When a landlord’s eviction notice landed in her hands in early 2025, Delhi, Louisiana salon owner Justine McCall could have given up. It was just one more blow in a difficult season that also included a miscarriage and lingering financial strain from months of lost income the year before.

But rather than close the doors of her business, Beautifully Blessed Salon & Spa, McCall chose to fight — with faith, determination, and help from the Entrepreneurship Team at Communities Unlimited (CU).

“I put God first in everything,” McCall said. “Faith without work is dead, so I had to do my part too — plan, stay accountable, and keep going.”

That mindset helped her turn crisis into clarity. Since partnering with CU Management Consultant Latoyia Morgan and Senior Management Consultant Rhett Douglas in early 2024, McCall has transformed her salon operations — tracking finances more effectively, implementing systems through QuickBooks and Wix, and learning to read her reports to make data-driven decisions.

What began as a fight for survival has evolved into a story of growth.

McCall said her sales have skyrocketed by more than 50% in 2025, marking the first time since opening her 6,000-square-foot salon in 2023 that she’s finishing the year in the positive. That same space was made possible through support from CU’s Lending Team, which provided funding in 2023 to help her lease and establish the salon, followed by a working capital loan in 2024 that kept the business afloat during a challenging year.

Despite missing significant time and seeing lower-than-expected revenue then, McCall said the assistance helped her push through — and now, in 2025, she’s ending the year with money left in her account and growing confidence in her ability to build wealth.

“Earlier in 2025, I didn’t know how I’d survive, but now I can see and feel the progress,” she said. “My overhead is high, but I’m finally starting to see some of the money I’ve worked so hard to make. That’s a win.”

Building Wealth, One Step at a Time

Through CU’s Wealth Builder Program, McCall received two stipends that helped her reinvest directly into her business. She used the first to purchase new shampoo bowls, dryers, and pedicure chairs — upgrades that allowed her to serve more clients and expand into new services.

“The new pedicure chairs helped me expand my services — and people love them,” McCall said. “Pedicures are universal — everyone gets them. I even have workers from the new Meta data center coming in for services.”

The $10 billion Meta Artificial Intelligence Data Center, now under construction just seven miles west of Delhi (a town of over 2,600) in Richland Parish, is bringing thousands of workers and new economic energy to the region. For McCall, that influx means even more opportunity — and more clients on top of her current clients who have been with her since the early days.

Her second stipend funded a new outdoor sign for the salon — a long-awaited project that’s set to improve her visibility and draw in those new customers.

“I’ve got a new sign and I’m working on adding backlighting,” she added. “I’m waiting on the final approval from my brand strategist to get that installed.”

These investments are part of CU’s strategy to help entrepreneurs like McCall use their businesses to narrow the wealth gap and create generational wealth in rural communities.

A Journey of Growth and Resilience

When McCall first began working with CU’s Entrepreneurship Team, she struggled with organization, time management, and self-accountability — the growing pains of a small-town entrepreneur wearing every hat. Through regular one-on-one coaching, Morgan helped her establish structure, track performance, and focus on consistency.

“Working with Latoyia gave me focus and accountability,” McCall said. “It felt like having a teammate who wanted to see me win. She held me accountable, and that made me hold myself accountable. I could email her anytime, and she always responded with patience and guidance.”

The transformation was measurable. Despite a leaner staff this year, McCall’s salon is outperforming last year’s sales. She’s now employing a part-time cosmetologist and an assistant — with plans to grow her team again soon. And though she once feared losing her business entirely, she’s now thinking long-term about wealth building, expansion, and mentorship.

Faith, Focus, and Forward Motion

For McCall, every milestone — from hiring a new stylist to seeing her balance sheet in the green — is a reminder that progress is possible even after deep setbacks.

“I’ve had a lot of hurdles — financial and personal,” she said. “It was a tough time, but I kept praying and pushing forward. Having that support from Latoyia and Communities Unlimited made a difference. It reminded me that people believe in me, and that keeps you going. Everyone needs somebody.”

Her message to other rural entrepreneurs about working with CU is simple:

“Do it. It’s a blessing and a benefit for your business. It felt like I gained a friend who wanted to see me succeed.”

Beautifully Blessed exemplifies what resilience and smart business growth can achieve in rural America.