We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Shawntel Webster a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Shawntel , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Are you happier as a creative? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job? Can you talk to us about how you think through these emotions?
I am truly passionate about what I am doing for the first time in my life. Being an artist and entrepreneur is something that makes me feel empowered. I love creating a welcoming environment for my guests and making them feel beautiful. I can not imagine myself working for a corporation ever again. Being a cog in the system or simply an employee number in a computer does not appeal to me. I have experienced an immense amount of stress as well as being overworked and underpaid as a woman. Starting my company was one of the toughest yet most rewarding things I’ve ever done. I have no regrets.
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?
I am a wife, mother, owner, artist, and entrepreneur. I have been in the beauty industry for over 18 years and what began as a hobby became my full time career. Beauty Topix is a full scale mobile luxury salon that I created with the help of my husband/business partner. We offer a truly unique guest experience. Imagine stepping out of your front door and there is a salon in your driveway! Beauty Topix offers a multitude of services from full glam makeup applications to technique classes, hairstyling, and even bachelorette parties. Our goal is to make sure each and every guest leaves feeling beautiful and confident.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
One of the most rewarding aspects of my creative career is seeing the looks on my guests faces once the work is done. What we do as artists truly inspires confidence and makes people feel good about themselves. I recently had an interaction with a guest and she saw herself in the mirror and said, “Wow, I’m not ugly anymore. I was always teased in high school about the way I looked.” People sometimes don’t realize how much their words hurt. I have a sign in my salon that says kindness is free. I think everyone needs to be reminded of this.
Have you ever had to pivot?
I was laid off from my stressful corporate job at the beginning of the pandemic. This allowed me the opportunity to reassess my life choices. I had to ask myself if I was truly happy working to enrich someone else or if I was ready to take a chance on myself. I decided to bet on me and I have never once regretted it. Being an entrepreneur allows me to be free to create an amazing work experience for myself as well as others. I have poured my heart and soul into Beauty Topix and I will continue to grow this amazing business.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.beautytopix.com
- Instagram: @beautytopix_glam
- Facebook: Beauty Topix Mobile Studio