Meet Mischa Smith | Owner of Cosmos Cosmetics and Curios

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

Hi Mischa, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
When I first started considering becoming an entrepreneur at five-years-old I really didn’t think much of the idea. I was me, a little girl selling drawings I made to my mom and dad for a standard fifty cents. I had the classic mindset: do my own thing, succeed, get rich quick, and always be my own boss. However, that all changed when I turned eight, because I realized how legitimately beneficial owning a company would be. Given the fact that I aspire become an actress, owning a company could be my second avenue of income. I marinated on the thought for about a month or two and consulted my brother and family members about the idea. During this time, so many questions filled my head, “how can I do this, I’m only eight years old”, “No one is going to take me seriously”, “I don’t have any money… maybe I should wait until I get older?”. I questioned myself constantly, but most of all I kept thinking why wait when I can start now? So I got serious and concluded that my company would have to benefit both myself and my customer base. It was at that point I decided that my company would solve a problem I, a girl with too many allergies to count, faced every day; my company would sell all-natural and allergen-friendly cosmetics and skin care products.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I am Mischa Smith a 16-year-old aspiring performing artist and owner of Cosmos Cosmetics and Curios based in Clinton, Maryland. I have 13 years of dance training ranging from tap to lyrical and I even choreograph my own pieces for commissions. I began acting on stage at just eight-years-old and have performed on various stages throughout the Maryland and DC area.
I founded Cosmos Cosmetics and Curios when I was eight and officially launched the business in 2019. I aspire to pursue entrepreneurship and performance arts as a career.

What I believe sets me apart from others in the business world and as an artist, is that I say what I mean and I follow through with what I say I will do. I am an honest person, despite how the truth makes me look. I find the people I come into contact with enjoy that quality along with my personality.

It is not easy to put in hard work when trying to achieve dreams, but it is all worth it when the destination is reached. An example of my hard work includes long hours in the dance and theatre studios, working and succeeding in entrepreneurship, and on top of that I’m still in high-school; while it can take a toll, I have learned that it is okay to go at my own pace and to not rush.

I ended up where I am today with hard work and dedication. Unfortunately, I have faced quite a few challenges dealing with most types of jealousy, manipulation, and people that simply did not like me because of who I am and what I do. This is where my dedication and God’s favor on me came into play. If you truly love what you do or really want to continue what you do, you have to remain vigilant, focused, and prayed-up. You have to keep your goals in front of you and always remember who you are. People have come to derail me from my path because they knew I would succeed. The best piece of advice I can offer to anyone is to enjoy the journey and have fun, but remember where you are going.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I often go to the National Harbour to get boba, fancy food, check out the MGM holiday displays, ride the faris wheel. Most recently, I went there for Katsucon. Other cool spots are the parks. Watkins and Cosca parks have exceptional trails and are tons of fun if you like hiking as much as I do.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would like to give a shoutout to my older brother Micah. He is extremely supportive of my goals and is always helping me figure things out. He offers me the best advice and is always there to motivate me when I become stagnant. Micah is phenomenal and I am so glad he is my brother!

Website: https://Etsy.com/shop/CosmeticsbyMischa

Instagram: coscos_curi

Youtube: @cosmoscosmeticsandcurios