Meet Antoyia Fortune | Bawse

We had the good fortune of connecting with Antoyia Fortune and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Antoyia, Let’s talk about principles and values – what matters to you most?
I love that I’m building a business that prides itself on God First, Family Second, Career Third as its primary principles. Finding a company that aligns with my personal beliefs is a major WIN for me. When those priorities are in order, my life is in order. So many times in the corporate world, it is not “professional” to discuss your personal beliefs and my faith plays a major role in my life so being a part of a company that encourages having faith and speaking openly about it, I know is a gem of it‘s time.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
To keep my main thing, the main thing, my heart and joy is my Mary Kay business – I do own another business where I unite tees and culture, Royal Bawse – which I started right before the global pandemic started in 2020 and I’m still finding my flow with that business pursuit but I absolutely LOVE what I do – so busy is probably an understatement! As cliche’ as it may seem, Mary Kay is more than just a lipstick. In short, I teach individuals and specialize in skincare and cosmetics application as an Independent Beauty Consultant with Mary Kay, I’m your Neighborhood Beauty Bawse. The long version of that is I get to empower women to walk in their light and recognize their magic – the vehicle in which I have found success in doing that is as a Mary Kay business owner. We are all taking up space all 2021 that is what excites me most about my business. I get to encourage individuals to walk in their truth, the beauty that is within! I have been building my business for 8 years and by no means has the journey been easy, but definitely worth it. My faith and my tribe have been influential to my success as a business owner. I’ve worked this business in a number of ways depending on what life required of me. I’ve held this business with a full time job; full time and part time job and contract working, it has been able to shift as my life as required of it to do so. I love the flexibility that my business offers and I think that was major for me coming from the field of Social Work which often required a very demanding schedule. Lessons learned: I can only control what I can control. I can only control what efforts I put into my work, not how people respond to it. Early on, in my business I took things personally: people didn’t want to buy the product or become a business owner. I took offense as if they were saying no to me. I learned that they were not saying no to me, but what I was offering. Just as anyone has a right to do. It was my job to educate them on what I was offering and up to them on what they choose to do with that information. What I want the world to know about me, my business, my brand and my story can be wrapped up into 4 statements. *I am a Jesus Lover, follower of the Most High King, King’s Kid. I give God all the honor and glory for every aspect of my life. *I offer complimentary consultations for your skincare and glamour needs, with speciality in use of Mary Kay products. Yes, I do wear the products and I love them, I was a customer first. *I am in the business of empowering and supporting women. * Yes, I do indeed wear a headwrap 98.9% of my days. I call it my Unicorn Horn, it’s as if it is magical. #blackgirlmagic

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I’m going to be honest, I like to eat, so most likely we are going to go from restaurant to restaurant LOL but here are a few places I’d suggest. Foodie: The Capital Grille, Steel City Pops, Snooze, Sweet Georgia Brown and Lolo’s Chicken & Waffles; Arts & Sightseeing: African American Museum of Dallas, Water Gardens, Dallas Arboretum & Botanical Gardens, Dallas Zoo, & the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I can’t tell my story without giving honor to God! After that I would definitely say my parents are my biggest cheerleaders! I started my entrepreneurial journey after completing my Masters program and it was not on my radar AT ALL to start a business. In my mind, I was on a lifelong journey as a Mental Health Social Worker. Although, I loved what I do and the communities I was able to impact, I was looking for something more. And thank God for my supportive parents in allowing me to find my own way! I’d love to shout out my mentors in Mary Kay – they breathe belief into me on a daily and I’m so appreciative.  Shoutout to my growing MK team, #teamROYAL, we are BAWSE Kings & Queens on the rise!

Website: www.marykay.com/afortune

Instagram: @AntoyiaChanel

Twitter: @AntoyiaChanel

Facebook: www.facebook.com/AFortuneMaryKay