Evona Lewis
Evona Lewis is a licensed cosmetologist, supportive living professional, and the founder of Agape Mobile Salon Services, an initiative dedicated to creating inclusive beauty and wellness experiences for individuals with disabilities. Based in Tampa, Florida, she is widely recognized for her commitment to ensuring that beauty, dignity, and self-care are accessible to everyone. Through her work, Evona champions the belief that personal care services are not simply aesthetic experiences but powerful tools for empowerment, confidence, and human connection.
As a Florida Licensed Cosmetologist and an APD-certified Supportive Living Coach, Evona combines expertise in beauty services with years of experience supporting individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities. Her professional journey began in disability support and behavioral care, where she worked closely with children and adults with special needs. During this time, she recognized a significant gap in the beauty industry—few stylists were trained or prepared to provide sensory-aware, adaptive services. In response, she launched Agape to offer specialized hair, skin, and nail care designed around comfort, accessibility, and individualized support.
Evona’s work continues to expand as she builds Agape into a broader movement for inclusive wellness. With more than a decade of experience in hair care and a strong foundation in person-centered care, she is currently developing Agape Spa and Care, a fully accessible, sensory-friendly salon space scheduled to open in 2026. Through entrepreneurship, community partnerships, and advocacy, Evona remains dedicated to building a more inclusive world—one where individuals of all abilities feel seen, valued, and empowered every time they sit in the salon chair.
• Licensed Cosmetologist (2021)
• Registered Behavior Technician (2022)
• Certified Supportive Living Coach through Agency for Persons with Disabilities (2022)
• Manifest Theological Institute
• Generations College
• Agency for Persons with Disabilities (APD)
• The Center for Manifestation
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to remembering that success looks different in every season. It's not all about a dollar amount - it's really about the impact that you have on the people that you come into contact with. I was afraid to be an entrepreneur for a long time because I didn't have examples of successful entrepreneurs in the beauty industry around me, so I just found jobs to pay bills. But right before the shutdown, when I was 37, I had this urge to go to cosmetology school. Even while I was in school, I couldn't understand why I was there because they would talk about different options in cosmetology, but I was still working with people with special needs. Then three weeks after I passed my state boards, I was walking into a meeting with my pastor and it was like I was walking into the salon - I realized I was supposed to open a salon for people with special needs. My pastor encouraged me to write it down and enroll in our church's business class, which helped me sort out my ideas and really start to pull this thing and bring it to life. Success for me is about following that calling and making an impact on the 65 million Americans living with disabilities who need these services.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would tell young women to watch out for social norms and the social stigma that says a woman should be this or do that. A lot of my challenges came from a closed mindset and not really being able to think outside of the box. I think a lot of younger women think they don't have a lot of time, so they feel like they're rushing against a clock to be this perfect social media idea and have all the boxes checked off by the time they're 30. These social norms keep us in a mental fog, and when we don't reach these checkpoints or targets by a certain age, we go into emotional spaces where it's hard to move past feeling like we didn't make the mark. You get stuck in a rut instead of being creative and exploring the endless options. I always tell young moms who gravitate to me that you're not up against anybody, and it's okay if you didn't hit it at this point. There's always tomorrow. Give yourself grace. I went back to cosmetology school at 37, and people thought I was crazy, but look what happened - I found my calling.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values most important to me are integrity, kindness, family, and God - absolutely. My favorite thing is to laugh. Laughter is a huge value to me. Working with people with disabilities, the smiles that I have shared over the years - you can't stay mad. I also really value quietness and stillness. I enjoy sitting quietly by the water, whether it's a lake, the beach, or a creek. I like to meditate and just be able to recenter. My me time is very important, especially between building my brand and maintaining the brand of my church as media director. My greatest accomplishment is being able to identify myself without any titles or positions - just being myself, discovering the things that make me most happy, the things that bring me joy, and the things that help me to look in the mirror and smile.