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

Alright, Cecilia thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.

When I decided to step into the beauty industry, the desire was always rooted in helping people see how beautiful and powerful they already are. That part felt natural to me. What didn’t always feel clear was how to explain it in a way that made sense to others.
There was a lot of pressure around what this industry is supposed to look like — how you’re supposed to show up, what kind of artist or businesswoman you should be. I’ve always had a wide range of interests and ways I see potential, and for a long time I was told that meant I needed to narrow it down or choose something more “real.” But I’ve learned that what makes me different is actually what makes my work meaningful.
Hair and makeup were never the full picture for me — they were just the entry point. The original idea behind Cessified LLC was to create a space where people could both give and receive at the same time. I imagined a collaborative environment that could include not just beauty professionals, but tattoo artists, musicians, photographers — really anyone with something to share and express.
As I began building that vision, I realized I needed to simplify and take smaller, more intentional steps for myself. That’s what led me to where I am now — working in a 1:1 studio setting, where the focus is fully on the individual I’m collaborating with in that moment.
I created a space that I would personally want to walk into — one where you can be fully yourself, feel seen and appreciated, and leave not just looking different, but feeling more aligned, confident, and at ease. It’s not just about the external enhancement, but how that experience supports how you feel internally.
What made this feel worthwhile to me wasn’t just filling a gap in the industry — it was creating something that felt more honest. A space where expression, trust, and genuine connection are just as important as the final result.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I call myself a beauty enhancer because that’s genuinely where my magic comes to life. I love collaborating with others, and this is one of my favorite ways to do that. My role is to enhance what’s already there — whether through hair or makeup — in a way that feels aligned with who you are.
Every person has their own essence and style, and I see my work as a collaboration with you as the canvas. I take time to understand your lifestyle, your preferences, how much maintenance you want, and what you’re hoping to feel. From there, I meet you where you are and help bring that vision to life.
For example, something as simple as a haircut can carry a lot of meaning. Some clients come in with anxiety or past experiences that make it hard to trust someone with their hair because it’s deeply tied to their identity. I take that seriously. I ask questions, understand your comfort level, and work with you to create something that still feels like you — maybe even gently expanding that comfort zone, but never pushing you beyond what feels right.
It’s the same with makeup. Whether you love a natural look or want something more elevated for a special occasion, I focus on connecting your everyday self with the version of you that feels just a little more enhanced — while still being fully you.
At the end of the day, I’m often stepping into someone’s life as a stranger, and my goal is to create an experience where you feel seen, understood, and confident in what we create together.
Outside of my 1:1 studio work and on-location services, collaboration continues to be a huge part of my business. My studio also acts as a creative space where I showcase and support other local artists — including photographers, painters, jewelry makers, authors, and 3D artists. It’s important to me that this space not only supports my work, but also helps others grow and reach new audiences.
I’ve also collaborated with photographers, events, retreats, and ceremonies — sometimes through beauty services, and other times simply by contributing to the overall experience and energy of the space. I love being part of moments that help people feel more connected to themselves and to the life they’re living.
While hair and makeup are the foundation of my business, I see myself first as an entrepreneur and a creator. I’m someone who’s always exploring, building, and finding ways to bring people together in meaningful, mutually supportive ways. I’m continuously learning how to integrate all of my passions into something that not only supports me, but also supports the people and community around me.
What I’m most proud of is creating a space that feels genuine — where people can show up as they are, feel supported, and leave feeling more like themselves than when they arrived.

Can you open up about how you funded your business?

I began building my business through a class where I was creating a formal business plan. Right as I was refining everything, just before COVID, I started sharing my ideas, vision, and long-term goals with my husband and a few people I deeply trusted.
While I could clearly see what I was building, translating that into a structured plan — especially the financial projections and “proof” needed for loans or grants — felt overwhelming. I knew what I wanted to create, but putting it into the kind of language and format that others expect on paper was a challenge for me at the time.
During that process, someone very close to me — truly an angel in my life — saw the vision and believed in what I was already creating, even without everything being perfectly laid out. They chose to support me as an angel investor, which is ultimately what allowed me to get started.
Because of that support, I was able to secure a location and begin building the space I had envisioned. From there, it’s been a continuous learning experience — especially navigating real-life circumstances and an evolving economy, including launching around the time COVID shifted everything.
That experience taught me a lot about adaptability, trust, and building something meaningful even when not everything can be predicted or perfectly planned.

We’d love to hear the story of how you turned a side-hustle into a something much bigger.

This question actually makes me smile — and, if I’m being honest, get a little emotional too.
Cosmetology was never something I clearly chose as my “main path,” yet somehow it’s always been part of me. I’ve technically been in this world for over 20 years, but it didn’t begin as a traditional career goal. I was always drawn to helping others and originally saw myself pursuing psychology or early education.
Life shifted unexpectedly when I needed surgery that required a long recovery. During that time, I became very aware of the financial impact it had on my family, and I made the decision to find a path where I could begin supporting myself while continuing to grow. Around that same time, my mom enrolled in cosmetology school, and something clicked — what had always been natural to me suddenly became a real option.
I entered the industry, began learning, and spent several years growing in it. Then came another major shift — I got married, moved from California to Arizona, and stepped into a season where stability became the priority as we built our life and family. My husband and I found that stability in a manufacturing company, and for nearly a decade, beauty became my side hustle — something I stayed connected to, but didn’t fully claim.
The defining turning point came when that chapter unexpectedly ended. That moment forced me to ask myself a question that changed everything: Who are you, really? Not just in my career, but in how I was showing up in every role I held.
From there, I made a conscious decision to move differently. I had followed the “right” path before, and it didn’t lead me where I thought it would — so I gave myself permission to trust my own way, even when it didn’t make sense to others.
I began re-educating myself in the industry, exploring new resources, and learning from both past experiences and present challenges. That season marked a few key milestones for me — rebuilding my skills after time away, developing boundaries in how I worked and showed up, and beginning to intentionally create a business that actually reflected who I am.
From there, I started building — step by step. Collaborating, creating, learning to pivot, and allowing the business to evolve in a way that felt aligned rather than forced. Opening my studio and creating a 1:1 experience became a major milestone, as it fully brought my vision into a physical space.
What started as a side hustle has now grown into something much more intentional and fulfilling than I ever originally imagined. It didn’t happen in a straight line, and it didn’t follow a traditional path — but that’s exactly what allowed it to become something that truly feels like mine.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.cessified.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ceci.cessified/
• Other: TT: https://www.tiktok.com/@ceci.cessified

Image Credits

Grace Marie Studios
The R2 Studio
AmberLyn Photography
Three Blossoms Photography