Flavia Leal is a true American success story. The beauty mogul emigrated to the US from Brazil 22 years ago and worked hard to create a better — and more beautiful — life for her family.
Today, she’s a businesswoman who owns several locations of the Flavia Leal Beauty School, has her own cosmetics line, and gives motivational speeches around the world. She was also recently awarded the Portuguese Brazilian Award 2022, an honor bestowed on individuals responsible for outstanding contributions to the Portuguese-speaking population of the US.
Leal has a true rags-to-riches story — but it’s certainly not a tale of overnight success. When she arrived in the US with her baby daughter in tow and parents that needed her financial support, she had almost nothing to her name. So she began studying to earn a degree while also putting in 80-hour work weeks.
At the same time, her daughter was diagnosed with ADHD, and Leal had to nurture her through all of her new needs as well. The single mother did all of this while living in substandard housing since it was all that she could afford.
Journey to Success
Despite her best efforts, life still had more heartache for her and further obstacles she would need to overcome. Her father passed away in 2008, and her mother — who was also Leal’s best friend — followed in 2009.
Instead of losing herself in grief, as many people would do — she doubled down. Leal saved her pennies and opened her first beauty school in 2010, dedicating her success to her mother and promising that she would use her burgeoning empire to help women in situations just like hers.
Due to her inspiring outlook, helping nature, and generous business model, Leal quickly built a following of clients that regularly booked her services and aspiring beauticians that signed up to her school. She also developed a strong presence on social media, where fans flocked to hear her advice.
The success pushed her to open her second location in 2011. Shortly after that, she plowed her significant profits into launching her own cosmetics line. And she’s been considered a great success story ever since.
Uplifting Others
She offers some words of advice to would-be entrepreneurs that have a terrible day or question their dreams. “Do what you have to do, not what you want to do. 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,” said Leal.
And what growth did she take on next? Always up for a challenge, Leal began speaking and sharing her skills at beauty conferences around the world. Quickly, her audiences connected with her speeches, which strayed from beauty techniques to motivational advice, self-help techniques, and pure encouragement. She was a hit.
Today, she has spoken to audiences across North America, Central America, and Europe.
True to her word, she has held the doors open wide at the Flavia Leal Beauty School. She welcomes students that might have been turned away at other schools for having difficult backgrounds, less education, or financial hardships.
Once they graduate, the new beauty professionals have licenses in manicures and pedicures, artificial nail technology and design, cosmetology and makeup artist services, esthetic treatments, and more.
Graduates praise Leal for not only their new careers but for her motivated mindset that helps them to shift their entire outlook on life.
When describing her unique style of empowering people, she said, “Everything is possible. It depends on what you want and believe in, despite where you come from or who you are. No one can tell anyone that they are not good enough. So I opened my school to help all students, regardless of where they come from.”
The stories of success that have come out of Leal’s many business endeavors are many; she has worked to empower the many, not the few. This is part of why she won the prestigious Portuguese Brazilian Award 2022 and why her community recognizes and celebrates her.
Whether it’s applying the perfect ombre eyeshadow or telling her students that they can achieve their dreams, Leal is a force of nature and one that we are all lucky to learn from.
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/
