Flavia Leal, the founder of the Flavia Leal Beauty School, has based her career on helping women entrepreneurs find and develop their unique skills, providing the education to prepare them for a career, and championing on every step down the road to success.
Originally from Brazil, the beauty empire founder left her home country in search of more advantages for herself and her family, landing in the US in 2000.
She went through many hard years, enduring substandard housing with her young daughters and fighting for each success she earned. It’s amazing to think that she was going to school while also working 80 hours every week. At the same time, she had to find time to spend with her daughter, and put away money to fund her dreams.
Always one for hard work and getting done what needs to be done, those closest to Leal were not at all surprised that she was making progress toward her goal every year.
However, life had more struggles in store for the young Leal, and the aspiring business woman suffered the loss of both of her parents within one year of each other. Suddenly alone in the world, her daughter was also diagnosed with ADHD around this time, adding to Leal’s worries.
“In this life, we do best when we do what we have to do, not what we want to do,” said Leal. “Sure, our bodies and minds get tired. Maybe we don’t want to take a chance or open up the door to see what is on the other side — but we have to do these things to grow.”
Inspiration from Heartbreak
Never forgetting her promise to herself to create a better life and be in a position to help other women through beauty and entrepreneurship, Leal opened the doors to her first beauty school in 2010.
Well aware of the prejudices she had faced as an immigrant, a woman, and a person from an underprivileged background, she flung open the doors of her school-wide to women like her. Those who had been rejected from other career paths, schools, and opportunities because of where they came from or what they’d been through.
“Rather than see these women as unemployable or unteachable, I think the opposite. I know what I’ve been through, and I know that it makes me resilient and a better worker than many others. I see that in these women. They have survived so much, and they have so much to give,” said Leal.
In 2012, just two years after opening her school, she unveiled her own luxury makeup line. The next year, she had the opportunity to open a second location for her school and add beauty workshops to her teaching schedule as well.
It’s only been uphill since then.
Awards and Accolades
Soon, the public began noticing the empire that Leal was building, and the business community — as well as her peers — began formally recognizing her for it. Leal has won many awards over the years, as far back as 2012 and as recently as May of this year.
Her first award came the same year she opened. Named the 2012 ‘Entrepreneur of the Year’ by an organization of Brazilians outside of Brazil, she has also won an award for ‘Small Companies, Big Business,’ and one for Brazilian Women in Power.
Among the most prestigious awards for her community is the Portuguese/Brazilian Awards, which honor Portuguese speakers living and succeeding worldwide. She was first awarded by this organization in 2018 and took home her second award from the group in May of this year.
Upward Trajectory
Today, Leal has taken the beauty world by storm and helped hundreds of women find their strength, success, and happiness. She speaks at events around the world in inspirational speeches that blend motivational speaking with insider beauty industry tips and knowledge.
The founder is a licensed expert in cosmetology, esthetics, manicures, airbrush, brow design, and artificial nail techniques. She teaches makeup application and esthetics alongside her skills as a professional cosmetics demonstrator. Students at Flavia Leal Beauty School can earn both national and international certificates.
“Meet people. Help people. Be generous,” is Leal’s mantra in life. And she lives it every day through the women she inspires, teaches, helps, and enables to find success on their own terms.
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/
