Shelah Marie is a fierce feminista, actress, and online personality who is invested in providing high-quality performance on the stage and screen. She engages a strong online community through her open, dynamic and electric personality and her #curvyncurly movement. As an educator, Shelah uses her passion for performance as a world-class educator. Shelah works as a Teaching Artist for one of the nation`s oldest and most renowned theaters for children and families, The New Victory Theater, and The Theater Development Fund.
Independently, Shelah has been contracted to lead her signature The Sustainable Theater Workshop by The United Nations, The United States Embassy in Dakar, Senegal, The RuJohn Foundation and The African Burial Ground National Monument. She has led STW in Senegal, Jamaica, Haiti and at The United Nations Headquarters in NYC. Currently, Shelah is between Brooklyn, NY and Los Angeles creating more quality performances for the screen and stage.
Committed to empowering Black women through performance, Shelah independently tours and produces original work like FLIGHT, which she performs professionally for Black History Month and Women’s History Month.
What do you do in business and what is it all about?
Curvy Curly Conscious is the go-to place for women to connect, commune, and embark on their paths to self-love and care. Our goal is to create beautiful and honest experiences for our ladies that focus on promoting self-love, personal development, meditation, and physical wellness, with the ultimate goal of providing individuals with the tools and resources to be able to live a more elevated life. Our goal is to be the main contributor to fostering healthy women, who make up the strong foundation of our communities.
How did you get started in your business?
Curvy, Curly, Conscious started online. I had a social media following and I was using the hashtag #curvyandcurly where I was talking about my struggles with depression and anxiety. I was living in New York, auditioning, touring and performing as an actress and doing what I loved but on the inside, I was struggling severely with depression and anxiety. I started sharing about how meditation allowed me to cope with my struggles and women started to relate. I then decided that I wanted to experience a personal connection with women in person. We tackle mental health issues, loving your body and loving yourself from the inside out in a fun and light way.
What are the plans that you had for your business when you first started?
I honestly didn’t really have a plan because I didn’t know or plan to start a business. I just continued to follow this my intuition about what I needed to do to continue helping women the women that I was connecting with. The next thing that I knew, Curvy, Curly, Conscious was here.
What are the daily/weekly/monthly tasks that guaranteed the execution of your plan?
First and foremost, my daily tasks start out with meditation and journaling. I get silent and think about my future, my plans and goals then I journal when I am finished so that I can remember the things that I meditated on. Meditation alongside journaling allows me to stay focused, keep track of my progress and tasks. I am able to see my vision when I am journaling otherwise it doesn’t exist to me if I can’t see it.
Meditation alongside journaling allows me to stay focused, keep track of my progress and tasks.
What does your business teach individuals and what is 1 signature thing that makes your business stand out from others?
My business teaches women how to live happier and healthier. I think that we stand out because although we focus on the self-help, health, and wellness industry, we don’t take ourselves too seriously. We take things that are extremely difficult to deal with and makes them fun and easier to share and work through.
What has been your biggest highlight of being in business so far?
My biggest highlight has been my team. The people that I work with are amazing. I set out to have a very conscious business and some people think that if you are too nice you can’t experience success but the highlight has been being surrounded by successful, motivated, beautiful and driven women who are also kind and care about other people.
What advice can you share with someone who is thinking about starting a business and how could they really stand out?
Start before you’re ready. You will never be ready and there is never a perfect time. Just go for it, you will figure out the rest along the way. All businesses need to just be unique and true to their own personality of their brand.
In 5 years from now, where do you see your business?
In 5 years, CCC will be hosting international healing retreats for women, we will have a monthly meditation service, and I will have written three books and developed an app.
What is 1 fun tidbit about yourself that you would like to share?
I love watching scary movies but I get so scared every time that I can’t sleep or be alone afterward.
Are there any other business gems that you would like to share about your business experiences, plans, or lessons?
I’ve learned the value of mobilizing and establishing a clear vision. You have to establish your vision and the value of your brand and determine the qualities that are unique to your brand and non-negotiable. When you get a clear understanding of your brand and your values it’s easier to mobilize. You’ll find that it is so much easier to determine who/what fits in with your brand alignment.
Get to know more about this CEO with Priceless Plans?
Instagram: @theshelahmarie
Twitter: @shelahmarie
Visit her website www.curvycurlyconscious.com
