Employing Love As The Ultimate Success Factor To Renew Women's Leadership Mindset With Fresh Fire and Purpose!

Women's Leadership Mindset Series featuring Antoyia Fortune

Antoyia C. P. Fortune

Your Neighborhood Beauty Bawse Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultant

Greetings! My name is Antoyia Chanél Precious Fortune - yes, that is my real name. I am a Midwest girl - born and raised in Kansas. I am the proud legacy of Joyce and Rene Fortune. I grew up in a household that believed I should go to school or get a job, so to school and to get a job, I went. I graduated high school from one of the top-ranking college preparatory high schools in the country. I followed in my older brother’s footsteps and graduated from the University of Kansas (KU) - Rock Chalk Jayhawk - with my bachelor’s in Social Welfare. I continued my education at Southern Illinois University - Carbondale to receive my Master’s in Social Work with a Health and Mental Health emphasis.

As Mental Health Social Worker - I found myself burned out, overwhelmed, and broke. I have always been a woman of great faith, but I doubted my journey. However, I knew what I was doing and the people I was serving was necessary. One of the biggest breaking points in my career was at a time I was working for a federally funded program for low-income students and foster-aged youth. The youth was treated as if they were just a number on a document for funding, but I cared about each student and their needs. I felt boxed in, and I had to find another way to fulfill my personal mission of empowering and uplifting others.

In walks my Mary Kay business. Well not exactly, more jobs and a relocation to Texas with my Mary Kay business in tow. In February 2013, I started my Mary Kay business because I need extra money and my love for the products. When I relocated to Texas in April 2013, my goal was to work as a full-time entrepreneur and what I realized is that I lacked the self-discipline at the time to maintain a successful business. So, I returned to the workforce and kept my business as a part-time business. Fast forward to 2018 and I am laid off from my full-time job. Fast forward six more months and I am laid off from my part-time job. Here lies my Mary Kay business. Major hits to my ego in a short amount of time, but I had a business to fall back on, right? There I was with a business that I picked up when it was convenient to me that now required me to step it up and truly work my business as a business.

I stand proudly as a Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultant - my community knows me as the Neighborhood Beauty Bawse. I take pride in specializing in skincare education and makeup application where I can provide my services from my neighborhood to yours. I love working with the everyday woman who is looking for everyday skincare solutions and glamour options. I have become a glamour girl, but I know that caring for my canvas (my skin) is essential, and my glamour is an accessory. I want to be very clear that the woman people see today is not how I started my business.

I started my business doubting that it would work, let alone work for me. I started my business barely caring for my skin, wearing purple eyeshadow and yellow tube lip balm. I am the woman that I can tell from experience about building a skincare routine and learning glamour techniques that work for my eye shape, face shape, and skin tone. Telling my story and sharing my journey allows me to establish trust with my customers. I am not the woman that will sell you a product just to sell you a product and my customers appreciate that. I love that I work with award-winning, prestige products to service my customers and meet their needs.

As I continue to navigate the best practices to serve my customers and my team, I have realized my level of influence. Growing up, I often shrunk myself, so being in rooms where people wanted me to be front and center was outside of my norm. In Mary Kay, I have learned that all of me is necessary. It has become my mission to uplift and empower others to do the same - to walk in their light. Mary Kay is my vehicle, and my mission has remained the same as when I was a Social Worker. Who would think I would be doing that “selling lipstick”?

Mary Kay has given me a crash course in self-development. I have grown so much as an individual. My business has given me the platform to build and leave a legacy. I highly encourage everyone to fight for the dream that God has given them and remember that He gave it to them. It may not make sense to anyone else but you, but it is not for other people to get it. The vision was created and given to you. Who would think a master’s Level Social Worker would have a successful business being a skincare educator and helping with proper makeup application?

Antoyia Fortune

Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultant

About Antoyia

Antoyia Fortune specializes in skincare education and makeup application as a Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultant known affectionally to her community as the Neighborhood Beauty Bawse (pronounced boss).

The moniker ‘Neighborhood Beauty Bawse’ came from wanting to offer her products and services outside of her geographic location to your location, so she meets your skincare, glamour and body care needs from your neighborhood to yours! Antoyia has been building her business for 9 years.

In those 9 years, Antoyia has found a passion for uplifting and empowering women to be their best selves. Antoyia has had a number of achievements in her business and wants to continue to grow.

Women's Leadership SeriesTeresa K. PageComment