Meet Silianise (Cece) Moise | Owner of Refinedbysm/CEO of Beauty Without Borders, Inc.

We had the good fortune of connecting with Silianise (Cece) Moise and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Silianise (Cece), have you ever found yourself in a spot where you had to decide whether to give up or keep going? How did you make the choice?Honestly, I was raised in a family of entrepreneurs, so I’ve learned at an early age that giving up was not necessarily a choice until I’ve done everything in my power to ensure that my business succeed. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with investing in different passions or dreams if that’s what you desire. Your vision or plan can change or maybe you are just not as passionate as you used to be about this specific goal. That’s okay. I know society often tells us that giving up is a sign of weakness, but in this instance, if you feel that deep down this is the right decision for you, just do it. Don’t give up because business is slow for a season. Just because it’s not happening now, doesn’t mean it won’t. You will have slow seasons and much as you will have breakthroughs. Every opportunity is a chance to learn. No experience is ever wasted, so don’t feel bad if you want to throw in the towel, but make sure before you throw in the towel that this is truly what you really want to do.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I own a candle business and I’m the CEO of a non-profit organization, Beauty Without Borders, Inc. (BWB). I’m very proud of both businesses because they each highlight a different side of me. BWB is a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization in Boston, Massachusetts, dedicated to becoming the premier organization to foster confidence in girls and young women, to help them debunk beauty myths with common sense, increase self-confidence, intellectual growth, personal development, and leadership development so they can become dynamic leaders, innovators and public servants Beauty Without Borders. The goal of Beauty Without Borders is to listen to the voice and needs of their targeted audience to help them blossom into women of influence, community advocates, and world leaders. 

I started Refined Candles end of 2019, which is under the umbrella of Refinedbysm. Refined by Silianise Moise (Refinedbysm) started as a collection of beautiful, comforting African print headwraps to raise money for Beauty Without Borders. My goal was to create a community that celebrates the art of hair covering and grasps the distinctive beauty of each woman!

Last year, I expanded the business by adding candles to the website. The candles were well received, so I decided to do both the headwraps and the candles. One might wonder, why candles? In the good old days, I used to make candles at home with my mom in Haiti as a tool for illumination during power failure (blackout is a thing) so I could study and do my homework. Today, right in my kitchen, I’m making aromatherapy candles for home décor and for therapeutic purposes.

Their ahhhmazing scents and vessels are sure to get you in a good mood and calm you down. The jars are so beautiful and adorable that you can re-use them around the house.

Our candles are beautifully decorated in case you are looking for that light to create a warm and inviting glow to your home. They are great if you are looking for a gift for someone special as well.

Was it easy?

There was nothing easy about it. Entrepreneurship has many critical twists and turns that I honestly did not expect when I started. I’ve had moments where I was so convinced that I was going to conquer the world and create a platform for girls and young women to break every glass ceiling they have ever had hovering over their heads, to being overwhelmed over and over again and feeling defeated, but I just know that I could not give up on them nor myself, so I keep pushing forward. There are so much uncertainty and risk around everything I do. Trying to navigate school, leading Beauty Without Borders, working a full-time job, and starting RefinedbySM, has been a rollercoaster ride, but I’m enjoying every moment of it. 

Honestly, as a business owner, I have reached so many plateaus, and walls that seem insurmountable, but whatever the obstacle was, I was ready to keep pressing towards pursuing my dreams. I know how to persevere. I know that BWB is needed in my community, so I will keep fighting to serve my community every day. I will keep fighting for our girls and young women to know that they MATTER.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I’m currently in Orlando, the City Beautiful, so we have a lot of choices. We can go to Universal Studios, Disney is definitely an option. We can take a trip to Sea World. One of my favorite to-go-to restaurants is my sister Anna’s house, so we can stop by there for some good Haitian food, but I would not mind some salmon at Season 52 in Sand-Lake for dinner. Universal Studios is great for a matinee movie or just to hang out. I don’t like the club, but we can go to Harry P Leu Gardens, which is a butterfly garden right here in Orlando. It’s beautiful. You can’t be bored in Orlando, but I’m not the most adventurous either, lol.

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?
I owe everything to my family, especially my mother. I learned how to make candles because I used to make them with my her in Haiti to study during blackouts. Now, because of her, I own my own candle company. My mother has always been an entrepreneur and my older siblings followed in her footsteps as well. It has always been my desire to own my own business, so I definitely dedicate my success to my beautiful mother. 

I also want to dedicate this shoutout to all the people that have supported me and believed in my dreams. I’m highly blessed and favored to have such an amazing family and countless friends in my corner who have inspired me and push me to be better. 

Website: www.refinedbysm.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/refinedbysm/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/silianise-moise

Twitter: https://twitter.com/BeautyWborders

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BeautyWithoutBordersinc/

Yelp: https://www.instagram.com/cece_moise/

Youtube: https://www.instagram.com/beautywithoutborders/

Other: http://www.cece-moise.com/

Image Credits
Herlande Moise