Amari Briggs, founder of Amari B Studios in Little Rock, Arkansas, discovered her passion for beauty nearly 30 years ago. It started in high school when she helped a friend with vitiligo regain confidence with a simple makeover.
“I took her to the mall and got her a special pen, and I saw her confidence go from zero to 100,” Briggs said. “I realized how much I love making people feel good about themselves, and in doing so, I found that it actually boosted my own confidence as well.”
After years of working at the Make-up Art Cosmetics (MAC) counter and gaining experience, including opportunities like New York Fashion Week, Amari decided to turn her passion into a business.
What Amari loves most about cosmetics is the transformation and the limitless possibilities makeup offers. Whether simple or complex, the artistry in makeup captivates her.
“I love art, I love color, I love using my imagination, and with makeup, you can create anything,” Briggs said.
Amari connected with the Entrepreneurship Team at Communities Unlimited (CU) on the recommendation of Quinyatta Mumford from Village Public Health and Wellness, who had experienced success working with CU. Amari sought assistance to make her business profitable and sustainable as a full-time job. She worked with CU Management Consultant James Custer.
During the initial assessment, James identified that Amari had no formal bookkeeping system and needed help understanding how to track her finances. Additionally, due to health-related issues that made it difficult for her to spend long hours on her feet, a pivot from the traditional beauty salon model was necessary. With CU’s guidance, Amari was able to address these challenges and begin transforming her business.
Amari now travels with a gospel artist several times a month, enjoying the work and earning more for her time than before.
She has also identified a smaller, more affordable location to provide services to a select number of clients. Additionally, James is working with her to explore the launch of a private-label makeup product for a setting spray that her clients frequently request.
While they are still working on establishing a solid bookkeeping system, Amari’s business is now far better aligned with her personal and financial needs. James anticipates a new scope of work to continue refining her bookkeeping and assist with the potential launch of her private-label products.
Amari expressed gratitude to CU for their assistance in making her business more profitable and stable.
“James was instrumental in streamlining my processes, which was a game-changer for me,”
— Amari Briggs, Owner Amari B Studios
“As a creative, the business side of things was never my strength — I just wanted to focus on my work,
create, and transform my clients. Before, I didn’t have solid procedures or systems in place to handle accounting and other business tasks, which used to give me a lot of anxiety. With James, managing my business is now much easier.”
