Today we’d like to introduce you to Camilia McCullough.
It’s an honor to speak with you today. Why don’t you give us some details about you and your story. How did you get to where you are today?
Thank you for having me! It is an honor to share my story with you and all of your readers! My name is Camilia McCullough and I am first a mother and secondly a BOSS…both roles highly blessed by God. As a mom, providing for my children has always been my number one priority so I chose a career path that provided me with a decent job and pay. I received both my Bachelors and Masters Degrees in Healthcare Administration, making this industry apart of my story for almost 10 years. After suffering a pregnancy loss, a divorce, and struggles of being a single mother, I wanted to do something for myself that will in return give me a sense of purpose in my life. Of course being a mom has always seemed to be my purpose but I wanted to help other women through similar struggles that I, myself, pressed through in a very short time. My passion to heal others through beauty became reality when I became a licensed esthetician almost a year ago. Stepping out on faith, I quit my career in healthcare to enroll in beauty school and 7 months later, I became a graduate of Mississippi Institute of Aesthetics, Nails, and Cosmetology. While enrolled in school, I again stepped out on faith and birthed Goddess Glamz Beauty and Wellness Spa, which is now a thriving and successful business servicing over 180 women throughout the Delta and Central cities of Mississippi.
I’m sure your success has not come easily. What challenges have you had to overcome along the way?
Success definitely did not come easy to me. I first became a mom at the young age of 13. As soon as I graduated high school, I took full responsibility of my son. I went to college with him right by my side and I learned how to shift everything around his care. Now that I am a mom of 5 (4 living and 1 angel baby), I still find it very challenging to make certain business moves around their care. Being a fairly new entrepreneur, there are so many moves I need to make in order to get to the next level and this in itself can become challenging when being a single mom. I will say things are getting much easier. I am now apart of one of the biggest tribes of Black Female Spa Entrepreneurs, who most are also moms traveling the same roads as I. My mindset as a BOSS MOM has completely shifted. I remember a time where I bragged about my 60k+ salary and now I run my numbers in my spa and within my first two years I have made 3x that salary for myself! With God, I have not missed a beat as a mom and now more than ever I am 1000% sure it’s only going to get better moving forward!
Let’s talk about the work you do. What do you specialize in and why should someone work with you over the competition?
As a licensed esthetician, I provide skin care services to both women and men from all ethnicities. My ultimate goal is provide a quality and beneficial service to each client. I understand the importance of skincare and also the changes this industry makes on a regular basis. It has and will always be important to me a skin care specialist to stay well-informed of these changes. The investments I make in myself as an esthetician sets me apart from others. I often travel from state to state increasing my knowledge in this field. I do not treat any two clients the same. Even when performing my top service, Brazilian Waxing, I do not provide the exact service to every client. I am also the same when it comes to the business overall. My collection of business coaches and mentors are among some of the best in the industry. Being able to provide top tier services and experiences to every client/customer who chooses to patronize my business will always be my top priority. I take very much pride in being the First Black Esthetician and Black Spa Owner to bring a much needed establishment to my hometown. I take even more pride in bringing a successful business that not only service the direct citizens, but also hundred others who travel to receive the services offered. I am so excited about the business expansions that will soon take place, offering more services and employment opportunities to a community I’ve grown to love!
What’s your best piece of advice for readers who desire to find success in their life?
If I could give one piece of advice, it would be to seek YOUR PURPOSE. As an entrepreneur, defining what your purpose in life is can be very overwhelming. I say this because sometimes people just do not know what it is that they can do that will be of meaningful purpose to others. I start my day off with prayer and meditation. Everyday, in everything that I do I want to do with purpose. I want to make an impact in the lives of others. Rather that impact be on my children, siblings, other family members, or clients, I want to be able to make a difference. Setting goals and making step by step plans is very important. Determining what your gift and purpose is definitely recommended at the forefront of your entrepreneur journey. Time is something we don’t have to waste. We all know of someone who has wasted much time because they crave a success that belongs to another and has absolutely nothing to do with what God wants them to do. This is where success becomes difficult and most, almost impossible. There is absolutely nothing wrong with being inspired by others but planning your success off the success that others has achieved can be very detrimental. Being successful mean that you hustle and pour greatly into a passion or dream that’s important to you. Even when others don’t understand your hunger for success, you’ll work harder towards it when it aligns with your true purpose!
Speaking of success, what does the word mean to you?
Success means that I am able to grow and elevate into the God-fearing woman, mother, and leader that I desire to be. At this current point in my life, guiding my children into a productive and successful adulthood is of the most importance to me. Often time, we are forced to raise our children in unfortunate environments, which means as parents we must work 100x harder to lead them in the right direction. It is my sole responsibility to create a life of substance for our children. This is the primary point of success for me. Often times, we align success with monetary. Although money is important, success is more about building generational wealth. More about building meaningful communities and empowering others. As I continue on this journey, it is my ultimate goal to change the lives of other women who look like me, especially single mothers. I have achieved so much in my short two years as an entrepreneur. Last year I was awarded for my dedication to the Black Spa Community at the only Black Spa Awards powered by the #1 Spa Mogul Candace Holyfield. This year, December 18th, I’ll be back in the ATL and I am up for Best Esthetician! There is so much success in being recognized by some of the industry’s most influential spa owners, all that are notable inspirations to myself. This is the level of success that I wish upon all women who strive everyday to make a difference in this world!
What’s next for you?
As I move into this next phase of my entrepreneur journey, providing education via training, mentorship is in motion. I have successfully built a 6-Figure Brand and I am now proficient enough to share my business knowledge with others who are struggling in their businesses. The more I continue to invest in my business, the more I understand the systems and strategies a lot of larger brands have in place that has resulted in their success. These are the things that many small business owners lack. As I put them in place for my own business, I want to also be able to help other business owners successfully scale their businesses. I am also preparing to rebrand my entire spa business. When I started this journey, determining my business name was a decision I made on impulse. Now that I understand more about brand identity, it is very important that I move forward building my brand around a story that truly represents who I am. I am most excite about this rebrand because it will now give my supporters more purpose to rock with me! My current spa Goddess Glamz Beauty and Wellness Spa will soon be known as 4.4 Aesthetics Modern Day Spa, which will officially launch on 4.4.22, my son’s Cayden Heavenly 4th Birthday!!! This will be the first year since experiencing such a traumatic event that I will be able to rejoice and celebrate both him, as well as my success! Most importantly this rebrand represents RESILIENCE!
Finally, how can people connect with you if they want to learn more?
There are several ways to connect with me. Currently, all social media is listed under the Brand Goddess Glamz Beauty and Wellness Spa. You can search the exact business name on Facebook. My Instagram can be found at @goddess_glamzbeautyspa. You may also text “spa662” to 21000 to stay updated on all the upcoming news as we prepare to launch several business projects and the relaunch of the spa, all under the 4.4 Brand. My website also has great offers and information and can be found at www.goddessglamz.com. Don’t forget to subscribe there also to stay updated!