 

 

In 2018, I hosted a few pop-up shops around the Edmonton area. I quickly realized how many people knew about me and my brand but simply wanted a traditional shopping experience. This is what inspired me to open GPMAKEUP The Beauty Haus. I wanted to have a space of my own where I could help people, make connections, and empower wo(men) in my community through beauty products.

 

 

4. What do you think is the most important thing to remember when entering a networking situation with fellow creatives/entrepreneurs?

 

 

I consider myself to be an outgoing person, but even I find networking to be intimidating at times. I think the most important thing to remember when networking is to be confident, respectful, and willing to truly listen to people. And don’t be shy to share your business! It’s not bragging, it’s simply marketing. 

 

 

5. How do you balance the hours you dedicate to building your many brands, with the hours you need for personal time with your family, friends, and travel?

 

 

Balance is what I would consider being my biggest flaw. People who personally know me know that I am obsessed with working. Whether I am on a vacation, in the car, or at a gathering- I do have a hard time unplugging. This is definitely something that I am trying to work on because time is something you can’t get back and I think it’s important to be present. Sometimes I need to remind myself that not everything has to be done now and that it is okay to shift gears.

 

 

6. What is something small that everyone can do to take better care of their skin?

 

 

Be religious with your routine and listen to your body! Skincare is something that I am very passionate about because being confident in my skin is something that I struggled with for a long time. Now that I have learnt to love my skin and take pride in caring for my skin, I have recently launched my own line called MY SKIN by GPMAKEUP Inc. It’s 100% natural, plant-based, and made right here in Edmonton. 

 

 

7. What are THREE things that inspire you on the daily?

 

If I absolutely had to narrow it down to three …

  • My followers/clients 
  • Instagram 
  • Thriving Entrepreneurs local & abroad 

 

 

8. How do you decide who you collaborate with for business?

 

 

I love collaborating! But I have definitely turned down a handful of opportunities. I almost always consider two things. Firstly, would I spend own money on this product or service and secondly, does the business’s mission/vision align with my brand?

 

 

9 Who is your biggest role model? Fashion, business-wise, or both! And why?

 

 

That’s a tough one for me because I feel like my “role models” change at different points in my life/business. If I had to name a few, I would say Makeup by Mario for Makeup Artistry, my dad Paul for work ethic, my mom Patricia for being courageous, and Edmonton’s Courtney Buhler for a local success story.  

 

10. How do you keep up with the ever-changing social media engagement trends and tricks?

 

 

If you ever figure out what is going on with Instagram these days please let me know lol! But in all seriousness, I try to “keep up” by staying genuine, being creative and pushing myself to create content that is out of my comfort zone! 

 

 

11. Do you have any advice for someone who has realized what their passion is but are unsure of how to begin transforming it into a career?

 

 

Absolutely, and to those who may be reading this and feel like they haven’t found their passion yet… don’t worry. The most amazing things happen when you are least expecting them. 

 

To turn a passion into a career, I believe you need to possess these two traits: work ethic and patience. Nothing happens overnight, and nothing happens without work. Entrepreneurship is incredible, but it is also exhausting. You need to be prepared to hustle hard when times are good and hustle even harder when times are bad. The way I see it is if you don’t work at it, no one else will! 

 

 

12. What’s your favourite city to visit in the whole world? Sell us on it!

 

 

Palm Springs hands down. The weather is amazing, the flowers are always in bloom, and the mountain views are gorgeous. It is my favourite place to make memories with friends and family, eat great food, and truly appreciate the gift of life. 

 


 

Connect with Gretzie Parth

Web: www.gpmakeupinc.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/gpmakeup
Instagram: www.instagram.com/gpmakeupshop

Facebook: www.facebook.com/gpmakeupartist