Felicia Hoskins is a young mother of two, entrepreneur and the owner and master brow stylist of the trendiest full service beauty bar in the Chicagoland area, called Madd Love Beauty Salon & Day Spa. Felicia started out as a small in-home business with no clientele and has rapidly blossomed her business by creating job opportunities for women around Chicago. In just three short years, Felicia has not only opened one commercial space but expanded to a double commercial space and is now Oak Parks first black owned full-service salon and spa.
Felicia has been dubbed the queen of brows on the Westside of Chicago in Oak Park. She has dominated the brow game for over seven years.
What sparked the idea to open Madd Love Salon?
I initially started by doing make-up, which I’ve been doing since I was about 18. I got my hair license and I was into makeup, then about seven years ago I went to aesthetics school, which is what got me interested in skin care. After completing the courses, I received my license and I opened up a little room in the basement of my home while I built my clientele. After about seven months, I built a clientele of about 200, I decided it’s time to move. It just so happened that my hairstylist was on the same block and space next to their shop became available, they suggested that I go for the space. I talked to the people and a few days later and got it. When I first started it was a day spa, with only myself, a receptionist and a make-up artist. After a while, I wanted to go bigger and added hair and nails to the whole mix. I believe that no one can take care of us like us! I also wanted to provide a place where you have peace and no drama. I wanted to provide a place where it’s clean, quiet, no children running around, and overall just always pleasant.
Madd Love Beauty Salon & Spa | Instagram
What is your goal for the ladies that work in your salon?
They can make this a career or something on the side, they just have to pick and choose what they want to do. If you just want to halfway do things, you don’t need to be here because I’m trying to build these girls to be bosses. So, when they come here I am setting things in that forefront. I want them to come and take care of business, run their business, have business cards, get a business name, and build a brand, so if ever you decide to leave you can go into your own and not have to go into anyone else place.
Did you always have the vision to be in the beauty industry?
I always wanted to be in the beauty industry and I always thought it would be hair because that’s what my mom did. My mother did hair like a hustle, all day long, hair was being done in the house. I went to cosmetology school while in high school and got my license at 18 then I went to work in a salon and I realized real fast that this was not for me. After that, I went to work in the transportation industry where I worked for 12 years and did beauty on the side.
Madd Love Beauty Salon & Spa | Instagram
Do you have the desire to expand outside of Chicago?
Absolutely, but not quite yet because I have to make sure that Chicago is good first. I’m born and raised on the west side of Chicago, but after that, I look forward to expanding.
How long has Madd Love officially been open?
A a commercial business, I’ve officially been open for five years and I started in my basement seven years ago. So, I’ve been in business for almost eight years since I started my business and I haven’t looked back. I haven’t worked for anyone else since. I mean I cry and pray a lot, but there hasn’t been a day that I don’t come in this room and get something off this wall. (Vision board of motivational quotes)
How do you balance family and business life?
I balance it with a strike schedule. I stick to my appointments and don’t allow anything to change that. When I say that I’m off at five, I’m off at five and I’m going home. I’m here giving you all 10 hours. When I’m home, I’m cooking nights a week, doing homework. I make sure that it’s known that I have kids, I have to take care of them too. I do miss out on a few things like trips and things like that, but I make sure they know and it’s all for the greater good. I am lucky because my children are bigger and are in school for eight hours so they are only two hours we have for family time and I never allow anything to interfere with that. So, yes there is a balance and I am so happy that it’s working.
What’s next for you?
To build a salon such as this one in another city. I want to start from scratch and bring others in as the ladies are here and have them start from scratch as well.
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