Dreams evolve. Careers pivot. And sometimes the opportunities that change our lives are waiting exactly where we started. For Lake Norman native Marie Strickland, a successful corporate career ultimately gave way to something far more personal: helping others while building a business of her own. Becoming the owner of sugaringLA Lake Norman at just 26 years old, Marie has created a life that blends wellness, connection, and a deep love for the community she calls home.
After graduating from Christ the King Catholic High School, she earned both her undergraduate and master’s degrees in business analytics from the University of North Carolina Wilmington. She launched a career in data visualization analytics and consulting which prompted a move to Nashville, Tennessee.
But despite professional success, something was missing. “I realized I didn’t want to sit behind a computer all day anymore,” she shares. “I wanted work that felt more personal and meaningful.”
That realization eventually led her in a completely unexpected direction: skincare and sugaring. Marie had long been passionate about living a more natural, non-toxic lifestyle, inspired in part by her own health journey with PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome). As a teenager struggling with cystic acne, she met an observant esthetician who noticed symptoms others had overlooked and encouraged her to seek medical testing. “That changed my life,” Marie says. “It started me on a path toward understanding my body better and making healthier choices.”
After returning to Lake Norman, Marie enrolled at the Huntersville Institute of Cosmetic Arts where she discovered sugaring, a natural form of hair removal dating back centuries. “I fell in love with it immediately,” she says. “Someone once described sugaring as an art, and now I completely understand why.”
Unlike traditional waxing, sugaring requires precision, patience, and technique. Every client’s hair growth pattern is unique, turning each appointment into a puzzle Marie genuinely enjoys solving.
“It’s challenging, but that’s also what makes it rewarding,” she explains. “And honestly, there’s instant satisfaction in seeing the results!”
Not long after beginning work at sugaringLA Lake Norman, Marie’s natural talent and work ethic became impossible to ignore. Within weeks, she became the studio’s only sugarist, and soon after, the opportunity arose to purchase the business herself.
While her career path has taken some detours, Marie credits her family, fiancé, and deep spiritual foundation for keeping her grounded through every step of the journey. Her Catholic upbringing continues to guide her, providing both peace and perspective amid the busyness of life.
“Every morning starts with prayer,” she says with a smile. “The perfect day is whatever the Lord gives me that day.”
As she builds a business of her own in the community she has always called home, Marie’s story feels like a full-circle moment … rooted in Lake Norman, guided by purpose, and flourishing right where it all began.
