We recently connected with Felica DeRoza and have shared our conversation below.
Felica, so great to have you with us and we want to jump right into a really important question. In recent years, it’s become so clear that we’re living through a time where so many folks are lacking self-confidence and self-esteem. So, we’d love to hear about your journey and how you developed your self-confidence and self-esteem.
The biggest influence on my confidence and self-esteem have been my parents. Growing up with having Eczema, people were often very cruel. They said really hurtful things and this was adults as well as children. My parents taught me that despite having a skin condition, it didn’t take away from who I was as a person. People who openly criticize and say unkind words because of what they don’t know or understand, is their problem. Overcoming those feelings of being different was hard, but it has fueled my growth in the skincare industry.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I have been a Massage Therapist for 15 years and created a skin care line along the way. In business you are always growing, there are aspects of your story that you may not be comfortable talking about or making a key focus of your business. For myself, eczema is the foundation of why I began a skin care business. It was not something I was comfortable talking about in reference to myself. As a massage therapist, who sees a range of different skin types in one day, it was something other people also experienced. Clients have been the driving force to open myself to sharing this fact publicly, The products that I create were for my own personal use to help soothe my own skin concerns after years of products that didn’t seem to work after time. As I wish to further expand the product line, I will be starting a Cosmetic Science program thru Spelman College that focusing on the skin needs of those of the African Diaspora.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Education, mentorship and understanding the hardships are necessary aspects of growth, As you take this, education will always be important. It doesn’t always mean college or university degrees, you can simply find courses or programs online to further your knowledge. Skills are required for any profession, and knowing how to safely complete tasks are important for yourself and others.
Within your industry of choice, there are those who have been where you are. Find them, study how they overcame challenges and if possible, reach out to them. Not just to pick their brain, but create a connection that will allow a natural flow to sharing of knowledge and growth.
We all go further when we have a support system, a community of individuals who are all on their own journey as we uplift each other. Tough times don’t last, but it’s important to learn how to move forward during these times. There may be times when you will question your why, is this really for you – that’s when you have to dig deep to keep going or make a decision about how this will affect your life. Endings are not always failure.
Alright so to wrap up, who deserves credit for helping you overcome challenges or build some of the essential skills you’ve needed?
The most helpful over the last year has been Nikki Fagan. She has pushed me to “DREAM BIG”. To know the ideas I have are needed and to bring them to fruition as only I can. Take up as much space as I need as no one is just going to make space for me. The growth that I seek for my business doesn’t have to stay local. I can have international exposure and reach. There are collaborations to be made, connections are one phone call, social post, or email away. Understanding the power of constantly promoting the business is the only way to have consistent growth. The most important factor is confidence in myself to complete the actionable tasks I have set out for the business.
Image Credits
Felica DeRoza
