Meet Charlie Hawkins Kelsey Dejesus | C&K Beauty Bar Owners

We had the good fortune of connecting with Charlie Hawkins Kelsey Dejesus and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Charlie Hawkins, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
Charlie: Honestly, I knew from a very young age that I always wanted to be in some type of business for myself. After high school my passion of makeup grew, where I started to build clientele and I knew that if anything was going to take me somewhere; makeup was going to be the start. Kelsey and I decided to move to Atlanta in 2018 and from there we started the idea of “C&K Beauty Bar”. Our logo drawing on a McDonalds brown bag was the start to a process that has now gotten us our very first brick and mortar location.

Kels: After I got out of the military i knew I didn’t want to work for someone else. I just never knew what I wanted to start with. As time passed and I started business school things slowly started coming together.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Charlie: Starting a business is one of the hardest things you could do in your life, especially when you start a business with a partner. Collectively coming together with the idea of the business, how the business should be ran, down to the design of the logo could be challenging when there is more than one person involved with making a business work. One thing I take pride in is being able to openly communicate with my business partner. Having a 10 year+ friendship may have a little to do with it but we also understand that we want this to be bigger than the both of us so in order for that to happen we have to have those tough conversations and make those decisions TOGETHER. Sometimes it takes more than one conversation for us to come to the same page but better multiple conversations than just one where two ideas still linger and nothing is resolved.

Kels: When I got out of the military I really wanted to focus on what I wanted to do next. It was a big transition but I knew I wanted to get into business. I just didn’t know which industry or how it wanted to do it. After moving to Atlanta I started business school at GSU and when my business partner started Esthetician school it really showed me I wanted to be in more than just the business side. I am excited for all that is to come and all there is to learn.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Charlie: Ohh man!! That’s is easy! All of my bestfriends love some food! So more than likely we would hit up a restaurant; maybe Milk & Honey on Main St. Couple that with some drinks and bowling; Bowlero for the win. Ending the night at the house, playing card games and listening to music. The whole week would pretty be much like that: out to eat, find a little entertainment, and then ending the night at the house.

Kels: That’s easy an easy one. I’m a big food person so we would probably just pick a couple restaurants and try them! I also love to hike at Stone Mountain so I would probably take them there as well. I’m a homebody so it would definitely give me an excuse to get out!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Charlie: For me, It definitely would have to be my mother. She definitely believed in me and my craft that she was the very first person to actually book C&K Beauty Bar for a couple of her events. Also want to give a small shout out to my support group, my inner circle, they are always there with encouraging words as well as to stay on me when I’m slipping sometimes.

Kels: I want to give a shout-out to my village. Everyone in it knows who they are. I have been blessed with some supportive and amazing people in my life. I wouldn’t be where I am today if it weren’t for them.

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