Today we’d like to introduce you to Anelya Alimova.
Hi Anelya, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Since 2011, I began my entrepreneurial journey by opening my first business in Kazakhstan.
In 2013, I completed a certified makeup and sales leadership course at the Moscow Business School and opened my own beauty studio where I taught makeup.
Later, I completed professional training in Beijing, Ukraine, Russia, and studied at the prestigious Make Up For Ever Academy in Paris.
I went on to launch my own franchise and cosmetic brand in Kazakhstan.
In 2021, I moved to the United States under the EB-1A Extraordinary Ability Visa (Einstein Visa) and established my beauty business in New York.
In 2024, I received a New York State Assembly Award recognizing my leadership in the fashion and beauty industries.
Later that year, I relocated to Orlando, Florida, where I was appointed Executive Board Director of International Orlando Fashion Week and successfully led two major shows (in November and June 8, 2025).
In 2025, I founded the International Beauty Fashion Association (IBFA) — a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting rising talent in the industry.
My mission is to share over 20 years of experience in business, sales, and beauty — and to elevate the beauty profession to the same level of respect and recognition as that of doctors or lawyers, through official accreditation and global professional development.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Of course, the journey hasn’t been smooth. When you climb the ladder to success, challenges and sacrifices are inevitable. For me, one of the greatest sacrifices was choosing the path of business and leadership while being a single mother. In Kazakhstan, I had to rise on my own feet, support my parents, and raise my son. When I moved to the United States, I had no English, no legal documents — only my skills, experience, and a burning desire to create impact.
Starting from scratch, I began building my beauty business using the expertise I had accumulated over the years. I developed my own signature methodology, protected it legally through a trademark, and this strategic system became the foundation that helped me scale quickly and achieve a quantum leap in New York.
As you know, New York is one of the most competitive cities in the world, home to over 30 million people from all cultures, nationalities, and religions. Yet within three years, I was able to build a successful makeup school and beauty brand from zero. My story was featured in national media in Kazakhstan, I gave multiple interviews, and I became the first Kazakh woman to inspire an entire generation by achieving global success in the beauty industry. People often compare my journey to climbing Mount Everest.
But there were moments when I wanted to give up. Times when my health declined, when people I trusted walked away, and it felt like the whole world was against me. But I always had a clear goal, unwavering faith, and one powerful tool I now teach my students: activating the Reticular Activating System (RAS) in the brain.
Every goal I have, I write on a large vision board that hangs in my bedroom. Each morning when I wake up, and every night before I sleep, I read those goals. I align myself with deadlines, stay focused, and follow through with execution.
In my darkest moments, I would write:
“Anelya, never give up. Keep going until the end.”
Those words gave me strength and focus when everything else failed.
Once you intentionally program your RAS — the Reticular Activating System — with precise, emotionally charged goals, your brain begins to seek out ways to achieve them. Everything you start to notice, attract, and manifest is a result of how your inner neurological filter (the RAS) is trained. Success is not accidental. It’s a mental, emotional, and strategic process.
As you know, we’re big fans of Anelya Alim NEW YORK COSMETISC / IBFA. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Anelya Alim NEW YORK COSMETICS is a brand born from deep love for women and built on unique formulas developed by Anelya Alimova — a makeup artist and entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience.
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Why We Exist
For years, I was told I was “too big,” “not beautiful enough,” and that a woman’s place is in the kitchen. I had no confidence. Everything changed when I picked up a makeup brush and saw bold lips and defined eyes in the mirror. Makeup became my tool for self-acceptance and inner power. Along with this new self-image came successful projects, partnerships, and courageous decisions.
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Our Mission
I believe cosmetics are a small miracle that helps a woman blossom and boldly pursue her dreams. That’s why each product from Anelya Alim NEW YORK COSMETICS is created to remind you:
“You deserve to shine — every day, in any circumstance.”
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The Social Heart of Our Brand
I personally survived domestic violence as a child and understand the power of support. That’s why I founded the International Beauty Fashion Association (IBFA) — a nonprofit platform that:
• Educates and employs single mothers, women with disabilities, and survivors of abuse;
• Offers free training in makeup, sales, and leadership through the Anelya Alim Academy;
• Helps graduates launch careers as certified stylists or official brand distributors.
Every purchase of our cosmetics helps fund these initiatives — here, beauty literally changes lives.
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
When I first came to Orlando, specifically Winter Park, back in 2021, I said to myself: “This is a paradise. This is the place where I want to live and one day build a family.”
Now, four years later, I’ve returned—and I’m living in Winter Park. My dream has become reality. Every day when I wake up and walk through the streets, I feel grateful for every ray of sunshine, every leaf, every bird.
This city is the love of my life.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://anelyaalim.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anelyaalimmakeupschool/ and https://www.instagram.com/anelyaalimacademy/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@anelyaalim/shorts
Image Credits
@mailismedia
@art_diademawin
