The StoryCorps Mobile Tour returned to Fort Myers in February and March 2024 to record meaningful conversations with people right here in Southwest Florida about their lives.
Each Monday, we’re highlighting some of the compelling stories from our fellow Southwest Florida residents.
In this installment, we hear best friends Navneet Chaudhary and Elizabeth Loredo explore Chaudhary’s journey from India to the U.S. through an arranged marriage, and the hard work and sacrifice that led Chaudhary to independence and to building her own business in Fort Myers, called “Brow Flair Threading Salon & Spa.”
Transcript:
ELIZABETH LOREDO: Can you tell me what it was like growing up in India?
NAVNEET CHAUDHARY: It was so wonderful experience. India is a place where I wish I can bond with each every life up there; So beautiful, so cultured, so respectful. My parents are so wonderful, and life was very easy; little bit restricted because my father was a police officer. Mom was housewife. It was very different then here, from USA. I get married. It was arranged marriage. My parents choose for me, my husband. That's only the reason I came to United States. I was looking for, actually, to settle myself being an independent woman, looking for a small business. So, that's destiny. I can say it bring me here from Miami to Fort Myers.
LOREDO: So, what do you do? What business do you own?
CHAUDHARY: I have a salon. Its name is Brow Flair. It's on South Cleveland Avenue.
LOREDO: So, what made you decide to go into the beauty industry?
CHAUDHARY: My passion from back home, actually, it was in like beauty, but my parents, they don't like it. In India this profession wasn't good for a decent family. I never practice or anything, but yes, luckily, my parents give me permission. I can go for like, some classes.
LOREDO: Okay.
CHAUDHARY: I get my license. I learned, but my main; I have to study. And I did my Masters in language. Then I study, being a translator, but as I told you, my destiny being arranged marriage, I come to United States, and my husband, my ex, he didn't let me study. He brought me here. He promises to my family, “Yes, you can study. You can pursue your career, whatever you're looking for,” but it never happens. So, then I decided, because I'm looking for something, but first two years my husband, he never let me go anywhere. My first experience being a cashier at Target, Super Target. Then little by little, again, my passion was fashion or beauty. I was little scared of my husband, because he keep me like in the cage. He didn't let me go far. He dropped me at work. He picked me up from the work. He never let me drove even that time.
LOREDO: So, you came over to Fort Myers for the opportunity to own your own business?
CHAUDHARY: Yes. Little by little, yes.
LOREDO: Did you know that's what you were going to do when you came here?
CHAUDHARY: Oh, seriously, no. it was literally like a dream comes true, because little by little, when I experienced in threading, then I start getting my license as well from USA. I get my license for the cosmetology then full skin specialist, then Microblading, then airbrush makeup artist; all different licenses, I get it. From there on, whatever situation happened with my ex, I've been divorced and so many other things. I've been in a shelter. I spent six months in a shelter. It was little bad story for me, but I learned from this a lot. It made me more strong. I become more independent, and from there on, if I tell you truth, how I get this business? Somebody put an advertisement. They're looking for a threader, but they didn't mention anything else. I just saw they're paying $20 an hour. That's attract me. I said, “Okay, I apply the job,” and I forget about that. One day I was working, and I was little bit sad because I left my kids. Everything, when it happens, government gave me the little shelter and the house and everything. Then I have to leave my kids in Dade County, and I was working in Broward County, so… and I was missing my kids all the time. So, I was always sad (with) my kids away from me. They were so little. My little one, so little. She was only two years (old). So, I was just crying and doing prayer, and all of sudden, I don't know how come, I was checking on my phone. I see the emails. The gentleman which job I applied. I call him. He was so shocked, because it was almost a year and a half ago I applied that. He said, “First of all, Navi, I'm not looking for employees. I'm looking for a partner to work with me. Are you ready for that?”
I can say it's a golden opportunity for me, but not a problem. Yes, why not? I didn't think where it is, how it's gonna be happen, how I gonna move? I say just simply “yes.” He said, “Okay.” He said, “You can drive?” I said, “Sir, my car is not really good.” But he said, “No problem. I'll pay you. Rent the car. I want you to drive and come see me over there.” And I took the challenge. I dropped. That was my first time I literally drive so far.
LOREDO: Now you're good at driving everywhere (laughter)
CHAUDHARY: I open the business. The business was making only $150 or $200 a day. I was a little worried okay, but I know my expertise. I know my work. I said, “Okay, no problem.” I keep working little by little. Within six months, he came back, and then he literally kind of scared me. He said, “If you didn't, took over the business, I gonna call the police. I gonna kick you out,” like so many things, like I was literally crying that day. When he come after six months, he forced me to sign the paper. I took over the business, but I'm so blessed today. Thank you all my customers and everybody who made me from there to up here. Today, I'm so blessed. Thank you, God, little by little, my hard work, my kids’ sacrifice, my own sacrifice, and I built the business. So, all lovely women in this world who suffer, who think they cannot do anything, Trust me. Trust on yourself, on the God. You can become something.
JOHN DAVIS, HOST: That was best friends Navneet Chaudhary and Elizabeth Laredo. Their conversation was recorded in Fort Myers through the StoryCorps mobile tour. This is WGCU News.
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