Meet Shakayla Canaday | Cosmetologist/Esthetician

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

Hi Shakayla, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
My thought process behind starting my own business was that I wanted my daughter to see what was possible. I’m the first business owner and first creative based business owner in my family. I wanted her to see that there are more avenues to life than going to college should she so choose.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My Career Started in 2014 when I headed off to hair school after leaving College. I knew at the time I went, it wasn’t for me. I set out for Paul Mitchell. After many terrible experiences with hairstylist in my past I wanted to be a change in the industry and decided that cosmetology school was a great place to start. Cosmetology school taught me a lot and afforded opportunities to go to Vegas as a Beacon Honorable mention, San Francisco as one of the personal assistants to Debra Dietrich at a financial convention to airbrush wealth management professionals and many more amazing things I may not have done had I not chosen Paul Mitchell the School Arkansas.

Since then I have opened my own Business,. Brushed Beauty Company( Brushed Beauty Studio,LLC) and it has grown from a bridal business into a spa business and is ever changing. I graduated college with my degree last year(2020) in Organizational Leadership as a means to elevate and expand my business into what I hope to be a premier spa and esthetics business one day.

I’ve learned so much about how much grit and grace being in this industry takes. Being one of the only African American Artist in my area taking up space in an even smaller niche like the bridal industry has given me the opportunity to take up space and allow for others who look like me to be seen and given respect. I’m
Proud of myself for that. It was not easy and I still face challenges but holding that representative space is super important for future stylist who look like me.

I think the one thing I’d like people to know about my brand is that I help people embrace their beauty through the power of makeup and esthetics. There is something so liberating in taking your power back after the world has been telling us for years to cover up our skin. With me treating the skin through esthetic services you feel more confident and need less makeup over time giving you the option to not wear it if you choose. That’s the beauty of what I do. I can give confidence and security to people everywhere and I’m grateful for a gift like that.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If my Best friend was visiting my area I would take them to eat at places like: Cafe Rue Orleans for some Cajun cuisine, orTaste of Thai in downtown Fayetteville for some Thai food. We also have some amazing breakfast and brunch spots here like Crepes Paulette in Bentonville, Prelude Breakfast Bar and Farmer’s Table with great service too.

There are some amazing little shops that are local to here that I love for clothing like Darcy Apparel,Maude boutique, Grey Dog and the freckled hen farmhouse in the NOMA district in Fayetteville,AR. So many cool places to check out here in this area. I’d spend some time in each little city I like and show them the joys of each one!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’d like to dedicate this to my husband Brytton Canaday, mother Terri Clemons and cousin Cecilia Oats without whose encouragement I wouldn’t be anywhere near as far in my business today. Thank you all so much for pushing me toward my goals and encouraging me to take leaps that I may have been to scared to on my own. I’m forever grateful for your presence in my life.

Website: Www.thebrushedbeauty.co/

Instagram: Brushedbeautyco

Facebook: Www.Facebook.com/brushedbeautystudio

Image Credits
Brytton Canaday