If there is one thing the young adults of our time can admit, it is the rise of entrepreneurial pursuits. In the Black community, the establishment of concrete enterprise has been a collective goal for the sake of achieving a sense of independence and monetary comfort. Quaniece Shearin understood such a way during the opportune era and rose stationed through social media mediums in the likes of Instagram.
Born and raised in Staten Island, Quaniece is familiar with the happenings of a small knit community. Among the ambitious, the infancy of her entrepreneurial journey hones a humble beginning as Quaniece determined their niche, gearing into the world of vanity. One of her earliest ventures is as early as 2012 with her Pinkie Q jewelry line. Pinkie Q was born during the rise of Instagram-bound businesses, features and years before the app’s shop tab-a time when Big Cartel hosted shops were the standard.
Affectionately referred to as Q, Quaniece became an active network marketer, slating reality television stars such as Erica Mena, to sport their pieces during episodes of their hit shows. The same year, she launched a lip gloss line where she was hands on with product development. With this prowess, Quaniece became a part of a pioneering collective of modern Black entrepreneurs.
Quaniece prioritized elevating her product as a service provider, even if it involved the birth of a new initiative. The years of 2012 and 2013 were met with the unapologetic display of cosmetic surgery throughout social media targeting the enlargement of buttocks and breasts. The coke bottle phenomenon was at large among young women, especially those pursuing any sector of entertainment and hospitality from aspiring singers to strip club bartenders. Not only was there a cosmetic phenomenon among such women, but a rise in interest in such positions. At one point, in order for a woman to get a position working as a strip club bartender, your shape must fit the “vixen” aesthetic. Several women were open to conducting invasive surgeries to achieve the look with procedures including liposuction, fat transfer, and breast argumentation.
For Quaniece, this was an opportunity to be a solution. There were two main problems Q sought out to resolve. One, the availability of alternative non-invasive ways to achieve the look, and two, a cost-effective method. She went on to get aesthetics training and earn the respective license to practice its administration. Hence the birth of Bodied Parlor, a mobile beauty spa featuring non-surgical body contouring vacuum therapy and teeth whitening service. Quaniece started off as a mobile business, where she serviced clients at the comfort of their home. Two years into operation, she expanded in services offering wood therapy, skin tightening, vaginal facials and beard facials for men, causing her to transition into opening a physical location.
In 2021, Quaniece opened the first Bodied Parlor location in Elmhurst, Queens. With Q, there is no limitation when it comes to being the solution. She listens and observes the needs of her clientele. Bodied Parlor became one of the earliest top-rated beauty spas in the Insta-business era. Additional techniques such as needless enhancements and waxing were included leading Quaniece to incorporate staff. She launched the Body and Beauty Academy, where training is offered to those who desire to get into the beauty business. Some recipients of the training were hired to work at Bodied Parlor. This stance accelerated when she opened the second location of Bodied Parlor in Brooklyn, which marks the second expansion of the brand. Bodied Parlor evolved into an overall beauty bar as makeup, nail, eyebrow, and lip filler services were added, attracting a broader scope of vanity seeking clientele.
From Pinkie Q, to Body and Beauty Academy, to Bodied Parlor, Quaniece hones a prowess that is exemplary in the world of Black entrepreneurship. The limitation of being from a small knit community served as a portal of motivation to be victorious. We got the chance to interview the sedulous entrepreneur last year, delving into their journey from mobile to two locations. It is safe to conclude that Quaniece is a thought leader in modern entrepreneurship in the New York City beauty industry as she has inspired many to pursue this route of self-establishment.
