Meet Marcy Floyd | Actress; Artist; Fashion and Jewelry Designer; Natural Cosmetic Product Formulator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Marcy Floyd and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Marcy, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
When starting my own business, my first thought was freedom. Freedom from the hassle of dealing with Corporate America: compromising my creativity and having to confirm to the skewed ideas and protocols in order to “hopefully” climb the ladder to be promoted in a company that is not based on morals. My creativity sets me “free”. I’m free to explore ideas on my own time as well as impact others with my positive vibes without being reprimanded for it. Therefore, in starting this business, I hope to encourage others with the same positive mindset and serve as an example to those who think it’s impossible to live out your dreams and do what you actually love on your time.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Everything offered under my brand YcraMStudios is handmade, designed, formulated, and created by myself. It’s a process, as I go into deep meditation and possible research before executing any idea. This process can sometimes take a couple of minutes and sometimes up to months.

I am most proud of what my brand has allowed me to do. The fact that I was able to walk away from a stable career, uproot my life and move to Atlanta with no home of my own or job, and start living the life that I’ve always desired is simply a dream come true. To some it may seem unattainable. However, I am so grateful for my upbringing which has instilled a level of faith that is unmatched by most. Was it easy? Absolutely not! The main trial was rejection, which I faced a lot of while trying to make a name for myself. In some cases, I still experience it, but I’ve learned how to accept what’s not for me and to acknowledge and express gratitude for what’s undeniably mine.

Along this journey, I’ve learned that everyone is not going to support you. However, there are so many people whom you have not personally encountered who are watching your every move and who are inspired by you. Those ‘strangers’ (or should I call them ‘friends’) are the ones rooting for you – and other than my own personal satisfaction, ultimately, that’s who I do it for.

My brand, YcraMStudios (YcraM is Marcy spelled backwards) is MY brand. I live by it and it makes a living for me. If I have any difficulties or hardships, I still have my brand which encompasses all of my gifts -including, but not limited to, art, natural hair and skincare product formulation, customized clothing and shoes, jewelry design, special effects makeup, etc. As it blesses me, my main desire is that it will bless and inspire others.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If a friend were to visit, I would love for them to get the whole experience that this city has to offer. While I’m still figuring it out for myself, I would probably introduce them to the Beltline and Piedmont Park where they can experience an array of people and cultures in one setting. I’m such a foodie, so we’d probably eat everywhere from the good soul food at Busy Bee’s Cafe, to Bombay Indian Cuisine, or maybe Spice House on Panola or Kool Runnings in Norcross for good ol’ oxtails and Caribbean food. For a quick sweet snack, we may stop by Red Velvet Mama in Stonecrest Mall and enjoy a delectable cupcake or slice of homemade red velvet cake. We would probably go shopping for some original pieces at some of the local boutiques and probably ride through Little Five Points to see what it has to offer as well. Hopefully, there will be a festival of some sort, and we would definitely be in attendance.
As far as nightlife, we’ll keep our ears to the streets to hear what’s safe and popping.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I could go on and on recognizing others who have encouraged me to step out on faith, but no one deserves more recognition than my late grandmother Juanita Gavin who was affectionately referred to as “DEAR”. Her words of wisdom and the exemplary lifestyle that she led encouraged me to never stop striving and to step out on faith and believe in God and myself before I believed in others. She offered many words of encouragement – some cliché, others very personable – and supported each and every endeavor no matter how big or small. When faced with the dilemma to leave my former career as a Chemist to pursue art, she reminded me that I’m naturally an artist because that is my God-given gift, but I’ll always be a Chemist because of the knowledge that I’ve acquired and no one can take that away. Hence the reason for the combination of my businesses being artistic as well as scientific.

Instagram: www.instagram.com/ycramstudios

Image Credits
Tangie Renee Photography Last Photo: Model – Nadia Tellis Photographer – Brian Pride Photography