Today, we’d like to introduce you to Chynnea Ford.
Hi Chynnea, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
My journey started my freshman year of college, phasing out of my tomboy phase and wanting to experiment with my fashion and be more intentional with my hair and makeup. From there, my passion for beauty began to take root and blossomed to where I am now. The year 2012 is when I decided to take my love for makeup into the professional realm, landing my first job as a Beauty Advisor for the beauty counters at Macy’s.
From there, my career transitioned from being a Color Consultant for Sephora to a Key Holder for Bare Minerals, to an Associate Manager for Ulta Beauty. After many years in retail, I grew tired of it: the unpredictable days and hours, working on the weekends, standing for 8+ hours, etc. I then made a drastic career shift to Human Resources, wanting more stability and thinking going the corporate way was the answer. It had its advantages, allowing me to devote my free time and weekends to freelance as a professional makeup artist and re-spark my passion for beauty.
Fast forward from 2016 to 2020, right at the beginning of COVID, I made the decision to go to school to gain my esthetician license, further my skills and expand my services as a licensed professional. As my motivation and passion grew for my esthetics career, my motivation to continue my Human Resources career began to fade away rather quickly.
After many long nights of planning, strategizing, and lots of prayer, in May of 2022, I took a leap of faith and quit my full-time job as an HR Professional and dedicated my career to officially becoming a full-time entrepreneur, owner, and operator of Chynnea Marie Beauty. Wanting to expand and use my platform to advocate for other beauty professionals, I opened The Beauty Mecca Salon Suited in 2023.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It was not easy at all! The biggest struggle is the fear of uncertainty – being used to the stability of a steady check, I now had to adjust my way of living to accommodate my new financial situation. Also, being a solo entrepreneur, I had to wear many hats since I couldn’t yet outsource services like marketing, accounting, administrating, financing.
These are all skills I had little to no knowledge of and had to learn as I went, “fake it till you make it” was my motto in the beginning! I often struggled with self-doubt, wondering if I could really do this, wondering if I had what it takes to truly build a business and service, my clients, the way they deserve while being able to provide for my family and myself.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next, you can tell us a bit more about your business?
At Chynnea Marie Beauty, I provide a variety of beauty and waxing services that include eyebrow transformation services (eyebrow tinting, lamination, and henna), face and body waxing services, permanent makeup services, and makeup services (Including bridal makeup). I am best known for my eyebrow, makeup and Brazilian wax services.
I am most proud of the relationships I’ve built with my clients along the way and being able to create a safe space for us to truly unwind and speak about any and everything, being a listening ear, their “Esty bestie”. What sets me apart from others? Just being myself! With every client I serve, they will always experience the authentic and transparent me, no matter what.
My clients are also my top priority, making sure they not only come in to receive a service but also to provide them with an experience that can make a positive impact on their lives, even once they leave their appointment. I offer a variety of services, packages, and weekly deals that cater to all my clients, their desires, their preferences, their lifestyles, and most importantly, their pockets!
What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
Trust the process, learn from it, and enjoy it, even the parts of the process that didn’t feel too good at times – there is also a light at the end of the tunnel, keep the faith and God will do the rest, every single time!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.chynneamariebeauty.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chynneamariebeauty
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chynneamariemakeup
Image Credits
Donovan Brown
