Huami Magazine Huntsville January/February 2020

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Jan./Feb. 2020 Volume 1 Issue 3 FREE

The Black Business Connector

Huntsville - January/February 2020

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Don’t Just Talk About It, Be About It A Letter From The Editor

There Are No If, Ands, Or Buts About It!

If we never allow ourselves to experience the things that we imagine, we are not really living our lives according to what God purposed us for. To achieve the impossible requires A Letter from the Editor fortitude and determination. You must also be willing to let go of somethings that you previously thought was a part of you.

Letting goifalso means that wearrive? are growing in the direction What tomorrow didn’t All of your plans, hopesthat our destiny is pointed. and dreams wouldn’t have a street to park on. What if everything that you decided to put off until tomorrow never A dream is There just a dream until applied. is the happened? would be noaction reasonisto save forThat a rainy moment which a dream grows its the wings and takes flight. I day, andofyou could spare someone trouble of making might say that I would like to lose 40 pounds of body weight promises. What if your last opportunity seemingly expired this year,What but ifwould I neveryou do do? anything that relates to getting me today? to that goal, then all I am doing is talking to myself. To lose 40 pounds body weight require for metoo to change I’veof been told that Iwould often seem like I do much. the way I eat, I Iwould have tonot exercise, and develop an attitude Honestly, feel like I am doing enough and I’m a firm of someone who wants that to beGod 40 pounds It would believer in knowing wouldn’tlighter. put anything onrequire me for meI couldn’t to apply action goal or dream. that handle.toI my sometimes wonder how life would be if I chose to sit idle and accept what it presented to me. I In 2020, I have not to make lotopinion, of resolutions. have found that decided to be very boring.

In amy opportunity Toisbe honest many of the ones that I set last year, I didn’t a blessing that isn’t afforded to everyone.

A challenge reach.

I believe What that ifisI the attempt livecan a more positive to meInstead, is an adventure. worsttothat happen? lifestyle, there will be and littleifor noIroom In terms If I do nothing, I fail, I try don’t,for butnegativity. instead learn ofsomething being positive, the things thatRelinquish seem impossible I amand going new about myself. your pride in to approach with alife. possible mindset. Doors that may look closed, return acquire I am going to knock on them anyway with expectation. They have to best open.

The advice ever given to me happened when someone told me to make my tomorrow happen today. In doing so The most important thatdoors we can make year I have pressed my wayaction through with a keythis that only requires no actionI at all.also To get to where we are dreaming hope provided. have learned the difference betweento go, we God mustblesses allow God to lead Lifelife hascan proven that what me with andus. what burden methe with navigational created by as well. I compare it to knowing when tosystem be confident and quiet, manwhen is full to of be flaws andbecause will all someone it confused too often leadmay us toget a dead end.

If wewith justbeing sit stillarrogant. and be patient, and trust God to work for us, Make you every dream thattomorrow we ever had will happen today, but most become a reality. importantly make it count.

Lifematters is but a whisper and has All that is what God we must putlives. ourselves a planned for our If we in dream position to hear what it is it and give it back to God, we are thentelling living aus.truly a purposed life.

www.huamimagazine.com Terry L Watson Publisher www.huamimagazine.com Editor In Chief Writer Dawn C. Thornton Terry L. Watson Terry L. Watson Writer Alana Allen - Deputy Editor Junious Smith Writer Writers

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HUAMI MAGAZINE is published bimonthly quarterly by the Mykel Media Company. Any reproduction of any portion of this publication is prohibited without written permission from the publisher prior to doing so. Mykel Media doesn’t accept responsibility for statements made by individuals featured or advertisers. Comments concerning this publication may be submitted to the editor by E-mail at terrywatson@huamimagazine.com Email or Telephone terry.editor@yahoo.com terry.editor@yahoo.com or to 336-340-7844 Mykel Media Company, LLC P.O. Box 20102 Greensboro, NC 27420 HUAMI MAGAZINE 2020 All 2014 All Rights RightsReserved Reserved

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Terry L. Watson HuntsvilleEditor/Founder - January/February 2020

On The Cover

Photo by Shaw Photography Group

CONTENTS

JAN./FEB. 2020

HUNTSVILLE

Exclusive One Realty

Deanna Smith

On The Cover

Bringing Black Wealth To SC Jevertus Burnett

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Browz N Around

Stephanie Williams

Tanika Dean Meet the face of Tanika Dean & Co. Educational Playtime Too, Inc, and Twirl Divas Dance.

Greensboro, NC

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Best Smile Dental

Dr. Anbec DeShield-Mayes

BPolished Beauty Supply

Frankesha Watkins

Kaison Priest He is the cutest, and has been selected as Huami Magazine’s Cutest Baby.

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The Black Business Connector

By Terry L. Watson Photos by Sasha Ridley

Jevertus Burnett wanted to bring the summit back and make it better than ever.

Burnett is the founder of The Black Wealth Summit, which will take place in two locations this year. Last year, more than 150 people came to the inaugural event, held in Spartanburg, S.C. In 2020, there will be two summits, the first from March 13-15 at Greenforest Baptist Church in Atlanta and the second at Spartanburg Community College April 3-4.

Burnett, who graduated from Savannah State, works as a financial advisor by day, but also helps others at night which birthed the concept of the Black Wealth Summit.

“During the day, I make sure I’m equipping clients with methods to move wealth efficiently and maintaining the integrity of their brand, elevating their profiles in the greater South Carolina committee,” Burnett said. “Off the clock, I want to make sure that people in the African-American and undeserved communities have some of those some resources.”

Burnett was raised in Norwood, G.A. and credited his upbringing for implementing his work ethic. “I was raised by a single mom with four kids and she only brought home about $600 a month,” Burnett said. “I was heavily acquainted with the word ‘no,’ so at a young age my brother and I started working — raking leaves, cutting grass, doing anything we can to help around the house.

“Every decision my older siblings did had my mom in mind. My brother had a basketball scholarship at Georgia Southern, but he left school and went to the military to send money home. My sister had a full scholarship to Clark Atlanta, but she worked full-time as well.”

Growing up, Burnett said he wanted to get into the financial field.

“I knew that money didn’t grow on trees, so I was inquisitive about it and wanted to learn everything I could,” Burnett said. “In the 10th grade, I was absolutely sure that was the field I wanted to go into — I didn’t know the different types of jobs, but I knew I wanted to be a part of one.”

“My sister and her husband used to teach financial literacy and I started sharing information to my peers,” Burnett said. “My roommates were the first ones who sat down and went through everything with me. During my senior year, I spent my Christmas holiday and Spring Break helping her — she was a consumer credit counselor with United Way — I was later certified as a financial literacy coach, and I focused on the opportunities she gave me.

“After I graduated, I did more self-studies and I took a job at a school in Savannah, Ga, to coach basketball. Still, I was so passionate about business and the school didn’t have a program, so I wrote one out. The first year I taught health to the kids at the school, then the second year it was financial literacy. I thought that I would coach basketball in high school, then work to the college and NBA ranks before teaching finances, but God had a different plan for me to start so soon. I’ve been satisfied with everything that’s happened so far.”

Burnett said The Black Wealth Summit will have plenty to offer.

“On Friday night, we’ll haven the networking event, highlighted by vendors and sponsors, which will also give people the opportunity to learn about black businesses in the areas,” Burnett said. “On Saturday, it will be full of workshops and seminars with sessions such as how to create a family bank, tax codes, real estate investing and branding sessions. Eugene Mitchell will be the keynote speaker at both events—he’s the author of ‘Closing the Racial Wealth Gap: Seven Untold Rules for Black Prosperity and Legacy’ and has helped lead a charge inside the black community.

“This summit is here to inspire entrepreneurs and team them up with people who have been there. If you have a vision and want it to come to life, it helps to have great examples to provide insight in an environment with an abundance of knowledge.

We don’t want to be hoarders of that — instead, we want to be the epitome of lifting each other up as we strive for great achievements.”

The cost for The Black Wealth Summit is $49.95. For additional information, go to The Black Wealth Summit on Facebook. h

Although Burnett learned plenty of lessons about money as a child and wanted to become a financial advisor, he didn’t set the best example starting out at Savannah State. “I messed up a lot of money,” Burnett said. “I was on a scholarship but lost it due to horrible decisions. I bought a house and lost it, ran up credit cards, was homeless for a couple of weeks and my credit was messed up.

It got to a point where my sister said, ‘I’m concerned about you, but if you truly want my help you need to do something different.’ My Christmas gift from her my junior year of college was the ‘Crown Financial Ministries’ series and she told me I had to make better decisions with money if she was going to continue sending it to help me out.

“It was a combination of hitting rock bottom and having someone who cared about me get in my grill and tell me to do better.

Therefore, I tell people they don’t have to be ashamed about where Continued on page 8 they are, but they have to be disciplined to get out of the situation.”

As Burnett cleaned up his act, he also shared information at his school.

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By Dawn Cauthen Thornton Photos by Todd Youngblood

Deanna Smith Sellstate Exclusive Realty, LLC Exclusive Title Agency, LLC

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By Dawn Caithen Thorton Photos by Todd Youngblood For 16 years Deanna Smith served the state of New York as a Corrections Officer with the Department of Corrections. She also owned and operated not one, but two childcare facilities along with mothering full time.

When she was presented with the opportunity to become a Federal Agent in 2002, she jumped at the chance and relocated her family to Charlotte for the job. Shortly after settling in the Queen City, she missed interacting with the precious children she taught, so she worked part-time at a childcare facility. She also decided to become a foster parent to make an even greater impact, eventually adopting two infant girls. Suddenly the mom of six was stretched to her limit and her full time job gave her an ultimatum.

“They told me I could choose my job or choose my children. And I chose my children,” Deanna says confidently.

Since the Buffalo, NY native had a background in childcare, the natural thing to do was to transition full time at the childcare facility so she wouldn’t miss a beat raising her own. She quickly rose to Assistant Director and, for some time, was quite content. She was back in her element loving on the little ones and spending time with her two youngest children who attended the facility where she worked. But as much as she enjoyed seeing tiny smiling faces everyday, going home to four children (her oldest two no longer lived in the home) proved to be a larger job than she bargained for.

At the suggestion of her husband, she took some time off to figure out what her next move should be. On her first try, she wasn’t completely sold on the idea of real estate. But she did like helping people achieve their dream of homeownership. She threw her hat back into the ring, took classes, and obtained her real estate license. In 2013, Exclusive Realty, Inc. was born and Smith hasn’t slowed down since.

In January 2018, Smith made the decision to buy into the Sellstate Realty franchise, and now she’s doing business as Sellstate Exclusive Realty, LLC. The addition has afforded Smith to empower her team of agents to serve their clients effectively and efficiently. Her agents are able to utilize Sellstate’s Customer Relationship Management system (CRM), that tracks clients’ interests to better fit them with properties they may be interested in. A popular feature of the system is the opportunity to create distribution lists that allows them to keep their clients in the know by sending newsletters packed with industry information.

“They told me I could choose my job or choose my children. And I chose my children.”

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Aviance Levy Staff

Cordelia Hayden Real Estate Agent

Jessica Scott Real Estate Agent

Larrishea White Real Estate Agent

Deanna Smith Real Estate Agent

Etta Harrison Staff

Dexter Desir Real Estate Agent

Felecia Armstrong Real Estate Agent

Genetta Gray Real Estate Agent

Agents not pictured: Kia Caughten and Jason Brown

Now Smith wants to share her new undertaking, Exclusive Title Agency, LLC., a company that researches property titles to ensure there are no liens, judgements, or other discrepancies prior to purchase. “I always move how God wants me to, and he just put this on me,” Smith explains. Simply put, she felt it was something she was led to do.

The title search arena is such a complicated domain that not many people want to tackle. That makes Smith one of the few black owned agencies in the United States. “It’s very risky. If you don’t educate yourself and don’t know what you’re doing, you can get sued,” says Smith. You must be licensed to offer the service and have an exclusive relationship with an insurance company that trusts you. There are no classes to take, so self-preparation is paramount prior to sitting for the state examination.

The addition of these new branches of Exclusive Realty signifies that Smith is mapping out her future and that of her family and employees. She plans to train her team on how to initiate title searches so they can eventually obtain their licenses manage their own businesses. “My goal is to build generational wealth for myself and help my employees do the same.”

Smith is also currently searching for the right piece of land in Charlotte to construct a building to house her businesses under one roof.

The border of uptown Charlotte would be ideal, but she’s keeping her options open.

The property will also be home to her nonprofit, Homeowners Pursuing Education. She created this project to teach people how to save and manage their money, understand their finances, and not fall victim to scammers and big businesses. Recently, Smith and others took to the streets of Charlotte and knocked on doors to enlighten homeowners who live in attractive areas subject to gentrification. In January, she plans to invite community leaders to aid her in presenting a seminar focusing on affordable housing, financial literacy, and teaching basic budgeting skills to local residents.

Since changing career paths, Smith has made it her mission to create jobs and educate those less knowledgeable about their finances so they can attain the American dream. Serving one client at a time, she is slowly growing her empire, creating generational wealth, and uplifting her community. h

Deanna Smith Exclusive Title, LLC 2026 Ayrsly Blvd. - Charlotte, NC 28273 704-907-3422

www.exclusiverealtyone.com www.exclusivetitleagency.com 11

Dr. Anbec 12

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Huntsville - January/February 2020

By Dawn Cauthen Thornton Photos by Still Shots Photography

At some point, most children are posed with the question, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” And most children change their minds weekly, sometimes daily.

Dr. Anbec DeShield-Mayes knew she wanted to be in the healthcare field, but she wasn’t sure which specialty she wanted to pursue.

She loves children, so during college at UNC-Chapel Hill, she heavily leaned towards pediatrics, until she was introduced to dentistry through an allied health field course. That same year she shadowed an Oral Surgeon faculty member and when she returned to Greensboro, she also shadowed another dentist who specializes in pediatric dentistry. To her surprise, she loved it!

“It melded healthcare with working with children and also art, which is another love of mine. I got everything all in one,” says Dr. DeShield-Mayes.

In 2005 she graduated from Chapel Hill with degrees in Chemistry and African Studies. In the fall of that same year, she began dental school at Chapel Hill and graduated from the school of dentistry in 2009 with a doctorate of dental surgery.

Upon graduation from dental school, she worked under a mentor in Greensboro with plans to take over the practice after his retirement. She also commuted to a second practice on the weekends in Southern Pines and Troy, NC. As her one year anniversary neared at the Greensboro practice, the owner decided he wasn’t ready to retire.

That meant the new dentist had some decisions to make.

She thought long and hard about her next move and believed that Southern Pines was where she needed to be. In 2010, she bought a house and relocated. FirstHealth Dental Care Centers, a non-profit practice that provides dental care to underserved children, was her home for the next seven years. “I planned to live there for awhile and even obtained my master’s degree in public administration from UNC-Pembroke, in hopes of one day helping with management of the program, but then plans changed,” she explained.

“I planned to live there for awhile and even obtained my master’s degree in public administration from UNC-Pembroke, in hopes of one day helping with management of the program, but then plans changed.”

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Dr. DeShield-Mayes couldn’t abandon her desire to be an entrepreneur. She wanted her own practice. But she didn’t want to just serve children, she wanted to treat the entire family. “I remember in dental school I provided an older patient with dentures. On the day of his post-op visit he dressed up, got his hair cut. He even shaved his beard because he wanted people to see his teeth.”

At that moment, she knew this is why this profession chose her. She remembers it as one of her best days.

The remembrance of this feeling caused the Greensboro natives wheels to start turning. She was ready to put her plans in motion and open her own practice. She understood it would be difficult, considering she was working full time at FirstHealth, but was determined to accomplish this goal.

On a drive home to Greensboro one weekend, DeShield-Mayes happened to pass by a new-construction building. Her first thought was, ‘This is a perfect location for a dental practice.’ She mentioned her idea to a classmate and the classmate referred her to a consultant who could assist her with the project. As the months passed, DeShieldMayes decreased her workload in Southern Pines and increased them in Greensboro.

In September, 2015, she opened Best Smile Dental with office hours only on Friday and Saturday. For the next year, she gradually added days to the schedule until the practice was open five days a week. Even when she was faced with a health crisis in 2016, her colleagues rallied around and worked in her practice while she recovered.

“This is how God works. I had classmates that helped me and worked in my place. Dr. Scott Vines, who has a practice in Reidsville, would come on his days off and work. They all filled in for me so my practice didn’t have to close,” DeShield-Mayes explains.

Opening her practice and keeping it afloat was a mountain she learned to climb. After all, there are no other dentists in her family to ask for advice. She is a first generation American and the first entrepreneur.

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Pictured with Dr. Anbec DeShield-Mayes is her husband, Kendrick.

The dedicated dentist was born and raised in NC, but her roots run deep in Liberia, West Africa, as both parents were forced to flee the country after the 1980 coup. Her father was a former professor at N.C. A&T before his passing in 1997 and her mother is a retired elementary school teacher. Both clearly valued education and passed that ideal on to their daughter. Prior to earning her master’s degree, she visited Liberia on a missions trip in 2010, with a group that taught medical assisting students how to extract simple teeth. On the cusp of the Ebola outbreak of 2014, she returned with her mother and distributed personal hygiene products to patients in the local hospitals.

“In the countries I’ve visited, people have walked miles and miles to receive the services that we offer. It’s not just the cosmetics of it, but your teeth can tell you a lot about your overall health. “Educating people makes you feel like you are actually being of service to them, long after they leave your office.”

Now DeShield-Mayes, the newly elected NC Dental Society 3rd District President, is a newlywed that is still growing her business with the support and creativity of her husband, Kendrick Mayes, who acts as her Marketing and Community Engagement Director. Her unwavering staff also help make long days in the office more bearable.

In January, Dr. DeShield-Mayes will embark on a new venture by offering her patients FirstFit, a technique that provides veneers and bridges in half the time. In March she will participate in a free dental clinic, in conjunction with NC Dental Society Foundation MOM (Missions of Mercy) organization, at High Point First Baptist Church, for adults in need of cleanings, extractions, fillings, and other procedures.

Visit https://www.ncdental.org/for-the-public/ ncdsf-mom for more information.

1307 Lees Chapel Road Greensboro, NC 27455 336-288-0012 www.bestsmiledental.com 16

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Serving her community is what Dr. Anbec DeShield-Mayes does best. She regularly volunteers her time, resources, and expertise so that others can live a healthier, more purposeful life. And she takes pride knowing that she has made a difference, no matter the size. h

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Frankesha Watkins Frankesha Watkins of Dallas, TX is a woman of God. She is also a go-getter and life learner who has chosen a career as an entrepreneur. In so many words, she describes herself as a black woman who is trying to serve in an industry that is not dominated by African Americans, the haircare industry.

Frankesha is also a corporate professional with a background in human resources. After taking a leap of faith, she decided to open her very own business. BPolished Beauty Supply Store is in the heart of Arlington, TX. “Our mission is to provide an array of hair care and beauty items, expertise in healthy hair care, and professionalism to each and every customer ensuring a pleasurable, and paramount beauty experience,” she says.

This wasn’t Frankesha’s first attempt at entrepreneurship. The name of her first company Polished Careers helped people with resumes, job offers and salary negotiations. That same approach was carried over to BPolished Beauty Supply.

“People come to the beauty supply store to be polished. Whatever the occasion, interview, date, or whatever the case,” she says. “I apply the same level of attention to them as I did with Polished Careers.”

BPolished opened its doors to the Dallas/ Fort Worth community on January 17, 2019. offers a variety of beauty care products. “We pride ourselves in carrying a lot of niche and black owned haircare brands such as alpha g’s, curls and potions, and tangen. We also have Crotched Hair, Braids, Wigs, Bundles.

We carry a lot of the items that most beauty supply stores have, and many items they may not have,” she shares.

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It makes a lot of sense for Frankesha to own a beauty supply store. “I always had a love of hair care, specifically black hair care, and even had an idea to open a beauty supply store but never pursued it. I actually thought that I would have my own brand of hair care products. I started researching and participated in a few seminars before opening my store,” she says.

What makes BPolished standout amongst their competitors is their commitment to addressing their client’s needs. “We are very big on providing good customer service and providing solutions to our customers.

If a customer has an issue with dry hair, we are going to help you with that. If a customer has an issue with growth, we will offer advice and recommend products that will address that,” she says.

Some of the challenges that Frankesha faces are the fact there are not many Black owned beauty supply stores. Another one is pricing.

Because she doesn’t typically purchase her products in bulk, that usually impacts our prices. A lot of their clients are usually searching for a specific brand, and BPolished works hard to have them available.

She inspired by being a black owned beauty supply store. Many of her clients often share how they are encouraged by seeing an African American owned beauty supply store. She is inspired by those who continue to support her business. “My family and friends, other businesses, and even some individuals have helped me along my journey.

I couldn’t have made it here without their support,” she says.

6407 S. Cooper Street - Suite 135 Arlington, TX 76001 www.bpolishedbeautysupply.com

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Frankesha says her journey has been good.

“Everything has happened the way it was supposed to. We are steadily growing and adding inventory. We are trying to be the one stop shop for beauty supplies in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex. I encourage others who may be on a similar journey to not give up. You have to continue to make the plan and work the plan until you reach your end goal,” she says. h

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By Dawn Cauthen Thornton Photos by Katrina Wize Artrophogy Tanika Dean is as humble as they come and her ultimate goal is to help others as often as she can. She is a visionary who understands the everyday struggles of juggling multiple responsibilities. For years she has managed to operate two child care facilities, serve as co-auxiliary instructor of Golden Delight for NC A&T marching band, serve her local community in various ways, mentor emerging entrepreneurs, and pose a role model for young girls learning dance through her performing arts studio, Twirling Divas.

Twirling Divas allows its students to take a variety of movement classes, including tumbling, liturgical dance, hip hop, flag/ ribbon/baton twirling and a host of other skills and activities for one price. Over the years, her dance company has accumulated an enormous number of items left over from the countless shows she has produced since her studio doors opened almost a decade ago. Soon, they’ll be utilized in wonderful ways.

Dean has lived a life of giving; finding it more rewarding to give than to receive.

She has worked to help many individuals overcome struggles in a quest to reach their full potential. She believes that meeting a need is more than just giving or doing; it’s about serving others with compassion, dignity, and doing so with reasonable rates so that the majority can participate.

These principles are the basis for which each organization Dean owns operates.

Affordable, high quality services with compassion at every level. This year, Trendy Dancewear, a new business venture of Dean’s will carry out her business philosophy.

“I make a lot of the students’ costumes and I purchase extra material, extra shoes, tights, leotards, and everything they need.

So, I have a whole stockroom full of items,” Dean explains. In years past, she would either donate the items to another studio or sell them at an extremely low price so that parents weren’t forced to spend so much out of pocket.

With the abundance of items and her innovative mind, it makes perfect sense to put them all to good use. Beginning in January, Dean will open the doors to her motion-wear boutique, Trendy Dancewear, serving those who participate in dance, cheer, and gymnastics and would like to purchase costumes at a lower cost. She will also offer studios the opportunity to order brand new costumes, leotards, tights, dance shoes, and hair accessories at wholesale, with little mark-up, a much different practice than many other retail stores. Sometimes the cost of these items alone have left students unable to participate. Dean doesn’t want that to be the issues for any students in the performing arts.

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In the past, Dean has assisted parents when they want to trade costumes with each other since they tend to get minimal use out of them. Now, Trendy Dancewear will host an official ‘Swap Meet’ where parents can trade items of different sizes and styles for what they currently need.

“It’s about giving back and helping the community,” says Dean. “My goal isn’t to make a huge profit off of this. And what money I do make will be invested right back into the students,” she says.

As a parent, herself, she knows how important it is to find quality and affordable goods and services. Her daughter, a third-year college student majoring in history and political science and minoring in leadership, grew up in the dance studio, and her son, who started at the Educational Playtime Too Inc. as in infant, is so familiar with it that he can operate it just about as smoothly as his mother can. Don’t be surprised if you find him taking orders when the store opens or sorting merchandise when it’s delivered.

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Trendy Dancewear will also offer onsite custom printing and design and custom embroidery services. Because Dean is such an advocate of entrepreneurship and a mentor to so many, this is another path she’s helping pave for a business owner to offer their clients a service that can be difficult to find. These two services will not only be offered to her customers but will be available to anyone who needs it. YOUnique Designs and Deans Custom Apparel will be available within Trendy Dancewear also.

To prepare for her grand opening, Dean and her team have been feverishly reconstructing the workroom and designing the boutique from floor to ceiling. She has proudly obtained all necessary licensing and is putting the finishing touches on her website and social media site for online ordering.

Her parents have volunteered to run the store during its Saturday-only hours. When asked about her passion for helping others find their happy, the former dancer doesn’t hesitate in explaining who her main influences were.

“As a kid, there was a man who resided on the eastside of Greensboro named Mr. Bright. He ran a program called AYD where he offered dance, step team, baton twirling, dirt bike racing, and all types of things. It kept the kids together and out of trouble. And then my passion for children, I learned over the years, came from my great-grandmother who had an in-home daycare on Benbow Road. She used to keep the children of professors who worked at A&T.” So, Dean has impressively filled the shoes of those who unknowingly mentored her through the years and continues to blaze a trail that others can follow.

The pages would be endless if this story mentioned all that Tanika Dean does for her friends, family, and even strangers who are referred to her. From the weddings to the baby showers that she lends her time, resources, and talent to, God h notices. And when you’re blessed by the most high, you take pride in quietly blessing others.

Tanika Dean & Co. 336.587.7269 www.tanikadean.com Huntsville - January/February 2020

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Stephanie Williams

Information and Photos Provided By Stephanie Williams Eyebrow expert/serial entrepreneur, and founder, Stephanie Williams, created BrowZnAround Eyebrow Studio + Spa to be a different kind of esthetics experience. It was her dream to create the luxury atmosphere of a spa while keeping her services affordable and accessible. BrowZnAround is changing the game for brow sculpting and permanent cosmetics in the Triangle.

With more than 16 years of experience in the industry, Stephanie is a licensed esthetician by the North Carolina Board of Cosmetic Arts, and is also a Board Certified Esthetician in Bloodborne Pathogens (OSHA) and Micropigmentation. She has trained extensively in advanced permanent makeup techniques with internationally renowned instructor, Terry Lively, at the Esthetics Academy of South Texas, along with having worked in the salon of Hollywood brows guru, Anastasia Soare, founder of the popular makeup brand Anastasia Beverly Hills.

BrowZnAround offers a comprehensive menu of services with care and expertise provided by licensed estheticians with specialized training in shaping beautiful, natural eyebrows. With over 10 years of proven success, BrowZnAround has gained brand recognition among a clientele of diverse women and men who are looking for luxury, affordable beauty services.

With over thirteen years of industry experience, Stephanie has built her reputation as a skilled, detailed professional that exceeds expectations and creates a memorable service experience for her guests. Permanent makeup is a highly specialized practice requiring an astute eye for color, dexterity, and mastery of the art. Stephanie has performed well over 1,000 procedures making her an extremely skilled expert in her craft. Her work has been featured on the television show, My Carolina Today, ABC 11, Sheen Magazine and various publications, and at several events.

Beyond the studio, Stephanie is frequently involved in community organizations that nurture the creativity of other young professionals, along with organizations that support causes that are near and dear to her such as breast cancer awareness, alopecia, and epilepsy. Epilepsy is especially close to her heart as her oldest son lives with epilepsy. Stephanie is also the founder of her own non-profit organization, BrowZn Around 4 A Cure. This organization sponsors a yearly Pink Ribbon Fundraiser to raise funds to support a local organization that fights breast cancer and raises awareness. h

BrowzN’ Around

Triangle Town Center 5959 Triangle Town Boulevard Raleigh, NC 919-449-2447 browznaroundeyebrowstudio 28

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Huntsville - January/February 2020

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