Florida Based - Celebrity Makeup Artist Jose Clark-Hilery on His Rise In The Beauty Industry with "Glam Kings"

This week I sat down with Jose Clark-Hilery. Jose Clark-Hilery has been a makeup artist for twenty-two years. His diverse background and experience creates a unique style accredited only to his artistic talent. Jose became involved in the artistic world where he was involved in theater in High school, as well as working in the field of fashion which provided him exposure to fashion shows and photo shoots. 

As the creative he is he has always had a unique sense of style and different artistic ability. At the time of attending FIT as a fashion design major in New York he began to think twice about his career. This milestone decision was while attending the Jean-Paul Gaultier fashion show in 1993 where he was backstage witnessing the creativity that the makeup artist was executing which was captivating. "I started on my journey of doing makeup on myself in Tampa, FL taking on an alter ego in the entertainment scene and making a name for myself for 6 years known for my over-the-top theatrical makeup" Jose recalls. 

This also took him into his journey working in retail for twenty years working for M.A.C. Cosmetics,  NARS cosmetics as a trainer. This journey helped to develop his skills as a professional makeup artist specializing in skincare, cosmetic application, Halloween/special FX, airbrush, and beauty educator. In 2016, he decided that after 20 years with MAC that it was time to branch out on his own. After careful thought he realized that men in the industry are underrated and underappreciated for glamming up both men and women which is how “GlamKings” became the name and established in 2017. The mission is simple… “It’s not about the beauty but the experience!”  Here's my exclusive sit down with the rising mogul.

Social media(Instagram: Glamkings, Facebook-Glamkings, Tiktok-Glamkings) 

Question: How did the idea for your business come about?

Answer: My idea for the business stemmed from the lack of recognized male makeup artists in the industry. It's also been categorized from a stereotypical view of men always having to wear makeup and that's not always the case.

Question: How do you find people to bring into your organization that truly care about the organization the way you do?

Answer: I'm very careful when allowing anyone who isn't positive and passionate about the brand as I am.

Question: What three pieces of advice would you give to other children who want to become entrepreneurs?

Answer: Take your time it's not a marathon, also be passionate about your choices and lastly don't ever let anyone tell you that you cannot be successful!

Question: If you had the chance to start your career over again, what would you do differently?

Answer: I honestly wouldn't start it over. I feel that everything happens when it's supposed to happen and this is my time!

Question :What would you say are the top three skills needed to be a successful entrepreneur ?

Answer: Passion, Determination & Drive

Question :What have been some of your failures, and what have you learned from them?

Answer: I have one.. Not moving forward when I should have and waiting.

Question: How many hours do you work a day on average?

Answer: 12 hours

Question: Describe/outline your typical day?

Answer: First I check for any and all appointments for that day, I ensure that everything is set up for each appointment so there is no gap in time. I work through with each client taking before & after photos and educating them on what their makeup is doing to enhance their beauty.

Question: What inspires your music?

Answer: I love all types of music but my biggest inspiration is my father and growing up on Motown.

Question: How has being an entrepreneur affected your family life?

Answer: It's has it's difficult moments especially when I need to travel or work on movies but for the most part it's been good.

Question: What motivates you?

Answer: My husband and family is my biggest motivation. They are always supporting me and my husband is always bringing creative ideas for makeup for me to try.