How we opened a permanent makeup school in the middle of COVID

Our story

Published October 21, 2026Updated October 21, 20262 min read

Before New PMU, Anna was renting a single room in La Jolla and doing procedures herself. She already had a strong name in San Diego: lots of reviews on Yelp and Google, and many referrals that still bring us clients today. She was already teaching students in that same room, and she had trained her first artists and brought them onto her team, and she kept learning paramedical and new techniques, which usually reach us from Europe. On top of that she had years of teaching experience and working course material, but none of it was packaged or advertised yet.

Anna teaching a lesson at a whiteboard in her La Jolla room — Teaching in Anna's room in La Jolla, before New PMU.

A student taking notes during a lesson in La Jolla — A student taking notes during a lesson.

Anna handing a certificate to a student in La Jolla — A certificate handover to a student.

We registered New PMU Inc. in May 2019. Together with Anna's business partner, who is also from Ukraine and had a marketing and PR background, we decided to build a real school and studio around Anna's experience.

In November 2019 we walked into a large space in North Park and decided to take it. It was a dance studio with mirrors on the walls. There was no renovation of any kind, bare walls, and not even air conditioning. The rent was high, but we liked the neighborhood, and the size gave us room for the ambitious plans we had. It was a very risky decision, and we had no idea what was about to happen with COVID.

Empty dance studio with mirrors along the wall, before the renovation — The space in North Park before the renovation: a dance studio with mirrors on the wall.

Empty hall with an old tile floor, bare walls and a ceiling fan, before the renovation — The space before the renovation: old tile floor, bare walls and a ceiling fan.

We ordered a fully custom design in a European style from a designer from Ukraine, and in February 2020 the renovation started. It took about three to four months. Alex, Anna's husband, ran it, and both husbands, who are IT specialists, helped with the technical side too, which let the team move much faster. We took a loan of more than $40,000 for the work. We built the interior almost exactly as the designer's 3D render showed it: bold coral and red colors, a dark ceiling, and an arched niche for every workstation. Rent was around $4,000 a month or more from the first month, and it kept rising by a large percentage. We planned to rent out treatment beds to other artists. That never happened.

Designer's 3D render of the school interior: coral walls, arched niches, a dark ceiling and red armchairs — The designer's 3D render of the interior.

Drywall with arched niches along the wall during the renovation — Arched niches taking shape during the renovation, 2020.

Coral painted arched niches and a dark ceiling during the renovation — Coral walls and a dark ceiling during the renovation, 2020.

Pile of old lumber and fixtures in front of a framed, gutted space — Clearing out the old space before the build.

Wooden frame of arched niches along a bare wall during the renovation — The arched niches take shape as a wooden frame, February 2020 renovation.

Long hall with wooden frames for arched niches along the wall during the renovation — The hall during the renovation, with the frames for the niches along the wall.

The finished hall with arched niches, treatment beds, copper lamps and a black ceiling — The finished hall in North Park: arched niches at every workstation, copper lamps, black ceiling.

Two people assembling treatment beds in front of coral arched niches — Assembling the treatment beds ourselves before opening.

The hall with a New PMU branded backdrop, treatment beds along the coral wall — The hall ready for the first students.

Table with New PMU bags, binders and notebooks and a laptop showing a Basic course slide — Welcome kits for the first Basic course: bag, binder and notebook.

Classroom table with bags, a wall screen and a whiteboard on an easel — The classroom set up for day 1 of the Basic course.

Anna holding a binder next to a screen that reads Permanent Makeup Basic Course, day 1 — Anna at the start of day 1 of a Basic course.

Anna in gloves presenting a sanitation and sterilization slide to students seated at a table — Anna teaching sanitation and bloodborne pathogen safety to one of our first groups.

COVID restrictions reached San Diego while the work was still going on. Masks, closures, and uncertainty arrived at the same time as our opening plans. Our landlord gave us no break on payments, and we also had an SBA loan to repay. We had put a lot on the line and needed students quickly.

So we went to the media. Local TV stations were watching COVID closely, and we pitched our story: a family-run school opening in the middle of it all. FOX 5 and NBC 7 covered us, and you can watch the stories on our home page.

Permanent makeup school opens in San Diego (FOX 5)

New PMU is a perfect choice for those interested in an ambitious role in the beauty industry

Local business concerned over new tier (NBC 7)

The school and the service business grew together, and our team became large. This is only the beginning of our story. In the next article we explain what changed in 2022, and why we became Anna Kara's Permanent Makeup Academy.

See courses

Our story
New PMU
North Park
Academy history
COVID-19

Alex Kara

Alex Kara is Anna Kara's husband. He ran the renovation of the studio and works on the Academy's website and marketing.

Frequently asked questions

Where is Anna Kara's Permanent Makeup Academy located?

The Academy is in San Diego, California, at 1357 Seventh Ave, Ste C. Its first home, New PMU, was a large former dance studio in North Park.

Who runs the Academy?

Anna Kara founded the school and teaches. Today the two main instructors are Anna and Anastasia, who also handles enrollment and student onboarding.

When did New PMU start?

New PMU Inc. was registered in May 2019. The team decided to take the North Park space in November 2019, and the renovation started in February 2020.

Why did the school open during COVID?

COVID restrictions reached San Diego while the renovation was still going on. The landlord gave no break on payments and there was an SBA loan to repay, so the team needed students quickly.

How did the school get on TV?

The team pitched local TV stations a story about a family-run school opening in the middle of COVID. FOX 5 and NBC 7 covered it, and the videos are on this page.

What did Anna do before New PMU?

Anna rented a single room in La Jolla and did procedures herself. She already taught students there and had many reviews on Yelp and Google.

About the Academy

Anna Kara's Permanent Makeup Academy teaches permanent makeup in San Diego, California, at 1357 Seventh Ave, Ste C, San Diego, CA 92101. It started as New PMU in North Park.