I was 20 years young, fresh into full-time university and already navigating life on my own. I had big dreams, a strong work ethic, and an even stronger craving for independence. To make ends meet, I worked late nights at my family's burger shop and a local Italian restaurant. At that point, I was set on becoming a teacher. I'd worked hard in school, graduated with a 96 ATAR, and even considered dentistry before falling in love with education and children.

But during my first year of university, something shifted. Working in hospitality wasn't cutting it anymore, and the pressure of financial independence started to weigh on me. I'd been living out of home since I was 16, and adulthood was hitting fast. Around this time, a close friend — an open-minded and entrepreneurial thinker — introduced me to ideas I'd never really considered before: business, investing, and creating something of my own.

One night, it all clicked. Maybe university was my family's dream, not mine.

I'd always felt I was meant for something more … to be the one creating opportunities, not waiting for them.

Teaching suddenly felt like a dead end. And yep… that was my first real quarter-life "oh crap" moment.

Then my friend looked at me and said, "Why don't you start a lash business?"

At first, I laughed. Me? A business? How? With what money? I had maybe $1,500 in savings, and although I'd always been obsessed with getting my lashes done, I got them done every 2–3 weeks consistently for two years at this point.

So I enrolled in a lash course. It was my first investment and my biggest risk. Was I wasting my savings, or was this the start of something life-changing?

Turns out… it was the second one.

Within a month of finishing the course, I had my Instagram up, my equipment ready, and my first week fully booked out. I left hospitality and started lashing full-time and from that moment, Kookla Lashes was born.

For the first five years, I worked full-time 40-hour weeks building my business. It was the most challenging, rewarding, and transformative experience of my life. I poured everything into my craft and grew a loyal client base that truly became my community.

Fast forward to today, six years later, and what started as a side hustle has completely transformed my life. I've built a thriving business, bought an investment property, lived overseas for eight months, built a solid financial foundation, and most importantly, created a life built on freedom, creativity, and purpose.

I might not be teaching in a classroom, but every appointment is its own form of that — educating clients on their lashes, creating a space where they feel genuinely cared for, and building something I'm proud of every single day

With love, Kristina aka KOOKLA 🤍