We recently connected with Julia Clark and have shared our conversation below.

Julia , appreciate you joining us today. Being a business owner can be really hard sometimes. It’s rewarding, but most business owners we’ve spoken sometimes think about what it would have been like to have had a regular job instead. Have you ever wondered that yourself? Maybe you can talk to us about a time when you felt this way?

I 100% love being a business owner have the flexibility to make my own schedule. I’m able to be there for my daughter and family for important events. I work hard for my own success. But , it is not all roses and rainbows all the time. As a business owner you go through highs and lows . As a Nail Artist, there are times where your business is booming and your overwhelmingly busy. Then, there are times where you find yourself reorganizing your entire space and talking to your polishes while dusting them, (theres always work to do even if your not getting paid). Those days will surely make you think “Am I crazy for following my dreams?” ,”Should I just get a “real” 9 to 5 job?” Being a business owner takes alot of self-love, self-drive and hard-work. You get to transform into a part of yourself you never knew you could be by putting the work in day in and day out . Noone will work harder for your dreams than you even when its hard push through those bad days don’t last long. Being the most persistent ,optimistic and driven version of myself, has been the most rewarding for me as a business owner.

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

I am a Nail Artist/Tech . I am a proud Afro-latina who was born and raised in the Bronx in NYC. I began doing nails almost 12 years ago when I was pregnant with my daughter at 17. Doing nails really started as a challenge for me when I got my nails done for my baby shower, and I hated them.  The shape, the design, everything was not what I had asked my tech if she could do. My nails were rushed through (literally in 30 mins I was done), and she was not very nice to me or other clients.  When I asked for some touch-ups, the nail tech refused and was on to the next client. I left there in tears and said to myself, “This is such a fun job where you can make people feel good. It can’t be that hard!” And decided I wanted to prove that. Did I find out that was not the case. As a nail tech I was taking on many more jobs than just painting someones nails and making them feel pretty. I would have to learn to become a therapist, a cheerleader, and the motivator (even when I wasn’t motivated) for my clients, as well many other things along the way. As a detail oriented person it took alot of practice to get my work to what I wanted it to be. I always wanted to make sure my clients got exactly what they wanted and had invisioned, especially for their special occasions. I have prided myself in making sure my clients are happy before they step out of my chair for the past 12 years. With keeping this personal outlook, of making sure I take care of my clients the way I  always invisioned a nail experience to be. My attention to detail  is what I feel sets me apart from other Nail techs. By doing this I’ve been able to build a beautiful clientele and make this my full time career. #blessed

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

I think one of the major things that helped me build a reputation was the fact that I cared about details most Nail techs didn’t care about . I knew so many people that had a bad experience at a nail salon and I wanted to make sure that was not the case for any client i came in contact with.

What’s been the best source of new clients for you?

When I first started doing nails, social media was not what it was today. Today, we have so much access to new people at our fingertip. But for me, word of mouth has always been the best source of gaining new clients. Making sure each of my clients leave happy each time keeps the recommendations coming. It makes every detail worth it when your clients constantly brag about you. Lol

Contact Info:

• Instagram: Nailsby_julia
• Facebook: Nails By Julia
• Other: Tiktok : nailsby_julia

Image Credits
Nailsby_julia