Name: Latasha McRae
Age: 36
Job Title: Owner/CEO of Peeks Cosmetics
College Name and Major: University of Phoenix, Business Management
Website: www.peekscosmetics.com
Twitter: @Peekscosmetics
Instagram: @peekscosmetics
What does your current job entail? Is there such a thing as a typical day?
LM: My current job as owner and CEO of Peeks Cosmetics entails a lot of different components, such as sales processing, keeping track of inventory, shipping out products and accounting. As many others would agree, there is no typical day when you are an entrepreneur!
What is the best part of your job?
LM: The best part of my job is working with my team and interacting with my customers. I have always enjoyed taking care of others, so I love that Peek’s allows to take care of customers. My customers always come first!
What was your first entry-level job in your field and how did you get it?
LM: My first level entry job was at Gucci Corporate, which I found through a temp agency.
What words of wisdom do you find most valuable?
LM: My boss at Gucci Corporate, told me to make sure you know your job; know where you work and how the job works. There is nothing worse in business than a company employee not knowing how to interact with or help a customer, because at the end of the day, your customer’s experience is what makes or breaks your business.
What is one mistake you made along the way and what did you learn from it?
LM: As a small business, I was eager to work with other people to help me grow my business. I rushed into working with others who both over promised and/or didn’t do their job correctly. I learned that, while you may be eager to grow your team it is important to do your research on any person you are interested in working with.
What has been the most surreal moment of your career thus far?
LM: The most surreal moment was when I did New York Fashion Week. I got to meet and interact with top-tier people in the industry, which was so special to me. I got to tell them about myself and my business, and pick their brain on the industry, so it was a surreal and an “I made it” opportunity.
What do you look for when considering hiring someone?
LM: When hiring someone I look for experience and honesty. I say experience because this is a very people-oriented business, so if you have no experience working with people, I would be hesitant to hire you. And honesty, because that means you are ethical, and it would give me a chance to get to know you, your abilities to work and your experience.
What advice would you give to a 20-something with similar aspirations?
LM: Always take a chance on yourself, because you never know what the outcome will be. With risk comes rewards, while it may be challenging pushing towards your dreams and always believe in yourself.
What’s the one thing that’s stood out to you the most in a resume?
LM: The “object” is the first thing I look at when reviewing resumes. I love to see a well-balanced object. By that I mean it should not just be about what they want to achieve, but also how they have specific skills that could be an asset to my company and why.