I was homeless and working in a chicken shop – now I earn £10,000 a month as a beauty influencer
- Shantania Beckford, 29, from Birmingham, worked in a chicken shop for years
- Read more: I've been homeless for a year and live in a Travelodge
A woman has revealed how she went from living on the streets and working in a chicken shop to being a successful influencer and entrepreneur – earning up to £10,000 a month.
Shantania Beckford, 29, from Birmingham, moved from Jamaica with her mother at the age of nine, and money was incredibly tight.
Aged 18, she lived alone, working 45 hours a week in a local chicken shop to pay her £400 rent while studying full-time at college and sofa-surfing with friends.
Revealing she was 'so fed up' when homeless, she explained: 'Sometimes I felt like I was cursed, and my life wasn't worth living because it was so lonely, hard and I saw no actual way out but through.'
However after she was finally given her own flat in January 2014, she began building up a career as a beauty influencer - and now has over 200,000 followers online.
Shantania Beckford, 29, from Birmingham, has revealed how she went from living on the streets and working in a chicken shop to being a successful influencer and entrepreneur – earning up to £10,000 a month
She moved from Jamaica with her mother at the age of nine, and money was incredibly tight (left). Now she has transformed her life (right)
She began building up a career as a beauty influencer - and now has over 200,000 followers online (pictured, at a Radio 1 event)
She may now lead a glamorous life, with posts shared on Instagram to her 200,000 followers showing her decked out in the latest fashions and living the high life – but it wasn't always her.
She started working herself, cleaning storage offices and babysitting from the ages of 12 and 14 respectively, before her mum moved back to Jamaica when she turned 18 – and she was left with bills to pay.
When she struggled to keep up with her bills, she spent a year sofa surfing at family friends or colleague's homes, often sleeping on a mattress on the floor.
'The time I was homeless, I was so fed up and very worried because all I wanted to do was feel safe,' she said.
All the while, she was maintaining jobs in various restaurants, takeaways and cafés after finishing her college course.
After 'consistently' contacting her local housing officers, she was placed in a hostel in January 2013.
She was in and out of homeless shelters, hostels, and emergency housing for a year before she finally got given a flat in January 2014.
Shantania said: 'I was so happy, and so grateful.
She started working herself, cleaning storage offices and babysitting from the ages of 12 and 14 respectively
Her mother moved back to Jamaica when she turned 18 – and she was left with bills to pay (pictured)
She may now lead a glamorous life, with posts shared on Instagram to her 200,000 followers showing her decked out in the latest fashions and living the high life – but it wasn't always her
She saved for a Canon camera, her lights, and for a laptop, and then she taught herself how to edit and the basics of YouTube
After building her social media platforms, including a following of 314,000 on YouTube, Shantania is now earning between £5,000 to £10,000 per month
'I went back to working at Wagamamas, worked five days a week, paid rent and saved my money.
'At this time I came up with the idea of starting my own hair and beauty YouTube as I'd had a passion for it for years.'
After saving enough money, Shantania wallpapered a wall, decorated, got some lights, and created a beautiful set up for her new business venture.
She said: 'I saved for a Canon camera, my lights, and for a laptop, and then I taught myself how to edit and the basics of YouTube.
'The first thing that I ever did was a zombie make up tutorial. I went to Poundland and bought all the zombie make up stuff which cost me about £6.
'It was finally a chance for me to be myself finally and show who I am.
The beauty influencer said her job now allows her to finally be herself and show who she is (pictured)
She has partnerships with brands including Boots, Superdrug, Sephora, Primark, Reebok and Gymshark
Her makeup and hair skills have also been promoted in Cosmopolitan magazine and even on billboards
She believes she has been successful because she has 'pure intention to just have focus and do what she can'
'I started with pure intention to just have focus and do what I can.
'I was doing about 50 hours a week work plus doing my YouTube – I was on a mission!
'Within six months, I had 10,000 followers and I was so happy.
'I was very grateful and I felt like I was really doing something right. It just got me more motivated to continue going because why would I ever stop?'
After building her social media platforms, including a following of 314,000 on YouTube, Shantania is now earning between £5,000 to £10,000 per month, securing partnerships with brands including Boots, Superdrug, Sephora, Primark, Reebok and Gymshark.
Her makeup and hair skills have also been promoted in Cosmopolitan magazine and even on billboards.
She said: 'Because of my background, I've always had the awareness that I need to always help no matter what situation or position I'm in.
'For me, I don't really post what I do for people online, I want to help people who were in a similar situation to me.
'For years I have been putting together packages for more women and men to learn, delivering hair and makeup, and paying for some peoples qualifications.
'I even sometimes call my followers on the phone, I really want to help them through certain things that I have also experienced in my life.
'The life you have is yours and you don't want nobody else life. Make yours great, that's your mission for this lifetime to learn love grow and make your experiences beautiful.'
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