We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Latavia Nottage Bienaime a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Latavia thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Growth is exciting, but from what we’ve seen across thousands of conversations with entrepreneurs it’s also dangerous if costs aren’t watched closely – sometimes costs can grow out of control outpacing revenue growth and putting the viability of the entire business at risk. How have you managed to keep costs under control?

The primary objective of going into business or managing one is to make a profit; however, cost management is necessary for meaningful profit; therefore, one should create a business budget. This business budget is a measurement tool that visually illustrates if you have enough cash to grow the business. That budget should allow you to account for expenditures, reduce costs and prepare for worst-case scenarios. For example, a personal expense like getting my nails done can be used as a saving if I were to do my nails myself. Additionally, you can consider hiring part-time staff or as needed.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers?

Latavia Nottage Bienaime is a self-taught makeup artist based in Miami, Florida. Her devotion to makeup began in high school, and in 2012, her passion blossomed into a career. She described makeup artistry as a photographic painting on canvas and spent several years refining her skills and broadening her makeup techniques through MAC Cosmetics and Sephora. She graduated from Miami Dade College in Funeral Services in 2016 and dabbled in working with the deceased to pursue her career.
Latavia acknowledged when someone you love becomes a memory, that memory becomes a treasure. It is with memory we find that safe place to secure our precious moments. The last viewing of that loved one can play an integral role in the healing process and may bring final closure. Themortuaryspa was launched into a small business when her friend requested a mortuary makeover whenever she passed away. Two years later, that friend passed on in 2017, and Latavia was honored to grant her request. Later, Latavia made a vow that this was the most comforting and peaceful way to say goodbye to a friend.

Rest In Peace, My beloved friend and Sleeping Beauty Nathalie Diego Gabriel July 7, 1987- May 26, 2017

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

By definition, worry is a state of anxiety and uncertainty over actual or potential problems. I can recall being eager about things like how I will fund my business or how I will attract new clients. Although worry is a tough habit to break, it’s essential to know that every situation brought as a petition before God may bring relief. There is a quote that reads, let go and let God. I am inspired by this quote and find much comfort in trying to live by it.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

Everyone is born with a gift, an assignment to pursue, and at some point, hope to achieve. It’s that little boy or little girl that resonates within that says, “You can do it.” When someone hacked my social media business account, I was traumatized. Considering all the time and effort in building my page led me to ask myself, should I keep going or should I quit? When you set your mind on winning, there are no alternatives to losing. I believe we all carry a tool or have a solution to contribute to society. When we know we have something special to give, we can’t let it go.

Contact Info:

• Website: Themortuaryspa.com
• Instagram: Mortuarymakeover
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Themortuaryspa
• Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/themortuaryspa

Image Credits
Director/Photographer Kemuel S. Pierre-Louis Insurance Agent/Model Kathouna Ocean Team Granville Nottage Amos Bienamie Rest In Peace My beloved friend and Sleeping Beauty Nathalie Diego Gabriel July 7, 1987- May 26, 2017