We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Hirsch Nguyen. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Hirsch below.
Hi Hirsch, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to start by getting your thoughts on what you are seeing as some the biggest trends emerging in your industry
One of the biggest trends I am seeing amongst the nail community today, that was quite uncommon when I first started out in the industry, is independent nail artists. I was engulfed in the nail industry at a very young age, as my mom was one of many employees in a traditional nail salon. There, I had the privilege of understanding the standard operation and flow of a salon and what it takes to be an employee, but also what it takes to be the boss. I understood why nail artists thrived in commission based salons; there was little to no overhead, supplies were provided, and all that was required of you as an employee was a percentage of your earnings. Working in salons was common back then, but prior to the pandemic, nail techs began working in individual spaces/salons, where they could operate their own independent business while still servicing clients and practicing the artistry. This allowed nail artists to tackle the entrepreneurship aspect of the industry without having to worry about employees, and the cost of running an entire salon. Once the pandemic hit, the one-on-one environment became enticing for nail artists and clients, as social distancing became a common practice, amongst society and especially in salon settings. As an artist who has worked in both the traditional salon and as an independent artist, I feel there are pros and cons to both aspects of the industry. Working in a salon with other artists taught me lessons that have shaped me to be the artist that I am today, and has provided the work experience and hustle I needed to excel in the industry. I worked in a traditional salon setting for a majority of my career, which has been some of the highest high’s and lowest low’s of my career, but once I found my independence after the pandemic, I realized that I thrive in my own realm, without the commotion and distraction of the standard salon setting. My prior work experience paired with the independence of being my own entity has allowed me to create some of my best work, while also opening doors to business and entrepreneurship opportunities that have changed my career in ways I’ve never imagined possible. My advice to artists who don’t know whether to seek commission based employment or become independent, is to experience both aspects for yourself to fully understand the responsibilities associated with each of them, and which option allows you to become the best artist you can be. The experience of working in a salon builds the tough skin you need to thrive in this industry and truly allows you to understand the beauty of being an independent nail artist!
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
Thank you for this opportunity to be able share my story! For those who may not know who I am, I am known formally as Hirsch Hunty, commonly referred to as “Nails by Hirsch”, and I am a nail artist and extraordinaire based in Charlotte, North Carolina. Growing up with a mother who was a full-time nail technician, I spent a lot of time in the nail salon from a very young age. While most kids my age were either home with her parents or outside playing with other kids, I spent a lot of my time helping my mother start pedicure bowls, answering the shop phone, and other tasks that immersed me in the field at an early age. It was in those moments that I understood I wanted to pursue becoming a beauty professional in the future.
After graduating from a vocational high school with my diploma and a cosmetology license, I went on to work as a nail technician in Wilmington, North Carolina. With a fundamental knowledge for the craft and little to no practical skills, I sought out to become not only a nail tech, but a nail ARTIST, and in just two years, I became one of Wilmington’s most in-demand nail artists. I wanted to keep my momentum going and continue elevating my career, so I took a leap of faith and moved to the up-and-coming city of Charlotte, where I knew I would excel even further than I imagined. I continued on my journey as an independent artist in a new city, and despite facing obstacles such as a global pandemic and salon shutdowns, I still went on to become one of Charlotte’s most in-demand artists for luxury nails.
Within the last 6 years in the industry, I’ve become a highly-skilled nail artist, specializing in luxury nail enhancements and trend-setting, hand drawn nail art. With a passion fueled by innovation and uniqueness, I went on to become a global sensation, sought out by many. My work has even gone on to be featured in NailPro Magazine and Allure Magazine.
How did you build your audience on social media?
Social media is currently one of the most important aspects of the nail industry as nail artists are able to display their work and connect with others via social media. In the beginning of my career, Instagram was the main platform for artists to grow and showcase their work; I spent a lot of time posting my work and building my social media presence to help propel my career and relationships with clients. I posted any and every set of nails that I did, hoping each one would attract a new client, and ultimately attract the attention of enough viewers to become a viral sensation. I decided to give my viewers a more behind the scenes look that showcased more of my personality, along with my nails. Once my viewers saw the nails I was capable of creating, alongside my infectious and fabulous personality, my platform skyrocketed in engagement and allowed my work to be seen by other nail artists and nail enthusiasts all over the world! In the end, I learned that staying persistent with my presence on social media, staying true to my artistry and remaining 100% authentic and genuine has helped me build my online presence and audience on social media.
What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?
Over the years, in my career, growing my clientele has been a journey, to say the least. Starting out in a small town of Wilmington, North Carolina, I started out with no clients at all and overtime became a nail artist that was highly sought out in the town with an extensive clientele. Two years later, I took a leap of faith, and left my clientele I spent so much time building and moved to a bigger city, Charlotte, North Carolina. Once I got to Charlotte, I knew I had to rebuild my clientele from the ground up, all over again, and without many connections or relationships in the city, I knew I had to put a lot of work in to build enough of a name in this big city to stay afloat. My main strategy to rebuild my clientele was the one that built me my clientele the first time around, and consisted of two main components; an undeniable social media presence and word of mouth. I posted my work under every hashtag possible and stayed consistent with the service I was providing my client, and in no time, word got around the Queen city. My eye-catching work, showcased on Instagram, mixed with a good reputation as an innovative and unique nail artist became the recipe for my success and within the first year, I re-built my clientele successfully in a brand new city, and became one of Charlotte’s top nail artists, and highly sought out across the city.
Contact Info:
- Website: Nailsbyhirsch.com
- Instagram: @nailsbyhirsch
Image Credits
Gavin Boulware – @iam_gavinb Corrie Huggins – @corriehugginscreative FadeAwayz Productions – @faceawayzproductions