Meet Shanice Brewster of ShaniceAlisha in Duluth

Today we’d like to introduce you to Shanice Brewster.

Shanice, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
With starting a business, most people take a leap of faith. In my case, however, I feel as though I was pushed to the edge of the cliff and forced to jump.

In 2014, immediately following my graduation from Fort Valley State University, I moved my entire life to Atlanta with no family and not one concrete plan after being denied acceptance into graduate school. My initial instinct was to HUSTLE because I refused to hear, “I told you so,” from my family. I bounced from job to job, working two at a time just to pay my bills. Towards late 2015, things spiraled out of control when I was laid off from a well-paid job in my field.

Unwillingly, I forfeited my lease and moved home to Augusta from Atlanta. I felt defeated. I deemed myself as a failure. There was no way I could be sitting at home with a whole Bachelor of Science in Chemistry doing nothing. I no longer viewed myself as the role model I intended to be for my siblings and peers. It literally drove me crazy. Somehow, I had to find a way to keep my mental health… healthy. So naturally, with the one thing I enjoyed doing most, I set up a MacBook on my bathroom countertop and recorded my very first natural hair tutorial. After hours of deleting and starting over, second guessing myself and giving up, I began the journey towards my proudest accomplishment to date. I launched my self-title brand, ShaniceAlisha, in April of 2016. My passion unexpectedly turned into a paycheck.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Whew. Absolutely not. This road has been filled with doubt, discouragement, and fear. As a content creator on YouTube, the market becomes oversaturated with the “trend,” and it is a never-ending battle to set yourself apart from everyone else. It is rare that people recognize it as a business. There is no product to sell. And, there is no guarantee to attract a large audience. The only thing you have is a platform to creatively express yourself without losing sight of the true you and what you have sought out to do.

There have been countless nights I’ve lost sleep to push out great content that in return gets little to no views and/or reactions. It causes me to second-guess everything. Was my quality not good enough? Am I lacking in self-promotion? Are my viewers losing interest?

This led me to strategize differently. I created a schedule for my posting to build anticipation from my audience, as well as holding myself accountable for consistency. I began incorporating beauty and lifestyle videos because not every viewer can relate to natural hair alone.

Though the road still has a few bumps and obstacles, it has improved the analytics/growth of my business tremendously. And as long as I can inspire ONE person, my purpose is fulfilled.

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about ShaniceAlisha – what should we know?
ShaniceAlisha is my self-titled brand, comprised of three entities: Natural Hair, Beauty, and Life. I use my platform to empower women in accepting their natural beauty as it is. In this society, we often find faults in our true beauty based on the perception of perfection. Women often times stray away from the pure representation of ourselves because it’s not “popular.” My goal is to ultimately break the stigma.

I create fun, inviting videos that demonstrate natural hair products/looks, and beauty tips/reviews. I also incorporate lifestyle segments, including vlogs, for my diverse audience. My personality alone generates organic support from viewers who can relate to me or an experience I share.

What has set me apart is my ability to adapt. Change is the only consistent thing in life and we must constantly do it. Being able to move with the times and adopt the culture has been my key to growing my brand.

I am truthfully most proud of the impact I have on each and every individual who is empowered through anything they see on my channel.

Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
Every single supporter I have deserves the credit. YouTube is an audience-driven platform. Without my Ride or Die Babies clicking my links, liking my videos, interacting on my comments and sharing my content, there would be no ShaniceAlisha. So, I wholeheartedly thank them for where my brand is today.

I also owe it to my mentor, Annette D. Burgess. At my lowest, she saw the light in me. She encouraged me day after day to pursue my passion. She conditioned me into being a businesswoman. And most importantly, she believed in me when I found it hard to do that in myself.

Contact Info:

• Website: YouTube.com/c/ShaniceAlisha
• Email: shanice.alisha@gmail.com
• Instagram: @ShaniceAlisha
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ShaniceAlishaaa/
• Twitter: @ShaniceAlisha

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