How It All Began
After closing the Beauty Retreat in 2012, Sherrell established A Beautiful Anointing and developed a new mission and vision to adequately reflect the values and purpose of the business. While growing the business and raising four children as a single mom, Sherrell finished earning her degree in Management Studies with a concentration in Small Business & Entrepreneurship. Her burning passion to continue using her gifts and help others achieve wholeness became her driving force. With enhanced studies in nutrition, Sherrell integrated holistic education and application into her beauty training and services. Thus, helping others discover the beauty of wholeness inside out.
Sherrell is a true beauty expert, an innovative entrepreneur, and a dynamic businesswoman who integrates her experience, and education, in both industries, separately and combined, to change the face of the beauty industry. She has functioned as a solopreneur, micro-business owner, and small business owner. She is carrying the torch from those who mentored and inspired her to help other business owners realized their dreams of running a successful business. Out of such commitment, she formed a daughter company, ABA keys for business success, where she assists new and existing businesses with effective growth and development strategies.
Sherrell Jones Whitfield, the founder and creator of A Beautiful Anointing, is an award-winning, magazine-published, Master Cosmetologist who developed her childhood love to create beauty into a thriving beauty business. At the age of 16, she acquired a full-fledge clientele consisting of family and friends who traveled both near and far to receive hair and nail services in her home and even in her dorm room. She formally began her career in 1992 while studying for a degree in Business Administration at the University of MD College Park. She was taken under the wings of her mentor, and friend, the late Lynne EP Holland, a renowned beauty educator and small business owner in the Washington DC area.
After mentoring with Lynne, as an apprentice in beauty culture, Sherrell put her business degree on hold and followed a path that led her to earn her cosmetology license. She journeyed further into the industry and obtained her Senior Cosmetology license, which allows her to practice and educate others, in all areas of cosmetology; including, hair, skin, and nails. Not only has she provided hair, makeup, skin, and nail services in the salon, but for a host of special occasions; including, magazine photoshoots, weddings, and music videos.
Sherrell enjoyed serving as a mentor, and sharing her knowledge to help develop skills, provide jobs, and offer field training to students of Cosmetology in her community. Many with whom she developed lifelong friendships. Sherrell achieved 1st and 3rd place winnings in the annual Beauty Lane Hair Competition, and also went on to have her work published in National and Industry magazines; such as Black Hair Sophisticate, Passion Magazine, Mazza Magazine, and the Suitest News publication. She was blessed to work alongside industry greats; such as Derrick Rutledge, Greg Elmore, and Kim Lee.
In 2000, Sherrell opened her first full-service Salon and Spa, called The Beauty Retreat, in Laurel MD, which, under her ownership, was nominated as the Best Day Spa according to the Washington DC A-list. Realizing her dream of opening an upscale, full-service salon where busy moms can bring their children, Sherrell decided to design a Children’s Lounge in the Salon, which proved to be a success creating loyal happy customers with children who looked forward to coming to the salon.