Deepica Mutyala: ON Entrepreneurship and How To Quit Your Job To Pursue Your Dreams

TL;DR

To pursue a dream, strip away excuses and start before you feel completely prepared. Deepica Mutyala launched her YouTube channel without knowing everything, then carried that action-first mindset into building Live Tinted, the beauty brand she had imagined since age 16. Her journey also shows how representation, immigrant-family sacrifice, and a strong work ethic can shape entrepreneurship. Read on for the experiences behind her approach.

Transcript

when you take those layers back of all the excuses right because that to me is the biggest reason that so many people including myself at points in life right didn't just start something and for me the biggest thing is you just have to start with my youtube channel i didn't know anything but i just started and it was it didn't matter and it worked ... Read More

Key Insights

• Starting is the essential first step because excuses and overthinking can prevent an idea from ever being tested. Mutyala began her YouTube channel without knowing everything she thought she might need, and taking action allowed the project to work and develop.
• Beauty is a vehicle for self-expression when people do not see themselves represented in their surroundings. Growing up in Texas among narrow beauty standards, Mutyala used makeup, colored contacts, and blonde streaks as ways to navigate identity and fit in.
• Mutyala’s entrepreneurial ambition began early, when she told her father at age 16 that she wanted to create a beauty brand. Although the path unfolded differently than she expected, that early conviction gave her a long-term direction within the beauty industry.
• Her original career plan was to learn the corporate side of beauty, attend Harvard Business School to satisfy her father’s expectations, and then launch a company. Life did not follow that sequence, showing that a clear goal can remain useful even when the planned route changes.
• Immigrant parents’ work ethic can become entrepreneurial fuel even when their preferred career path differs from their child’s ambitions. Mutyala saw her father’s journey from picking weeds in an Indian village to supporting his family as a powerful standard for effort.
• Live Tinted is intended to connect beauty, culture, and a multicultural community. Its public recognition, including a New York Times announcement and a Times Square billboard, made years of uncertain and emotionally demanding work feel tangible to Mutyala.
• Representation matters because dominant media images can influence how young people judge their appearance and identity. Mutyala grew up surrounded by blonde hair and blue eyes as the visible standard, which shaped both her personal beauty choices and her eventual business purpose.
• Gratitude for family sacrifice can develop with maturity. Mutyala felt embarrassed as a child by cultural markers such as her mother’s clothing and the smell of chicken curry, but later recognized her parents as her strongest supporters and respected what they gave up.
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Questions & Answers

Q: How can you quit your job and begin pursuing a dream?

Mutyala’s central advice is to remove excuses and start before every detail is solved. Her own path suggests using disciplined effort to take the first meaningful step instead of allowing perfectionism and uncertainty to delay the work.

Q: Why is starting more important than having a perfect plan?

Starting provides experience that planning alone cannot. Mutyala did not know everything when she launched her YouTube channel, but beginning without overthinking allowed it to work and develop.

Q: How did Deepica Mutyala become interested in beauty entrepreneurship?

Growing up in Texas, Mutyala rarely saw people who looked like her represented in prevailing beauty standards. By age 16, she had told her father that she wanted to create her own beauty brand, giving her a long-term direction even though the eventual path differed from her plan.

Q: Why did Deepica Mutyala create Live Tinted?

Live Tinted grew from Mutyala’s desire to connect beauty, culture, and a multicultural community. It was intended to create broader representation for people who, like her younger self, did not see themselves reflected in conventional beauty standards.

Q: How did growing up in Texas shape Deepica Mutyala’s view of beauty?

Mutyala grew up surrounded by a beauty standard centered on blonde hair and blue eyes. She used makeup, colored contacts, and blonde streaks while navigating her identity, and that experience later informed her commitment to representation.

Q: How did Deepica Mutyala’s immigrant parents influence her career?

Her parents associated the American dream with education, professional respect, and extraordinary effort, while her father hoped she would become a doctor. Mutyala chose beauty entrepreneurship instead, but carried their work ethic and sacrifices into building her career.

Q: What did Deepica Mutyala learn from her father’s work ethic?

Her father’s journey from picking weeds in an Indian village to supporting his family gave Mutyala a powerful standard for effort. She came to view that example as entrepreneurial fuel and motivation to work harder toward her own vision.

Q: What made Live Tinted’s launch feel real to Deepica Mutyala?

A New York Times announcement and a Times Square billboard displaying Live Tinted made the brand’s progress tangible to her. After a long and uncertain process, the public response made the work feel worthwhile and left her feeling grateful.

Summary

In this video, Deepika Mutyala, CEO and Founder of Live Tinted, shares her remarkable journey of starting her own beauty brand and changing the way we think about beauty. She discusses the importance of taking risks, overcoming excuses, and the impact of representation in the beauty industry.

Questions & Answers

Q: What was the catalyst for Deepika starting her YouTube channel?

Deepika started her YouTube channel because she wanted to share beauty tips with her friends who frequently asked her for advice. She didn't overthink it and just took action by using her iPhone to create content.

Q: How did Deepika's second YouTube video go viral?

Deepika's second video about using red lipstick to mask dark circles went viral after it was picked up by Buzzfeed. It received millions of views and led to opportunities and recognition in the beauty industry.

Q: How did Deepika's background as an immigrant influence her career aspirations?

Deepika's parents had a specific vision of the American dream, which focused on education and careers in medicine. Deepika, however, wanted to do something different and saw beauty as a vehicle for self-expression and paving the path for others.

Q: How did Deepika's parents react when she quit her job to pursue her dream?

Deepika's parents were initially concerned when they found out she had quit her job without telling them. However, when Deepika's father discovered her passion and commitment, he gave her a check as an investment in her business, showing his belief in her.

Q: What advice does Deepika have for someone who wants to pursue their goals and dreams?

Deepika advises cutting out excuses and taking the first step towards your goals. She emphasizes the importance of starting, even if you don't have all the resources or knowledge, and using each step as a building block towards your ultimate vision.

Q: How did Deepika's experience in the beauty industry contribute to her success as a beauty influencer?

Deepika's ten years of experience in the beauty industry provided her with knowledge, skills, and a network in the field. This foundation allowed her to confidently transition from her corporate job to becoming a beauty influencer.

Q: How did Deepika's transition from being a beauty influencer to starting her own brand come about?

Deepika always had a desire to create something bigger than herself and change representation in the beauty industry. She wanted to build a brand that showcased a range of women and fostered inclusivity and diversity. Live Tinted became a movement to challenge beauty standards and make representation the norm.

Q: What is the ultimate goal of Live Tinted as a beauty brand?

The ultimate goal of Live Tinted is to change the faces seen in the beauty industry and challenge the idea of beauty. It's about creating a community and celebrating individuality and authenticity. The brand strives to make people feel good about themselves and provide a platform for diverse voices and experiences.

Q: Why did Live Tinted start with the issue of dark circles?

Live Tinted engaged with its community to determine the first beauty product to create and discovered that dark circles were a common concern shared by many. This brought Deepika's journey full circle as it connected back to her early red lipstick video and her personal experience with dark circles.

Q: What sets Live Tinted apart from other beauty brands?

Live Tinted sets itself apart by being more than just a beauty brand; it's a movement. The brand advocates for self-acceptance, celebrates diversity, and challenges unrealistic beauty standards. Live Tinted strives to be a platform where people can be themselves, with the product being secondary to the overall message.

Takeaways

Deepika Mutyala's journey from starting a YouTube channel to becoming the CEO of Live Tinted serves as a powerful example of taking risks and pursuing one's passion. Her story emphasizes the importance of starting, cutting out excuses, and continuously learning and adapting along the way. Additionally, she highlights the need for representation and diversity in the beauty industry and aims to redefine beauty standards through Live Tinted.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Deepica Mutyala says progress begins when people strip away excuses and start before knowing everything. Her YouTube channel grew from that approach. She did not wait for perfect knowledge or certainty, and the experience taught her that overthinking can be a greater obstacle than an imperfect first attempt.

• Growing up in Texas, Mutyala rarely saw people who looked like her represented in the beauty standards surrounding her. Beauty became a form of self-expression and adaptation. Her early fascination with makeup eventually developed into a goal of building a beauty brand that could represent a more multicultural community.

• Mutyala’s immigrant parents associated the American dream with education, professional respect, and extraordinary effort. Although her career differed from the medical path her father preferred, she carried their work ethic into entrepreneurship. She now views their sacrifices with gratitude and hopes younger people recognize what immigrant parents give their families.