Starrly Gladue, a new entrepreneur in the beauty industry, shares her journey from humble beginnings to becoming a successful business owner, inspiring Indigenous women along the way. “I’ve been in the beauty industry for 14 long years.” Gladue’s journey started with a leap of faith when she left her reserve at 18 to attend makeup school in Vancouver. “I didn’t even know if I would like makeup or if I would be good at it,” she admits, “but I fell completely in love.” 

Her love for makeup evolved over the years, leading her to explore permanent makeup, where she found renewed passion and fell in love all over again. “What gives me the greatest pride is helping to instill confidence in women, especially my Indigenous women,” she says. “I love helping them to feel beautiful and being a part of my community in that way. It’s just so rewarding.”

Despite her success, Gladue’s path to entrepreneurship was not without its challenges. “I’ve faced many challenges,” she reflects. “People trying to bring me down, saying I can’t do this or that.” Along with the voice of others, a little voice in her mind added to the negativity invading her dream of owning a beauty studio. Even facing these obstacles, Gladue persevered and refused to succumb to self-doubt or external negativity. “Pushing past it and not listening to limiting beliefs is something I really had to work on.” Ignoring the voices that tell her she’s not good enough has become easier, and she continues to work hard for success in the beauty industry.

For years, Gladue looked up to people who successfully turned a passion into a business of their own, and finally achieving that goal has been a pinnacle for her. “I used to always look up to people who would take their passion and turn it into their job,” she says. “So, the fact that I finally achieved that is such an amazing feeling.”

In her vision of a perfect world for Indigenous women entrepreneurs, Gladue emphasizes the importance of unity. There is still so much competition, jealousy, and lateral violence, but she believes that those things can be overcome, and continuous love and support can be shown to all.

Gladue credits the Alberta Indian Investment Corporation (AIIC) for providing crucial support during her entrepreneurial journey. “AIIC was such a blessing, I’m so grateful. This came at a time when I didn’t have a lot of financial support, so it was a huge help in getting started. They helped me with the business plan. Looking at a business plan was so daunting at first, but once you break it down, it’s not as hard as it seems if you just do it step-by-step. They were with me every step of the way. It was a really good experience.”

Entrepreneurship offers financial freedom to Gladue, but what she loves most is the creative freedom. “Yes, the time and the income are a big plus, but for me, I love the self-expression and being able to freely be creative and have my own creative space, something to call my own.”

Owning your own business means you can incorporate all of yourself into it; you can create a space that’s all you. When conceptualizing the space for her studio, Gladue wanted to mesh her love of pink and ’90s R&B and hip-hop with an industrial, urban-inspired look. “When you see Beauty on the Block, you’re like, ‘Yep, that’s so Starrly.’”

Aspiring entrepreneurs, especially young girls interested in the beauty industry, receive advice from the Beauty on the Block owner: “If there’s something that you want, especially if you’re passionate about it, just go for it,” she encourages. “If you’re good at it, and you work hard, and you have a positive outlook, you will go far.”