Meet CYNTHIA CANNON | Beauty Artist & Educator

We had the good fortune of connecting with CYNTHIA CANNON and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi CYNTHIA, where are your from? We’d love to hear about how your background has played a role in who you are today?
I am originally from Mexicali, MX. My mother brought me and my little sister here when I was 6 years old. She brought us here because she wanted us to have a better upbringing. As a 1st generation Mexican and Illegal immigrant at the time I spent most of my childhood wishing I could do better and I always wanted more. Of course I was limited to what I was able to do. Once I was able to become a US citizen, I knew this was my chance to really go after all the things I wanted. I graduated from SDSU, while working 2 jobs. I knew my mother brought us for a better upbringing and hard work was all I knew. I wanted to prove to myself that I was able to do more and did not want to be another statistic. I began my journey in the beauty industry in 2016 as freelance makeup artist. Fast forward and I have a Beauty Salon where I offer a wide variety of beauty services as well as training. I have been able to elevate myself to a small business owner, where not only do I make women feel confident again, But I also have a training academy where I teach other women how to become their own bosses. I also mentor these ladies throughout their journey. Being able to put another woman in a position where they can make money is what its all about, that in itself is rewarding. Although nothing comes with out challenges, and having a business is a challenge, with lost of ups and downs. But they are my ups and downs, my sweat, blood and tears. I am now in my 3rd year of business and I refuse to stop, adding more streams of income is what financial freedom is all about. I am extremely grateful my mother brought me here for a better life, so I was determined to thrive. I want to be an example for any woman out there that may have a similar story as me, or any woman wanting to start their own business and journey. It does not get better than that!

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I started my small business three and a half years ago out of a spare room in my house. At the time I was working full time as a bar manager and I had a 6 month old baby so life was pretty busy. I managed to take clients part time on my days off and in between work. It was challenging but I was gaining momentum little by little. By the time Covid hit I was filling up my books. By the end of 2020 I was booked and busy every day of the week. My business was thriving into 2021. I finally got a small studio that I outgrew very quickly. by April 2021 I had the key to my 2700 sq. ft. salon in Lemon Grove, CA. We have definitely had some challenges with this recession, Business is slower than usual and finding new ways to promote and attract new business has been a new lesson for me. I am diving more into sales and marketing to continue to grow. I have added a couple new artist to the salon and they have brought some amazing services with them, so I am happy we are able to offer a wide variety of services to both men and women. Our goal for the salon is to have a 1 stop shop, and we are pretty close to getting there.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I Love San Diego, not only because I grew up here, but because it has so many beautiful places to see. San Diego is a total melting pot and because of that there are so many options to choose from. My Itinerary would go from eating Korean BBQ off Convoy to eating at Las Cuatro Milpas in Barrio Logan. Having Brunch in La Jolla to ending the night in the Gaslamp. Another day could be Day Drinking in Ocean Beach to bar hoping in Pacific Beach. Of course how could we not see the World Famous San Diego Zoo & Sea World. One thing about me is that I love to dance salsa and bachata so thee are several placers to social dance with friends while sipping on a classic cocktail.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I have been able to succeed due to a handful of people in my life. My Mentor Christina Dinglasan was the person to push me when I was afraid to start, she gave me the confidence to just jump in and not give up. My boyfriend Joey DeMartino has been my rock holding our family down while I turn my vision into reality. My sisters and friends for supporting my dreams and being my Guinea pigs throughout this process!

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