We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Chloe Jeong. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Chloe below.
Chloe, appreciate you joining us today. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?
I believe that getting your nails done isn’t just about the pretty nails, but it should also be a safe, comfortable, and personalized experience. It should never hurt to get your nails done!
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 name is Chloe and I’m a nail artist and business owner of Nail Atelier by Chloe J. I specialize in acrylics and hand painted nail art with an emphasis on keeping the integrity of the natural nail. I have always loved to create and have had a sizeable polish collection as far as I could remember. Growing up, I had never imagined myself as a nail artist because I thought the only path was graduating a 4 year university and having an occupation in that field, but in 2019 my love for both the beauty industry as well as hand painting art led me to pursue my dreams of being a nail artist.
I’ve been doing what I love since then and the opportunity to be my own boss opened up for me in 2022. I had a baby and was planning to go back to the salon I was working at, but the opportunity to be my own boss and have a flexible schedule to take care of my family came into fruition with establishing Nail Atelier. Atelier means workshop or studio in French, which is fitting as I specialize in handpainted nail art!
Being in the nail industry, I found it unfortunate that clients always thought acrylics destroyed their nails and pain during their nail services was a norm. Acrylic, gel and any/all nail enhancements do not have to destroy your nails. Using good products from reputable companies and a gentle touch can go a long way. You should not feel pain when getting your nails done and I view getting your nails done as a very personal experience. Everyone has a different lifestyle, nailbed lengths and widths so those aspects are taken into consideration with each and every nail set I create.
I am blessed with clients who respect my creative vision as well as my professional opinion in the lengths/nail shapes that fit into their daily lives. We use our hands with everything so it’s necessary to have nail enhancements that are both beautiful, safe and functional. Having nails that are too long for your lifestyle can cause serious injuries and the wrong shape for your nail length can be a esthetically displeasing.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
I love the freedom to express my creativity through different ways, but also connect with people. When I sit with a client at the nail table, there’s an energy exchange as we hold hands to do their nails, but also as we converse about our lives. We are not only doing nails together, we do nail life together. We really talk about everything and anything at the Atelier or sometimes just enjoy the silence as I concentrate on a particularly detailed design.
Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?
Word of mouth has been the most effective strategy for me. I try to give every client a personalized experience, but also create high quality work. Sometimes our vibes can be off with referrals, but I believe everyone who has sat at my table was meant to be there whether it was one time or the hundredth time. I’m just thankful that my clients love to support me by referring me to their family/friends or even strangers in the street.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: chloe_j.nails