Thirty year-old entrepreneur and CEO of ProperlyGuided Natural HairCare and Beauty Salon, Mrs. Oprah Annmarie Williams knew from the age of seven that she was destined to be in the field of cosmetology.
She first openly shared her ambitions in a class when her teacher asked the students to say what they wanted to be when they grew up.
Everyone else stated, “doctor!”, “lawyer!” and “nurse!” but Williams was sure of her future.
As manifestation and the power of God had it, Williams is now in cosmetology changing lives one natural hair type at a time.
The Divine Plan
As a Christian, Williams is guided by God in all her decisions. This is evident even in the name of her salon.
“I saw the name of the salon in a dream. The spelling was ProperlyGuided as one word and I shared it with my husband. I was confused because at the time, I had no idea what it meant,” Mrs. Williams said in a recent interview with FunTimes Magazine.
That dream came at a time when intense transformation unfolded in her life.
Williams was at the last days of her job in another salon where the relationship was tumultuous; one filled with belittlement and other forms of verbal abuse from her employer. It affected her mental health and led her to struggle with the decision to resign.
The dream turned out to be part of a bigger divine plan to propel the young beauty therapist further into the purpose she confidently spoke of as a child.
“Little did I know, God was working through my husband in that he did the groundwork to secure the necessary documentation needed to start a business in the beauty industry. He had even begun scoping out potential locations for the salon. I had no idea because my husband did that portion alone with God’s help. That part of the plan was not revealed to me until I left my job,” she tells FunTimes Magazine.
Williams resigned in late 2017 and was in limbo wondering how she would make a living doing what she enjoys and is destined to do.
During this time period, she slowly began to understand and piece together that the process and time in her life was bigger than her as her husband showed her all the work he had done.
With a few months of uncertainty post resignation, Williams opened the salon doors in February of 2018 with her husband by her side and God’s blessing ever abundant.
Teen pregnancy
Another chapter of her story that helped to shape her current situation is that of her pregnancy as a teen.
Becoming a mother at the age of 16 can be traumatic and life altering. However, Williams used it as a stepping stone instead of focusing on her trauma.
Williams struggled as a teen mom but it did not define her. She graduated high school and received the support of her mother. Despite ridicule from her peers, their parents and family including her father, she sought jobs, went back to school to sit courses she failed.
“I had many rough days where I cried and felt defeated. But, I never quit. I had my son to live for and a life to build for us,” she tells FunTimes Magazine.
“Even where my husband, Ricardo, is concerned, I still can’t believe that he came into my life. I was sure that no man would want to be with me especially because I was a single mother. That was evident through a few failed relationships. However, God had other plans and I am forever grateful,” she continues.
Encouragement for others
In a passionate burst of encouragement, Williams urges folks in similar situations to trust God and keep moving.
“Brush the dirt off your feet, believe in yourself and do not quit,” she says.
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Oprah Williams’ life to this point is truly best described as tests that turn into testimonies. She has used her trials as learning opportunities to better improve her life and positively impact the lives of others. Follow the work she and her staff does on Instagram @properlyguidednatural.
Candice Stewart is a Jamaican content writer specializing in human interest feature stories. She is a web content writer, blogger, and budding podcaster.
She holds an MA in Communication for Social and Behaviour Change and a BSc. in Psychology from the University of the West Indies (UWI, Mona).
Follow her blog at thesuburbangirlja.com, where she shares stories and life lessons through real-life experiences.
