Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Candis White. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Candis , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Let’s kick things off with talking about how you serve the underserved, because in our view this is one of the most important things the small business community does for society – by serving those who the giant corporations ignore, small business helps create a more inclusive and just world for all of us.

As an esthetician many of the women I provide skin care services to are Black women who suffer from Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS). PCOS is a hormonal disorder that affects 1 in 10 women of reproductive age. Some of the symptoms of this disorder are irregular periods or infertility, male pattern baldness, weight gain, excessive hair growth and acne breakouts.

A study from the Endocrine Society proved women who have shown is that women with PCOS 77% are more likely to have anxiety, 53% more likely to have eating disorders and twice as likely to have depression over women who do not suffer from PCOS. Black women have been underserved in the health care arena for some time and while some improvements have been made over the last century they still face more health disparities than any other race in the United States. PCOS is one of these healthy disparities many Black women face due to lack of awareness.

My purpose as a skin care provider to bring awareness to this disorder and treat their skin with the best care possible to give them the maximum results possible; while they focus on their overall health.

Candis , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I began my career with a degree in organizational communication often landing entry level positions which became very exhausting mentally and emotionally. I walked into my job which was in a call center one day and decided I was tired of being tired of being in a position that didn’t serve me a purpose in fact I didn’t know what my purpose was at that time. After leaving my job I realized that I had never made a decision for myself that was about what I wanted, need or deserved. I started spending more time focusing on how I saw myself not just as a woman but as a mother, friend and servant to God knowing that He would reveal everything to because His timing is always perfect and His grace is sufficient.

While spending time alone waiting for God to instruct me I learned that I have always been a motivator for people around me but never to myself. Being still and trusting my process lead me to start body contouring and I found that I enjoyed watching my clients chasing their dreams, living unapologetically and taking up space in this world. Then it hit me and all I heard was “be the change you want to see.” I began to do more research about body contouring and
enrolled into esthetic school with no understanding of what the job of an esthetician really was but I knew I had to become one.

During my time in esthetic school I began to set goals for myself and plan my life for the first time in my life I was so sure about what I wanted and I decided at that point that I was going to show up as the woman I wanted to become and the woman I wish I had in my life when I worked jobs that were not in alignment with who I am called to be. I knew I was going to be an educator, a mentor, and a coach to women who were in transition and in search of their identity and purpose in life. For the first time in my life I found myself doing something I wanted to do for me and submerged myself into becoming the woman God created me to be. In becoming I made Philippians 4:13 my manta, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me,” that is how I birth my skin care business All Things Cozi, LLC.

All Things Cozi, LLC is the embodiment of being the change I want to see. My clients do not just receive skin care services from me, but they get assistance with healing and growing through whatever transition they are going through in their life. The thing that I am most proud of is how I am building a community of women who are willing to help one another grow into their purpose. I recently started a podcast called The Skin Testaments geared towards bringing women together to have hard conversations about topics such as skin care, self care and lifestyle.

How do you keep in touch with clients and foster brand loyalty?

In my business I have learned the best way to foster brand loyalty to understand exactly who my clients are. I get to know them on an intimate level without crossing boundaries that could possibly affect the service. I ask the questions most people won’t ask during a service treatment, in particular I always as my clients how their week is going that opens up conversation and makes them feel comfortable me. I can’t say that I always get a lot of details with first time clients but I keep asking and sooner or later they open up and share. Most women want to feel supported and I have a network of therapist, personal trainers and life coaches that I connect them with which results in them being more conscience of their overall health.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

After the pandemic I made a decision to collaborate with two other women who were also in beauty to open a storefront. I put a lot of time and energy into opening this business; however along the way I felt as if I was more invested than I should have been and regret started to set because I knew that opening a store with these particular women wasn’t the best decision for my purpose as an esthetician or the clients I am called to serve. Within three months of opening I packed my equipment, moved my business from the storefront and set up in a studio suite and continued with business as usual. I knew I made the right decision but a part of me felt as though I had let the clients who had been with me since esthetic school down; however my clients rejoiced with me and I’ve been solely All Things Cozi, LLC for the past two years.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.theskintestaments.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/__cozi_
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/candiswhite421/

Image Credits
Steve/points N snaps photography