The Story
of My Nail Business
Once upon a time, I decided to start a nail business. After graduating from my undergraduate degree, and in the limbo stage of waiting for my next phase of schooling at BCIT to arrive, I decided to take a risk and attempt starting my own nail business.
The time of the pandemic seemed like a good time as any to try this thing out that had always briefly crossed my mind. As scared and doubtful as I was, I committed to simply riding it through from beginning to end — and accepted that that would be already considered successful enough.
This is my process.
Timeline
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Ideation — Summer 2020
The ideation phase of this project started in the Pandemic summer. It was in this phase where research was my primary goal.
I am somebody who likes to understand things thoroughly before I tackle them. When it came to starting a small, at-home business, I had to break down my tasks ahead of me which included:
- Reorganizing, furnishing, and styling my spare room into an effective nail studio
- Finding nail courses to prepare me with the proper industry service and sanitation knowledge
- Buying all necessary equipment
It was also in the time between now and December that I took my nail course, and did lots and lots and lots of self-teaching and eye-burning on Youtube.
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Planning & Brand Creation — December 2020
The design phase for my nail brand is one of my first exposures to brand system design. This step was extremely intentional, and although I did not have the right words for it at the time — I effectively planned everything out according to the design process.
In terms of executing my idea through social media, I needed to research into existing competition, strategizing and deciding on a target user group, and ensuring that my branding elements — such as the colour scheme, typography, and imagery — all conveyed the unique messaging I wanted users to extract from my brand.
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Launch — April 2021
After several months of planning, practicing, learning, and overthinking, I finally started out my services in April post-2020. Although the nerves were high, the perfectionist in me made sure that my first few clients left happily.
Having implemented my social media presence with the indirect branding strategy that I came up with, I had gained quite a bit of traction within my existing social circle. I allowed myself room to practice by allowing my first clients to get their nail set for free, and subsequently gave a limited amount of clients with beginner pricing.
Process Work Gallery
Services Gallery
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Practice gel set on my sister.
My first client!
Beginner pricing set with extensions.
Self-practice birthday set.
Trendy minimalist set on hands with eczema.
Purple Cowboy acrylic set.
Sailor moon inspired gel set with extensions.
Hand painted lemon gel designs on natural nails.
Trendy acrylic neutral set.
Colour block acrylic!
Gel minimalist design on natural nails.
Easter egg smiley face acrylics.
Multi-design spring froggies on natural nails.
Malibu barbie pink acrylics!
Natural gel nails with gold foil.
Transitional abstract autumn nails, natural.
Acrylic extensions with baby blue butterflies.
Ethereal sky designs on natural nails.
Mismatching hand acrylics.
Nude acrylics with minimalist white swirls.
Results
At the end of the day, going through with this project was less about the profits or even business growth than it was about self-confidence and personal growth. The execution of my nail business over the span of a mere 8 months demonstrated to me the level of standards to which I hold myself.
During this time, I was able to not only see improvement in my skills, but also create a fully operational business with assets, clientele, and a holistic brand.
Though I am not sure if I will continue this in the long run, I will now always be able to look back and have something to show for the year I survived the Pandemic.