Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Annie Lam. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Annie, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.

The beauty industry has always had a large influence on society for decades. The truth is; being a nail artist in this field of work, isn’t always a beautiful experience. Artists today, are expected to meet high standard “norms” because we help shape the face of these brands. Women are to uphold s*x, because it will sell. Society has sold the idea that women who self-care, are the influence.

Annie’s Acrylics has been servicing nail enhancements for five years now, and running the business for three.
All the women in my family have had careers servicing in the beauty industry; so I was practically raised up in salons.. I have always watched clients come into a walk-in salon, receive a full service, and leave unhappy. What was so common was, there was never communication or connection between the artist and the client. After graduating college and servicing in the dental industry for ten years, I knew I wanted to stay connected to taking care of others but using my creative skills. When I first got into nails, I joined a salon. I was not clear what my craft or niche was yet, so I conformed myself many ways to fit in with the crowd of that community. Any time I branched out to try something new, there were always subtle comments about why I would consider doing my craft that way, that color scheme, that shape, that length, etc. Annie’s Acrylics came about when I decided that I shouldn’t have to conform myself, my knowledge, craft, skills, or personality to be accepted. But that also meant, the clientele should also have the same respect to express themselves, their wants, and needs from my service. Being a sole entrepreneur, I wanted to ensure that I built a brand that holds space and respect for both parties during that service time together. My favorite part about my career is that I’m never working. It’s a blessing to meet and hold the hands of incredible humans and have life changing converstations. The transparent relationship we build over time together is more valuable than just a set of nails. This type of entrepreneurship is beyond analytics and transactions, it’s more than hard work. That’s what excites me.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Hii, my name is Annie Lam.

I am the serial entrepreneur and nail artist behind, Annie’s Acrylics LLC.
I am not your typical nail tech. I have been a nail artist for five years now and Annie’s Acrylics has been in business for three.
My ten year background as an artist in the Dental profession has shaped me to provide high quality, and functional nail enhancements. My brand prioritizes the craft, but also the experience my clientele receives.

The women in my family have had careers servicing in the beauty industry; so I was practically raised up in salons. I wanted to be apart of health care so I decided to go to college to be in the dental profession. I graduated as an EFDA, it’s a fancy abbreviation for a dental technician that restores fillings and places cosmetic veneers. I have been practicing for ten years, but after the pandemic; I knew I wanted to study my craft in a different creative career path. I decided on nail school and did a short apprenticeship with a few salons. I really enjoyed being in a salon setting. I worked amongst talented entrepreneurs and studied many different nail services and techniques. I serviced many women in a small community and am grateful that I could be of service. Ultimately, I decided to discover Annie’s Acrylics because I no longer wanted to conform myself. I wanted to discover more about my niche, invest into my craft, study better techniques and to be accepted for exactly what I was meant to do. My talents are a gift but my purpose is to connect with others.

I became a sole entrepreneur to ensure that Annie’s Acrylics was going to be a brand that holds space and respect for the artist(s) and the community it services. This brand thrives on respected relationships and high quality crafted nail enhancements.

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

Annie’s Acrylics LLC decided to invest into a shared space to expand the business during 2022. Contracts were worked up and leases were signed July 2022. This was a very exciting step for Annie’s Acrylics to partner with The Experience Establishments; we were expecting to expand and launch a networking space that was able to host other artists as well. Renovations were in the works from August – October 2022. We then did a soft launch, October 15th, 2022. After working in the space for a few months, we decided to host our first networking event and did a official launch party, January 15th, 2023. Two days later, January 17th; Annie’s Acrylics was asked by the fire department to vacate. Unfortunately the circumstances of the building was not up to code for the service Annie’s Acrylics was providing. Annie’s Acrylics was unable to operate out of that space moving forward and had to breach contract immediately.

This incident was extremely discouraging for the business, as we had lost a ton of finances and did not get the opportunity to re-profit our losses yet. It would have been extremely easy at the time to call the shots and shut it all down. Annie’s Acrylics is a nail enhancement service. The skills and talents are per the artist. I then reminded myself, I must be resilient because I am the brand and the craft. A space does not define my talents. If the magic is at my fingertips, then Annie’s Acrylics is anywhere that I am.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

Bouncing off the previous question that illustrated my resilience; Annie’s Acrylics is now taking a huge pivot in the business. Myself, the artist; is also taking a huge pivot in my own career and life. I call myself a serial entrepreneur because I’m always doing business. Any idea, craft, talent, thought can become a business. Although, I jumped from salon to studio; I created a space because I believed in the power of networking and building a strong community. My career also consisted of traveling and doing nails in other cities. I traveled the last two of three years that Annie’s Acrylics has been in business. Traveling was a comfort zone for me to branch out and find out who I am as an artist but also was a safety net to return home. I doubted myself and my craft many many times but I continue to find myself exploring to desire something more of my career and my talents. Coming September 2023, Annie’s Acrylics will be re-locating to Dallas, Texas from Columbus, Ohio. This is a huge pivot in my life in general. Being a small town girl for the last twenty-eight years, I’m ready to explore a new chapter in my career and this life time !

Contact Info:

• Website: annies-acrylics.square.site
• Instagram: @annies.acrylics

Image Credits
Photographer: Lindzy Nava Website: www.lindzyleephoto.com Instagram: @lindzynava