We were lucky to catch up with Charmeka Onyeneho recently and have shared our conversation below.
Charmeka, appreciate you joining us today. Can you recount a time when the advice you provided to a client was really spot on? (Please note this response is for education/entertainment purposes only and shouldn’t be construed as advice for the reader)
The best advice I have given my clients is to never serve another person while you suffer in silence. We have been made to feel like serving makes us this great person, when in reality the people that are serving or caring for another human being are the people that are suffering. As a nurse I have witnessed the one that is being served outlives the caregiver and this happens because the caregiver feels guilty doing anything for themselves. Serving from an empty places looks so much different than serving from full. I teach my clients to pour into themselves, first before trying to serve any other person. Whether you are a spouse, friend, caregiver, mother or father, do not neglect your garden. Water your plant, which is you. If a person continues to self neglect, they will perish from lack of care. Anything that grows and thrives has to be poured into. Self care is essential to being a well balanced human being and I want to change the narrative by teaching clients how to care for themselves.
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?
I got into the skincare world on accident. I actually had no knowledge of skincare or the importance of skincare until I started making DIY products. I started making the products to keep me busy after being home recovering from major surgery. God led me to create face, hair and body products using natural ingredients. People were receiving great results from the products so I began to sell them. After selling products, I was talking to coworkers and they mentioned Esthetician and I had never heard the word or if I did I didn’t know what it meant, but after the discussion I became intrigued with learning about the Esthetics world. A few months after quitting my nursing job, I decided to enroll in a local Esthetics program and have since graduated and opened my own solo mini spa business offering basic skincare services, relaxation and sleep sessions as well as advanced skincare treatments. What makes me different is the fact that I don’t believe in treating the skin without treating the soul. When clients come to their sessions, they leave looking good but they feel good as well. I stress to my clients about self care and self love. So I believe God has placed me in the Esthetic world to create a ministry that serves the whole person, their mind, body, and soul because they are one.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
When I opened my business, there would be some days I didn’t have any clients and it was very discouraging because I knew that I offered services that no one else offered and in a very unique way that I offered them. I had to literally be still and trust God. I had older clients that would pray with me after their sessions and they would tell me “Baby don’t change anything about what you doing. God is sending the people.”
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
I had to learn that I could not offer services just because they would bring in a lot of money. I had to learn that just because I had the capability to do 20 services, didn’t mean I should do them. God showed me what services to offer and I just stayed with those because as a business owner you just won’t be able to do everything or you will fail at the things you were created to do.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.bookmebeautyforashesbycharm.com/
- Instagram: beautyforashesbycharm
- Facebook: beautyforashesbycharmllc
Image Credits
I do my own images