Today we’d like to introduce you to Destiny Cox.
Hi Destiny, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
The oldest of 3, God, family, and beauty sum me up. The beauty found me, people may say they found beauty, but no beauty found me; beauty saved my family and me. It was a divine, purposeful and financial lifeline from God.
My destiny found me one day just curious about hairdressing; my mom was the hairdresser. First, I had the freedom from time to time to style my hair, and at the age of 14, my grandmother spoke of success in my career if I chose to follow the path of a cosmetologist.
I received her blessing, and the next day, I started taking clients from my high school; it happened so fast; I couldn’t believe what I loved to do; I actually could help my family at a young age. I grew up in South Memphis and graduated from Frayser High School. I didn’t see success, and I was determined not to be a statistic; I was going to take my gift and, with god, make my dreams come true.
There is no story to how I made it here without you knowing my stomping grounds and the people who supported me throughout my career, please note my family was my support team, my church, my teachers, and my friends.
Although I was quiet, my talent made noise and the word got out quickly. I believed in my gift to make others beautiful and feel just as beautiful on the inside. I quickly created a plan while in high school to become a licensed cosmetologist and own my own salon one day, those dreams came true but, they didn’t stop there!
I completed my cosmetology training at servant vocational while in high school. Later, after graduation while attending the University of Memphis as an undergrad, I yearned to join the beauty industry full time, “I did, building my clientele from the ground up, the old fashion way going door to door, business and hitting the malls, I was determined.
At age 19, I joined a cosmetology instructor training program on a dare and for 3 years learned from the best in Memphis how to facilitate and hone in on my newfound gift, teaching in a classroom. I was inspired to continue a career in beauty education that has lasted and still thriving some 23 years later.
As an educator, I sought to grow my skills and enhance my education arsenal. I became a platform artist and worked with global beauty brands, graced large stages, traveled the world teaching at conferences, conventions, in-salon training about how this beauty industry saved my life. It never felt like work.
My gift has definitely taken me across many countries and languages, and it came out of Memphis, south Memphis & Frayser, my foundation! My beauty education and love for writing, which I fell in love with in high school, brought me success when I authored books to help enhance the skills of beauty professionals, secrets of a colorist & teach me color are still 2 popular books and curriculums used in beauty education.
There will be a summer release of a global publication I contributed to shipped to beauty professionals across the globe, I’m so excited about that project, please look for it to come. After years of a progressive travel schedule sharing hair color with all the world, there came a time when I simply stopped everything and followed the plan of god to the next level in my life by pursuing just the interest of opening a beauty school.
It had always been my dream to take all I’ve learned and bring it together to enhance the beauty industry. So, after careful market research in January 2019, the DCI Academy School of aesthetics was opened as a specialty school in Memphis; at that time, it was one of a few in the state.
With passion and ideas blazing, I’ve taken the love of beauty, education, and technology to create an educational experience non-traditional in every way. With the growing success of the DCI Academy School of aesthetics, we now saw a need to give the same experience to aspiring cosmetologists.
In December 2020, we opened DCI Academy School of cosmetology, and both schools combined, starting with ten students to 79 students within a matter of 2 years during a global pandemic, knowing that I made a difference in one student’s life is a lifetime of joy, my life’s work is dedicated to serving others. Knowing that we’re here for a reason and make a difference in the lives of our students, teachers, staff, and future students is all that matters.
With an overwhelming response from Memphians and friends around the globe who witnessed the success of our students through social media, we’ve been blessed to give scholarships, donations, gift cards, and so much more to our students. At last count, we have given over $250,000 in scholarships to students to assist them in their education. That’s a big deal because we just celebrated our 3rd anniversary.
We’re excited about what’s to come in the future. Also, as a school owner, educator, sister, aunt, and friend, I love to see another win! I’m a strategy coach for kingdom entrepreneur’s beauty professionals looking to make their footprints in the sand to success.
My business allows me to do what I love; I still travel and train with a new perspective.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
Definitely, not a smooth ride but ask me was it worth it, the answer will always be YES, there are some experiences you cannot hit the skip button on. You have to go through the process and in life, the process is hardly ever an easy level. Some struggles were personally and internally, second-guessing whether you deserve to be here at this age, “here” is a place of success!
Yes, we deserved to be there because I planned, strategized, and prayed for this and above all worked hard for it, it doesn’t matter what age you are, if you work hard you deserve to walk through those doors. A business struggle was training a team to adopt technology and think, and do as you would do in business and in regard to people during a pandemic.
The program grew expeditiously and most of our student body were Gen Z and we had to quickly create new systems to accommodate this group in modern times, remember, we’re nontraditional so we had to think out of the box. some of our fondest memories and successes came from the early struggles that we were blessed to conquer as a team.
We were blessed during the COVID-19 era to grow when others shut down, so we take it all in and move forward equipped and ready.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about DCI ACADEMY?
We’re celebrating 3 years as one of the leading beauty education organizations in Tennessee, birthed out of the desire to create a shift in the beauty industry to help aspiring Aestheticians and now a pivot towards advanced training, licensure, and excellence with the entire beauty culture.
We start taking students at age 16, giving them an opportunity to become licensed before graduating high school. We are indeed one of a kind, we do not accept any government assistance at this time. Our students pay cash out of pocket fees and graduate debt-free.
At DCI ACADEMY, we offer hybrid online training courses to help the everyday student who has a desire to want a new career but must still maintain a full-time job or have a demanding home schedule. Hybrid allows the student to complete training both virtually and in person. we cultivated this program during the pandemic, and it was a blessing to many.
We also offer an Apprenticeship for Cosmetology, Aesthetics & Nails, apprenticeship allows our students to complete 50% of theory classroom hours and finish the remaining 50% of on-the-job training. Students can literally complete the program in less than 6-9 months
We’re known for ensuring that every student receives some form of scholarship to help them pay for school, we’ve collectively given away over $250,000 in scholarships.
Our relationships that we build with our communities and students definitely sets us aside, whether it’s on social media, community giveaways, we’re family and we’re relatable to all of our students, our ear is to the issues of this generation and we hope that they not only learn an amazing skillset but also take away some soft skill developments to help them in their career for years to come.
We also have industry partners that come and share/train our students on the latest industry trends and business concepts. The growth of the brand is known nationally and we help others grow by sharing ideas to scale your business from the inside out! most, importantly, When I see our students walk across the stage at graduation, that is a moment I would forever cherish.
At that moment our students experience success and so many times I hear that I’ve never finished anything and I also hear how in reality they want to give up, but to capture those tears and smiles at they that moment that they did it, no one else is priceless. I’m also proud of the progress we’ve made single-handedly since day 1, our commitment to our team is to never get comfortable and stop growing, new success awaits us each day.
What do you want our readers to know about your brand, offerings, services, etc? We’re a faith-based brand, Our foundation is academic excellence with the core components of the beauty industry while utilizing faith-based principles.
We’re always doing an OPEN ENROLLMENT campaign. We’re located at 38115, Hickory Hill, we’re here to stay, we service clients daily and offer spa services, our student salon will open in late spring and at that time we will offer hair services.
Our pricing is affordable and focuses on student learning
Are there any books, apps, podcasts, or blogs that help you do your best?
I love technology, I can run my business from my iPhone, I use social, productivity, creativity, business, information, and reading apps. We have built a community on social media for our team and supporters, these apps allow us quick access and work well with creative apps. Facebook pages, Facebook messenger, Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat.
Collect – collecting ideas, links.
Canvas – quick creative.
JotForm – quick enrollment assessments/surveys
Zoom – meetings.
Switch – virtual video production
Time clock. Time Zone Alert.
Contact Info:
- Email: dcicosmo@gmail.com
- Website: https://dci-academy-school-of-aesthetics.business.site/
- Instagram: HTTPS://WWW.INSTAGRAM.COM/DCIACADEMY
- Facebook: HTTPS://WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/DCIACADEMY
- Twitter: HTTPS://WWW.TWITTER.COM/DCIACADEMY
- Other: HTTPS://WWW.TIKTOK.COM/DCIACADEMY
Image Credits
Bodiedbybre Photography, DCI Academy Photos, and Cassius McGowan
