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

Hi Taura, where are your from? We’d love to hear about how your background has played a role in who you are today?
I was born in Houston, Texas and raised partially in Bronx, New York and mostly in Raleigh, North Carolina. My background is Jamaican. My family growing up in a 3rd world country, made me appreciate the small joys of life especially non-materialistic things. Being exposed to different cultures/backgrounds from a young age into adulthood, has played a huge role in my upbringing. I am a lover of all people no matter their culture, race, sexual preference etc.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I started my career as a self-taught, makeup artist in 2016. I was fueled by passion, by the love of creating and the sheer satisfaction of others when they looked in the mirror after I’ve made them “beautiful”. The term Goddess derived from my middle name “Amoy” which means “Jamaican goddess”—I wanted all of my clients to feel and look like a beautiful goddess.

I jumped into the makeup industry head first. I had no idea how to price my services, how to obtain clients, how to brand or market etc. I had to learn EVERYTHING on my own. Being the independent women that I am, I refused to ask for help instead, I did my research. I practiced on myself endlessly, I had sleepless nights and cried many nights as well but I knew this is what I wanted to do. It all paid off. I became known, locally for my ‘GODDESS BEAT’ and the rest was history!

In April of 2018, I birthed my cosmetic line Goddess Minx by Taura Amoy. This was my way of reaching potential clients/customers that were outside of the Raleigh-Durham area, I wanted my brand to become global. At this time I chose to do a little more research about brand identity, target market and marketing on social media in the most effective way. Implementing all that I learned from my research, I was able to pivot my business to reach the customers/clients that fit into my ideal target market.

A few months after March of 2020, after having to shut down my beauty services because of the pandemic, my cosmetic brand was able to find a space in 2 local malls of Raleigh, North Carolina—Crabtree Valley Mall and Triangle Town Center. This was an absolute dream come true being that the pandemic brought a world wind of confusion to beauty providers across the nation. Being in store brought its challenges and sacrifices but nonetheless, I was grateful to be able to connect face to face with my customers. I believe it’s so important for people to see the face behind the brand in order to REALLY make a connection.

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?
Queening Always by Amineh Johnny. She is one of my closest friends who helped me come out or a dark place. She has supported me tremendously and has changed my views in many ways. Her brand is all about love, support and being your true self. She deserves all the recognition and I owe a lot to her.

Website: www.goddessbeats.com

Instagram: _goddessbeatsmua and _goddessminxco

Facebook: Goddess Beats & Beauty and Goddess Minx by Taura Amoy

Youtube: Goddess Beats & Beauty

Image Credits
1. Chocolate Girl Photography 2. Berry Bomb Photography

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutLA is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.