Today we’d like to introduce you to Silianise Moise.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
With a name like Silianise Moise, my name automatically sets me apart from everyone else. In High School, it was evident that I was a foreigner. Unfortunately, I don’t know the meaning of my first name, but I know my godmother named me after my mom Sylvana and it is fair to say that you will never find my name on cute keychains or cups, but it’s cool because I actually love my name. It is very uncommon. However, my last name is Moise (Moses), as in my great, great grandfather Moses in the Holy Bible (lol), now that’s super dope.
I was born on the beautiful island of Haiti and moved to the US by the age of 16. I lived in LA for a few months before moving to Florida. After college, I moved to Boston and lived there for eight years. I’m currently in the Sunshine State. I have a Bachelors’ degree in psychology and a master’s degree in Counseling study. I’m now earning my Ph.D. in Education. I’m a mental health therapist by day and an entrepreneur 24/7.
I’ve had the privilege of growing up in two different cultures, but the question is did I fit in both cultures. Honestly, I never cared to fit in. Maybe I’m the exception to the rules, but I honestly did not have the time to care about what people thought of me at the time. Growing up in Haiti, I feel like Haitian children’s self-worth, and self-esteem was guarded with layers and layers of walls built by our parents bullying us anyways; so, we were built differently.
Let’s make a U-turn to my childhood in Haiti. Hahaha… honestly, I was pretty much a smaller version of my adult self. My mom told me that when I was born, I took my purse and said to her that I would be back after work. Well… needless to say, I developed into my overall appearance and personality very early on in life, not because I didn’t have a childhood, it was just my temperament.
Growing up with my mom, a dignified Haitian woman with strength beyond measure, orchestrated our childhood and household with such efficiency that I stand mesmerized until this day. She did it all; indeed, like many single black mothers, she busted her butt and raised ten incredible children on her own while my dad was working hard in California. This woman raised a doctor, several entrepreneurs, and a politician; I can spend a lifetime talking about how amazing my mother is.
Both of my parents have sacrificed so much for their children, but it is easier for me to celebrate my mom’s hard work and sacrifice because she was my mirror. She was my definition of strength. She was my definition of grace. She was my definition of what it’s like to be street smart (I did not inherit that, lol), and she ruled with such an iron fist. I couldn’t do sleepovers; she was all about her children getting an education. I. went to school, church, and home. That was my weekly routine. There was no mall to go to, no movie theatre, no talking on the phone with friends, no eating over other people’s homes. I know it sounds very depressing, but it really wasn’t. As a matter of fact, we never complain about it. Seriously, how do you miss something you never had? It was just our reality. My mom never hit me, but I can’t say the same for the rest of my siblings.
My parents used to work the land from dawn to dusk. They cultivated the land by growing peas, beans, corn, ble also known as wheat, and Pitimi also known as millet or sorghum. My parents used to cut trees to make charcoals to sell to take care of us. They were hustlers. After my father went to America seeking a better life for his children, mom continued forging a future for her and her children on her own. Honestly, my older siblings also sacrificed a lot for the betterment of the family, but my mom was the rock—our foundation.
Now, I can say that I’m where I’m because of the sacrifice of so many.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
To be honest, I don’t know if there’s such a thing as a smooth road for entrepreneurship. It has been an uphill and littered with so many challenges to overcome. I’m still overcoming them. Although I’m from a family of entrepreneurs, I did not foresee starting my own business with so many turns and twists. I thought my business would have started blooming right away because my products are different from the myriads of other candle companies. So I thought. I have reached so many walls, mainly in the marketing department, that seem undefeatable. The beauty of creating something you love and are passionate about is the desire to keep fighting in the face of adversity. Some days the sales are coming, and some days they don’t, but every day I must keep pressing towards achieving my dream, which is to have Refined Candles at Target and other major department stores. I want Refined Candles to be a million-dollar company one day.
Even with Beauty Without Borders, I’ve had moments where I thought by now, we would have had our own community center for girls and young women. I thought by now I would have been able to create a platform for girls where they could come to work on their own dreams while breaking every glass ceiling that society had hovering over their heads. I have moments where I feel defeated and uncertain. One thing I learned from my family is how to persevere. I don’t know how to quit. I know that Beauty Without Borders is needed in my community, so I’m going to keep serving my community and continue to enjoy these twists and turns and learn through the process.
“Success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice, and most of all, love of what you are doing or learning to do”. Unknown
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
I was born to create. I’m creative at heart. I love the creative process and being able to bring to life an idea. I grew up in a family of entrepreneurs. My mother never worked for anyone but herself. Most of my older siblings also own their businesses. Needless to say, entrepreneurship is in my blood.
Refined by Silianise Moise (Refinedbysm) started as a collection of beautiful, comforting African print headwraps to raise money for Beauty Without Borders (My non-profit). My goal was to build a community of women that celebrate the art of hair covering and grasp the distinctive beauty of each woman!
I started Refined Candles end of 2019. But, one might wonder, why candles? In the good old days, I used to make candles at home with my mom in Haiti as a tool for illumination during power failure to study and do our homework. Today, I’m making aromatherapy candles at home for home décor and therapeutic purposes. Our candles are highly scented with a long burn. They are non-toxic and 100 percent soy wax, all-natural, Eco-friendly. All of our candles are made with cotton wicks and fragrances that are paraben and phthalate-free. The jars are so beautiful and adorable that you can re-use them around the house.
Our candles are beautifully decorated. So if you are looking for that light to create a warm and inviting glow to your home. They are great if you are looking for a gift for someone special as well. I know life can be stressful, and therapy is costly, but Refined Candles are here for you while reaching out to a therapist, Lol (yes, your mental health matters). Did I mention how affordable they are? These candles were created for your pleasure. So grab your favorite blanket, a good book with a cup of your favorite tea, coffee, wine, and light one of Refined Candles for your relaxing pleasure. The beautiful aroma of Eucalyptus, Peppermint, Lavender, and Amber Noir, to name a few… will calm you down and help you feel more focused as soon as you light one up. If you want candles that feel like it was made especially for you, try Refined Candles.
I’m also the CEO and founder of Beauty Without Borders, Inc (BWB). I founded Beauty Without Borders, Inc in 2014. BWB is a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization dedicated to becoming the premier organization to foster confidence in girls and young women. Our goal is to help them debunk beauty myths, increase self-confidence, intellectual growth, personal development, and leadership development to become dynamic leaders, innovators, and public servants within their communities. Our goal is to listen to the voices and needs of our audience to help them blossom into women of influence, community advocates, and world leaders. Beauty Without Borders helps me to give back to my community.
Beauty Without Borders is different from other non-profit because most of the executive staff are therapists, so we experience firsthand what these girls are going through. We are privileged enough to have the opportunity to help them through some of these issues.
A simple act can change thousands of girls’ lives. But, to achieve our goals and objectives of reaching as many girls and young women, we need your help. At Beauty Without Borders, there’s always room for another helping hand. If you’d like to volunteer, we’d love to have you. There are several ways to get involved. We’ve listed some ideas below, and please see how you can make a difference.
Become an Ambassador
Would you like to be an ambassador in your city and spread the mission of BWB? As an ambassador, you will be the face of Beauty Without Borders. As part of this role, you will relay information about your BWB experience to the prospective Beauties of tomorrow. You will be highly influential in decisions that significantly impact BWB, including girls’ decision to become involved with us. Our ambassadors are typically confident, dynamic, and strong communicators. Such skills may include Public Speaking, Communication and interpersonal skills, Presentation skills, Teamwork, Office experience, and Networking. We are looking forwards to having you as part of our team. Please email us at info@beautywithoutborders.org.
Volunteer
The key difference at BWB is LOVE. The whole team feels genuine love, compassion, and deep respect for each other, which we bring to the girls and young women we serve. Join us in our mission and vision to teach our current and future generation of women how important it is to love and embrace their imperfections. To get more info on how you can volunteer, please email us at info@beautywithoutborders.org.
Donate
Please help us provide better programs and services to our FLAWSOME girls and young women by offering your generous monetary support.
To raise money for Beauty Without Borders, we created a line of apparel with teespring. Our supporters can use this link to shop the collection.
https://uncommonly-beautiful.creator-spring.com
I also have a collection of journals available on amazon. This is the direct link
https://www.amazon.com/si=stripbooks&rh=p_27%3ACece+Moise&s=relevancerank&text=Cece+Moise&ref=dp_byline_sr_book_1
I have a blog as well. The blog is about all things fashion, beauty, travel, and my favorite things www.cecemoise.com.
Are there any books, apps, podcasts, or blogs that help you do your best?
One of the books that I would recommend to leaders is “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. When I read, as much I work, it is for my own pleasure. I have a few books that I’m currently reading. Women Evolve by Sarah Jakes Robert, Good Vibes, Good Life by Vex King, Made for Friendship, and another funny book by Yvonne Orji, Bamboozled by Jesus. I have my own blog (www.cecemoise.com), so as much as I would love to read blogs and listen to podcasts, I don’t have the time, unfortunately.
Pricing:
- 15.99
- 25
- 35
Contact Info:
- Email: bonjour@refinedbysm.com
- Website: www.refinedbysm.com, www.cecemoise.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/refinedbysm, instagram.com/beautywithoutborders,
instagram.com/cece_moise - Facebook: Facebook.com/refinedbysm
- Other: www.beautywithoutborders.org, https://uncommonly-beautiful.creator-spring.com
Image Credits
Nerry Francois Herlande Moise
