Akeyia Chukes shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Good morning Akeyia, it’s such a great way to kick off the day – I think our readers will love hearing your stories, experiences and about how you think about life and work. Let’s jump right in? What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
The first 90 minutes of my day are a self check ins, I’ve learned I can’t be anything to anyone else that I have not been for myself first. I journal to clear out anything lingering from the previous day, and then I tune into a church sermon. Somehow, the one I feel led to always delivers the exact message I need. This is my way of making sure I’m not pouring from an empty cup.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Akeyia began her journey in the beauty industry as a freelance makeup artist, turning her natural creativity into a calling. In 2021, she graduated from esthetician school and soon after earned her certification from the National Laser Institute steps that solidified her dream of one day opening her own medspa, even before she fully understood where that dream would lead.
In 2023, Akeyia became the cofounder and investor of Serene Scene Esty Lounge, a space that allowed her to expand beyond beauty and step into her passion for wellness, healing, and building community. Serene Scene became more than a studio; it became a reflection of her belief that self-care is both personal and communal.
Today, Akeyia is continuing her journey in nursing school, deepening her medical knowledge so she can bring her long-term vision to life: a medspa that blends clinical care with holistic wellness, creating a space where beauty, healing, and community meet.
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. What part of you has served its purpose and must now be released?
This question hits deeply in this season of my life. I’m shedding so many layers that no longer serve me, but the biggest release is the version of myself built from survival. The hyper-independent, tense, sharp-edged version. The one who lived on high alert.
When I stopped trying to push others into my pace or my vision, I found room to reclaim my softness. Wellness became important to me because I learned firsthand how neglecting yourself shifts everything your spirit, your presence, your identity.
I’m finally letting go of the trauma I carried that never belonged to me.
What fear has held you back the most in your life?
One fear that has held me back the most in life is the fear of abandonment. I’ll never forget a conversation with my therapist two years ago when she told me, “You push the people around you to elevate the way you do because you’re afraid that if they don’t grow with you, you’ll have to leave them. And you never want to leave anyone, so you push.” That was the first time I understood that connection though it definitely wasn’t the last time I caught myself acting out of that fear. It has caused me to pour more into the journeys of others then I have my own, I have done a lot of great things but I can’t help but wonder how much more I would’ve done if I had been more selfish all this time.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. What’s a belief you used to hold tightly but now think was naive or wrong?
A belief I held onto for a long time was that “good people don’t do bad things.” But now? I’m not even sure I believe in good or bad people at all. I see people as healed or unhealed, evolving or reacting from their wounds. And I’ve learned that there aren’t really “good” or “bad” experiences either just things that align and things that serve as catalysts pushing you toward alignment.
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
When I’m gone, I hope the story people tell about me is that I loved deeply, wildly, and without hesitation. I loved people I didn’t know. I loved even when I didn’t know how. I loved even when it cost me pieces of myself. My heart was made to hold what many cannot. For years, I saw that as a weakness. Now I see it as proof of my purpose.
This kind of love isn’t taught. It’s a spiritual inheritance given to those chosen to carry the weight of their kingdom assignment.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: prosperikey.333
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