We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Charley Green a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Charley, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. One deeply underappreciated facet of entrepreneurship is the kind of crazy stuff we have to deal with as business owners. Sometimes it’s crazy positive sometimes it’s crazy negative, but crazy experiences unite entrepreneurs regardless of industry. Can you share a crazy story with our readers?

Ok, so it all started as me wanting to sell lipgloss. To gaining the customers, to sitting on loads of product I couldn’t sell. Instead of giving up, I ventured into make to continue my lipgloss brand. It was definitely a rocky start but with consistency I got through trial and error and became a well known artist in my city in about 2 years. That 3rd year it’s like makeup becoming the new thing to do in Nashville. I started slowing down on my bookings and by that time, I was already in a salon renting a station. The first two years was hard but I always made rent by using my paycheck from my job to get it done on bad weeks. Eventually I lost my job due to putting my brand first, so that 3rd year. I had nothing to fall on but POPGIRL. I told the owner of the salon I didn’t think I’d make it much longer & all she said was “This gone make or break you” . I 100% knew that moment, I was not going out a quitter! I started brainstorming & thinking of all kinds of deals to drop but believe it or not. Nothing worked. It was just a bad season. I knew I had to switch it up. I remember going to bed that night feeling defeated. I wasn’t quitting but I didn’t understand how I couldn’t figure out my next move. I told you I was consistent. But persistency is what got me here. I woke up the next day, and told my spouse about a wild dream I had as a nail tech and I was really good it. I laughed it off and by the end of the next day, I had applied for nail school. Literally just took a leap of faith because I know the universe is always on my side and I’m one to listen the first time!

I started school on a special date (I survived a shooting) and the day I saw my school ID with the date, I just knew I found my niche. That was such an ironic conformation, but again I LISTEN THE FISRT TIME.

Ok so fast forward about 3 months later and we were introduce to a new teacher.. Ofelia Moreno literally taught me how to manipulate and manger acrylic in a month. She told me I was great and going to be great based on my dedication and staying receptive to any information she was willing to give.
I started promoting my nails like crazy and by the time Covid hit, I was literally NASHVILLES # 1 nail tech.

Back story. I didn’t just blow up over night.

When Covid hit. Everything hit.
And when I say everything. I mean everything.
I had to pay shop rent, keep in mind, I was full time in school. So before I start actually making money doing nails, I was broke. Going to school., home to practice and the shop waiting on a potential walk in.

So eventually I had to make a tough decision and had to slow down with school. A 4 month program turned into 7 quick.
I remember getting up to go to school one day because I was soooo happy I made the final payment on my tiny little Toyota Corolla. That meant more money to save!!

So I started working more and going to school whenever I could. Til one perfect day happened. I made it to school on time, made some money from a few clients and even ate dinner out with my spouse and came home to finish the night watching movies.

Well that night, when I went to bed, a storm started. I slept through most of it until my spouse asked me to wake up. She said something was wrong. I was pretty out of it but I noticed it was dead silent. My power had went comepletly black and my phones alarm had went off. I read it and it said “take cover”.

We jumped up and ran to the bathroom because it was just our first instinct. As soon as I made it to the tub, my entire house went it the air and was thrown down the street. We were trapped in my tub under my house and had to dig our way completely from the rubble. I remember repenting and telling each other we love each other so much. We said “squeeze” so many times.

That was probably the calmest I’ve ever felt in my entire life. I was squeezing with my eyes closed soooooo tight and just breathing so slow but it sounded soooo loud in my head. I just knew it was about to be over but it’s like soon as I felt that empty feeling, I took a deeper breath and it was over. I remember just going into fight mode and we had to get out. She has a lot heavier than me, so when we dropped. She hit harder. We ran to our neighbors and I tied a belt around her arm and we pushed down the street with the help of neighbors.

They next day, I was on crutches with a few stitches but nothing crazy. I went to my house to salvage whatever we could but it wasn’t much left. Just my turtle .

With that being said. After that night hit, reality hit. That car that I paid off, the tornado took. And when it got fixed. Someone totaled it.

That house, clothes, food, shoe box with money. Was gone.

It was time to sink or swim.

My school started a drive and sooo many people brought things for people in the tornado but I couldn’t take it. My pride was too big. I just wanted to get in and out.

Guess what, Covid hit like 3 days later.

So now house, no car, no shop because it’s closed down. No school to practice, only video calls.

It was 100% time to suck it up and get it done. I graduated nail school over the phone.

Every little dollar I had, we put it together and found a nice house with the help of fema (only $2000) and walked in empty. I set up a nail table in the corner, and popgirl started 100% over with 5 jogging suits, some house shoes and over sized underwear.

I worked from 6am -3am almost 2 months straight.

I got my charger off that money.
I rebuild my suites when the shop reopened.
And popgirl took off again.

Eventually I left that salon and partnered with a friend who didn’t have the same dreams as me. Luckily it was a rented suite so we just went our own ways.

In the process of me looking for a new booth to rent, my sister sent me a number of a building I was sure was a salon and told me to call and ask to view it.

When I met up with the landlord, I had no idea it was an empty building. He laughed when I asked where was all the employees.

I told him this was part of the plan and thank you. That next morning the Steve Harvey morning show said “sometimes we don’t have a business plan, but the plan is to make it work”

Guys. I told y’all about them signs! I’m listening to them!
I called him immediately and said if I can get up the money in 3 days I’m signing the lease. .
I got that money up with the help of my dad and an old friend in 1 day! Support is real when people see your persistence!

I opened my salon with 12 tentants in 30 days. Fully furnished. And I even had supplies for each tenant to get started.

Now, in 3 months, Popgirl parlour, will be 2 years in business & we just renovated this month for my 6th year anniversary as being popgirl.

Oh yea, I think I’m a contractor too because I definitely DIY’d it.

Best part about this all, is always knowing I’m going to make it. My mindset is confident. That’s all i ever needed

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?

Popgirl by Charley started back in 2017. I was working at a restaurant that actually got me started in makeup and I decided to push my brand after selling products first. It got really hard after while with everyday struggles and I just wasn’t making enough money to support my home to the best of my ability.
I was working two job when I decided to drop my line. I was a lead baker as well as a server. Cooking has always been a big part and still if of my life. I had absolutely no idea my new journey would lead me to be one of Nashvilles top nail technicians. Excuse me, ARTIST. ❤️ I started my brand with only $200 by doing my own research & dropping a lipgloss line. I did pretty good my first popup shop making about $1000 in just 8-12 days of planning after my products came in.

My sister was my biggest supporter and literally sold more glosses than I ever could. I hadn’t mastered confidence yet, I was more of a behind the scenes type of girl.

After while, I started to notice a lot of gloss lines dropping all around me, so I had to come up with a plan to stay relevant as much and as long as possible! So I pushed! I started making eyeshades, balms, body mist and more! I was so locked in with my brand, I end up losing my job right after getting laid off from the other. Despite the consistent struggle, I didn’t let up at all until one day I was actually shot. I lost myself and my brand for a while due to ptsd. That was probably the hardest time I’d ever experienced in my life. Imagine trying to smile everyday but seeing something so horrific replay constantly through out your day. I went in the dark for a while and the only thing that brought me out was getting back busy. I vowed to never let myself sink again. I started manipulating my own mind by manifesting and telling myself everyday I was somebody and it would be ok. I wrote on my mirrors and every put positive wall papers on my phone about who I believed I was. I had to get back up. It was literally breaking me down inside out.

So yes, my life is all over the place but the hood still outweighs the bad. When I got back on my feet, it was 100% because of makeup. I posted daily as much as I had to post, jist to get my city back on my side. My followers started to support my work, no because I was good at my craft yet, but because I was consistent. I was motivating and dedicated all around, and my hard work did not go unnoticed. I even received an opportunity to work with a woman who hard a thriving business already, but something told me to keep pushing alone. (She wanted to change my brand to her name an I decided to put my dreams first).

I started booking weddings of 10-15 people, my books were busy and life was getting better. I had found a job at holiday in hotel and was working in a shop and even on slow days, I was happy because my job could cover what I was lacking.

Eventually, I put my brand before my job and end up losing it all together. Makeup even got slow so I was back at square one. When it was time to come up with plan B, the universe had already gave me a sign on what was next for me, NAILS!

I started school and boom, a tornado everything I had worked so hard for away from me. Car got totaled. No house, clothes andything. But again, the universe had already showed me my future. I’ve never been so sure of success until after that day.

I’m now a shop owner of 2 years, the owner of popgirl 6 years running and I have an amazing team I’m still growing with.

Popgirl has a hell of a story, but my journey is just getting started.

Can you talk to us about your experience with buying businesses?

Opening my salon.

When I ran into my salon, I had no idea what I was walking in to.
I had just parted ways with a suite mate whose clientele wasn’t growing as fast as mine. I had to make a choice of working from home, or finding a new suite and I had a limited amount of time to do so. I had just got my own apartment and had just got a new car so the money was definitely tight.

My sister had called and said she saw a sign up and gave me the number. She never specified that it was a building. I had about $400 to my name when I called the landlord asking to meet up. We agreed to meet the next day and let’s just say when I entered the building, he 100% thought I was eating his time.

I walked inside and told him I had no idea this wasn’t salon suites. He told me to simply loom around and just give him a call or pass his number along. I agreed and asked to record a video to show my father. As I started recording, the vision came to light immediately. I watch this video everytime I’m discouraged to remind me of how dreams can really become reality.

I knew exactly how I wanted to run the salon and where I wanted everything to be in a 3 min video. It’s like it just rolled off my tongue. Keep in mind, I only had $400!!’

I asked him to give me two days to come up with rent and the deposit. He agreed.

I got up the money in 24hrs!

After signing the lease, I realized I had 30 days to get that rent paid again! So I had a goal to open a full service salon in 30 days!

That new apartment probably saw 200 people in 30 days. I worked my a*s off to get that shop open, and oct 1st 2021, I opened my shop fully furnished. I got up about 16,000 of nails and $100 deposits from 12 people to say popgirl parlour is in business.

When you really want something, you’ll push yourself as far as you can to get it. Most people need a risk to be 50/50 to act on it. All I need is 20% and a prayer. And I’m pushing for it!!

How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?

With having to open a salon, without any loans, you have to be willing to lose sleep, lose friends, and lose your mind a couple times before it all makes sense.

I cried more than I smiled that month but motivation comes in many ways.

I dropped proves from 100 to 50. I changed my 9am-5pm to 5am -12am.

I sold plates.

I Ubered. I didn’t whatever I had to do to get my shop open. Once you tell yourself you’re going to do something, you owe yourself to keep your word!

The mind is soooooo powerful when you believe and trust yourself.

A plan is there always, just relax and think about where you want to be, not just how you’re going to get there.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://bookpopgirl.as.me/schedule.php?fbclid=PAAaZER53OBYeSwahDWKMRSTkj1wFxlUH4ZOCYc-xezD2_8ecpWxpGPmYoZvY_aem_AfAHzQhLBpEX6B30R9V1O6muWmlPpSS31mi_eHDl-z7RHxzmtscK_IjdxS4v9zzS7_8
• Instagram: Popgirlbycharley
• Facebook: Pop girl by Charley
• Other: TikTok : Popgirlbycharley

Image Credits
Photographer: Laquest Ware