Meet Chioma Egege

We recently connected with Chioma Egege and have shared our conversation below.

Chioma, thanks for taking the time to share your lessons with our community today. So, let’s jump right in – one of the most essential skills for unlocking our potential is self-discipline. Where does your self-discipline come from?
My self-discipline stems from my drive and desire to help others. Orphaned at the age of 17, all I had was God, and I was forced to make many hard decisions that helped me develop a go-getter mentality. Being on my own at such a young age gave me a level of self-awareness, responsibility, and accountability that I could not have acquired in any other way. I had to hold myself accountable for every aspect of my life because there was no one else to do so. Every day, I try to honor my parents and ensure that everything they worked for will not be in vain. This has taught me to give my all in everything I do, and leave the rest to God. I do everything with passion, especially within my business. I poured all my emotions into my business and am beyond grateful when I think about how it has grown. The best way to show my gratitude is by pursuing everything wholeheartedly. I also want to help and encourage others while making a change in this world, and that requires self-discipline.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I am a Licensed Esthetician specializing in eyelash extensions, waxing, teeth whitening, and tooth gems. The most special aspect of my profession is being able to create/enhance with my hands and directly boost the self-esteem of others. I love the idea of combining multiple details and creating a beautiful outcome. I would like everyone to know that I am constantly pouring into my business and creating new ideas in order to put a smile on as many faces as possible. I began this journey in an effort to boost my own self-esteem and soon realized that I wanted to help others as well. In 2019, I started a business named Wink’dbyChi and began sharing my knowledge and passion for eyelash extensions. 2 years later, I decided to expand my skills and pursue a professional career in esthetics. Today, Wink’dbyChi is known as BYCHI Esthetics Studio.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Looking back, I would say the most impactful qualities in my journey were professionalism, patience and resilience. Professionalism is extremely important because it reflects the amount of effort and pride the owner pours into the business. Most people will only remember your professionalism and the service/product provided. I believe professionalism leaves a great first impression and encourages consumers to return to your business. Patience is the key to accomplishing any goal, especially in business. Multiple consecutive goals create a journey, so you must be patient enough to properly and effectively accomplish each goal. Within the esthetics field, you must be patient and understanding when dealing with clients or when providing a service. Impatience will always lead to rushed or careless decision making. Resilience allows you to keep going, no matter what happens. During any journey, just keep moving forward. Obstacles will come at any time, so you must be willing to endure and quickly recover from those obstacles, in order to continue growing your business.

My advice to anyone in the early stages of their journey would be to improve on professionalism by being kind, establishing a standard policy and abiding by it, developing an effective method of communication, and creating a comfortable environment for consumers. To improve on patience, put all your effort into everything you do and understand that the remainder will come with time. Improve on your resilience by continuously pushing, no matter what comes your way. Remember that everything will pass and there is always a light at the end of the tunnel.

Any advice for folks feeling overwhelmed?
When I feel overwhelmed, I pray, try to remember why I started this business and take it one day at time. Praying calms my mind and my heart, allowing me to think clearly. When I remember why I started this business and think about my journey, I am reminded that I am capable of way more than I think. Feeling overwhelmed is normal, and it will pass, just like it always has. My advice would be to pray, appreciate how far you have come, and take it one day at a time. When you think about all that you have to do, it’s very easy to feel overwhelmed because it almost seems impossible to accomplish everything. However, when you focus on one task at a time, it’s easier to accomplish them all and feel less “weight” or pressure.

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