We recently connected with Leana James and have shared our conversation below.
Leana, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. The first dollar your business earns is always special and we’d love to hear how your brand made its first dollar of revenue.
I’ve always surrounded myself with those who supported my dreams and aspirations and going into being a nail tech student to a full time employee at a salon I wanted to break the nerves with practicing on family and friends. So I would at little discount to damn near did free sets for my family and friends who trusted and believed in my talent. I never stopped. I even used my husbands face and nails for practice, I asked him while he played video games if I can practice my acrylic nails! At the very first salon I worked at despite being a perfectionist I would ask my clients for their true and honest opinions on what I could’ve done better and what would you like me to add into the service, this helped me pave the way into developing my unique niche in how I do service.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
My name is Leana Armas-James, Filipina & Mexican born and raised in Los Angeles California. I came to Columbus back in 2016 where my husband and I settled to raise our growing family. It was then I decided from being a stay at home mom I wanted to be a nail tech/esthetician, I’ve always had a passion for the beauty industry. I enjoy creating an environment where clients are in a safe space with me to be themselves whether it’s sharing moments of joy and laughter or providing support during times of sorrow and tears, I’m able to express art through beauty and build relationship with people of all walks of life. I rebranded myself recently due to closing my previous business with my husband as well as business partner to create Refined Artistry Co. The reason I chose this name was simply the meaning behind “Refined”; developed or improved so as to be precise or subtle, to be purified. So putting Refined Artistry Co. together gave me the idea for my new salon, now located in the heart of Franklinton to become an elevated luxury experience for beauty service rituals.
Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?
Some podcasts and books I came upon were recommended from colleagues. I love reading books and listening to motivating podcasts to elevate myself whether its for my business or personally challenging my mindset. “The Four Agreements”, written by Don Miguel Ruiz, it’s a short read but it allowed me to rethink on what I was taught through my upbringing and what mindset I had being a parent and business owner. Another read I enjoyed was “Great CEO’s Are Lazy”, written by Jim Schleckser, this was inspiring on managing my priorities as a boss. I struggled for a long time trying to always be the person who did it all with perfection. I had to stop and really take a step back from taking control of everything and to allow others to take portions of my job to be able to free up more space in doing more for my business and personal life. It’s honestly such a great gem to read.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
Empathy has been a constant trait in my life, and as an entrepreneur, mastering the art of balancing my emotions with the demands of my business was crucial. This journey towards emotional intelligence has shaped me into a more effective salon owner, allowing me to lead rationally while maintaining a compassionate environment where my employees feel comfortable seeking my assistance with their challenges.
Contact Info:
- Website: Www.refinedartistry.co
- Instagram: @refinedartistryco
- Facebook: Www.facebook.com/RefinedArtistryCo
- Other: TikTok: @refinedartistryco
Image Credits
Photographer: Maya Carolina @mayacarolina.dream