To be a business owner, you have to find something that you would enjoy enough to do it for free. That belief is what guided Cynthia Watson since she launched Facez by Cynthia in 2019—a brow and lash bar built on both her skill and a commitment to her community.  

Blazing Trails, One Brow at a Time 

Thirteen years ago, Cynthia was working at WestGate Mall, training in a threading studio which led to managing a local, family-owned brow business. At a time when threading was still unfamiliar to many in Spartanburg, she saw its potential, not just as a beauty service, but as a safer, more precise alternative to waxing. Cynthia helped grow the business to three locations and trained others in the craft, all while nurturing the idea of starting something of her own. 

When she finally decided to take that leap, she did what many entrepreneurs do: she turned to the internet. 

From Search Engine to Support System 

In 2018, a Google search for small business loans led Cynthia to the Small Business Administration—and eventually, to CommunityWorks and Start:Me. 

“I came across CommunityWorks and just said, ‘Thank you, Jesus,’” she recalls. 

Through the Start:ME Spartanburg program and a Microbusiness Loan from CommunityWorks, Cynthia got the capital she needed to turn her vision into a business. “CommunityWorks held my hand through the whole process,” she says. “It was easier than buying my house!” 

But the support didn’t stop with the loan. “They’ve stayed connected. They show up. Some of them are even my customers,” she says. “They gave us the opportunity to step out and expand our platform.” 

A Business Rooted in Purpose 

Today, Cynthia has cultivated a loyal client base drawn not only to her precision and expertise, but also to her genuine care and welcoming presence. When the building that housed her business downtown was sold in 2022, she saw it not as a setback, but a new chapter. She relocated and kept going, driven by the same purpose that launched her journey. 

As a single parent, Cynthia sees her business as more than a livelihood—it’s a legacy. “We can actually do this,” she says. “A lot of us didn’t grow up with business owners in our families—but now we can be that example.” 

Walking It Out—and Giving Back 

Cynthia continues to stay active in the entrepreneurial community, participating in trainings, roundtables, and mentoring when she can. Her advice to others just getting started: “Don’t give up. You have to have rules and boundaries for yourself. Keep walking it out. Don’t be scared or fearful. Don’t limit yourself—doors will continue to open.” 

“You have to want this more than anybody else wants this for you,” she adds. “No one will put more work into your vision than you will. But if you find something, you’d do for free—do that. That’s where the blessing is.” 

For Cynthia, that blessing is clear: “The doors are open, and the customers are coming in.” And with every experience, client, and lesson learned, she’s building more than a business—she’s building generational wealth and passing on what she’d learned to other entrepreneurs in similar fields.