Meet Amanda McKnight | Makeup and Lash Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Amanda McKnight and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Amanda, what role has risk played in your life or career?
Honestly, I am not a big risk taker. I am not a huge fan of change. I know that change and risks have to happen to move forward and ultimately grow both personally and professionally. I am one of those people who like to have all the facts and information, and really do my research. However, I will say that the universe conspired to force me to take risks and make changes when I was going to slow. I admire people who are willing to accept change easier and take risks faster than myself.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I started my business 11 years ago, and originally intended to just be a freelance makeup artist. However, life often has other plans for us! Today my team consists of 6 other talented and dedicated hair and makeup artists. They truly enjoy making other women look and feel their best.

For me, my business has been a consistent thing that I work at. My first year in business I had around 15 weddings. Last year we had 158 weddings. I think it easy for people to look at another business and think that they are so successful and so together. The reality for me, is that I am constantly learning and trying to evolve, and I have to remind myself that my journey is not going to be like anyone else’s. You have to keep pushing yourself. It’s easy to get complicit and stuck, and that’s perfectly fine if you enjoy where you and your business are at. I, however, am not doing this for myself. I am growing,learning,and evolving because I have team members that depend on me. I have clients that are expecting to have a knowledgeable and professional team at their event.

I am so lucky to have been surrounded by so many talented and knowledgeable business owners and leaders. I have been helped along the way by people who were in the wedding business long before me. They recommended me to their clients, introduced me to other wedding vendors, shared their spaces with me and mentored me. Now, I have a lot of peers and friends in this industry, and they have shared so many ideas,information, support ,and clients. Surrounding yourself with people who are growing and who want to see you grow is a huge part of my businesses success.

I am excited to announce that I  opened a sister business,  Southern Sirens Studios, in March. This business offers hair cuts, hair color,  hand sewn hair extensions, and lash extensions currently. We are looking at offering a few other services as well, once we get into the swing of things.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Knoxville and the surrounding area has so much to see and do! An easy place to start is Market Square. On Saturdays and Wednesdays they have the Farmer’s Market. I enjoy checking out the vendors, grabbing fresh food from local farmers to create a home cooked meal, and seeing what other goodies are there. There is also a multitude of restaurants and shops to choose from. It’s fun for people of all ages no matter the time of year.

I would highly recommend going to West Knoxville and visiting, Bit Burger for some good food and nostalgia, as they have a ton of toys from the 80s/90s. Then, I would go next door to the Space Bar for an out of this world experience. Once you enter this bar it will feel like you are on a space ship far away. They have some really cool drink options. After that, walk a few stores down to Token Game Tavern. They have arcade games, pinball machines, game consoles, and board games. You definitely won’t get bored in there!

We have a happening poetry scene in Knoxville, and there are several monthly events featuring seasoned vets and open mics for up and coming talent. My favorite event is Po’ Boys and Poets which is typically the last Wednesday night of the month.

Same thing for music. There is always a live music event somewhere in the city, and usually multiple places during the week. You can normally find them at The Tennessee Theater or The Bijou, and many local venues.

If your an ice cream fan, like me, Cruz Farm ( which has multiple locations) and The Sugar Queen Creamery are my 2 favorites! Cruz Farm has a local dairy farm, and they have soft serve ice cream and different types of milk. Sugar Queen has traditional ice cream and really good homemade soft pretzels.

Obviously, a trip to the Smokies would also have to be on the agenda. I prefer driving through the mountains to see the scenery and animals, taking a picnic, and putting my toes in the creek.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
The original person who believed in me and told me that I could start my own business, was a lady by the name of Yolanda Flowers. She helped me to get funding to go to school and get my license, and she helped me to secure a grant to start my business. Her belief in me, and her knowledge, was the push I needed. I am thankful for everything that she did to help me.

Website: www.southernsirens.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/southernsirens

Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/southernsirenstn/

Image Credits
Star Noir Studio JoPhoto Chasing Lux Photo Paige Keyees Photography Brittany Photographs Jayna Biery Photo Erin Morrison Photography