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

Livvia, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Are you happier as a business owner? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job?

I am completely happy being a business owner! I’ve had 9-5 jobs before, but nothing satisfies me as much as working for myself does. With any profession, there are pros, cons, and risks, and being a business owner is simply not for everyone. It’s definitely the greatest risk I’ve ever taken. I love the time freedom as I can set my own schedule, which is great as a single mom of two. I also love being connected to an industry that is always growing and evolving. The beauty industry is always in demand.

The cons of being a business owner are the possible lack of consistency and the fact that every detail and responsibility is solely yours. One week you can be booked to the brim, and the next week business can be as slow as a snail. Whether business is going well or not that week, you still have to buy supplies, handle scheduling, do payroll, pay bills, vendors, rent, and utilities for your home and business! It can be stressful at times, but overall it’s very rewarding. At the end of a busy week, you can’t help but feel accomplished.

One major thing—well, two major people—that keep me going in business are my mother and grandmother. They raised me, and I feel I owe them everything. They are the reasons behind my business name, Livvie Denise Beauty Bar. My grandmother’s name is Livvie, and she’s taught me grace, patience, and resilience, while my mom’s middle name is Denise, and from her I get my hustle, drive, and determination. When times are trying, I think of them. They’ve had their own businesses and have directly and indirectly shown me the way. Because of them, I can.

Two years ago, I completely uprooted my life and business and moved from Toledo, Ohio to Charlotte, NC. I left all of my clientele and everyone that loved and believed in me and started over completely in a new city. It was terrifying, but I did it scared. At first, as I settled into my new city, I found a job at a spa and worked there for 8 months. That job was a godsend because it taught me so much about business, and I also made great connections there. By the 8th month of working there, I felt I was ready to branch off on my own again. I saved my money, found a private suite to rent, and slowly started building my business again from zero. I chose a start date and jumped! I only had one client at the time. Sometimes I look back and ask myself, “What was I thinking?!”

A year passed, and I now have over 220 clients. There have been moments where I feel that maybe a “regular job” could offer me more stability, but then I think of the time freedom I have and the clients that I’ve grown to love. How could I ever leave Livvie Denise Beauty Bar?? I’m here to stay to continue learning, growing, and providing excellent client experiences.

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

My name is Livvia Toms. I’m a licensed esthetician/cosmetologist and I’m the owner of Livvie Denise Beauty Bar and Lost & Found Accessories Boutique (LaFab) At Livvie Denise, I specialize in braid styles, locs maintenance, full body waxing, and massage. I chose cosmetology because I grew up watching my mom braid hair as a side hustle. I eventually learned to braid my own hair and would also do the hair of my peers. I didn’t always see a future in the hair industry as I wanted to be in the fashion industry, designing clothes. My passion shifted once I became interested in skin care and massage. In 2011, I enrolled in esthetics school to become an esthetician. During that time, esthetics wasn’t yet a huge industry in my community so I struggled to find work. I eventually went back to my first love-hair. I enrolled in beauty school in 2014 and graduated in 2015. I combined all of my skill sets and created businesses based on my passions. Livvie Denise Beauty Bar and LaFab were born.
LaFab is an online accessories boutique that offers trendy, affordable fashion accessories such as handbags, sunglasses and jewelry. I created LaFab in 2012 because I was a new mom and wanted a way to create extra income without having to punch a clock, allowing me extra time with my baby boy. Although that business is strictly online, I would often set up at pop up shops and vendor shows in order to advertise. It became very popular locally as the items offered were unique. I don’t do many pop up shops anymore, but the entire inventory is still available for purchase online.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

I’m a very cautious person. I always have plan B, C & D just in case plan A doesn’t work. Caution and having a level head is great in business, but it can also be damaging. If you’re too cautious or spend too much time overthinking you WILL miss out on opportunities that can help you get to the next level you want to be. It’s great to have a plan, but try not to let fear slow you down. After all, that’s all overthinking is…Fear. Whatever you need to do, do it scared. But just do it.

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

For growing Livvie Denise Beauty Bar I had to get better at promoting the business online. Social media has been the most effective strategy for growing clientele. I make posts on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok to show the world what my business has to offer. Another great way I grew clientele was through good old fashioned word of mouth. I make sure I give great customer service and offer exceptional services to clients. They usually come back and they tell others to do the same.

Contact Info:

• Website: Livviedenise.glossgenius.com
• Instagram: Livviedenise_beautybar
• Facebook: Livvia Toms
• Other: TikTok: livviedeniseclt LaFab Boutique: mylafab.com

Image Credits
Livvia Toms