Today we’d like to introduce you to Janay Bickerstaff.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Janay. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I’ve always been extremely girly. Makeup, fashion, hair… I’ve always loved it all! I remember being a pre-teen and getting my first vanity mirror. I would sit in my room for hours doing my hair and makeup. I absolutely loved it. Looking back now I question some of my fashion choices, but who doesn’t right?!
After college I started working for a bank and worked my way up pretty quickly. I had a good job, a good salary, but I wasn’t fulfilled. After I had my son in 2015, I decided not to return to my 9-5. That was a huge change for our family…. but also, a huge change for me. I was struggling finding my identity again. Motherhood was the most amazing gift I had ever been given but I also knew that there was a yearning in my heart to continue my dream. I started working as a freelance makeup artist, working weddings on the weekends and blogging in my spare time. I’ve recently become a full time lifestyle and beauty blogger and my heart is so full. I love talking to all the amazing babes that are part of The Contoured Connection family. I love hearing about their passions, their struggles, their triumphs. I started my blog as a way to share my makeup tips and fashion finds… but it has turned into so much more than I could have ever imagined.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Lordy, NO. Haha! The road has not been smooth. I was finally feeling so good and confident with how my business was growing and my life took a huge hit. In 2018 I was diagnosed with Renal Cell Carcinoma (kidney cancer) It was a year long journey to getting the surgery I needed to remove the tumor but thankfully as of May 3, 2019 I’m cancer free! I feel like we all have a turning point in our life and being diagnosed with cancer at 31 was mine. I truly feel I was given a second chance at life. My business and my dreams got put on hold during my diagnoses and recovery but now I’m on fire! I’ve never been so determined and motivated.
The Contoured Connection – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I’ve spent a great deal of my life in a negative mind space when it comes to my body. I’ve never been the skinny fit girl. I’ve always been curvy. I’ve spent days wishing I could look different. It’s taken me YEARS and a lot of GRACE to get to the place I am now. I wanted to create a safe space for all women to feel included in a world of weight loss challenges and crash diets. Wanna learn how to rock that blue eyeshadow? I got you boo. Wanna know where I get my bikinis? You got it! What started as a fun blog for me to share my favorites things, has evolved into a space of self-love. I want women to come to me when they need a boost! When you’re feeling down on yourself, let’s chat sister! Want a new makeup routine? You got it! I’m so proud when I get messages from women who felt empowered after seeing my posts or reading my blog. THAT fuels my fire more than anything!
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
When I’ve created something that I’m proud of, that makes other women feel powerful, that helps spread the message of self-love, that helps me connect to other women. That is what makes me feel like a success.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.thecontouredconnection.com
- Email: janaybickerstaff@gmail.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/janaybickerstaff
- Facebook: Facebook.com/thecontouredconnection
Image Credit:
Lindsy Morais
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