PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — For Mary Nava, building a beauty business in Palm Beach Gardens has meant more than creating a career.
After leaving Venezuela and starting over in South Florida, the Latina entrepreneur says she is now able to create opportunities for other women while building the future she wanted for her family through her business, Lashes Brows and Beauty by Mary.
Nava told WPTV she came to South Florida about a decade ago with a clear goal, even though she did not yet know what her path would look like.
WATCH: Palm Beach Gardens entrepreneur opens doors for Latinas
"I need to build a future for my family, for my kids, for me," Nava said.
Today, Nava works alongside a team of Latina beauty professionals, an accomplishment she once did not imagine for herself.
Starting over in South Florida
Building that future required Nava to leave behind the life she knew in Venezuela.
"I left behind my country. I left behind my family, my profession," she said.
After becoming certified in Lake Worth, Nava decided to establish herself in Palm Beach Gardens.
The transition presented new challenges. Nava said she had to adapt to a different culture, learn a new language and earn the trust of clients in a community where English was predominantly spoken.
"One of the biggest challenges I had was build a client from scratch," Nava said. "I needed people trusting in me and my services."
But Nava said quitting was never an option.
"I don't know how, but the only thing I need to know is I couldn't give up," she said.
Creating opportunities for other Latina professionals
As Nava's business grew, so did her ability to help other women pursue their own careers.
"Now I can open the door for other women to grow with me together," Nava said.
For Nava, that opportunity represents a full-circle moment.
"This country gave me opportunities, and now I can bring opportunities to someone else," she said.
Her story also reflects a deeply personal definition of success. Rather than measuring it only by her own achievements, Nava said she values the opportunities she can create for others and the example she can set for the next generation.
Setting an example for her daughter
That example is already having an impact at home.
Nava's daughter, Maiah Rodriguez, said she hopes to follow the work ethic she sees in her mother.
"When I grow up, I want to be like her and do hard work, just like her," Rodriguez said.
For Nava, a journey that began with leaving her country and starting over has grown into something larger: a chance to build a future for her family while helping other women build futures of their own.
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