Meet Zeanaya Slays | Bridal l Soft glam Artist & Serial Entrepreneur

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

Hi Zeanaya, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking.
Risk has been a crucial part of my journey, shaping both my personal and professional life. I’ve realized that to truly reach our goals, we must be willing to step outside our comfort zones. For me, that meant starting my business from my college dorm with next to nothing—no funds and plenty of uncertainty.

If I had played it safe, I would have remained confined to that closed box, missing out on incredible opportunities. Choosing to take that leap of faith has transformed my life. Six years later, I’ve evolved from a broke college student into a full-time professional makeup artist, specializing in bridal, photoshoots, and soft glam. Today, I not only enjoy financial freedom but also connect with over 2,000 followers who inspire and motivate me every day. Risk has been my catalyst for growth, and I’m grateful for every daring step I’ve taken.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My journey to where I am today has been anything but easy; it’s been filled with rebranding, prayer, and taking risks. I didn’t have the luxury of overnight success. Starting out as a broke college student, I lacked the funds to invest in my dreams, and without the credit for a business loan, I had to rely on my income from my 9-to-5 to fuel my passion. There were times when I lost more money than I made, and I rebranded my business over five times.

I’ve faced moments of doubt and thought about giving up, but I held onto the vision I had in my dorm room. Many people in my local community didn’t see my journey as worthwhile so my local support was limited to none, when I turned to social media, I found unexpected support from strangers who believed in me. Their shares and likes brought my brand to a wider audience and showed me that maybe my reach was meant to be global rather than local.

I want the world to know that my brand is built on resilience. I’ve faced challenges like domestic issues and betrayal, and though I may not look like what I’ve been through, I’m here, thriving and empowering women along the way. I believe that even when life throws us curveballs, we can rise and slay through it all. For anyone starting a business, remember that your target audience may not always be local—sometimes, it’s the strangers who will lift you higher than you ever imagined.

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 came to visit the first place, we would go to is to World Springs in colony Tx. I love a good relaxing sauna and being surrounded by water. We will then head over to the garden for their $20 Buffet where they have fried chicken, sweet potatoes greens etc. for $20 only on Fridays.

Saturday- we’ll probably do some shopping, and the first place will be Shu Deal where they have all of the trendy fashion shoes for cheap. Then well head over to legacy west in Plano where there are more shopping stores and a variety of food & entertainment,

Sunday – On this day well figure out why they say, “never leave Texas on a Sunday” Our first stop well be to xoxo dinning where the aesthetics is a girls dream! The building is all pink and they have so many props where we can take cute pics for the gram. After that we’ll head over to kanvas day party located in deep ellum where they have a rooftop, good music and drinks and to end the night well probably go enjoy some more fried chicken from GUS chicken located in deep ellum.

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 love to give a heartfelt shoutout to my family, especially my mom and sisters. They’ve been my rock and have instilled confidence in me since I was a little girl. My mom always reminds me that the sky is the limit, and it’s their unwavering support that keeps me pushing forward. I want to build something meaningful that I can pass down to my kids, nieces, nephews, and their future generations.

I also want to shine a light on Lavonne, a talented bridal makeup artist from my hometown in Chicago. She was the first to take me under her wing as an assistant, introducing me to the world of bridal makeup. Thanks to her guidance, I stepped confidently into the bridal industry and charted my own path. Big shoutout to her—if you’re ever in need of a bridal makeup artist in Chicago, she’s truly one of the best!

Website: https://linktr.ee/zeanayaslays

Image Credits
Photos taken by Flim by tee & vision queen photography