10/25/2025
✨Hey Hive! It’s been a while since I’ve properly introduced myself. With so many new faces joining our growing family, I wanted to share a little bit of my story and the heart behind the sparkle. 💛
One of my favorite old photos is of me and my pony, Maggie. The look on my face says it all 😆 I was furious because we didn’t win first place that day. Little did I know, we’d go on to become champions that year. That photo still makes me laugh, but it also reminds me how early that fire was in me. Even then, I wanted to do my best and wouldn’t give up easily.
Before I ever picked up a mop or launched a business (I started my first one at 19), my world revolved around music. I grew up in the entertainment industry ~ recording songs in Chicago studios, performing in theater productions like Bye Bye Birdie and a Child's Christmasin Wales, training with one of the city’s top vocal coaches, Randy (who’s still incredible), and even singing the National Anthem at the United Center.
I once auditioned for Star Search, and though I poured my heart into that performance, the feedback that came back to my manager behind closed doors was cruel. They said I was “too old and too fat.” I was fourteen and maybe 130 pounds soaking wet - mostly muscle from all the years of dancing and riding. Those words stung, but they also lit a fire in me. I learned early that the world doesn’t get to define your worth ~ you do.
For my 15th birthday, my manager gifted me a signed photo from one of my biggest inspirations with a note that read:
“Ciara, always believe in your dreams.”
That message became my quiet promise through every storm.
When I was younger, I was also an A-circuit horseback rider, with my sights set on the Olympics. That dream ended suddenly when my parents pulled me from the stable for my own safety after learning that someone there had deeply inappropriate behavior toward children. It was a painful lesson in how dark some corners of the world can be, but also in how fiercely my parents protected me.
That world, for all its complexity, taught me serious discipline. Following directions wasn’t optional, because one wrong move could mean real injury.
Once, during a show, my pony Maggie (aka Miss Magnolia) threw me off mid-course. I hit the ground hard, and for a moment everything went silent. All you could hear was a snap. My mom thought I was gone.
I remember lying there, embarrassed, thinking, “Thanks, Maggie.” Then I stood up, brushed off, and climbed right back on. Show must go on.
That moment shaped how I face everything in life: fall, breathe, rise, and keep going.
I also love to write. I wrote my first short story when I was about eight or nine. It was about an imaginary friend who helped me through pain I didn’t yet know how to express.
My classmates couldn’t relate, but I’ve always been called an old soul. I’ve always felt drawn to older, wiser people ~ calm, grounded souls with big hearts and no need for drama.
I also have ADHD, so I can be easily thrown off and deeply tuned in to other people’s emotions… almost like an empath. It’s a gift, but it can also be exhausting. I’ve learned to protect my energy and reserve it for those who truly deserve it.
Writing, like cleaning and creating, became my way of turning pain into purpose.
That same dedication to rebuilding and transforming is what I bring to my work today. Whether I’m restoring a home’s shine, mentoring other professionals, or collaborating with my husband, Robert, on new designs for Buzz Prints LLC, it all comes from that same place: love, purpose, and perseverance.
Together, we bring ideas to life.
To all who’ve supported and believed in me, thank you for being part of this journey. This Hive is more than a business - it’s a family built on strength, creativity, and second chances.
Be seen. Be heard. Be loved.
💛 Professional · Reliable · Sparkling
~ Ciara
Founder, Queen Bee Cleaning LLC 🐝
