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

Mo, appreciate you joining us today. Naming anything – including a business – is so hard. Right? What’s the story behind how you came up with the name of your brand?

I started off my career in the beauty and passion industry as a licensed cosmetologist. I fell in love with making people feel beautiful, feeling good about themselves, and helping them help the world understand who they really are based on how they decide to carry themselves and express themselves through their beauty.

That business is called Perslaysion, which is a play on the word persuasion because you’re convincing somebody of something, and when you slay, you are killing it. So Perslaysion was a brand that helped people look as beautiful as they feel and feel as beautiful as they look. And on the days where you neither feel or feel as though you look beautiful, it’s about figuring out ways to pour into yourself holistically so that you can encapsulate that beauty that you’re trying to manifest.

As I got deeper and deeper into my career in the beauty industry, I fell back in love with designing and fashion and understanding that beyond hair and makeup and face, you can truly express how you feel and manifest your ambitions and goals by the way that you not only carry yourself, but carry the clothes that you wear.

I always feel that people will perceive you as much as you let them, and I’m not a firm believer in faking it until you make it, but I am a strong believer in when you look into the mirror, you envision what you want to put out into the world, and for me, that was a finer life than the life that I was living, so a finer life, “The Finer Life” came about based off of the idea that little luxuries, little intricate things that make you happy can be brought into the world of fashion and into the way that you express yourself through dress and grooming, to manifest your finer life. a life you dream of that you make into your reality
that is how I wanted my brand to come across. that’s the emotion i want to envoke in others

The brand reinvents styles of old, timeless, and iconic fashion pieces and statements showcased by and incorporated into mundane tasks or everyday lifestyle choices. The brand not only helps develop personal style as a reflection of personality, career, and lifestyle choices, but also feeling comfortable and being okay with being extravagant, being fully yourself all the time, in whatever that looks like for each person individually, helping you walk into a finer life of peace and luxury

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I started off my career in the beauty and passion industry as a licensed cosmetologist. Making people look and feel good within their own skin is not only my specialty but also my passion. I fell in love with making people feel beautiful, feeling good about themselves, and helping them help the world understand who they really are based on how they decide to carry themselves and express themselves through their beauty.

That business is called Perslaysion, which is a play on the word persuasion because you’re convincing somebody of something, and when you slay, you are killing it. So Perslaysion was a brand that helped people look as beautiful as they feel and feel as beautiful as they look. And on the days where you neither feel or feel as though you look beautiful, it’s about figuring out ways to pour into yourself holistically so that you can encapsulate that beauty that you’re trying to manifest.

As I got deeper and deeper into my career in the beauty industry, I fell back in love with designing and fashion and understanding that beyond hair and makeup and face, you can truly express how you feel and manifest your ambitions and goals by the way that you not only carry yourself, but carry the clothes that you wear.

I always feel that people will perceive you as much as you let them, and I’m not a firm believer in faking it until you make it, but I am a strong believer in when you look into the mirror, you envision what you want to put out into the world, and for me, that was a finer life than the life that I was living, so a finer life, “The Finer Life” came about based off of the idea that little luxuries, little intricate things that make you happy can be brought into the world of fashion and into the way that you express yourself through dress and grooming, to manifest your finer life. a life you dream of that you make into your reality
that is how I wanted my brand to come across. that’s the emotion i want to envoke in others

The brand reinvents styles of old, timeless, and iconic fashion pieces and statements showcased by and incorporated into mundane tasks or everyday lifestyle choices. The brand not only helps develop personal style as a reflection of personality, career, and lifestyle choices, but also feeling comfortable and being okay with being extravagant, being fully yourself all the time, in whatever that looks like for each person individually, helping you walk into a finer life of peace and luxury

Have you ever had to pivot?

I didn’t start out my career in design and styling, although it’s subconsciously been my passion. I began my career in the beauty industry as a full time licensed cosmetologist and beauty business owner. I’ve been doing hair since I was a little girl so naturally I grew an attachment to it. I began my career in cosmetology before graduating high school but after some years in the industry my career took a sharp turn. I was in back to back car accidents which ultimately hindered my ability to provide services long term for my clients. I was devastated but I didn’t want to stop helping people look and feel beautiful. I continued to grow my product based business but not interacting with clients as regularly and not servicing people didn’t give me the same fulfillment being behind the chair did. As i took some time away from the salon life i fell back into designing and styling so much that i’ve been able to jumpstart my career in the fashion industry. The pivot in career choice was a decision not easily made but ultimately has helped me grow and learn so much more that I’m once again in love with what i do.

How did you build your audience on social media?

My social media audience is still growing. steadily but surly more and more people are starting to see/follow/like my page and its content. The most effective way i’ve noticed has helped expand my audience is by showing up consistently. Which, i can admit, has its own struggles. But, remembering that i must continue to show up for my future self/aspirations/goals has helped me continue to be consistent. People don’t trust what they don’t know. I realized early on that you have to build trust with your audience in order for them yo become not just your customer but your loyal client. I appreciate the loyal clients i have as well as the customers i’ve gained. Many times I hear how posts or reels i’ve made have helped people think of styling in a different manner or helped open their eyes to the limitless possibilities of their closet. Bach creating content, researching my audiences needs and tending to their grievances has helped me build and expand my social audience thus far.

Contact Info:

• Website: under construction
• Instagram: @thefinerlifexo
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61564512729971&mibextid=LQQJ4d
• Other: tik tok @ceo_mo

Image Credits

DreamPixx, Fatzz