We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Saneequa Maddox-Barlow a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Saneequa, thanks for joining us today. Do you wish you had started sooner?
Looking back, I’ve realized that every job I’ve had – has prepared me for where I am now. I’ve always worked in the field of customer service, and health care. During that time I was always working “just to get by”. I figured that “getting by” was good enough for the time being, and like many – I pushed my dreams aside because I couldn’t afford them. The only life I knew at the time, was HUSTLE. Go to work, get an education, and maybe – just maybe – I’ll make it. Eventually, I grew tired of this way of thinking. It actually hindered me from reaching my greatest potential. I’ve always been a great employee. I took the shifts no-one wanted, went above and beyond my required duties, and I made work my priority. By the time I was 24, I changed my perspective, and asked myself “Is this it?”. No. This was not it. That was the start. I believe you have to put in the work to be a successful entrepreneur. All those years were a stepping stone, and I wouldn’t change a thing. At 33, I’m still learning, creating, and growing both professionally and personally. I’ve made mistakes throughout my journey, but I also believe that had I started earlier I would have possibly made many more. Experience is one of the reasons for my success. I’ve learned through trial and error, lectures, seminars, literature, and most of all- life. I learned not to just “go with the flow” ,but to work WITH the flow. Don’t just dream it, put some action behind it. As you grow, your dreams change because your interests change. I didn’t know exactly who I wanted to be until I was 30 years old. I’m exactly where I need to be for now, and the timing couldn’t be more perfect.
Saneequa, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
My name is Saneequa, a serial entrepreneur with lots to offer. I’ve always had a passion for anything art. Beauty, music, poetry, painting, dancing, you name it – I love it. In 2018, I was an executive assistant in the art department of a well known clothing brand. During this time I was also doing makeup on the side, for friends and family. I was self taught, no license, and and very little experience. One client on the weekend became two, then two became five, and finally I saw what others had been telling me for years – “you should be in the beauty industry”. I went into work one day, put in a two-week notice, and applied at Paul Mitchell The School in Fayetteville,NC. At 28 years old, here I was starting this cosmetology journey which was not easy. I opened a salon under a franchise in 2019 – 6 months before I graduated, and it was very successful. I had also became a highly sought after artist in the professional bodybuilding world, which had become my most lucrative asset. Everything was perfect. Then here comes COVID, and the shut down. I was the owner of a business for a whole year and 2 months, and now I was forced to close for four months. To say that my business didn’t suffer would be untrue. There were no loans or assistance available for new small business owners at the time, and by the time I applied for the few there were; the funds had been depleted. This was a wall I did not intend to hit so soon, however I’m a creator. It’s my job to create, regardless of the circumstances. I ended up, opening an online clothing boutique to help offset the incoming bills. Then I used my salon as a distribution hub, to utilize the space that I had signed a three year lease for regardless. While the boutique had some success, It was only a way to generate income, until the business woe’s of COVID ended. I also have a background in digital communications, so I used my resources to start a freelance consulting business. The whole world was at a standstill, and people actually had time to start new ventures. I used this to my advantage by offering website building services at affordable rates to upcoming companies. I had already been quietly doing this on the side for years as well. Word of mouth was how I initially gained clients, however I had been forced to market myself publicly to make ends-meet. Again, what I once considered a side hustle, became another form of lucrative income. Once COVID restrictions were lifted, It was back to the drawing board. I managed to get back on track, but good and consistent help was even harder to find after COVID. People wanted to stay home or work for themselves, which was understandable. I also noticed that the community in which I lived and worked, had very few programs that would teach you how to survive business shutdowns like what we’ve just experienced. Then I realized that I’ve never been taught half of what I know now. I imagined what it would be like had I been given useful tools to follow regarding business, at a young age. From that, I developed “The Jr Artist Program” in 2020. It’s a free mentorship program for girls ages 12 – 16, in Fayetteville, North Carolina. I hold an annual week long summer camp in which our focus is to educate, create, and inspire our youth to be great at whatever it is they aspire to be. Being involved in the community is what I am most proud of. To see change, we must all ‘be change’. Growing up, I used to walk pass by this camp in Freeport, NY that had mostly Caucasian children. There was a water slide that you could see just over the gates. I would hear kids laughing, and playing. They were always going on field trips, had cool t-shirts and bags, and I could only imagine the food. My mother couldn’t afford to send both me and my brother there, as she was a single parent. She did however, send me to a local 4H camp, and there I received the bare minimum. I wouldn’t call it camp, I would say it was more like free summer daycare – which is not the same. It was a come in eat a snack and milk for breakfast, lunch was a cold bologna sandwich made with hard bread, an apple, and a juice box. As far as activities go, there was coloring and a playground. When I started my program, I wanted to offer everything I’ve always wanted to girls who look like me. With help from loyal volunteers, organizations, and community resources, I’ve been able to provide the girls who attend my camps the ultimate experience for free! We go on several field trips, hold various workshops, and provide two meals with unlimited snacks each day. No girl regardless of ethnicity or background – leaves empty handed or headed, ever. To learn more about this program, visit www.TheJrArtistProgram.com.
My Beauty Brand | www.NeeneeBCosmeticArtistry.com
My Consulting Brand | www.PrettyTeflonManagementAndConsulting.com
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 unlearn pride. Being too prideful will hold you back. It’s okay not to know, and to ask for help. For me, needing assistance felt like a weakness. I was raised by a strong woman, and I never saw her ask for anything from anyone. She just always seemed to “get it done.” Not until I got older did I understand the difference between pride and strength. I can be proud, but true decision making comes from strength. I saw my mother as proud, when it was actually her strength that got us through hard times. She was never too proud do what needed to be done, to make a way. That’s the strength that I had to gain on my own, and it was my idea of pride I’ve learned to step away from.
In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?
Support comes in all forms. Share, like, send our links, tag us, purchase an item, or book a service! The support you give is what you’ll receive in whatever it is that you do. Make it your business to support one new creator a month by simply acknowledging their work! That’s it! You don’t always have to spend money to support. There are times we want to give up, but the right support, from the right person, at the right time – CHANGES THINGS! Stop judging people for what they put out, and either support them for their courage, or keep scrolling!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.linktr.ee/neeneeb
- Instagram: @NeeneeInRealLife
- Facebook: Neenee B
- Other: www.TheJrArtistProgram.com www.NeeneeBCosmeticArtistry.com www.PrettyTeflonManagementAndConsulting.com
Image Credits
Photo credit: MelaJay Photography, Charity Merriweather, Shots By Amir Pierre, and The Jr Artist Program.