We were lucky to catch up with Vanessa Ramos recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Vanessa thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Do you have any thoughts about how to create a more inclusive workplace?

Creating a more inclusive environment in a workspace is very crucial to the success of the business. I feel privileged to have been born and raised in Brooklyn, NY. A melting pot of so many different cultures, languages, beliefs, personalities, and styles to name a few. I grew up understanding that our differences are what makes us all unique and beautiful, we all can learn from each other if we take the time to listen and connect.

Now let’s add this mindset to a workspace. In order to connect with our targeted audience, we have to build a foundation of inclusion within our team, this can nurture an environment where people feel valued and empowered to deliver on the mission you are set out to accomplish. I am a Certified Nail Technician who services the beauty industry while working in corporate America full-time. I’ve witnessed firsthand how powerful inclusion can be in the workspace and how damaging it can be to the business when it is absent.

As a leader, you want to empower and lead your team by first taking the time to better understand every associate. get to know what motivates and demotivates them, embrace their differences and empower them to enhance their skills. create an environment where your team feels safe and included. As a leader, part of inclusion is gathering feedback from your team and providing them with a space to implement ideas and changes. These are a few ways we can nurture an inclusive workspace and see amazing results. This is the environment I am proud to be a part of every day however, I can’t say this is very common in the beauty industry and that is what I am eager to change.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My business is called VANAILXS (X for Muahz) VANAILXS is not just a nail business, it is a connection of Love, Support, and Community. I am a woman of Passion, Drive, and Resiliency. Every step I take is to help inspire and empower the creativity that lives inside of every Boss babe. Every product and nail design is made with love and affection. I am an entrepreneur on the rise, learning along the way. What sets me apart is how much I give back to the community and my personality of course! I am one of a kind

I have discovered my love for the community and am very focused on giving what I can and guiding them toward the resources they need to be successful. I do this by working with nonprofit organizations, hosting pop-up shops to support small businesses, and collaborating with other entrepreneurs.

I am a nail technician with a focus on owning my own studio not only for the community but to offer mentorship to other nail techs in the industry. I offer nail services, such as enhancements, hand-painted designs, manicures & pedicures, and Apres, to name a few. I also have my very own gel polish line inspired by a “Summer in Brooklyn”. I create beautiful press-on nails that can be received in any part of the world. I aspire to one day have a beautiful, diverse, top-quality line of products to offer other professionals in the industry. My goal is to bring my client’s visions to life and enhance their confidence.

I also have a line called “LIL Miss CEO” which is run by my beautiful 10-year-old daughter Ariela, offering nail products for the younger generation getting started.

Our business is constantly evolving and the sky is the limit!

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

My journey started during the pandemic.

My name is Vanessa Ramos. Born and raised in Brooklyn, NY. I identify myself as a Nuyorican which is Puerto Rican by blood and New Yorker through experience.

I’m always on the grind, I work hard for what I believe in no matter what challenges come my way. For a while, I thought making it meant climbing the ladder in corporate America and so that’s what I did, I focused so much of my time and energy on my role, connecting with the community, organizing events, facilitating financial literacy and so much more, etc. The pandemic hit and the entire world came to a halt. During this time, I have done a lot of reflecting, and I realized that I was entirely dependent on my job and that at any moment if they decided to make changes, my entire world will crumble. That scared me. For many years I have worked in corporate America and put a lot of love and passion into my career. I am very proud of how far I have come and the relationships I’ve built along the way. However, I began reflecting and asked myself, “How am I building generational wealth in my family? And that’s when my entire mindset and focus shifted. I have two children and it is important for me to show them that you can make something out of nothing, success starts small.

I’ve always been interested in nails and have always been a DIY type of gal but never thought of making it into business until one day I went to an independent nail technician and paid $100 for extensions with no design. I thought, “I can do this myself”. So, I began researching A LOT, watched probably every video on the internet, and began purchasing products. Little by little, I grew my supplies and self-taught myself. And my journey began from there, and here I am three years later, a certified nail technician, still navigating what it means to be an entrepreneur, understanding how to manage an LLC, building my social media presence, clientele, and the list goes on.

This journey as an entrepreneur is never easy! One thing about me is that I am not afraid to fall, I take my falls as blessings in disguise because it teaches me how to move forward.

I come from humble beginnings, I am building my foundation from scratch, and although I had no idea how to start or the knowledge of running a business, what I did know through my walk of life is the tremendous amount of resources that are out there, I just had to apply myself.

My mom will always say that I now preach “You can do anything you want if you put your mind to it! ” There isn’t anything you can’t do and that’s my motto.

The biggest challenge of them all is staying motivated and consistent because sometime I may feel like I am not doing enough, or I question my journey or doubt my abilities. However, that is okay because I am human and I embrace those feelings but then remind myself I am exactly where I need to be and I am headed in the right direction.

I also understand that for me to continue moving forward, I have to continue building relationships with other entrepreneurs, business owners, clients, and community partners and getting my name out there.

“I always remind myself to be patient with myself, greatness takes time”.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

My reputation is still making its way, however, the reputation I have made for myself thus far is one I work really hard to maintain. My client’s experience is very important to me, I ensure that they feel comfortable in my space, I take the time to get to know them, I take hygiene and sanitation very seriously and I ensure my clients know this, I maintain professionalism, explain my processes openly, check in with my clients after their service, offer loyalty cards, I set expectations, I am honest about my journey as a nail tech and take ownership when I make mistakes. Most importantly I show up as VANESSA, I always stay true to who I am and I have fun while I’m at it!

This is my reputation and I plan to build on this and maintain it XOXO

Contact Info:

• Website: https://vanailxs.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vanailxs/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VANAILXS/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@vanailxs8539

Image Credits
Fanesha Fabre- VANAILXS drawing, NYC Inspired