We had the good fortune of connecting with Shonae Smith and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Shonae, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I encourage any one who has a skill to start their own business . Will Smith said ” If you can’t beat the fear , just do it scared!”

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Many beauty professionals know from a young tender age that the beauty industry was in the foreseeable future. You anticipate the day you graduate from cosmetology and go straight in the field. My journey didn’t go quite like that. I graduated cosmetology school and worked in corporate . Ive learned to walk through every door that will let me in and stop and smell the roses when the doors of opportunity are closed. As I approach my mid 40’s while at the height of my beauty career I wouldn’t change my journey for anything in the world. My younger self would beg to differ, the challenges I faced, felt like the end of the road even while walking through those open doors. Ive learned to be obedient and appreciate the moments when you can stop and smell the roses. During the last 15 years while dedicated to corporate, I learned some great business models , how to create loyalty while providing world class service just to name a few of the lessons that were required to be a successful Business Owner. While I am embarking my Salon Suite journey I am often asked “ What makes your Salon Suite different from the others?” Mentorship, the ability to network with other Successful Professionals and learning a business plan to expand a growing business.

Any great local spots you’d like to shoutout?
My favorite spot in Broward County is Eyez4Glam Studios! Its a positive energy magnet located inside of a beauty mall, clothing boutique, teething whitening , nails , everything hair , lashes, brows, make up and More! all jokes aside. One of the reasons I relocated to South Florida is because of the weather, so when friends and family come to visit its an entire movie. First stop Nikki Beach to enjoy the best brunch overlooking the beach, next stop day cruise to bahamas to get the best conch salad in town , next stop will be , My fav Wynwood, its the culture for me. Art, food, Music, an amazing group of artistic individuals meeting in one place to let their hair down. after an amazing night in Wynwood its the to wind down by taking a drive to Cape Coral to stay at a 5star vacation home surrounded by water. by the end of the stay we are hanging out at a fish fry to support the local community followed by a night cap at the fort lauderdale beach listen to some great music and people watch. As the last day approach my friends/family is meeting my a realtor to purchase their new home, because South florida is just that great !

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Embarking the journey of a being a business owners required a combination of guidance from either an individual or some sort of reading material , ” Rich Dad Poor Dad ” was it for me. I want to give a shout out to GOD for blessing me with a skill which is the Eye for glamour , hence the name ” Eyez4glam” . Shout out to my hubby Warren Smith my Support System! , My brother Lemuel Trotman for consistently pushing me out of my comfort zone. My circle of influence that has been with me from day one! and last my Mentor Kemyana Jones Bey. It is difficult in the beauty business to find an influential group of individuals that can pour in to your life consistently.

Website: Eyez4glamStudio.com
Instagram: Eyez4glam_studios
Facebook: Eyez4glamstudios

Image Credit: imagerybyjulesphotography