Young beautician shines
AS a child Taceka Drummond’s dream was to become a teacher. But after becoming pregnant and ultimately switching schools at age 16, she decided to pivot and pursue her second love, make-up artistry.
“My dreams changed because I now had a child to support, so I just went straight into the world of work after I left Mount Alvernia High School,” Drummond told All Woman.
“I started working in a make-up store and when I started there their sales went up, so I got a promotion,” she proudly added.
Just three years after giving birth, the young mother shared, she welcomed her second son. But during that pregnancy, though eager and optimistic about the new life she was carrying inside of her, little did she know it would cost her the job she had grown to love dearly.
“I got pregnant and the lady I was working for said that I basically couldn’t work there anymore, but she couldn’t just fire me like that because I was her top sales representative. But she said that I couldn’t work there anymore because of the weight that I was gaining, so I left,” Drummond explained.
Disappointed but not deterred, the young mother decided to go solo. Though she left on unfavourable terms, Drummond said she was grateful for the experience she had received during her first job as it paved the way for her career.
“I started doing make-up for myself, so I would rent stations in MoBay but it became a problem when I had to pack up because I was going from one shop to another. I was working in three different shops in the city,” she said.
This was when she decided to invest in her own physical workspace. But, Drummond added, that transition would not be as easy as she originally thought.
“I ended up getting my own shop. Though I wanted to just do make-up and sell make-up products, that alone wasn’t paying the bills at that time, so I started working at a call centre and did make-up on the side.
“Then I realised that I was making more on the weekends than I was making at the call centre, so I decided that I wasn’t going to sacrifice my dream anymore,” Drummond added.
Motivated by ambition and a fear of failure, Drummond developed a plan to furnish her new space and offer it for rent to other young beauticians.
“I started going to the shop full-time and with the money I had, I bought chairs. I started out with two chairs [and] I now have seven chairs which I rent to hairstylists, and a nail station,” she shared.
“I was just starting out and building clients, so that is where the beauty salon part came in because that was helping me to pay the bills. I worked very hard and invested my money. Now I am looking to get a lash technician in the shop,” she said.
Now 24 years old, Drummond is seeking new ways to build her brand and make a mark in the beauty industry. With the mantra, “A magic wand changed Cinderella’s life and a make-up brush changed mine”, the beautician is embracing all the changes make-up artistry have brought to her life.
“I am now looking to expand, so I am searching for new locations. I would love for my business to be world-renowned in the next five years, like you can get Ceka Cosmetics products in any store worldwide,” she said.
Ceka Cosmetics, Drummond shared, will be her line of beauty products.
“I am coming out with those soon. That is why I said that I am in the process of expanding because that was the business plan initially. The plan was for me to be a make-up artist and to be selling my brand of cosmetics.”
As she pursues her dreams while mothering two handsome young boys, Drummond’s message to young women like herself is to “put your best foot forward at all times”.
“Stay true to yourself. Whatever your passion, try to fulfil that. No matter how discouraging it may seem, put your best foot forward at all times because a child doesn’t mean that your dreams cannot be accomplished. It may take you a little longer than others and you may need to [pivot], but you have to stay true to yourself,” she said.
