Check Out Tokia Smith’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Tokia Smith.

Hi Tokia, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
My journey as a makeup artist began as a biology pre-med student in my senior year of college. I realized I didn’t have a passion for what I was in school. What truly sparked the excitement in me was preparing for my day, which consisted of doing my makeup, getting my outfits in order, and styling my hair; that is imperative because I get to exemplify the level of excellence that I render. After all, it starts with me setting the standard daily, which has drawn people to my talent. Anything beauty has always given me room to express myself and my creativity truly. What made me the entrepreneur I am today was staying true to my journey no matter who didn’t agree, sacrificing things that didn’t align with my purpose, and most importantly, prayer + faith, allowing God to lead as I followed.

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?
NOTHING worth having comes easy! It wasn’t always a smooth road on my journey, but the results were rewarding. I think of my journey as a road with speed bumps. When I am driving, and I come across a speed bump, I don’t stop or turn around; I slow down and ease over it. In life, when you experience a slight bump, slow down, reevaluate, and KEEP GOING! One of the biggest struggles I had to overcome was canceling out distractions. Distractions come in so many forms that you must identify what’s holding you back from reaching your highest self. Once I mastered distractions, I had no setbacks.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a self-taught makeup artist/beauty educator specializing in everyday glam and weddings, I am a fashion designer, & I own House of Maqiyaj salon suites. I am known for my matte looks in the makeup industry. I am always complimented on how long-lasting and flawless my looks are. I trained aspiring artists and established artists who wanted to perfect their craft. I offer 1-day, 3-day, or 1-month courses. I am also known for my style. I dress to impress because you never know who you may run into! Fashion is my outlet for expressing my true self. I currently have 10 salon suites that are filled with so many beautiful souls that are entrepreneurs as well.

I love being a salon owner because it gives me the space to connect with many different individuals with many talents. We all learn from one another as we continue to grow. I take my team out for bonding events so we can grow closer, come together and give back to the community, and act as one! My ability to create differently with precision sets me apart from others, which comes out in how I brand, market, and promote. I understand that there’s nothing new under the sun, but there has only been one of me created. Therefore I get to showcase the journey of finding my core and originality, which leads to my purpose. I must say I am most proud of how I conquered and crushed so many goals in such a short period. I am proud of how dedicated I was to my dreams that turned into a reality. The sky is the limit, and this is the beginning of a never-ending legacy I am building.

How do you define success?
A certain amount of money can’t measure success in my world. Success is when I am my best self knocking my goals down at my own pace simply because life is no race. Success is when I have mastered peace, sanity, happiness, and wealth. Wealth is beyond money. There is time wealth (freedom), physical wealth (health), social wealth (status), and financial wealth (money). To that end, success is subjective, yet something we all should seek to obtain on our way.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therealkialove/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y%3D
• Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001016087591&_rdr
• Other: https://www.instagram.com/hautniveauclo/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y%3D

Image Credits
@hidefpixel