Wednesday Wonder Woman: Nadia Francois

Nadia Francois is native of Baton Rouge Louisiana, a mother of four sons, and jack of all trades with a heart of gold who has always stood out from the rest at a young age.  A big believer in faith and family, Nadia grew up watching her father become a well-known business owner in the community with a creative talent that got him customers like MC Hammer in the late 1980’s to the early 1990s. Her mother was a registered nurse who taught Nadia that hard work will always pay off if you’re diligent about what you want and how you want it. Growing up with no siblings, Nadia was always taking on a task bigger than herself and made goals that only some could imagine reaching.  In 2013, Nadia established Sistars Of Empowerment Social Organization Inc., a nonprofit organization whose mission is to empower women by equipping them with the skills to succeed.

Now let me tell you what I know of Nadia, because she was one of our first advertisers and we’ve worked on other projects before. Nadia is one of the few business owners I know that I would truly call “real” and categorize as a “friend”, and by that I mean she not only supports you when you are up, but also supports you when no one else may be thinking of you. I love her consistency, and I admire all that she has accomplished and her personal growth over the years. We aren’t on a “girl let me call you daily” basis, but when we do talk, I am always encouraged and inspired by her honesty and understanding. Plus she’s a Libra sister, so you know… We need more Black women like Nadia, and now you all can read how dope this Wednesday Wonder Woman really is.

Fancy: How would you describe your swagher? What makes Nadia, Nadia?

Nadia: The Libra charm along with my thirst for knowledge and success.

Fancy: So we’ve featured you in the past, and we’ve discussed Critique Hair Studio and Sistars of Empowerment, but because you have grown so much since then,  please share a little about those and what’s new?

Nadia: SOE is still thriving and working hard to uplift and unify women and youth in the community, and we have expanded to the Lafayette area.  I made a decision to rename my salon to Heiress Beauty Lounge to go along with my brand and newest business venture Heiress Cosmetics, which includes an array beauty products from lashes, eye shadows, lip sticks, balms, glosses, and nail polish.

Fancy: Now you are also offering empowerment coaching and services to teach others how to start their businesses. What brought you to this decision? 

Nadia: Yes, I do. I have been an entrepreneur since the age of 19, and from that time until now I have had successes and failures. I was not formally educated in business as I started college as a nursing major. However in 2012, I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business administration. Of course by that time I had already owned a few businesses, including Critique Hair Studio. When God placed it in me to establish an outreach organization, he also placed in me the ability to bless others with the knowledge that I have gained. So in 2017, I launched Elevate Academy through my nonprofit. Elevate Academy is a series if business workshops that help aspiring entrepreneurs get informed and educated on running their business

Fancy: What all does your coaching entail?

Nadia: My coaching entails mentoring, consulting, and accountability. 

Fancy: What topics do you typically speak on?

Nadia: I speak on a number of topics from business to parenting, finances and beauty.

Fancy: You recently released The Entrepreneur Activity Workbook. Please share more about this venture.

Nadia: This workbook is a great tool for start up businesses. It has step-by-step activities that. guides you from brainstorming to the end result of a business plan. It is great as a work along to the elevate academy workshops or a stand alone.

Fancy: What has been your biggest obstacle whether professionally or personally, and how did you overcome it?  

Nadia: My biggest obstacle is overcoming the issues of my personal life and not letting it affect my work ethic. Being a single parent can easily spill over into work life and cloud all business functions, but to prioritize and activate faith is a great start to pushing through.

Fancy: What do you believe has attributed to your success? 

Nadia: Grace and mercy alone…. it has been a struggle, and I am not where I want to be, but i am definitely on the right track. Staying focused and never giving up regardless of what life throws at me has attributed to my success.

Fancy: One thing I’ve noticed that you are good at is sustaining business relationships. How do you do it?

Nadia: Stay real and tell the truth. One thing about entrepreneurs, is that we all know the struggle.

Fancy: Do you have any upcoming events or projects that you care to share?

Nadia: Yes, we have Women’s Empowerment Week coming up March 24 -31 and we are kicking it off with a Women’s Empowerment Brunch on March 24^th.

To connect with Nadia or get a copy of the workbook, visit www.nadiafrancois.com. To learn more about Women’s Empowerment Week or Sistars of Empowerment, visit www.Sistarsofempowerment.com.

Also follow and connect  on IG at @sistarsofempowerment_2013.

-Fancy