GIRL Date: Shanay Thompson…Keep that Fire Burning

I loved talking to Shanay because I forgot that I was doing an interview most of the time.  Shes so warm and her voice is serene.  I don’t know if it was the Virgo in both of us but the vibe was giving me all the life.

At just 29, Shanay is a business owner and master stylist of True Essence Hair Salon, Abilene TX, with a secondary love for social work and an overall LOVE for people.  I loved hearing about the love she has for her family and inspiration from her mother.  She told me the story of how her mother was pregnant with her while she did hair and how her mother would say that Shanay was living her dream.  Little Shanay would get in all kinds of trouble by her mother for tearing up her brand new barbie doll’s hair trying to cut and style them.

One most admirable part of talking to her was hearing her adversity through owning a business while being a mother of two as a military wife.  Some may think being a military wife is an easy thing to do but as she said “When they say you gotta go….you gotta go”, and as a military mom I know about that too well.  It is not to be taken lightly.

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So let hear what Shanay had to say to Charlotte…

What does women empowerment mean to you?

I wanna go back to my group of friends.  It’s probably like 9 of us, and whatever we go through in life and through all the stages….we are there for each other.  Were there for each other’s down time, up time…everything. Energy bounces off and we inspire each other to do better and be better constantly.

If I didn’t have …I would go insane.

If I didn’t have my kids.  I felt a strength within myself…like damn I’m strong.  I don’t know how the hell I did it.

Shanay had to skype with her husband while he was deployed for her first child’s birth and spent a lot of the pregnancy without that extra hand.  The hubby came in towards the end of her second birth.  She had to deal with her husband deploying every 6 months.

Shanay’s morning routine

Trying to get my boys up to get ready for school.  I feed them, get them in the car, and drop them off.  I have about a good hour to get myself together and throw some food in my mouth before I head to the shop.

Shanay is literally a damn superwoman.  She spends hours on her feet at the shop from 9am to 3pm…gets the kids, gets them fed and bathed before she sleeps and is right back at it the next day.

If you had to leave this earth tomorrow what would you absolutely have to do?

That’s a really deep question.  I would just be with my family.  To me family is everything, so if I have to leave this earth the last thing I’d want to be around is my loved ones.

What do you love most about yourself?

I love my heart.  I have a real big heart and a real forgiving heart.  I love hard.

Do you feel like that overlaps with your career as a hairstylist?

I do.  I feel like to do hair, make it as a career, be successful, and touch so many people you have to love what you do. It’s got to be your passion because I mean…standing up ten hours is a lot.

“Whatever I do in life, I want to help people”

What is a day of self-care for Shanay?

I would go to a spa, read a book, take a bubble bath!

What are the challenges you’ve encountered being a woman in business and what advice would you give?

The hair industry is kind of different.

She explained how the men haven’t really given her as much of a hard time as the women in the industry have. It’s a competitive environment and so Shanay really has had to work around her struggles with this.

I have to have tunnel vision.  I am not going to put my energy into anything that will not grow me.  I am really big on energy.  Focus on your own progression.  Hating someone takes too much energy.

What do you say to someone who wants to quit?

Don’t do it.  You put all this time, effort and energy into it.  As a military wife it has been such a challenge.  It’s hard, I cry but I still feel like I can do anything….

She explained how she separated from her mom and sometimes her husband.  Shanay is from Arizona and being away from her comfort zone all the way in Texas was depressing.  She kept a positive mind.

Don’t quit.  Keep that fire burning.

What advice would you give yourself?

LIVE LIFE. Don’t be too hard on finding love or being in a relationship. Just find you and love you because I see issues all the time with this and the younger generation. Love yourself first before you get into a relationship. 20’s is all about finding yourself.

Shenay went on to talk about how she watched her mother as a single parent and she was so strong and self-sufficient. She showed me that if a man comes into your life that’s great but you don’t need a man.

What does LOVE mean to you?

Love is very selfless.

Whatever struggles they are always going to love their parents.  A lot of people are selfish and they don’t know how to give love.

I think society is why we deviate from being our inner kid and giving that love.

Shanay’s Salon also offers eyelash extensions, makeup and waxing

You are helping so many people Shanay and you are so damn strong.  If yall are in Abilene make sure to stop by and visit a boss.

 

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