Consquilla is living out her dream. She’s the owner of Affordable Styles Hair Salon in Baltimore, MD, and CC’s Beauty Institute, in Richmond VA. Her journey was not easy by far.
Tell us a little about yourself. Who is Consquilla?
I am a mom of a 28-year-old college student with Autism. I am the owner of CC’s Beauty Institute LLC, which is a licensed beauty school located in Richmond, VA. I own an Affordable Styles Hair Salon located in Baltimore, MD. Cosmetology is the center of my life. I started doing hair when I was a child. Throughout High School I did hair. I became pregnant with my son in 12th grade. After graduating I wanted to provide a good life for my son. I lived in Virginia and relocated to Baltimore when my son was 7 months old. I attended Dudley Beauty School in Baltimore, MD. I became a licensed stylist in the mid-’90s. After completing beauty school, I attended Morgan State University which is the best HBCU in the country. At Morgan State University I obtained a B.S. in Family and Consumer Sciences. While matriculating at Morgan I was a full-time stylist and full-time college student at the same time. I became a high school teacher. Over the years I continued to do hair, obtained a master’s degree, and opened a salon. With a background in education and a cosmetology license, I thought that it would be great to open a beauty school and combine my educational knowledge with my cosmetology trade.
How do you balance motherhood and full-time entrepreneurship?
I am great at multi-tasking. As a mom, I make sure that I eat dinner at the table a few times a week with my son. I enjoy cooking dinner for my son. We go out to eat several times a month. We do activities together such as the movies, museums, amusement parks, film festivals, concerts, and travel. I have days where I work long hours. I have to still have days to spend time with my son and family.
With October being national women’s small business month, what advice would you give to women specifically as they pursue entrepreneurship?
I want every woman in business to put themselves first. It is important to set goals and stick to them. Do not share your dreams with small, minded people. Surround yourself around other entrepreneurs. You must work hard and not make up excuses. Don’t give up when business is not going as planned. You must have a plan for every letter of the alphabet.
What do you define as success?
Success is when you are meeting the goals that you created for yourself.
What do you want readers to gain from this interview?
I want readers to understand that failure will occur more than success in the beginning. In order to build an empire, you must be creative and believe in yourself. You must be confident about your brand.
How can our readers connect with you?
I can be reached at www.ccbeautyinstitute.com
www.instagram.com/ccbeautyinstitute
Photo Credits: Virgil Odell
Wonderful and congratulations to your success. Especially to be a mentor and inspiration to other. Praise God for all you do, blessings 🙌