Why I Chose to Spend My Birthday Giving Back in Cambodia

Birthdays often invite us to focus on ourselves, our accomplishments, our desires, and how far we have come. This year, however, I wanted my birthday to represent something deeper.

I intentionally chose to spend it giving back to a community in Cambodia that has played an important role in the journey of Regal Beauty Club.

Cambodia is more than a place where I conduct business. It is a country filled with people, families, artisans, and communities whose knowledge, skill, and labor have helped make my vision possible. Every bundle of hair and every finished product carries a much larger story, one involving real people whose work supports their households and creates opportunities within their communities.

Because this community contributes to the success of my business, I believe my responsibility extends beyond placing orders or completing transactions. True partnership requires reciprocity.

Giving back was not something I wanted to do for recognition. It was an intentional expression of gratitude.

Business Should Create More Than Profit

From the beginning, I have believed that business can be a vehicle for meaningful change.

Building Regal Beauty Club has never been solely about selling premium hair. It has also been about creating opportunities, developing skills, supporting dignified employment, and contributing to communities where access to stable income can transform the future of an entire family.

When we talk about ethical sourcing, the conversation must go beyond the origin of a product. We must also consider the people behind it.

Are they treated with dignity?
Are they compensated fairly?
Does our presence create opportunity?
Are we investing in the communities from which we benefit?

These are the questions that continue to shape the way I lead.

Gratitude Must Be Demonstrated

It is easy to say that we appreciate the people who make our businesses possible. It is more meaningful to demonstrate that appreciation through action.

Spending my birthday in service gave me the opportunity to step away from the celebration of myself and honor the community connected to my journey. It reminded me that success is not measured only by what we build, but also by who benefits because we chose to build it.

I did not go to Cambodia believing that I could solve every challenge or change an entire community in one day. Philanthropy should never be centered on the giver. It should begin with listening, respecting the dignity of others, and supporting people in ways that are thoughtful and sustainable.

This experience was not about presenting myself as someone who came to “save” a community. It was about acknowledging that this community has contributed to my life and business, and asking how I can continue to contribute in return.

A Responsibility to the People Behind the Product

The global beauty industry generates billions of dollars, yet the people closest to the source of its products are often the least visible.

I want Regal Beauty Club to help change that narrative.

Behind every product is a human story. There are mothers working to provide for their children, young people hoping for greater opportunities, and families whose futures can be strengthened through fair and consistent employment.

Our goal is to continue building a business model that values the entire supply chain—not only the customer receiving the final product.

That means investing in training, supporting ethical employment, maintaining respectful partnerships, and creating alternatives for people living in communities where economic vulnerability can expose women and young people to exploitation and trafficking.

For me, this is what responsible global entrepreneurship looks like.

The Gift Was Mine

I went to Cambodia intending to give, but I left reminded of how much I have received.

I received perspective.
I received renewed purpose.
I received a deeper understanding of responsibility.
And I received confirmation that generosity and business do not have to exist separately.

This birthday was a reminder that my life is not only about what I can accomplish. It is also about what I can contribute.

As Regal Beauty Club grows, my commitment is for our impact to grow alongside it. Every purchase helps us continue creating employment, supporting skills development, and investing in communities that deserve to participate meaningfully in the value they help create.

My birthday may have lasted one day, but the responsibility to give back continues throughout the year.

This was not simply how I celebrated another year of life. It was how I honored the people who have helped give purpose to the work I am called to do.

Because the greatest way to celebrate being blessed is to become a blessing to someone else.