We were lucky to catch up with Keyonna Henry recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Keyonna, thanks for joining us today. One of the things we most admire about small businesses is their ability to diverge from the corporate/industry standard. Is there something that you or your brand do that differs from the industry standard? We’d love to hear about it as well as any stories you might have that illustrate how or why this difference matters.

I’m a makeup artist, counter manager, and licensed esthetician at a retail company. It’s is an hourly, plus commission based job. Working for retail has taught me many things one of them being, the importance of building client relationships. Many of businesses started for a simple purpose! My purpose for my small businesses is to uplift, heal the skin, to be knowledgeable, and effective while gaining clients trust in any service I provide. I had to sacrifice that money hunger, by reminding myself one of the many key factors to any big business, building relationships to gain that client for life, to keep that client and/or customer, and the people they know returning not just for money, but for value. A lot of industry standards are mainly based off sales, and who can bring in the most money before their competitors. I believe in god and I trust god’s purpose for me. The money will come in bigger blessings but maintaining that value and sole purpose for your company should always remain the mission.

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 Keyonna, I was born and raised in Orange Mound located in Memphis, Tennessee. I’m a licensed esthetician, makeup artist and inspiring graphic designer. I’ve always been a creative, passionate, and goal oriented person. From a young age, I’ve always wanted more for me and my family, and I had the feeling that I could be that change. My story is similar to a lot of makeup artists and estheticians that started into the industry struggling with problematic skin and wanting to hide insecurities with makeup. I was trying so desperately to find a solution, running through endless skincare routines and still nothing. Aside from dealing with acne, I also struggle with hirsutism and hyperpigmentation. Hirsutism is when “excessive amount of hair growth on unexpected areas, such as face, chest, and back.” Hyperpigmentation is when patches of the skin that is darking than surrounding skin. Though my case is minor, I fell into a deep depression mentally because I felt alone. I didn’t know many people at that time with my problems. In high school, I started to research for my own skin care regimen, practicing my makeup skills and started my first business! Selling lashes was my first strand of income, and eventually I saved enough money to branched off into full makeup application and fell In love with makeup from there. During this process, I realized I wasn’t alone and a lot of other woman was in fact struggling with those same issues. I loved seeing people feel how I felt when I finally started to feel I was in my best skin. I would heal them on the outside and they didn’t know it but would be healing me from the inside! After high school, I didn’t know what career path I wanted to take. A year later, My mom enrolled me into Empire Beauty School. Where I became a licensed esthetician. It became a great passion of mines! I specialize in natural, dramatic, and glitter glams while healing the skin underneath. A few months went by and the COVID-19 pandemic happened, a lot of entrepreneurs and small businesses owners took a huge hit. People started to develop new skills, and one of mine being graphic design! I started Key2yourcompany formally known as “Amateur Graphics” to empower and illustrate business ideas for future entrepreneurs, and business owners. I know how difficult it is to market, standing out with creative ideas, and designs. So, I wanted to share my skills to make it easier on other entrepreneurs, that didn’t know where, or how to start. I offer logo designs, price list, flyers , and business cards. I’ll soon branch off into merchandising items, providing vendors list, labels, website designs and more-soon becoming a one stop shop for future businesses. What sets me apart from others is my innovation, bringing new ideas, solutions, and services in anything I provide. I’m most proud of my consistency despite any challenges, my willingness to grow and learn from the people around me, with any new job or career path I take. I would say I’m most proud of my accomplishments over the years I’ve reached at a young age. I want potential clients to know how dedicated, supportive, and passionate I am. I want not only for my brands growth but to grow with my clients and help them meet their full potential rather thats finding confidence in themselves or pushing them to start that business idea they had sitting on the shelf.

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

Being an entrepreneur, is sometimes challenging, especially trying to make a living. I got so, and still caught up in my 9-5, that I sometimes fall short with my own businesses. In the beauty industry, things are always evolving new artists are arising, social media is becoming increasingly popular as far as marketing and it started to become a comparison for me. I became my biggest critic. I started falling short with consistency, and lost my confidence in my entrepreneurial thinking. It was hard for me to stand out, to manage my personal life, finances, family, and being a leader at my job/ businesses. I started my first read “The mountain is you” by Brianna Wiest and it has really changed my prospective and gave me that mental push I needed for self mastery and how to break myself from self sabotage. She does an amazing job at breaking down what self sabotage is, how to resolve this, hitting your upper limit, why you may be feeling this way and ways to master yourself. Her words really spoke to me in a time of difficulty, or what people may call an “artist block”. I want to share two of many quotes that I carry with me from her book, “what your subconscious mind might want you to know: you’re not creating the best possible work you can, and you sense it, the reason why you’re holding back is the fear of judgment, but that wouldn’t exist. If you weren’t already judging yourself, you have to create things. You are proud to share when you’re sharing them in a positive way that helps grow your business or career, feels natural and authentic, you will know that you are doing the work that is best of your ability or potential.” Another,” it is essential that you learn to take action before you feel like doing it. Taking action, builds, momentum, and creates motivation. These feelings will not come to you spontaneously you have to generate them you have to inspire yourself ,you have to move , you have to simply begin and allow your life and your energy to reorient itself to prefer the behaviors that are going to move your life forward not the ones that are keeping you held back.”

How do you keep your team’s morale high?

My best advice for managing a team and maintaining high morale is to keep that leader mindset, don’t be afraid to not always be liked. Keep that integrity and innovation while still providing a positive, team playing, welcoming, and growing environment.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: KeyonnaDenettaBeauty
• Facebook: Keyonna Thompson
• Other: Instagram: Key2yourcompany
  Facebook: Key2yourcompany
  TikTok: KeyonnaDenetta
  TikTok: Key2yourcompany

Image Credits

Headshots: Voltage Graphics
Inspired Graphics: Nicki Minaj
Makeup Models: LeDaeja Hullom, Dasha Faye, Courtlyn Herron, Lakera Lanton,
Logo designs for: The Billionaire Smile, Lush Hair Label and PrettybyNK