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BF meets ... Yana Johnson MBE
Yana Johnson is the founder of Yana Cosmetics – a truly inspiring entrepreneur with not just with 5 awards, including Black Enterprise Award for Entrepreneur of the Year, but in this years New Honours list she received an MBE for outstanding achievement and service to the cosmetics industry. She’s also an accomplished singer/songwriter having worked with the likes of Massive Attack and Shola Ama.
Is there no end to this woman’s talents, we just had to meet her and ask her our ‘fabulous ten’…
1. Before Yana Cosmetics you had a successful career in music – at what point did you decide to pursue this new direction, did you have any idea that you’d end up where you are today?
NO, basically. I have been writing since the age of 14 for BBC radio 4 and was involved in drama productions. Pursuing my career as a singer/songwriter made me see that celebrity image and I wanted to give this a transition here by translating beauty images to everyday makeup wearers and by providing good quality products that work. I still song write and feel successful with my music because it’s a professional hobby that I’m good at.
2. What was your biggest hurdle from dream to business plan – how did you overcome it?
Believing in myself and pursuing the fact that what I was doing was real, valuable and of benefit to others. To keep a dream alive you have to be very focused and able to stand on your own enthusiasm to bring through any vision to completion.
3. At the Winners – Rise and Rise of Black British Entrepreneurs event you talked about having a ‘Cash Converter Principle’ – we like the sound of that, can you tell us more?
I guess what I’m saying in short is that we are educated to a degree and before much of today’s modern way of living, people employed their services when all else failed from cooking, to childcare, to fixing and mending things and solving someone else’s problems. I believe that we have lost some of that ability to survive through anything and people become complacent or just don’t trust their own instincts enough to make a business out of some very basic principles of converting time, energy, skill into cash.
4. What was the single most empowering piece of advice you’ve ever been given, who gave it to you?
You can do anything, given to me by my Dad, my mum and my aunt Beryl, all successful people in their own lives. They are my mentors and role models.
5. As an award winning woman in business what are your 3 top tips that you still follow today
Trust yourself, believe in yourself
Put God first
Treat others as you would yourself.
6. What have been the things in life that have inspired you most?
Learning about Black History, once I knew who I was and where I come from colour was never a barrier but I knew how to go forward with my gifts, my skills, my cultural gifts to others in understanding their needs.
7. You are still very much involved in music, and you even released an album (which sold over 40,000 copies in Japan) – do have any more plans for your music career?
I am working on an album and two books.
8. What did it mean to you being awarded an MBE, would you say that’s your biggest achievement to date?
I think that my first award was the biggest breakthrough moment, the MBE was beyond what I had ever imagined, being acknowledged by people we respect who represent our country, it’s a huge achievement, to have so young.
9. With so many things going on in your life, editor of Blacknet, Make your Mark Ambassador, a Gospel Minister and the launch of your Yana Make-up Representative Programme YMR, how do you make time for yourself, what do you do everyday to feel Fabulous?
I’m a Christian which means that all that I struggle with in life is helped by my faith and morals that I’m taught, for me balance is everything so I am always aware of making time for my 10 year old daughter Gabriela and having quality time with her, my own needs, such as Gym, pampering and cooking, writing and friends and church, I hate when the day ends, I’m the first to wake up in the morning.
10. What’s next in store for you?
International Brand growth, and developments within the brand with two new product launches. Travel, quality time and lots of creative output!
If you’d like to know more about Yana head to: www.yanacosmetics.com
About the author
Name: Karen Davis
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