Meet Maya Arnold of Luxe Addicts in Midtown

Today we’d like to introduce you to Maya Arnold.

Maya, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I was born in West Palm Beach, Florida and spent my formative years there, until I turned 8 years old. My family then relocated to a city in Metro Atlanta, Georgia. As a child, I always knew I wanted more from life. Whether it was more money, more knowledge, or to make a larger impact on the world- I wanted to be more.

Growing up, I played the violin, keyboard, and I even took a few flute lessons. My mother gave my siblings and I the creative freedom to do what we pleased and I took full advantage of that! During middle school, I joined the Riverdale Youth Council, located South of Atlanta, and I began attending Youth Leadership and Business Conferences that afforded me the opportunity to interact with politicians, business and community leaders from across the nation. It further allowed me to travel all over the country and this, in turn, has helped mold me into a well-rounded individual.

During High school, I got my first job at Chick-Fil-A. It was a wonderful experience and it allowed me to develop key interpersonal skills and to see how businesses operate first hand. While working there, I slowly began to realize that I would rather work for myself. I started doing hair on the side for my classmates and family. This was my first experience as an entrepreneur and it humbled me quickly. From people not being able to compensate me for my services to buying the products needed for better quality hairstyles, this moment is where I knew it was definitely worth it!

At the age of 16, my mother was diagnosed with a debilitating auto-immune disease called Scleroderma. This diagnosis changed our family dynamic forever. My siblings and I had to learn how to take care of household needs very early on like paying bills, writing checks, and providing daily care for my mother. Despite having an auto-immune disease, my mother continued to work and provided for us up until 2016. At this point, I was a sophomore at Georgia State University. While my family had moved back to South Florida, I had to make a tough decision.

Should I stay in university or should I move back home to take care of my family? Ultimately, my family made the decision to move back to Atlanta so that I can complete my degree. I will forever be thankful for that. Upon my family moving back, I had gotten a promotion at my new sales job and became one of the youngest Assistant Managers in my district at 19 years old. Working as an Assistant Manager while being a full-time student was one of the hardest things I have ever done; however, it shaped me into a more professional business owner and taught me important skills such as conflict management and resolution, problem-solving, and business goal setting. The jobs that I had prior to my business, all gave me key lessons and skills that has helped me run my business.

In 2017, I made the decision to resign from my job and start my own beauty brand called Luxe Addicts. I chose to start Luxe Addicts because I truly love making other women feel and look their best. I started with selling hair extensions but I am now expanding the company. I’m excited to announce that I will be adding homemade all-natural shampoos, conditioners, and other natural hair products to my Brand. I have great things in store for 2018 and the only thing that can hold me back is myself.

Since starting Luxe Addicts, I have released my first eBook called the Mini Finesse Guide which serves as a guide for those that strive towards achieving longer, stronger, and healthier hair. I have experienced a joy that I’ve never felt before while building my brand. The joy of seeing something that is all yours grow into things you’ve only dreamed of. I’ve had customers all the way from Lagos, Nigeria to Chicago, Illinois and that is truly amazing! There has never been a time in my life where I was more sure about my purpose and what direction I should head in.

Has it been a smooth road?
It hasn’t been a smooth ride, the toughest thing was having to take on a more present leadership role at home at 16 years old after my mother was diagnosed with Scleroderma. I stayed in Atlanta to complete my senior year of high school while my mother had gotten a new job for the City of Tampa as their Deputy City Clerk. Shortly after, I had to abruptly move to Tampa due to an unexpected change in my grandmother’s living arrangements and because of that, I had to graduate in Florida. This caused me to have to pay out-of-state tuition for university.

Another tough event I experienced was being a full-time assistant manager and a full-time student at Georgia State University at nineteen years old. During my sophomore year, my mother had to resign from her job due to her illness which forced me to make a decision whether I should stay in Atlanta to finish school or to move back to Tampa to help take care of my family.

This was tough for me because my heart was in Tampa with my family but my head was in Atlanta with the university. They ultimately moved back so that I could help out at home while still staying on the right track for graduation. This is important to me because I am one of the first out of twenty-four grandchildren to attend a traditional university.

We’d love to hear more about your business.
I own a beauty company called Luxe Addicts. It is tailored to women’s hair and beauty. I started it in the summer of 2017 and have had customers from all over, from Lagos to Chicago. We are known for hair extensions and edge control but we are moving into a new direction by adding homemade all-natural hair products to our catalog.

I am most proud of how we have been able to keep a positive relationship with all of our customers and have been able to serve our customers with products that truly benefit them. We are undergoing a brand re-vamp and will be relaunching in February 2018. We offer a unique personal experience to our customers that few businesses can provide. Our customers feel like they’re purchasing from a friend or a family member when buying from us and we will do everything in our power to keep it that way.

Is our city a good place to do what you do?
I believe Atlanta is the perfect location for growing businesses. It is a transportation hub and subsequently people throughout the global community are attracted to live, work, shop and play here. For those who are just starting out, Atlanta’s diverse pool of entrepreneurs provide a great network for first time business owners.

Contact Info:

• Address: 820 Bethsaida Rd Suite 101-49
  Riverdale, Ga 30274
• Website: www.LuxeAddicts.com
• Phone: 4705886087
• Email: info@luxeaddicts.com
• Instagram: www.Instagram.com/ShopLuxeAddicts
• Facebook: www.Facebook.com/ShopLuxeAddicts
• Twitter: www.Twitter.com/LuxeAddicts

Getting in touch: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.