For most of my life, I was shy.
Not the “quirky” kind of shy. The kind that overthinks before speaking. The kind that usually knew the answer to the question but hesitates to raise her hand unless directly called upon.
And for a long time, I thought that meant I wasn’t powerful.
I believed power belonged to the loudest voice in the room. The most certain. The most visible.
I was wrong.
Shyness Is Not Weakness
Growing up, I loved beauty. I loved business. I loved the idea of building something meaningful. But stepping forward? Being seen? That felt terrifying.
When I started building Stush Beauty, I had to confront that fear daily. Posting online. Pitching to magazines. Reaching out to influencers. Telling people I was building a brand.
Every action required me to choose visibility over comfort.
And that’s where I found my power.
Being Seen Is an Act of Courage
There is something transformative about deciding you deserve to take up space.
Building Stush Beauty forced me to step into rooms I once would have avoided. To speak on podcasts. To pitch editors. To lead a team. To call myself a founder out loud.
Every time I did something that scared me, I felt a shift.
Confidence didn’t come before action.
It came because of it.
The more I allowed myself to be seen, the stronger I became.
Beauty and Visibility
At Stush, we talk a lot about radiance, but there’s a deeper layer to that.
Radiance isn’t just about skin.
It’s about presence.
It’s about walking into a room and not shrinking.
It’s about posting your idea.
It’s about launching that product
and saying, “I built this.”
For me, skincare became symbolic. Caring for my self wasn’t about vanity, it was about telling myself, I deserve to feel good and show up feeling my best especially as a black woman raised in a culture that often tells us to dim ourselves.
The Moment Everything Changed
The turning point wasn’t a big viral moment or a major milestone.
It was quieter than that.
It was the day I decided that my shyness wasn’t something to fix, it was something to embrace.
I realized that being thoughtful, observant, and introspective were strengths. They allowed me to build intentionally. To create products that truly serve. To listen to our community and move with care.
I also realized that hiding behind shyness was limiting my impact.
And if I wanted Stush Beauty to grow and create the kind of impact I know it can create,
I had to let myself be seen.
Your Power Is Waiting on the Other Side of Visibility
If you’ve ever felt shy, overlooked, underestimated, or unsure... I see you.
You don’t have to become someone else to be powerful.
You don’t have to be louder.
You don’t have to be different.
You don’t have to erase your softness.
But you do have to show up.
I promise you, the moment you decide to take up space is the moment you step into your authority.
