Bonita Smith may be the mother of one of the most popular rap artists today, but she has also been forging her own lane as an entrepreneur.

Smith, who gave the world Tyler, The Creator, owns health and wellness spa Inside Out Restorative in Woodland Hills, CA.

Interest In The Holistic Field

Smith’s mother, who battled with leukemia, led to her interest in learning about the holistic field and establishing a career, according to the Los Angeles Sentinel.

“I knew I wanted to learn about holistic ways as opposed to Western medicine, and I understood the chemo and radiation, which is very harsh, I wanted to move over to the holistic role and learn more about it,” Smith told the Los Angeles Sentinel.

She added, “Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to save her because she passed away before learning and taking on this field and opening the spa.”

Experience

VoyageLA shared Smith would study diverse approaches to treat diseases and medical conditions. This path allowed her to receive a certification as a colon therapist and membership into the national board of colon hydrotherapists. She also has several years of experience as a surgical technician, and she is skilled in infectious control & UltraSound (Anatomy).

Smith’s academic background includes a bachelor’s degree in social work and an associates degree in interdisciplinary studies.

Driven by her expertise and desire to educate, Smith founded Inside Out Restorative in 2019, emphasizing the significance of making healing services more accessible, especially for the Black community.

“A lot of us just aren’t fully into this vein, and we are not educated about holistic wellness,” Smith explained to the Los Angeles Sentinel.

She added, “While I was going to school [for wellness training] I was the only African American in that course. I was like ‘Wow, I can really help and benefit our community.’”

Challenges

Smith nearly reached a standstill due to the wake of COVID-19, which caused her spa to shut down after the grand opening. However, she followed the calling in her heart and prevailed through initial financial hardships.

“Even with COVID-19 showing up almost immediately after the grand opening of Inside Out Restorative Spa and our mandate to shut the doors. This created an immediate challenge as it relates to finances. However, there was a demand inside of my soul, not to give up and to remain relevant, while safeguarding my staff and to shift and move with these challenging times and changes in not just my region but the entire country,” she expressed to Vogaye LA.

Services

According to the company’s website, the spa offers colon hydrotherapy, lymphatic drainage, yoni steaming, and more.

“Our prices are very fair, and they’re not astronomical,” Smith said to the Los Angeles Sentinel. “I believe in helping the community and helping us with affordable services.”

Additionally, the team is compromised of health specialists who are certified by the International Association for Colon Hydrotherapy (I-ACT), Smith said.

“The Inside Out Restorative Spa team is comprised of qualified health specialists ready to put their energy and skills towards helping you reach your goals. Everyone at our center believes in establishing an energy balance and flow in the chakras and energetic field of the body. Our team is curated from the best possible wellness therapists in the world. All of our staff is I-ACT certified and trained to the highest standard,” Smith said to VoyageLA.