We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful LaCicely Nicole. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with LaCicely below.

Alright, LaCicely thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Risk taking is something we’re really interested in and we’d love to hear the story of a risk you’ve taken.

The two biggest risks I ever took in life were relocating away from everyone I knew and also opening up a business without planning to do so!

When I was 18 years old, I was practically forced to move away from home, and away from everyone I knew. I relocated from Detroit, MI to Chicago, IL and it was very scary for me. I did not stay long, however, the experience left an imprint on me in such a way that when I returned back to Detroit, I would not stay there forever. Upon returning to Detroit, I completed my GED, received my Cosmetology license, started college and also found that I had become pregnant… all within about 3-6 months. This changed everything that I had planned to do thusfar. When I was 23 years old, I would become the pedestrian victim of an auto accident, being hit and dragged across a total of 4 highway lands under extreme wintery weather conditions. As a result, I had a long road of physical and mental recovery that would place me on government assistance for several years to help care for my son and I. I was told I would never be able to perform as a Cosmetologist again because of my physical injuries. After many years passed, I started to fight back mentally and physically to pursue “living” a full life again. By age 29, I had another child and I packed up both children and made a fearful, yet bold and faith-led move to Atlanta, GA, leaving everyone and nearly everything behind for good.

Upon my arrival to Atlanta, I would find out who I was. My strength was tested, my career reached its peak, my dreams were realized, and I started to truly live. It felt as if my life was just beginning at the age of 30. It was as if my “disability” all those years had held me captive in some way. So after opening a few salons and purchasing a home, I was able to come away from government assistance. This would scare me and be the second biggest risk I would take in my life, which later, I did not know whether to be grateful for, or whether to regret.

LaCicely, 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 AM MY BRAND. My brand represents creative services that provide making life easier for people in their everyday existence.

First, I would like to say that I have always been a very expressive person, but not as “out loud” as I am today. I grew up quiet and always showed my feelings and creativity on paper through art. I liked to draw, color, write poetry and short stories and even play with Barbie and Ken dolls in a theatrical sort of way. Later I would find a love of painting and eventually, all of that would show up in creating hairstyles as I attended Cosmetology school. After being in the industry for about 12 years, it would be the constant remarks of friends, family and clients that convinced me to start Interior Design schooling, but it would be a long pause before I finalized the degree 15 years later, once the Cosmetology industry had taken so many twists and turns over the years. In 2021, there I stood, a Licensed Cosmetologist with 4 state licenses who also had been Barbering 15 years who now held a Degree for Interior Design, which I had also been practicing for just as long in other states, as a side hobby. In 2022, I was ready to make it my second career as I prepared to relocate to Tampa, Florida.

While I will always have a strong passion for the Styling Industry, Interior Design is a great second as I enjoy creativity in every form. I enjoy working with customers and seeing my work and passion show in the delight on their face in the reaction! Becoming a Bartender was initially another side hustle to add under my belt that just so happen I really enjoy! I have a lot of hobbies. I like photography, writing poetry, reading, making logos and websites and so many other creative things that I do not always broadcast as a business. However, Bartending has become a good side-gig when my main businesses may have their slower periods. And its fun!

I am sure to have something for everyone! I pride myself on being knowledgeable and well rounded having lived a full life, traveling, having a good networking circle and being able to help others along my own life journey. My brand showcases this by having a few entities/services, depending on the challenges being faced or their specific needs. More information can be found via my website: www.lacicelynicole.com where one can sign up to stay up to date on the latest!

Cosmetology Services: Multicultural services for everyone in hairstyling and eyelash extensions; Retail offered
Mens Services: Barbering and other Grooming services (mobile services offered); Retail offered

Private Bartending: (LUSH Bartending Service) Available nationally/internationally for couples, company gatherings, weddings, graduation parties, birthday parties, family reunions, boat rides and more!

Interior Design: (Luxury Living) Available for nationally/internationally (as well as remote service) for mockups, renderings, CAD, floorplans, or decorating spaces. Commercial decoration available such as staging homes or apartments and offices available as well. Specialty in designing of Hair and Barber Salons.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

To be honest, and VERY transparent, I am going through a journey of resiliency right now. I typically would not be this open and honest on a public platform but I think its important for people to understand the good AND bad of entrepreneurship. Too often, people want to show the good and shiny side of business but I believe this give others a false sense of hope. I think others need to know that we fight for our lives and lifestyles DAILY. Sometimes we put up all the money and investments we have to see our dreams come to life. Sometimes before we qualify for “other peoples money”, thats all we have. Sometimes we are the only ones who believe in ourselves when others doubt us or doubt we will make it to the finish line.

I am here to tell you, with tears in my eyes. I WILL MAKE IT. I HAVE MADE IT. YOU WILL MAKE IT. WE WILL MAKE IT. You have to want it bad enough. You have to put in the work. You have to be determined. You have to eat, sleep and breathe this here thing. I did it raising TWO KIDS, single, and on government assistance. I gave it all up to own my own house, opened several hair salons, a few cars, two dogs and traveled. But life got heavy for me. I had no help. No one to turn to for advice when my success came fast and i did not know what to do next. I did not plan to go into business. It kind of just happened for me. It fell in my lap and I just took the chance. So when “life happened” on top of the fast success…. I dropped everything and moved to Florida. So was that the best move? Was it worth giving up my government assistance when I could have just relied on that rather than take myself through all the nuances of running a business and all that comes with THAT?? SURE IT WAS WORTH IT. I would not be who I am today if I had not. I would not know my own capabilities or my own strength.

However, here I am in my 40’s…. STARTING OVER. In a terrible economy, its as if I am just leaving my mother and father at 18 years old. My kids are young adults now. I am now a grandmother. I started over in a new city and I rebuilding. I am working harder for a dollar than I ever have before. I do not complain at all. I just do what I have to do. I continue to inspire others. I know what needs to be done. However, I wish I would not have learned the lesson at this stage of my life. And THAT is the ugly truth. However, what’s been done before, CAN and WILL be done again. BELIEVE IN YOURSELF.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

I have been featured in countless magazines, tried to always remain humble, volunteered in the communities where I have lived, reached out in the homeless communities, and always reached out to help the next person up in their pursuit of whatever their dreams were. In business, because I am so passionate, I show up looking my best, with my best attitude, my best performance and even perfection is not perfect enough for my Virgo trait so I am serious about my craft(s). I think those traits alone, helped me to stand out and showed how confident I am in my capabilities. It showed people they could trust me and it has gone a long way in every market I have served.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.lacicelynicole.com
• Instagram: @booklacicelynicole
• Facebook: Book LaCicely Nicole
• Youtube: booklacicelynicole

Image Credits
Photo Credit: LaCicely Nicole Photo Credit: Canva.com Photo Credit: Shareiff Robinson