DRUCILLA Stewart has always had a love for cosmetology, and ever since she could remember, it was her dream to become her own boss and to operate her own business. And so when she started her company in the final year of university, she knew there was no turning back.

The young woman, who’s owner of A Cut Above Beauty Bar, and a licensed lash and wax technician, describes herself as a go-getter, who loves making people feel better about themselves.

“I would introduce myself as a driven, creative and passionate person, who believes in being open and honest,” Stewart, who just turned 25, told All Woman.

“I believe success is relative to each individual and depends on his/her own values and ambition. However, personally I continue to set goals for myself and my business, so even though I’ve had many successes, I truly believe the possibilities are endless as to what I can achieve.”

Born and raised in Harbour View, Kingston, Stewart attended Camperdown High and the University of Technology, Jamaica, where she pursued a bachelor’s in computing.

In high school she started a small business to do make-up for the sixth formers, but said her love for the craft started much earlier than that.

“My love for cosmetology started at the tender age of about eight or nine years old, and continued throughout my life. I loved watching my grandmother and aunt get dressed up. I would always play in their make-up and try to emulate them,” she shared.

The young woman said her best career achievement to date has been being able to own and operate her own business, and over the last two years, she has built a loyal clientèle and added new services to my fulfil her clients’ needs.

“The aim is to create a one-stop beauty shop for women,” she said about the Rousseau Road location.

Motivated by a strong network of friends and family, she credits them for her resilience, as they “continue to uplift me with encouraging words and inspiration to continue through the difficult times”.

And there’s “also my self-awareness and having a clear perception of my goals and what I would like to achieve in my lifetime”.

A typical day for Stewart involves mostly work, and at the end of the day, she unwinds by stretching, and having her favourite ice cream dessert.

And then she may reflect on her proudest work project to date — “being able to start my business from scratch on my own in my final year of university”.

“Of course, I had great support, but it was not easy branching off on this new venture while doing my studies,” she emphasised. “In addition, although I am a certified lash technician, I was only taught to do the classic lash application, which means I had to teach myself to do the hybrid and volume lash application which I believe I have now mastered.”

She takes motivation from within — “knowing that I have the ability as an entrepreneur to be the author of my own story, I often use that as a driving force towards my own self achievement”.

“My greatest contribution to the world is the ability to boost confidence in women of all ages and make them feel so good about themselves,” she said.

“I believe it is important to take care of one’s self and to exercise self-love.”

She said she most loves her field for being able to be creative, think outside of the box and breaking boundaries within the beauty industry by trying new and unique things.

“Seeing where I started from and how much I have improved makes me want to push more,” she said.

Stewart explained that her work helps improve women’s self-esteem, and clients always praise the experience.

“One thing that my clients always speak about is how good they feel after getting their lashes done and the compliments they receive when out in public. They also compliment my customer service, and the amazing lash retention that they receive. They become lash addicts, in fact, one of them calls it ‘the Dru Effect’,” she laughed.

“The feeling is indescribable, being able to see a smile and the satisfaction on their faces gives me so much joy and also the motivation and self actualisation that I’m doing something right.”

Stewart, who has worked as an office filer, and describes her experience working at a McDonald’s and a supermarket deli in Wyoming on the J1 [work and study] programme in 2019 as the time she has worked the hardest, said building the type of career she has, especially as a young woman, is laudable.

Motivated to make enough money to pay off her student loan debts and start her business, she persisted in the very high paced and stressful environment, and said there is no better feeling than being able to depend on yourself.

“Traditionally, we’re not used to a woman being in a boss position or taking on the role of a CEO, but as time progresses and changes, women are now stepping into that role and it should be embraced as there is no better feeling than being able to depend on yourself,” she said. “Remember, success has no age requirements so even if you start small, you can still grow.”

She added: “What sets me apart from others has to be my own creative, individual style and uniqueness. Because no one will be able to do what I do. One quote that I always relate to is, ‘you can copy the recipe, but the sauce won’t taste the same’. I am always aiming to improve my craft.”

She advises young women seeking to enter the field to set goals.

“Set goals for yourself — practising your craft is extremely important. Look and learn from what others have done before and seek your own individual style. Remember to achieve something you never had, you have to do something you’ve never done.”