We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Elizabeth Jennings a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Elizabeth, appreciate you joining us today. Are you happier as a business owner? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job?

But I can remember coming from the legal field. To transition to the field of wellness and beauty, where I was pretty green, new and unfamiliar and being in the legal field for 12 years, I had those moments where I thought about pivoting backwards. Building a business is not easy, and I was doing this alone. But one day when I thought about going back, I had an interview for a legal position where I was pretty much assured I was the best candidate for, I also got a call from a prospective new client and I scheduled her to come in that afternoon. Performing that service of eyelash extensions gave me the opportunity to rethink whether I wanted to go backwards, and I counted up the costs and decided it was worth it for me to proceed forward. And I know what it feels like to have a ‘regular’ job and I decided I wanted more than that. So being a business owner is where I stand over 15 years later.

Elizabeth, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I consider myself an overcomer. I went from teenage mother, to legal assistant, to successful beauty business entrepreneur and established multiple brick and mortar locations. I have been an entrepreneur since 2006 and a beauty business entrepreneur since 2008 as a licensed Esthetician and Master Lash Artist. In my beauty business, we specialize in lashes brows and skincare services. We enhance our clients’ beauty as subtly or as extravagantly as they desire, all while still allowing them to exude their natural beauty.

I am an original Charlestonian that started my beauty business in the South in spite of many obstacles with a dime and a dream, but most importantly faith over the fears and frowns of those who didn’t believe in my desire to be more than a statistic or just having a job. I’ve also been affectionately known as the “Eyelashpreneur” (c) because I had the audacity to create a business specializing in a service that I was told no one would pay to have done, during a time when it was not a popular service where I resided in Charleston SC. As The Minister Of Beauty (TM), I also share the B.I.B.L.E.; that stands for Business, Inspiration, Beauty, Life & Enjoyment on social media and primarily on my Youtube channel.

Do you have any insights you can share related to maintaining high team morale?

When it comes to managing a team, I have to say that it has not been an easy task for me. What I will say is having support is essential in maintaining, and especially growing your business. Managing them involves systems and protocols you should have in place so that the standards are set and the rules and requirements are known. But considering the needs of your team, and doing what you have in your power to do and offer is important to keeping the right people and maintaining a high morale.

When I started my business I did not have experience in managing others. But when I hired my first team member, I considered what this person needed, as well as the needs of my business, and that consideration at all times I believe is what has kept my first ever hire still on my team now over 11 years. And although I have had others come and go over the years, I can say that while working in my business I received great feedback from many of them. I just recently had a team member come up to me just to express their appreciation working in my business and that really made me feel good.

Things have not always been perfect, and honestly people go through things in their personal lives and sometimes it causes them to have issues on the job. But being the owner of a business does not make you a machine, a robot or a person without feelings. So you also have to know when to cut your losses or accept resignations if it comes to that, because there are times no matter how much you do or how hard you try some people may not be a good fit, or grow to become a liability instead of an asset.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

I know on social media we often hear about the wins, the victories, and all the highlight reels of peoples lives especially in business. I can say that it has not all been wins. I’ve experienced losses, and honestly the losses I’ve experienced have been in the forms of theft and sabotage by others like family, those who I have worked with and gave opportunities to. I must say that has been hurtful emotionally and financially. But because of my faith in God and believing that things will turn around, I did not quit and allow those situations to cause me to throw in the towel.

Also being the wife of a veteran with PTSD, it has been a lot to handle. Focusing on his health, as well as trying not to neglect my own mental and physical well being has not been easy and this year has been honestly one of the hardest that I have experienced. I have continued working in my business, working on my businesses (brick and mortar, skincare line, YouTube channels, podcast) as well as downsizing business locations to make things more manageable.

You see, when I became a mom unexpectedly a week before my 16th birthday, I really had no idea where my life was headed. But I knew that I was not a quitter. I continued going to school, I kept my grades up, I graduated on time and I even began working in the legal field fresh out of high school. I didn’t even have the knowledge nor those around me that I dealt with postpartum depression. Can you imaging becoming a mother while still being a child? That alone can cause one’s esteem to spiral. Nothing was given to me. I sought opportunities and was afforded chances. Those chances gave me hope that there was more for me in the future, and indeed there was. So just as back then, I believe now that there is more for me in the future and I am getting up each day believing that all things work together for good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose. That is a scripture I stand on, believe in, and live by. So no matter what I am facing, I am resilient in knowing that it will work out for my good, and I will pass that goodness on to others that I have the opportunity to do it for.

Contact Info:

• Website: theministerofbeauty.com , inezelizabethbeauty.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/theministerofbeauty
• Youtube: bit.ly/ytcmobeauty

Image Credits
Rosa Martinez @therosamartinez