We were lucky to catch up with Kia Patterson recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Kia, appreciate you sitting with us today to share your wisdom with our readers. So, let’s start with resilience – where do you get your resilience from?
As a teen mother, I had to grow into adulthood quickly. Having two kids before the age of 21, I had to grow even more being a single parent. The one thing I knew from the beginning of my journey as a single mom was that I was not going to settle for being a statistic. There was an example to be set for my daughters. Throughout these 17 years of parenting, my daughters have watched me work hard. From working crazy restaurants hours and going to school, to now having a beauty business of my own. There were definitely times when it felt like too much, but it wasn’t. I stopped allowing challenges to get the best of me and started thinking solution-based. Being consistent and intentional will take you a long way. It was all worth the fight.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I am a licensed cosmetologist focused on the esthetic side of the beauty industry. Through my early, discovery years in the beauty industry, I found that I loved being able to put guests in a relaxed state, but I also enjoy the true artistry of beauty. Now being in the industry for a little over 8 years, I have my own esthetic studio, Mystikal Beauty. Here at Mystikal Beauty we specialize in lash extensions, full body waxing, and brow maintenance. The main focus of the business is to not only provide guests with beautiful, natural enhancements, but provide an atmosphere where they can relax throughout the process. In the fall, we will be adding permanent make-up to the list of services. It has been in the works for some time. With these new services, I’m hoping to continue to put my own relaxing and natural spin on beauty.
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?
One of the most impactful qualities I have learned in my journey has been to always be open to being a student. You never know it all and there is always room for improvement. Get familiar with your strengths and weaknesses and work on them both. A really good skill I’ve learned early on was how to interact with people professionally. It does not matter how much of a free spirit you have, if you are in business, there is still a way to be yourself and professional. Clients and anyone you encounter professionally, will appreciate the effort. Lastly, be consistent. There were days where I felt defeated with a new skill or even a work environment that I wasn’t too fond of, but I never lost sight of the end goal. You have to get up and tackle each day to get closer. It’s ok to have emotional moments, but don’t let those moments of weakness defeat you.
What is the number one obstacle or challenge you are currently facing and what are you doing to try to resolve or overcome this challenge?
The number one obstacle I’m facing now is pushing through maternity leave as an entrepreneur. I am getting ready to welcome my third child with a husband and business. This is a much better circumstance than what I’ve been through, but still a challenge. Currently, I am adding a blog to the Mystikal Beauty website and keeping clients and friends updated on the journey through the blog to keep everyone personally engaged. Along with clients having new services to look forward to, we now have a new way to stay connected and expand the reach by covering beauty and lifestyle topics that are relatable.
Contact Info:
- Website: Iamystikalbeauty.com
- Instagram: Instagram.com/mystikal_beauty
