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For Ashlee Sarai, starting a business was uncharted territory. She was a full-time school bus driver for three years, with no business experience, but the most important thing she had was a dream -- a dream to do something she loved, something that made her happy -- and that was her love of eyelashes.

"I absolutely love lashes. I like how they look, I like how they make me feel when I put them on, so I just started to become obsessed with making the perfect lashes, creating the perfect pair, ones that lasted long, looking exactly how I wanted them to look on me," Sarai said.

From that idea came her first pair of eyelashes, "Sarai," named after her, and from there, she began creating new styles, posting them to her Instagram page and selling them. Eventually, she took a leap of faith, quit her day job and began focusing on her Baltimore-based business, Mink Envy Lashes, full-time.

Sarai officially launched her company in November 2018. She had a system of deliveries and pick-ups in Baltimore City and Baltimore County, which turned into daily trips across multiple states, including New York and Virginia. Fast forward three and a half years, the business fills over 50,000 orders.

Due to the increase in demand for her business, Sarai found an innovative way to handle the spike in orders and offer convenience to her customers.

"My best ideas come from late at night -- 3 in the morning -- 'vending machines? This is different but I want to put lashes in them.' So, I found a way to do that," she said.

Sarai followed up with her nightly idea, putting her custom eyelashes and cosmetics in vending machines in 10 different malls in states like Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Delaware and Maryland, with her first location in Towson Town Center.

"It's been amazing. That's best idea I could have thought of for my business. That right there is another example of how lucrative your business can be," Sarai said. "I went from side hustle, 'I don't know if this is going to work,' to a whole empire."

Customers can expect to find custom lashes inside each machine, at very affordable prices.

A shot of the Mink Envy Lashes vending machine in Towson Town Center.

Another shot of the Mink Envy Lashes vending machine in Towson Town Center.

A closer look at the Mink Envy Lashes designs and names.

Close up look at unique names of lashes -- Venus and Serena -- named after the famous Williams sisters.

Close up look at the individual design of the lashes.

More designs and prices of the Mink Envy Lashes.

A shot of the Mink Envy Lashes vending machine in Towson Town Center.

Another shot of the Mink Envy Lashes vending machine in Towson Town Center.

A closer look at the Mink Envy Lashes designs and names.

Close up look at unique names of lashes -- Venus and Serena -- named after the famous Williams sisters.

Close up look at the individual design of the lashes.

More designs and prices of the Mink Envy Lashes.

A shot of the Mink Envy Lashes vending machine in Towson Town Center.

Another shot of the Mink Envy Lashes vending machine in Towson Town Center.

A closer look at the Mink Envy Lashes designs and names.

Close up look at unique names of lashes -- Venus and Serena -- named after the famous Williams sisters.

Close up look at the individual design of the lashes.

More designs and prices of the Mink Envy Lashes.

Sarai creates the style of each of her lashes by drawing them up to what she wants them to look like before sending them off to her manufacturer for completion. She has more than 100 styles and gives each a unique name, even some celebrities like Venus and Serena Williams and rapper Cardi B.

"I remember every name. The names were random, some of them I tried to pick words that made them feel whatever the name is. Some women consider themselves a 'brat,' so I made a pair called 'brat,'" the CEO said. "Basically, I look at the style and I just think like, 'What does this lash look like?' 'What kind of person would wear this lash?' And I just get a name."

"I honestly don't believe in failure – failure is just a lesson, it teaches you something."

Sarai credits the vending machines for adding value to her business. She also says the biggest key in her business is consistency.

"Definitely staying consistent. You can't stop whatever you're doing because it's slow or not how you want," she said.

Sarai's business is no stranger to slow days, she said it's all normal. There were times when she had no customers, no orders and those days brought tears, but she said she remained consistent and kept believing in the one person she bet on -- herself.

"Eventually, one customer turned into two, three, four. It all works out," she said.

Through it all, Sarai took everything she learned over the last three years as a lesson. She said she doesn't believe in the word failure.

"People are so scared of failure. They are scared to start something because it doesn't work, they feel like they wasted their time," she said. "I honestly don't believe in failure – failure is just a lesson, it teaches you something. When things don't work out, it doesn't mean stop. Try to take failure out of your vocabulary."

And because of her determination, Sarai went from selling her eyelashes through social media and word of mouth to being featured in magazines like Harpers Bazaar and Vogue. Several celebrities and influencers have connected with her brand, and her business Instagram page has gained over 105,000 followers.

Sarai said she is motivated by her customers and seeing their reactions to using her products.

"The fact that I can provide some way to make women or anyone feel good about themselves just by enhancing their look really makes me feel good," she said.

Sarai is also motivated by being from Baltimore. She said that she doesn't fall for the discussions on the stereotypes that people falsely associate with the city.

"Every stone I reach and every obstacle I knock out, it just shows me you can come from anywhere and be exactly what you want to be," she said. "Some people feel like you have leave Baltimore to become successful, you don't. It's all within you."

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