Today we’d like to introduce you to Barbie Patel.
Hi Barbie, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I actually started my career in the corporate world, but I always knew I wanted to build something of my own. My journey into the beauty industry started when I was planning my own wedding and struggled to find hair and makeup artists who understood my skin tone and hair. That experience stuck with me, and I realized there was a real need for something different.
I took a chance and started Cinderella Bridez. What I thought would be a side hustle eventually became my full-time business, growing into a luxury bridal beauty agency serving brides across the country and internationally. Along the way, I learned a lot of lessons, sometimes the hard way, about what it really takes to run a business. Being good at your craft is important, but you also need to understand marketing, build relationships, create systems, and learn how to grow beyond doing everything yourself.
That journey led me to launch other ventures, including Luxx Escapes and Beauty CEO University. With Beauty CEO University, I wanted to share the business knowledge I had gained over the years and help other beauty professionals avoid some of the mistakes I made while building my own business.
Looking back, I never could have predicted where taking that first chance would lead me. There have been plenty of challenges, but every experience has taught me something new. Now, one of the things I enjoy most is helping other entrepreneurs see what’s possible for themselves and giving them the tools to actually make it happen.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
No, it definitely wasn’t a smooth road! I started Cinderella Bridez while working a full-time corporate job, so I was juggling my career, my family, and a business that was growing faster than I could sometimes keep up with. There were a lot of late nights and weekends, and I had to learn how to run a business while actually running one.
One of the biggest challenges was learning that being good at makeup didn’t automatically mean I knew how to be a business owner. I had to figure out marketing, hiring, managing a team, and building systems that would allow me to grow beyond just myself. I also came from a South Asian background where pursuing a creative career wasn’t necessarily the traditional path, so leaving a secure corporate job to pursue beauty full-time was a big decision.
And of course, there have been unexpected challenges along the way. COVID was a huge one for the wedding industry, and it really tested how adaptable we had to be as business owners.
Looking back, I think one of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that you can’t wait until you have everything figured out to move forward. You’re going to make mistakes, you’re going to have to pivot, and there will be moments when you question yourself. That’s part of it. You just have to be willing to learn, adjust, and keep going. I’m still learning today, and I think that’s what makes being an entrepreneur so interesting.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Cinderella Bridez is a luxury bridal hair and makeup agency specializing in South Asian and multicultural weddings. We work with brides across the country and internationally, helping them feel beautiful and confident for one of the most important days of their lives. From the initial consultation to the wedding day, we focus on creating a personalized experience that reflects each bride’s vision, culture, and individual style.
Cinderella Bridez actually started from a personal experience. When I was planning my own wedding, I struggled to find beauty professionals who understood my skin tone and hair. I knew there had to be a better way, and that experience inspired me to build the kind of company I wish I had been able to find.
What sets us apart is that we understand bridal beauty goes beyond just hair and makeup. With South Asian weddings especially, there are multiple events, outfit changes, cultural traditions, and a lot of moving pieces. Our team understands those details, and we take pride in making the beauty side of the wedding feel seamless. We’re not just matching a bride with an artist; we’re building an experience around their needs.
As Cinderella Bridez grew, I also started noticing how much our brides needed help beyond beauty. Destination weddings involve so many additional logistics, from finding the right hotels to coordinating guest accommodations and travel. That inspired me to co-found Luxx Escapes, our destination wedding and travel coordination company. It was a natural extension of the relationships we had already built with our couples and gave us another way to support them throughout their wedding journey.
What I’m most proud of is how these businesses have grown from real needs I saw firsthand. We’ve had the opportunity to work with brides in incredible destinations and be part of celebrations that are so meaningful to their families. But more than anything, I’m proud that we’ve built brands centered on understanding our clients and making what can be an overwhelming process feel easier and more personal.
Building Cinderella Bridez has also taught me that a successful business requires much more than being great at what you do. It takes strong branding, thoughtful client experiences, good systems, and a team you can trust. Those lessons continue to shape how I approach every business I build today.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
My biggest piece of advice is to stop waiting until you feel ready. If I had waited until I knew everything about running a business, Cinderella Bridez probably would never have happened. You learn so much by actually doing the work, making mistakes, and figuring things out as you go.
I also wish I had understood earlier that being good at your craft and being good at running a business are two very different things. You can be incredibly talented, but if you don’t know how to market yourself, manage your finances, build relationships, and create systems, it’s very difficult to grow. Invest in learning the business side just as much as you invest in perfecting your craft.
And don’t be afraid to ask for help or surround yourself with people who know things you don’t. You don’t have to do everything yourself, and you certainly don’t have to figure everything out alone.
Most importantly, give yourself permission to evolve. The business you start with doesn’t have to be the business you have forever. Stay open to opportunities, pay attention to what your clients need, and don’t be afraid to pivot when something isn’t working. Some of my biggest opportunities came from paying attention to a problem and asking myself how I could solve it differently.
You don’t need to have the entire plan figured out. You just need to be willing to take that first step and keep learning along the way.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.cinderellabridez.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/barbiepatell/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/barbiepatel
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@barbiepatelofficial?lang=en
