Flavia Leal, founder of the Flavia Leal Beauty School, has accomplished a lot over her life, especially in the last few years. However, the path to successful entrepreneurship was not paved in gold. In fact, it was a difficult journey, riddled with heartache.
Entering the United States in 2000, Leal was in search of a better life for her family. She not only began working north of 80 hours each week, but while doing so, lived in less-than-average housing conditions, took care of her daughter as a single mother and was also studying for a college degree.
Tragedy struck her family in the matter of just a single year, in which her father passed away in 2008, and her mother in 2009, before she could see her daughter walk across the stage to accept her college degree, and to top it all off, her daughter developed ADHD. It would be understandable if all these unfortunate circumstances crippled anyone to the point of giving up, but Leal fought through the pain.
“Do what you have to do, not what you want to do,” Leal said. “When our minds get tired, we don’t want to open the door because of what is on the other side, but we have to do these things to grow.”
There is light at the end of the tunnel. After graduation, Leal purchased a school from a previous owner who ran it for over 52 years. In 2011, she actually launched her second school, after having begun establishing a client base and social following as well. After introducing workshops and her own makeup line, she was well on her way to beauty superstardom.
Leal is not only a beauty expert and school owner, but also a motivational speaker, lecturer, personal hygiene and cosmetics products demonstrator and a teacher of both esthetics and makeup. In fact, she is a licensed manicurist, with certifications in esthetics, eyebrow design, airbrush, and artificial nail techniques.
Upon realizing her gift for beauty, teaching, and motivating others, she has now propelled herself as a world-renowned and recognized beauty expert. Additionally, she also performs onsite and digital workshops, while having been invited to prominent events in Brazil, Paris, and Austria, among numerous other countries too.
Motivating Beauticians, Both Personally and Professionally
If you ask Leal what is the most rewarding aspect of her current position, she’ll tell you, “Life just makes sense when you’re helping others.” and anyone who knows her can vouch.
The curriculum at Flavia Leal Beauty School includes teachings in cosmetology, manicures, esthetics, and other forms of advanced beauty education. Though it also goes far beyond the traditional beauty school learnings. Leal and Co. promote shifting mindsets as well. The goal is to help students achieve all their wildest dreams, both professionally and personally.
“Everything is possible. It depends on what you want and believe in, despite where you come from or who you are,” said Leal. “I like to help people. No one can tell anyone that they are not good enough. I opened my school to help all students, regardless of where they come from.”
Students of all backgrounds are invited to the Flavia Leal Beauty School to garner both domestic and international certifications. They prepare for their budding careers, learning skills across all aspects of beauty and mindset-shifting techniques, to uplift themselves.
Impacting the Brazilian Population on a Global Scale
Leal, who has won awards in countries like Austria, Brazil and France, has accumulated numerous awards, laurels, accolades and recognition over the course of her career and continues to do so, having recently earned her second Portuguese Brazilian Awards.
Each year, in Paris, people are recognized for their contributions and achievements for the Brazilian population abroad, at the Portuguese Brazilian Awards ceremony. The awards were founded in 2005 and spotlights entrepreneurs who motivate and make a difference, thus improving the lives of Brazilians in other regions throughout the world.
“When I took my leave to work as a beautician, I found that many Brazilians had the same desire, but that they were not well-received or even rejected in American beauty schools because these educational institutions required documents that the state didn’t request or because of language barriers,” said Leal. “With the intention of helping these people and giving the opportunity for so many Brazilians to have a real profession in the United States, I decided to open my first school.”
About Flavia Leal
Flavia Leal, Founder of the Flavia Leal Beauty School, is an award-winning instructor, serial entrepreneur and motivational speaker. For more information, please visit: https://www.flavialeal.com/