We were lucky to catch up with Angel Thompkins recently and have shared our conversation below.
Angel, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to go back in time and hear the story of how you came up with the name of your brand?
I Am Beauty was a name given to me by God three years ago sitting in my room. God showed me in a vision of my future business and the different people who I would be called to through my business. At first I did not understand the vision, I keep hearing each individual in the vision stating who they are through overcoming different circumstances they all started with the first two words “I AM” following words of their story as well as affirmation. I asked God in that moment who were these people and why were each of them stating these key words “I AM”. I remember so clearly He told me that my business will be named His name he’s the Great “I AM” . That my business is not just a business but as well as ministry for me and that I am called to help others understand the BEAUTY of who they are and how they were created in Him and that each and everyone of us were created for purpose from foundation. That our whole being is the BEAUTY of God’s image to embrace every Part of how He created us in everyway. We all serve a purpose even when we go through situations and circumstances they are all used to create an overall picture of our individual profile and profolio that’s unique and different.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
My name is Angel Thompkins, I was born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana. After Hurricane Katrina, I relocated to Baton Rouge, Louisiana which is where I call home today and where I started and opened my business “I Am Beauty”. I have 12 years of experience in the Beauty industry. I specialize in overall beauty from skin, makeup, wellness, and hair. The mission behind my brand is to help people understand the beauty of who they are through education, services, and products. I strive to create a safe and fun environment for each individual that sits in my chair so that they leave feeling confident about who they are and embracing every bit of it. I was first introduced to hair when I was 9 years old. I became a self-taught braider and would braid my friend’s hair as well as relatives just for fun. But hair was not a passion for me. I had more of a passion for fashion! I was always sketching fashion designs and models to wear my pieces. At the time, my heart for fashion had me convinced that I was going to become a fashion designer.
It wasn’t until I was in high school that my passion shifted. I still wanted to pursue and go to school to become a Fashion Designer but there was a moment during that season of my life where I talked my way out of pursuing that career. I convinced myself that “it did not make sense for me to become a fashion designer because I did not know how to sew”, lol! What a crazy way to talk yourself out of your dreams, right? This is where I picked back up doing hair and left the dream of being a fashion designer on the back burner. My best friend, at the time, helped me to get back into doing hair. We would always do each other’s hair and practice on our friends as well. When I look back at that season, I realized that God was reintroducing me to what he called me to do. He used my crazy words of doubt to get me where He wanted me to be.
In that moment of me being reintroduced to hair I felt that I wanted to pursue hair as a career and not just a hobby. I just didn’t know what that looked like. It wasn’t until I applied to go to cosmetology school that I realized my heart and true passion was to be a Cosmetologist. I remember myself clearly as a new high school graduate in 2010 telling my mom that I wanted to go to school for Hair. My mom wasn’t too excited about my decision at the time. She asked why I wanted to go to school for hair because she felt that it wasn’t a career. She knew I had the grades and brain to pursue a business major or “something more professional”. I felt myself in that moment doubting. Maybe I should pursue something else but then something within me told me “NO” go to school for Hair. I told my mom that I still wanted to go to school for Hair and stood on my decision. She later gave in and took me to register for cosmetology school. I felt an excitement within but still could not explain why I felt so sure of this direction.
When my mom took me to apply, I was excited and anxious at the same time. I remember my turn in line and the confidence I had when I said, “I would like to register for cosmetology school, please!”. The woman who was registering me looked at me strange as I told her. I then felt this sense of uneasiness. She began to tell me “I’m sorry but there’s a waiting list for cosmetology and I’m afraid that you will not be able to get in this semester. We will put you on the waiting list and reach out to you”. In that moment I could feel myself stiff like a statue, just lost in the words she told me. I looked up at her and asked her how long the wait would be, and she told me she was “unsure, that it was a process and that it might take a while, might not, but we’ll call you when your name is up on the list.” I told her “Ok” but I was so disappointed! When my mom and I got into the car she asked if there were other things I wanted to take up or if I was willing to wait. I started crying, I was so disappointed, and I just knew I was getting in and going to “do some hair.” My mom realized in that moment that I truly wanted to pursue doing hair and she comforted me. She suggested that I take up something else until they called me off the waiting list. I was so disappointed and questioned my decision. Maybe it’s not meant, maybe I should just do something else? I just lost hope. I felt that my dream was shot down! So dramatic lol. I later made the decision to register for business accounting classes and knew my mom would be very excited about it, but I wasn’t. I just picked something with the hope of getting called off the waiting list. I did not give up although a part of me wanted too. I just knew I was going to get called. This paints a picture of how God calls us. His creative way of using events, situations, and circumstances throughout our lives to call us into our destiny and purpose. At the time I didn’t have a relationship with God fully, I knew him but didn’t “KNOW HIM” but he saw and KNOWS ME because that’s the essence of who he is.
My first semester into Business Accounting I was not satisfied with where I was, I felt that I let myself and my dream down. Even though the waiting list was out of my control, I felt I should have gone to another cosmetology school or just worked until they called me off the list. I remember going home that same day and my mom came to my room and looked at me intensely. I was so confused I thought I was in trouble lol. She said, “the school called and said that I was eligible to register for cosmetology school!” In that moment I didn’t know how to feel. Even though I was unhappy in business accounting I felt a sense of doubt. I immediately thought to myself “wow, this is happening now” but felt like I wasn’t ready. Even though I had anticipated this moment, for some reason, I was in fear. My mom sensed the fear and doubt and told me she knew I wanted to do hair. She told me we would go to the school to register the next day which was perfect timing because my first semester in business accounting was ending.
The next day I went and registered for cosmetology school. In the back of my mind, I kept looking for something to go wrong, I just knew they were going to tell me something, but nothing happened. I went and registered with a breeze. I went through cosmetology and graduated. In school, I had an amazing instructor, her name was Ms. Tanios. She was about the true structure of beauty. She taught me that Cosmetology is more than what you do, it is who you are, and she taught
me discipline in that manner. She taught me that our brand starts with us. That we are responsible for representing our brand and the industry and to do that we first set a standard within ourselves. At times, this was hard to do because I was still learning about who I was and what beauty meant to me. I thought that I was going to school to just do hair but found and realized “there is more to it than just hair”. I pursued my career in the beauty industry from then on. It was a very vulnerable experience, meaning that at the same time I was pursuing my career I was figuring out who I was sent to be in the beauty industry. Where would I fit in? What would that look like for me? I didn’t know that God was behind the scenes allowing me to go through this vulnerable yet beautiful journey of becoming and stepping into purpose.
The next day I went and registered for cosmetology school. In the back of my mind, I kept looking for something to go wrong, I just knew they were going to tell me something, but nothing happened. I went and registered with a breeze. I went through cosmetology and graduated. In school, I had an amazing instructor, her name was Ms. Tanios. She was about the true structure of beauty. She taught me that Cosmetology is more than what you do, it is who you are, and she taught me discipline in that manner. She taught me that our brand starts with us. That we are responsible for representing our brand and the industry and to do that we first set a standard within ourselves. At times, this was hard to do because I was still learning about who I was and what beauty meant to me. I thought that I was going to school to just do hair but found and realized “there is more to it than just hair”. I pursued my career in the beauty industry from then on. It was a very vulnerable experience, meaning that at the same time I was pursuing my career I was figuring out who I was sent to be in the beauty industry. Where would I fit in? What would that look like for me? I didn’t know that God was behind the scenes allowing me to go through this vulnerable yet beautiful journey of becoming and stepping into purpose and provision for us is so much bigger than what we see or think. Our faith calls us to step into the unknown and walk by faith and not by sight. God meets us with our faith!
At that time, I was currently working at a natural hair salon, and I wanted to do something new and different in the beauty industry, I also felt that my time at that salon was coming to an end. I loved the salon I was at and had amazing managers and coworkers but still felt God was shifting me elsewhere. I applied for other places and new opportunities like cosmetics, makeup, skincare, even some esthetic work. I remember applying for two positions at Ulta Beauty, one position as a skin expert and another for a hairstylist. I applied for both, just to see which one I would get a call to interview for. I didn’t know that God was working to push me deeper into my ministry/purpose and career. Then I received a call from Ulta to do an interview for both positions. I could not believe it! Later that day, I prayed and asked God what direction I should take. What interview I should do? He later answered me and told me “Do both”. I was like huh? Do both, ok, so I called and set up interviews for both positions. Each position had a two-step interview process: first verbal then technical. I went through both interviews and only had the technical interviews left. I decided to take the technical interview for hairstylist first. We had to find a model and do certain techniques and services. On the day of the interview, the model I chose did not show up!! I was there looking crazy, lol, talk about embarrassing! In that moment I felt a little discouraged, but the interviewer told me we could reschedule the interview for a later date but after that experience I did not want to reschedule. I then heard God say call them back and tell them you will take the skin position! I pondered on the response from God. I then started to doubt if I would get this one etc. But God was showing me his ways of redirecting me and getting me out of my comfort zone not knowing this was another level to my purpose.
After talking with the hiring manager about not going with the hair position and accepting the skin position, she told me “Ok” and asked “when I come for training?”. I’m not going to lie I was very scared because it was new territory for me! I’ve had experiences with skin but didn’t think that would be my full-time gig. I was very grateful for my managers at Ulta during that time. They were supportive, encouraging, and helpful. They made sure that I had everything thing I needed. Which was also God’s way of showing me that when we are obedient to what he tells us to do. Provision is already there, he has already provided everything we need, it’s already done, and he’s just waiting for us to step in it.
I love skin care and skin care services! God showed me another side of Beauty at the level of being a skin therapist. Working at Ulta taught me so much about skin, makeup, and the education behind it. I also loved educating my clients about their skin, hair, and makeup. Here is where I pursued my passion of being a makeup artist. God is so creative with using different events in our life to unlock the gifts and talents we already have but don’t know they existed within us.
I worked at Ulta for one and a half years as a skin therapist. Then covid came and I ended getting furloughed due to restrictions of services because they were toward the face and neck area. They told me that after covid I would be able to work but until then I was furloughed. During the months of quarantine, I continued to seek God on my direction and what I do should next. I knew that I wasn’t going to go back to doing skin any time soon and I was a bit sad, but God still was working behind the scenes of it all. The covid restrictions for the beauty industry were strict and we could only do so much. The restrictions brought me back to doing hair for that time but wondered when Ulta would call me back to my role as a skin therapist. I realized that I had a new passion and love for skin as I recalled the two years, I spent seeing my clients transformed after a facial, microderabrasion other facial services etc. God was teaching me that beauty is more than generic things that the true essence of beauty is how he created us from our skin, hair, features, and body. We are made in his image and likeness and are made different. We’re not all the same. Each and every one of us displays his beauty in a unique way! Now back to my story, I continued seeking God about my next move! It wasn’t about until a few days later I was in my room, and I had a vision of what is now my business. I saw different people of all ages and races. They were saying who they became through their testimony and the first two words I heard them say was “I AM” and after the two words either their testimony or an affirmation. After the vision in asked God about what I had seen. He told me this was my business. That I was to get a pen and paper and write down what I had been shown to me as well as some additional information. He gave me the meaning of His name “I AM”. He’s all-knowing and all things are from him and to him. He is the creator of all things including me and you. That beauty is an attribute of who he is. I was in awe of what I had received and very honored that God gave me a business and title. But it was up to me to put in work on my end to make his vision for me a reality. I asked God about the timing for me to start my business and he told me in due time. “In due time”? Ok God, can you be more specific than that? I mean, what does that even mean? When I look back on what he was doing, he was letting me know there was a promise, and it will happen but in his timing.
Two years after I received the vision about my business from God, I got called back from Ulta Beauty to work back with them. I was convinced that I would be going back to do skincare “eh nope!” I went back to do hair. What a full circle moment! Me going back to do hair was the first step of me launching my business. God was preparing me in the two years after I got my blueprint. He was teaching me with every step in my journey to always tune into the moments because every moment in our journey is valuable. They are like pieces of a puzzle that make a whole beautiful masterpiece. This is what he does with us. Every piece of who we are brings beauty to our image! At the end of 2022, while I was at Ulta, God spoke to me and told me that I will open my business at the beginning of the year 2023. He told me he would provide everything I needed! He told me that it was time!! So, before 2023 I began to prepare my next level into my career and faith. I was a bit unsure; this was a big step. I was about to become a business owner. I’d never done this before and did not know what it was going to look like. I’d only worked corporate jobs, this was new, so I continued to seek God’s direction. He directed me to who to talk to as far as a business coach, to where to go get my equipment, to where to get my suite etc. Everything was provided for!! I was so thankful and grateful! This shows me that God is faithful to his word and promises. He will never promise us something and leave us hanging or forsake us.
In February 2023, I opened my business “I Am Beauty”. I am so grateful and thankful for my clients that I have had along the way. Many clients followed me from Ulta and supported my vision and encouraged me to become and do what God was calling me to do. The amazing clients God provided have become a “Family” that I didn’t know I needed. They are for me, and I am so sure through evidence I don’t need to question it.
I’ve learned as a Cosmetologist and as a Believer that the people who are for you are for you and will be for you. There’s no doubting who will come to support you or sit in your chair, people come in different seasons and for certain reasons and they help you get where you need to go or vice versa. I also learned not to take things personally when clients suddenly stop coming or people you were once close with fade away. Of course, be grateful for your clients and your core support system but understand that you will attract your people and they will stay not only because of your gifts and talents but also because of who you are. I remember that the overall experience of my brand is me! I am my brand! My clients give me feedback on how much they love, not just what I do to their hair, skin etc., but also who I am as a person. They love and enjoy my authenticity!
This is what I feel like most of us battle with in the beauty industry. Being ok with being ourselves. It can be easy to look at certain people and want to imitate them because we see they are getting likes on social media, may look a certain way, have more clientele than we have, etc. Now, don’t get me wrong, nothing is wrong with having others as inspiration and learning from others and adding it to your craft. However, there’s value in staying true to who you are and being comfortable with YOU! Life itself is a journey and a process and it may take us longer to get where the next person may be “it’s OK!”. Trust in your process and know that it’s worth it! You will get where you need to be in your own timing!
My clients helped me to build my client base. To be honest I’m not internet savvy but I’ve grown tremendously in this area. However, my clients telling others about me and me giving out business cards wherever is how my clientele base was built. In a world of technology and social media, word of mouth still exists, thank God! This shows me that when your client’s trust in you and love what you do, they will vouch for you!!!
If you’re wondering how everything is going with my business, well everything is going well. From February to April my clientele has grown and is still growing. I started traveling for events and doing fashion shows. I am now working with different hair brands as an educator.
Having my own business has taught me the essence of going after what you want! Don’t be afraid to try new things and open yourself up to opportunities. You never know what will come, happen, who you will meet, and what new opportunities will come through that. You just need to step forward!! There is so much opportunity for you. You have to make the best of it. Go out there and do it. If you fail it’s ok, take that as a lesson and try, try, try again! We only get better when we continue to embrace the process, the good, the bad, and the ugly. All of it is valuable for our purpose and it helps others like us along the way to stay encouraged and to keep moving! Our testimony plays a powerful role in our lives and the lives of others.
In closing, I want to encourage you to stay true to yourself! Whatever you’re doing, whatever vision, dream, idea you have, it was given to you for a reason. If you can’t stop thinking about it, it means that you’re meant to carry whatever that thing is OUT. God has a purpose for you through that. Somebody out there is waiting for you to carry out what God has placed inside of you! I am so inspired by the amazing people I have met along the way of me opening my business. There were many people I would have never meet, helped, served, and inspired if I would not have pursued the vision God had given me and seen out the gift and blessing of that. There are people connected to you through your gifts and talents. You are a blessing to others through who you are, someone needs you!
Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?
To continue to be consistent in what you do no matter what. Posting on social media ,passing out business cards, introducing myself to people in the grocery store, etc of who I am and what I do. As well as my clients telling others about me.
How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?
My character, integrity and work ethic helped me build a reputation in my market.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://iambeautyllc.glossgenius.com/
- Instagram: @I.am.beauty.llc
- Other: Tiktok: @I.am.beauty.llc