Do you know what your “GIFT” is? Some people can answer that question without hesitation, some of us have to really think about it first.   At the early age of 13, I had no clue what direction I wanted my life to take. I just knew deep within me that I was never going to work for anyone but myself. You might say hmm….. good for you, some might say working for yourself is too much work. I grew up on an Island where the main source of income for everyone was derived from tourism. As a result, I was always surrounded by people who were entrepreneurs. Did they influence my decision to become self-employed later on in life? Not really…. So, here is my story. On the island, there was a famous yacht club which was managed by a French woman from Martinique. I had always heard horrible stories of how she treated her workers. She screamed at them, often belittling them and showed no respect for the talents and work ethic they brought to her business. One day, the unthinkable happened. She spat on an employee that had displeased her!! How disgusting, and oh…sooo unacceptable!! Just try to think of what it is like to have no functional labour board to report to when you are being mistreated by your employer. Imagine too, being fired if you try to stand up for yourself. Well, that life was just not for me. It would not be the way that I would put food on the table. So, yes, the wealthy lady from Martinique completely changed my view of being an employee. When I graduated from high school, I went to work for my mother in her grocery store. There, I had my share of responsibilities: paper work, filing of invoices, price labelling, inventory, operating the cash register, and…doing it all without making an error.…arrggh!!!  Dear Lord, if I made a mistake, my mother was the harshest of taskmasters. So, working in the family business, I had no clue what it felt like to get up early in the morning to catch the bus or train in order to go to work and clock in on time. If you asked me right now how to write a resume, I could not tell you. I would learn how to if it was ever necessary, but thus far, I have not needed that particular skill. I migrated to Canada almost 20 years ago and it was not easy being in a new country. I have done my share of babysitting, house cleaning and hair braiding. Back on the Island, I learned to braid my own hair with extension after I paid a friend to get it done in a style I had seen her done on someone else, the end result was very disappointing and she did not do justice to the style on me. So, I went home and, painstakingly, removed each braid, redoing them the best I could. After I came to Canada, the more I practiced the better I became. Before I knew it, braiding had become a part- time job. As word spread and I got busier, my part-time venture turned full-time, and in 2006, I started my own business under the banner BRAIDS BY SELMA. I became very busy and my workday grew longer and longer. Three years later, a new opportunity presented itself: learning how to make wigs. So I decided to start another company. I was excited!! Nothing could stop me now. I threw caution to the wind and spent thousands of dollars that I did not have, to further pursue my dream of being a hair extension and hair replacement specialist. Well the irony is, I lost everything and fell all the way to the bottom. You would think that would be enough to make me quit. Well surprisingly, it wasn’t. oh no, not me,…. I was always searching for the next opportunity. Even from the bottom, I was still spending money trying out my next project. Back in 2007, I came across a very talented young woman who inspired me to do greater things. I knew what I wanted to do, but fear was eating me alive and keeping me chained… I worked for long hours and was under-pricing my work for so long that it was taking a toll on me both physically and financially. I knew there had to be a better way. I sought out help from other business people who coached me on how to pursue my dream, but again fear was holding me back. If you have been where I am talking about, then you know what I mean. Fear can cripple you and put you in a dead zone. In 2013, I got into a car accident that caused injuries to my hand, so I could not work as much as I wanted. Having to do treatments every week had put a huge financial strain on me and my family. Eventually, I resorted to taking steroid injections so that I could get back to full-time work. Did I give up? Not at all! After battling so long with the decision as to whether or not to get my cosmetology license, this latest incident forced me to take the plunge. I went back to school part- time, traveling 4 hrs 10 mins three days per week in order to make my dream a reality. I finally felt like I was soaring like an eagle, then came the other set back, my hand injuries was a major problem in me moving in that direction. I had to go down in prayer this time to asked God for his guidance on the path he wanted me to take. Well, let’s say his answer to me was not the most welcoming one. He threw me a curve ball, a path filled with many obstacles, but I had to trust him. This route was the only one I could have taken in order to live out my real purpose. I Love working with hair. No matter what other skills I may possessed, hair keeps rearing its head at every corner I turned. I now have over 17 years of experience working with hair extensions. I can talk about braids and weaves in my sleep. I can solve hair problems that seem impossible to counteract. I do not consider myself a hairstylist, but I can hold my own. I am a problem solver when it comes to hair issues whether it be natural hair, hair extensions, hair pieces or wigs. This is what I do. I would love to share my passion with as many people as time and circumstances will allow. You don’t have to be a stylist, but whatever God, Allah, Buddha, or a higher power put in your heart is your gift to share with the world. Yes, some will, and some won’t, so what? Are you just going to keep it to yourself or would you want to share it with others? I am still growing and learning, every day is a new hurdle to surmount, but I am not going to stop or give up. I am here to share my story for as long as I have the health and strength to do so. So, what is your story? What is your gift? Do you have what it takes to share it with the world? To join our email list for the following subscriptions please click on the respective links below. To Your Success Selma Bruce Owner & Founder royalhaircompany.international