We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Tamika Heard. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Tamika below.
Tamika, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.
The initial idea of Truly Regal came from a conversation with a few friends. When I thought harder about this question (even before you guys asked me), I realized this was a manifestation of what I had prayed for many many years ago. When I was younger I loved looking at beauty magazines. The beautiful women I saw in them inspired me to want to help make the world beautiful. One person at a time. I would get products from Walmart and do my own hair, skincare and makeup, from a very young age. Treating my skin care issue, doing my sew-in’s, learning how to braid hair and teaching myself the latest makeup trends (which looking back… what a time lol). As I got older I worked so many odd end jobs, went to college shortly and tried to do things that people said would be in my best interest. Nothing stuck or made me happy. My sister made a comment one day, “you aren’t someone who can work for someone else.” Boy did that stick with me. I prayed all the time for a business but I still didn’t know what I wanted to do. Soon enough I would go back to my roots.
Fast forward, when Truly Regal actually became a reality, I was working next door at the salon., Luxe Beauty Bar. When I got a crazy opportunity to open up a spa right next door. I had a long conversation with my mentor (and friend) Krish, who owned the salon. I told her my ideas for doing facials and skincare treatments. She immediately poured life into my dreams. Saying it’s perfect because they do hair/makeup and I do skin care and more. We would be your one stop corner for all things beauty. So I called the landlord and signed the lease the next day. Putting all my money and resources into it, for it to be shut down less than four months later due to the pandemic. Whew… God I see you testing me. But with a lot of faith, very little government assistance and some great clients. I was able to keep it, even thought I wasn’t working for about four months. The testimony is real, y’all!
Now for Truly Regal itself. It’s one of the most welcoming, peaceful and refreshing spas in Bergen County. I didn’t give myself that title, I promise. Those are often ways my clients have described their experience in Truly. That’s exactly what it is, an experience. I carefully curated a spa I personally would want to be in. Im a meditating, yoga posing, peace before everything type of woman. With everything going on in the world, I wanted a space that wasn’t just results driven, but a safe haven for myself and anyone that steps foot in there. The music is tranquil, the smells are intoxicating and the lights so dim it’s meditative. I believe in healing the skin by doing facials that are completely customized for each client. But that’s not just by healing the skin. It’s by calming the nervous system and looking inward. Diet and what we put in our bodies matters as well. So I always try to educate my clients. I really created something special. It’s my gift to the world. It’s my way of being of service to others.
Tamika, 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?
Well, I am Tamika L Heard, owner and esthetician of Truly Regal, in Cliffside Park, Nj. I was born in Panama City, Florida, Raised in Baltimore Maryland and then Upper Marlboro for my last two years of High School. I moved to Nj when I was about 18. Which turned out to be the best decision of my life because I created a whole beautiful life for myself up here. I’ve been in this industry all my life. I learned how to braid because my brother didn’t wanna cut his hair and no one knew how to do it so I taught myself. I suffered from acne when I was younger and often picked my skin. Leaving nasty acne scarring and dark marks. It was especially bad on my forehead. We grew up with our dad, so that should say a lot. He wasn’t into the up keep of young women so often times I had to figure it out on my owe when it can to hair, makeup and skincare. And I did just that. I officially got into the beauty industry in my late 20s by going to cosmetology school. Then landing a job at a salon, I would go on to work at up until I opened up the spa. I have now been in the industry, officially, over ten years.
Truly Regal is a spa with all types of facial services. From a regular decongesting facial, to microdermabrasion, Hydrafacial, acne facials and more. I treat many different skin care issues such as acne, hyperpigmentation, anti-aging, lymphatic drainage, acne scarring, dehydration and more. Out side of it being results driven, Truly is a place people come to let go of any and everything that goes on outside of those doors. Whether we are laughing the whole time, you confide in me, have some of the best sleep you’ve gotten in a long time or a combination of all. You feel the warm and inviting nature I created for this space. I put a lot of love and patience in what I do. Never rushing the process and always being transparent to my clients about expectations and the treatments.
Im so proud of how I handled being shut down about four months after opening. So might’ve given up or asked “why me” and they would have been valid in that. But I knew I had something special and I wasn’t giving up that easy. My clients are amazing, the support and love they’ve shown me is such a beautiful display of genuine love and support. I don’t ever take any of this for granted. I have a gift and I plan to continue to give it to my community and show case it to the world.
Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?
Word of mouth, hands down! I adore my clients and love when I have a new client come in and say, “so and so told me about you.” Or “I saw so and so’s skin and had to come see you.” Or “so and so posted you to their social and I always take their recommendations.” Word of mouth is my biggest way of growing my clients. I do that by giving an experience that has to be talked about. When they see their skin from the time they came in to after the service….night and day. Even if they have more work to do with their skin care goals. And they feel lighter, relaxed, more at peace and the nervous system is in a calmer state. They leave with a different level of knowledge for their specific skin type and needs. How can you know want to brag about that.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
Hmmmm. Can I just say, there is a lot of unlearning you have to do when it comes to life and business. When we are young we were taught things from the people around us, school and what we consume from society. It all comes from THEIR perspective. Doesn’t mean it’s wrong or we can learn from them. Just means we have to make conscious decisions for our own lives with new and old information. I believe as we grow and get older what aligns with our life, our future, our goals, and our relationships don’t always coincide with what we learned in the past. For example, I went to college (short lived) but school was not for me. I went because most of my elders said get a job that can pay your bills and bring you in a check. Something stable. If I had listened to them I wouldn’t have opened Truly Regal. I stepped outside of the things that were being programmed in my brain to jump off the cliff and take that leap. Now I am fearless and learned to listen to my own voice, consult with God and go do all the things I want to do and more.
Contact Info:
- Website: Www.Trulyregal.com
- Instagram: @trulyregalnj
- Facebook: Www.facebook.com/shoptrulyregal
- Twitter: @trulyregalnj
- Yelp: Www.yelp.com/trulyregal
Image Credits
Photo by Krish Gutierrez Makeup and Hair by Tamika L Heard