We recently connected with Takyria Jenkins and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Takyria, thanks for joining us today. One of the toughest things about entrepreneurship is that there is almost always unexpected problems that come up – problems that you often can’t read about in advance, can’t prepare for, etc. Have you had such and experience and if so, can you tell us the story of one of those unexpected problems you’ve encountered?
Unexpected problems/issue’s are so common with anything in life, but when it’s happening in your business it could make or break you. Over the years I have had unexpected problems occur but never like what I recently went through. Moving forward I know better now to have an assistant to make everything easier on me. My life took a turn and I had problems with my health for the first time in my life, I had to heal myself while reach out to client after client. I had to talk with clients with my mouth wired shut because it’s always just been me running my business , I’ve never had an assistant to handle these problems for me. As hard as it was I overcame it all. You have to remind yourself what did you start all of this for? If this falls down what will you have left? Those two questions helped me save my business. I handled every single problem with broken bones and tears in my eyes, if I wouldn’t have done what I did I wouldn’t have a business that I built from the ground up when I was just 16, thankfully it’s still here going strong today. At the moment, I felt many different things but more than anything I felt the failure before it even happened and that pushed me to handle business.
Takyria, 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?
For those of you who don’t know me my name is Takyria Jenkins, known mostly by TK. I started my very first business when I was just 16 years old in high school while working a 9-5. I later started an event planning business where I specialized in kid birthday parties and adult birthday dinner parties. Just recently I launched a new business She’s Lascivious which is a lingerie plus cosmetics line. Now I am planning to start a new business as I am now an esthetician. I believe what sets me apart from others is how determined I am. I am a really hardworking young woman that provides for myself with no help. Through everything that has been sent to break me over the years I have never let anything stop me from chasing my dreams. I am most proud of how I built this big name for myself by myself.
What else should we know about how you took your side hustle and scaled it up into what it is today?
Initially becoming a lash tech was just a side hustle, something to make extra money. About two years in I started to notice I would make the same amount in a day that I made in a two week check working 100 times harder at my 9-5. By this time I had my daughter and I couldn’t work two jobs anymore if I wanted to spend time with my daughter one had to go and I took a fish choosing the one that was guaranteed pay. I put my two weeks in at 19 and still to this day at 22 years old that was the best thing I could have ever done for myself and my daughter. I haven’t worked for anyone besides myself in nearly 4 years, I’ve made more money than any other job I’ve ever had. I have traveled the world while giving the same world to my daughter because as a business owner full time I’m on my own time, my own pay rate, my own everything.
What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?
The most effective strategy for growing my clientele has simply been just being myself. Most people I know put out a false image of themselves to gain clients and it doesn’t work 9/10 because people can sense who you are. Me being myself has gotten me the clientele that I have, it’s definitely gone a long way.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.kyriaaj.com
- Instagram: kyriaaj
Image Credits
mcarthur25_photography urban_randi