What led you to start your business and become an entrepreneur?
Since I could remember I have always had the desire to be my own boss. I wasn’t quite sure how I was going to get there or what I was going to do. I just knew this was what I wanted to do. Being raised by a single mother (who herself was an entrepreneur) was my role model and my example of what I wanted to do with my life. After graduating college, I originally went into the corporate setting trying to find my direction. I quickly realized that was not for me. Being the more creative type lead me into makeup artistry. I was doing that on the side. Later I moved into permanent makeup. It was permanent makeup that led me into my ultimate idea of being an entrepreneur in the cosmetic tattooing industry.
Becoming your own boss is not easy. What advice would you give to a woman who is considering starting her own business?
Being your own boss is not easy at all. My first bit of advice would be to develop thick skin and realize that somedays are going to be tough, and stressful. At times you may even have a feeling like you are not getting anywhere in your business. This happens to all of us business owners. However, it’s those that can push through and know that it takes discipline, structure, and perseverance to get through to the other side. No matter how bad our worse day as an entrepreneur it’s still better than our best day as an employee.
Why is getting more greens in our bodies so important?
It’s recommended that we consume about 5 cups of fruits and vegetables per day. With today’s busy family this is extremely hard to do. Even when you are consuming healthy foods throughout the day. By adding these greens to your body you are providing the recommended amount of vitamins and nutrients that your body needs to boost your immune system, aid in digestion, and prevent many of the diseases and viruses that we are faced with. Consuming 365 Greens will help provide an overall healthy body.
There are so many products that are trying to appeal to the plant based community.
What makes 365 Greens standout?
365 Greens makes it convenient for you to consume the plant sources you need on a daily basis. Whether you add it to your juice, water, smoothie, or sprinkle it into your food you are getting the source of plant based foods that your body needs. One other bonus is that it actually taste good and does not leave you with that grassy taste that most other green superfoods have.
You literally started a school so people could be educated about cosmetic services like cosmetic tattooing. What was that process like?
This was literally one of the hardest things I have done so far. I had a big vision of what I wanted the Academy Of Advanced Cosmetics to be. I didn’t want it to be mediocre in any way. I did so much research through previous courses I took, contacting my mentors in the industry, and sending surveys to people currently in the industry. My main goal was to provide Lifetime Support, put together a solid curriculum, have a brick and motor location (no traveling artist), top notch products for students to purchase, and eventually a team who can share this same vision. Most trainers in the industry are exactly that. A trainer. I was that at one time but I wanted more. I wanted an academy with multiple instructors doing it the same way and supporting our students.
What preconceived ideas about cosmetic tattooing have you heard? Are
any of them true?
Because micro-blading is so popular we get a lot of students wanting to learn so they can immediately train and get paid. Atlanta has opened up the floodgates on this. I have found those are the ones who struggle. They literally come in with the wrong mindset. They have no intention on learning the skill but instead they want to come in specifically so they can get paid by training others. Most of these students think it’s easy and that within two days they can be hosting classes. They soon realize that’s its not as easy as it looks and that I don’t offer one of those quick classes. Our micro-blading class is 100 hours and not everyone gets certified. Some are taken aback by this fact. Our staff makes our structure well known before we enroll any students. We are not the cheapest nor the easiest but at the end of the day if they want the best education then they are in the right place.
What would make someone a good candidate for cosmetic tattoo services?
Someone that has either a hard time putting on their makeup, poor vision, and or an unsteady hand would be a great candidate. Often times we get women that are allergic to traditional makeup but can take cosmetic tattoos well. Also, those people who have had mastectomies and are in need of areola repigmenation and or scars can have medical tattooing which helps repigment and area and hide scars.
What are two things that most people don’t know about you, and what would you want them to know?
Most people don’t know that I am a super private person. Not shy at all and can and will talk to anyone but I have an extremely small circle of people that I’m close to.
I’m a runner! I get board of the same route, so I have several parks I go to, my neighborhood, and or my mother’s but I love to run. Since the pandemic my favorite thing to do is listen to Sunday morning worship on my Airpods while I’m running. I’ll do 7 miles no problem all being motivated by scripture. It literally sets the tone for my entire week.
Are there any future plans for more products for the 365 Greens brand?
Yes, there are more products coming out for 2021. The first will be our Kidz Green Superfood. Afterwards we plan to do gummies for both adults and children.
What are some goals you have for 2021?
A few goals for 2021 is to bring on a few new staff members, launch the new products for 365Greens, roll out phase 2 to the CozTat App, and continue to add more online and digital learning courses to AAC.
For the most update information and to see Feleshia and all her upcoming work be sure to follow her Instagram sites: @coztat , @shop365greens , @aac_training .