Working Women Wednesday
Women Working Wednesday is a trend that you will find on many social media platforms. It is a day we acknowledge women for making it happen in their respective industries. By Design Consulting is supporting this trend by featuring a different woman each Wednesday on our blog site.
Last week we featured Dr. Almaz Getachew and this week’s feature is Taj Sudderth. Taj is the founder and CEO of the very successful Mahaly Spa in the Greensboro/High Point area in NC. Mahaly Spa is a skincare safe haven specializing in African American skin. Taj is a certified esthetician and multicultural skin care specialist.
Taj’s Profile
Name of Business: Mahaly Spa
Location: Greensboro/High Point Area
Industry: Beauty/Skincare
Schedule Appointments: Schedule an appointment w/Taj
Social Media
Instagram Handle: Business - @mahalyspa; Personal @taj.mahaly
YouTube Channel: Taj Mahaly
Favorite Quote: “God made me a river not a reservoir” Pastor Michel Todd - I truly believe that when God blesses you that He blesses you abundantly so that you can be a blessing to others. Your blessings are meant to come through you, not to you and I want to be a blessing to others.
BDC: Hi Taj! I am excited to be able to interview you and share with the world what I already know about you and your business.
TS: You are welcome Boss Lady, I am happy to participate. (Side note: She has always called me Boss Lady and it seems to have stuck because most folks call me Boss Lady!)
BDC: Ok let’s jump right in! Tell BDC readers a little about you
TS: I am a 23 business owner from Greensboro, NC trying to make a mark for myself in the beauty industry, while also making people feel good about themselves while I do it. I am a family person and really enjoy spending time with my family and the people I love. In the spare time I do have I enjoy drawing and binge-watching Sex in the City and Breaking Bad. I also really enjoy Crossfit and working out. I LOVE my job. Even though I love skincare and all that comes with it I also have a passion for interior design. I am currently single with no children but I do have a poodle named Noel. Oh, and if you couldn’t tell by the name of my dog, I love Christmas!
BDC: So since you love your job and all of these other things, when do you find time to relax. For instance, what are your Saturday’s like?
TS: Working! I am always at work! I love my clients and what I do. To relax from my busy days I try to get massages and indulge in self-care as well as walk Noel. I do struggle with trying to find work-life balance and I have a therapist I work with to try to figure things out.
BDC: Okay, just to give us a little more about Ms. Taj Mahaly (her social media handle & YouTube Channel name), if you could travel anywhere where would you go and why?
TS: Oooooo, that is easy! New Delhi India and Bora Bora because I have an appreciation for the Taj Mahal and Indian Culture, hence my major Taj Majal tattoo on my arm. I would like to attend a holy festival at least once. I want to go to Bora Bora because I want to just relax on a hammock without my laptop, enjoying the food, and the amenities.
BDC: Please take me with you! Taj, I am so proud of you and all of your accomplishments. I remember when I first met you in your senior year of high school but look at you now. You have grown into such a great woman. So thinking about women can you tell me what woman inspires you?
TS: Yes! My biggest inspiration is Rihanna. I love everything about her. Rihanna is unapologetically herself through and through. She is not as polished as other women we look up to but in my eyes, she is a boss in her own right and has done some amazing things in the business industry. She has increased her net worth in the time she has not released music, her businesses flow is amazing, she is very inclusive in her branding and marketing, and her marketing strategies for her products are amazing. She is a great role model for a young businesswoman like myself as well as others.
BDC: She definitely does a great job as it relates to her business moves. Knowing you I can see her being a role model when considering your business and living authentically. Ok, now we are about to transition into your business. I would like for my readers to see what I see as it relates to the young successful business owner you are.
BDC: Why decide to become an entrepreneur?
TS: As you know I struggled with figuring out what I was going to do as a career but one thing I knew for sure was that I had a passion for the beauty industry. Once I finally figured out what I wanted to do, completed esthetician school, and began working for the big box spas I started to want more. One day I wondered what would happen if I put all of this time and energy into myself that I was putting into the businesses I had been working for. As previously stated, I have a true passion for the field and I felt that I was worth more than the value that was being placed on my skills by the companies I was working for. So I just decided to take a leap of faith and that leap of faith became Mahaly Spa.
BDC: I remember when you were trying to figure out what path you were going to take and when you finally focused on this journey it was awesome to see you coming into something that you were enjoying and now look at Mahaly Spa. Tell the BDC readers about Mahaly Spa
TS: Mahaly Spa has been in business now for two years, located in the Greensboro/High Point area. I currently have one employee (Ja’Meelah Fraizer) but have plans to expand. My spa specializes in corrective skincare, full body waxing, eyelash extensions, body treatments, and micro-shading. Mahaly Spa was created because I noticed there was not anyone that catered specifically to women of color in the skincare industry. As a young woman, I had my own struggles with my skin as you will see on my YouTube Channel but there was no place specifically for me to go. I had worked at various spas and saw many women of color utilize these services but the products and methods did not cater to their skincare needs. As I saw this I began to want to treat the skin of women of color properly. I wanted them to look and feel beautiful after using services created specifically for them. In addition to becoming a certified esthetician, I took it a step further and became a certified Multicultural Skincare Specialist which means I have the skillset and knowledge base to treat the skincare needs of women and men of color. My mission was to be a resource for black women specifically but also service all women and men of color. Even though I specialize in skin care for women of color I service all races and ethnicities as well as have services that cater to men specifically. In addition to helping people with their skincare issues, I also contribute to the community in which I serve. A portion of the net profits from my business gets distributed to a local organization of my choice each month. So anytime you utilize our services you are helping the community. A few examples of places we have donated to are the Greensboro Build Fund during the protest and the Black Lives Matter movement. Adding this as a part of my business reiterates the message from my favorite quote
BDC: Awesome! I love to hear you talk about your business. You can see the passion you have for what you are doing and because of that, I am sure you will continue to soar. Taj tell me what is unique about Mahaly Spa? Why should I use your spa over another?
TS: I believe our uniqueness comes from the fact that even though we provide a professional service we can remain professional while still being relatable and personal. We are able to make individuals feel comfortable at Mahaly Spa. Oftentimes people who are coming to see us are fixing something about themselves that they don’t like or are insecure about. At Mahaly Spa, regardless of the issue you come in with it is our goal to make you feel comfortable and confident. We are the place to go for women and men who are hitting their stride in their careers and are looking to elevate their appearance or give themselves a polished look. In addition to the experience, as previously stated we specialize in the skincare needs of people of color which is not something you will find much of in this area.
BDC: As a new businesswoman, what would you say are the top three skills you feel are needed for someone to be successful in this industry?
TS: Boss Lady I have changed a lot since I was your work-study student. I understand now! Being a business owner has made me switch up some things. If you are going to be successful in running a business you need to be detailed oriented, adaptive because things can change at any moment, motivated because things can get rough, and I will add be open to learning new things. It is important to continue your education to stay on top of the current trends in your industry.
BDC: From what I have seen Mahaly Spa and Taj the brand are growing. You have a large social media following and you have recently added the Taj Mahaly YouTube Channel. So this is a multi-part question, how do you market your business, how important is social media to your business, and tell me how in the world did you get over 50,000 followers on YouTube?
TS: Marketing your business is very important especially in the beauty industry. I put a large sum of money into digital marketing because that is where my audience is located. Social media is cost-effective and too important to my business to not use it. I service the young college student to the professional woman or man and many of them spend a lot of time on social media. I want to be present when they are scrolling through their Instagram, so I spend money on ads etc. to ensure my brand is popping up. I would not have grown the way I have without it. YouTube has also been a huge success for my business. Because of YouTube, I have gotten clients from GA and DC. So at the end of the day if I did not maximize the use of social media and SEO (Search Engine Optimization) then I would not be where I am with my business today. I research marketing techniques frequently and invested money in social media and SEO webinars and because of that it has increased my foot traffic. I also look into other ways of marketing such as email campaigns to current clients and/or subscribers and I run mail marketing campaigns targeting audiences in zip codes near my spa location. As a business owner, you have to keep up with the trends of the market you serve and the industry you are in. This has been a learning process for me but I am dedicated to making my business great.
BDC: Ok so let’s talk about your YouTube Channel Taj Mahaly because the last I looked you were at 52,000 followers.
TS: Yes my YouTube has significantly grown in the past six months and it is definitely having a major impact on my business. As I mentioned earlier because of the growing audience of my channel I have individuals coming from other states to receive service but I am also getting asked to travel to service individuals in other states. As to how I got started, for the past five years I wanted to get on YouTube but was too scared to post. But with the government shut down I didn’t have anything but time and opportunity. So I decided to take a chance and within six months I grew to over 42,000 followers and I am now over 50,000. To start, I did research and actually subscribed to another young lady’s YouTube Channel about how to start a successful channel and from that, I have implemented all of her techniques and it has been a success. My main goal is to make my YouTube channel as relatable as possible while still giving you some basic information that you can use at home. You couldn’t tell by looking at my skin today but I use to be the very customer I serve. So my channel is dedicated to skincare and how to address common issues that people have. I also try various skincare products and give my opinion on those products. At the end of the day, I want to be your favorite black esthetician on the internet helping people be happy with their skin.
BDC: Yes you have some great videos regarding basic things you can do at home to take care of your skin. You mentioned COVID got you started with your YouTube Channel, how else has COVID impacted your business?
TS: The shut down for me was over 60 days and was very scary because my business was still fairly new. I had only been open for about a year and a half. I, fortunately, was able to apply for grant funds for my business so that it would not be badly impacted. I also realized that when things reopened things would be different about the way I would have to run my business because I work so closely with clients based on the nature of the services I provide. I used this time to enhance my skill sets through webinars and also marketing my business because I knew I would eventually be reopening. In addition, COVID has had more clients want to support my business because it is a black-owned small business. Now that we have reopened I have put precautions in place to ensure the safety of my clients, my staff, and myself. My only concern at this point is the possibility of closing again. November and December are busy months for this industry but they are also the months when people get sick and with COVID there is a greater chance of people getting sick. With that thought I am having to ensure that I am prepared for a possible shutdown.
BDC: I am happy to hear that you were able to get grant funds to help you sustain while we go through this pandemic. I know COVID in itself was a challenge but what have been other challenges you have faced as a business owner?
TS: The biggest challenge I think I am facing right now is how to scale properly. Starting the business wasn’t the hard part it really is thinking about how to scale. Knowing where to spend money to ensure I am not putting money in an area that isn’t going to gain profit. I need to be able to maintain the curve while still making a profit. I am constantly researching new trends and how those trends impact my business and what are new products or services I should be providing to my market.
BDC: Okay we are nearing the end of our interview and I have a couple more questions. What are some of Mahaly Spa’s accomplishments and what do you see next for your business?
TS: That’s hard boss lady!
BDC: It should not be because I can name several things that I have seen that are major accomplishments for your business
TS: Ok, let me think. The first would be that Mahaly Spa is open and is thriving. I am always booked and busy which is a blessing for a new business. In addition, to completing esthetician school I also became a Multicultural Certified Skin Specialist for the state of NC, I have been able to successfully assist over 100 clients correct skincare issues, even though I am located in NC I have been able to service individuals beyond NC because of my YouTube Channel, my increased numbers on social media and YouTube have allowed various products to reach out to me to sponsor their products on my page, and in January 2021 I’m moving out of the suite I have been in for the past two years into my own storefront.
BDC: Ma’am those are some major accomplishments and you couldn’t think of any. The mere fact that you have been in business for two years and have been able to do so many things successfully speaks volumes and I am so super proud of you!
TS: Thank you, boss lady. As for what is next for Mahaly Spa that would be opening the storefront and developing our own skincare line. (Update: Since this interview, Taj has received the keys to her new storefront location)
BDC: Taj I know I have said this many times but I am so proud of you because I remember the process you went through to get to this point. I remember you as my work-study and a student trying to figure out what you were going to do with your life but look at you know. I am sure your family is just as proud if not prouder of you. So to close this interview out tell me two things. The first being what would you tell a younger you trying to get to where you are today and what advice would you give women trying to get into your field?
TS: Hmmmm, what would I tell a younger me? I would say stay the course because it will make sense in the end. You trying to plan your next 15 years is not going to help you and you have to see how life will unfold for you. Stop trying to plan every detail of your life and PLEASE RELAX! Now the advice I would give women trying to get in my field would be not to be afraid to invest in themselves. Whether it is learning new material to enhance your skill set, learning more about how social media will help your business, or spending money on classes in your niche. I would add that regardless of how long you have been in the field there is always going to be someone who knows more and because of that there should be no price tag on improving yourself. You have to look the part.
BDC: Thank you Taj for taking time out of what I know is a busy day for you to tell the BDC readers a little about yourself. Stay sweet, humble, and keep doing your thing!
I hope you all enjoyed learning more about Ms. Taj Sudderth. Next Wednesday we will be highlighting our next woman, Mrs. Donnay Williams a woman in leadership in Corporate America. Please share with a friend or if you are interested in being featured please contact us.
XOXO
Keisha J.
