Nakilia Adams, founder and owner of Bee & Bee Beauty and Beyond in Warren, Ohio.
(Photo provided)
WARREN
Our skin is the largest organ of the body and is the first round of protection against the environment. While some people are not exposed to the importance of skin care, and how effective it is, Warren business owner Nakilia Adams is determined to educate the community on what she’s learned.
Adams is an advanced esthetician and the founder and owner of Bee & Bee LLC, 2068 Mahoning Ave., Warren. Her business specializes in full-body waxing, facials, dermaplaning, massage therapy, lash lifts and other esthetic services.
“I want people to know that … everybody needs to take care of their skin, no matter what color you are. We must have a skin care regimen,” Adams said.
Since 2013, Adams has built her business on superior customer service and providing education, which she learned was at a deficit in the African-American community.
“I feel like because of certain things that we’re not exposed to even at a young age as far as skin care — a lot of Black people weren’t getting facials, or they didn’t massage or do things like that. And that’s because maybe at a young age we weren’t introduced to that,” she said.
The journey to Bee & Bee beauty services
A Warren G. Harding alumna, Adams developed the desire to become an entrepreneur during adulthood. Working with numerous multi-level marketing businesses, she gained the knowledge to understand how to properly operate a business. Her biggest motivation was the loss of her firstborn son.
“I feel like starting my business five months after my son was murdered definitely has kept me busy. I end up purchasing a building last year during COVID, and got the building completely remodeled,” she said.
Initially, Adams began her journey with waxing and no desire to start her own business. However, with Bee & Bee, she has been able to create a comfortable environment to help her clients with the discomfort of waxing. She ultimately decided to expand her services and company.
“Making my clients feel very comfortable when they come in is important. Since I moved to my new location, I’ve gotten a lot of brand new clients,” she said.
A plethora of beauty services offerings
Not only does Bee & Bee focus on comfortability — it also provides several different services.
“I do offer skin care, [for] which I do have another aesthetician. We do teeth whitening [and] tooth gems, but one of the things I feel like may set me apart is the education that I give to my clients while they’re there as the aftercare product,” Adams said.
Adams provides a variety of services, of which waxing is the most popular. She is mainly known for her Brazilian waxes. However, she offers all waxes for all areas including arms, legs and more.
“I do a lot of Brazilian waxing. We all know that’s an intimate service. It’s kind of a painful experience,” she said.
Challenges in business growth as a minority
All businesses face their own obstacles, in various ways. By being a minority business owner, starting from the ground up, Adams said one of her greatest challenges is in securing clientele and establishing her brand locally.
“Even today I still have them where sometimes if I don’t have a full clientele, I tend to get depressed,” she said.
“Me going into my business helped me get through struggles,” she said. “If I have a full day, my mind is going to be busy. I’m not thinking about it. But as soon as I have that moment of free time … I tend to get in a moment to grieve or get depressed.”
A future of expansion on the horizon
The global beauty industry worth $511 billion, according to Common Thread Collective. As this sector increases, Adams is preparing by positioning her business with an expanded team and services.
“Next year I plan on hiring staff, I do plan on having staff, even if it’s just one person,” she said. “I’m also planning on expanding my team with other estheticians. I have a licensed braider and she also teaches classes. Next year I do plan on teaching more. I’m going through the process right now, getting licensure through the state of Ohio Board of Cosmetology so I will be able to maybe offer some classes.”
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For more information or to book with Bee & Bee Beauty & Beyond you can follow @beeandbeellc on Instagram and Facebook.
This story was originally published January 2, 2022 4:00 AM.
Source: https://www.mahoningmatters.com/news/local/article256990232.html