Beautician Jasmine Smith was just finishing her maternity leave following the birth of her first child when the pandemic forced her business, Beya Salon Studio & Allie, to shut down. At the time, Smith, who holds a license in cosmetology, had been in the process of growing and expanding her business. Instead, she found herself struggling to make ends meet.

Smith applied for the Strength in Beauty Fund, a relief effort supporting Atlanta’s cosmetology industry workers who have been adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“Invest Atlanta was a huge comfort to me,” says Smith. “Everyone there was great.”

Being a recipient of the fund has helped Smith maintain her bills and recoup some of the losses resulting from wasted supplies, as well as cancellations. Additionally, the fund has enabled her to subscribe to some paid marketing platforms to promote her business on social media. 

“The fund helped me keep things afloat,” says Smith. “And here we are, six months in, and still not back to normal. So the fund has really helped.”