We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Marliee Rose. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Marliee below.

Hi Marliee , thanks for joining us today. Almost all entrepreneurs have had to decide whether to start now or later? There are always pros and cons for waiting and so we’d love to hear what you think about your decision in retrospect. If you could go back in time, would you have started your business sooner, later or at the exact time you started?

I wish I would’ve started my career as a nail technician sooner than I did. Being my own boss, making my own hours, being available for my children when I want, and of course the lucrative income that came with my career has been life changing. I didn’t know I had a passion in this industry until I was 25 years old. I got my nails done frequently and was never satisfied. Customer service was horrible, no one kept up with trends, and it just was a bad experience overall. At the time I was a server so I didn’t have a lot of money and it cost too much to keep wasting. I started doing my own and then friends and family. People always asked who did them so I decided to go to cosmetology school to learn the professional way. I was also an avid braider but later decided that wasn’t the path for me. I learned theory in school and realized how unsafe and unsanitary public nail salons can be. I wanted to share the knowledge and create a whole new experience for other nail enthusiasts. As soon as school was over my instructor, who saw how passionate I was, helped me get my first job at a nail salon. But I was only allowed to do pedicures. While I am an advocate for healthy nails, I’m also an artist so that wasn’t enough for me. I soon found another salon that was popular and from then on my clientele grew tremendously. People said it was an experience being serviced by me, hence the motto The Marliee Rose Experience. I now have my own suite in Columbus, Ga named The Nail Suite Salon. I strive to provide the best experience for my clients with exceptional customer service, complimentary beverages, keeping their comfort in mind, attention to details, reserving time just for them, keeping their nails healthy and fashionable, and I finish each service with a hand massage. We laugh, we talk, we cry, we sit in silence… whatever my client needs from me that day she gets!

If I had started my career sooner, I would be a lot further. I would love to get into film and print as an editorial nail tech and I want to open my own nail academy one day so I would be closer to achieving those goals. I have already started my retail business offering nail products but I’m sure my brand would’ve been bigger by now. Not to mention with one low income and two children, life was pretty difficult before my career started. Going back to school was the best decision I made.

Even with the struggles that came before my career, I know that everything happens for a reason. I was a teen mom and I know that everything I have grown through in life was a lesson I needed to prepare me for bigger. I can look back and say “I wish things had been different” but I wouldn’t have gained the wisdom I needed from going through the things I did to get here. It’s so much deeper than anyone would imagine and maybe one day I’ll tell my story. I look back to remember where I came from and how I got through everything in the past and I can keep doing so if I #KEEPPUSHING.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

I was an unsatisfied consumer so I learned how to do it myself and grew from there. I never even thought of nails as a career until people started asking me to do theirs too. Locals who know me, even the ones who have never come to me before, know what to expect from me. They know they will get nothing less than the best and something unique catered to their style and they know their nails will last a long time. People know me when they see me and we’ve never met. most of my clientele comes from word of mouth. With that, I would have to say the reputation I built for myself would be the thing I’m most proud of. It makes me so happy to make people feel good. Sometimes people come in in a bad mood and leave in a better one because of our conversation and of course the nails make them feel like a woman who can conquer the world! That’s why I do what I do. I have changed a lot of peoples perspective of nails. When they once thought it was just a cute accessory, people who come in contact with me know that healthy nails matter FIRST.

I sell items and accessories for nail enthusiasts like card grabbers for those who wear long nails, handmade cuticle oil, press ons, and more. For nail artists like myself, I have nail tips, the best nail files, gel top coat, nail art supplies, acrylic powder, and more. You really have to check it out for yourself to see! I want people to know I offer the same quality with my products as I do my services. Quality you can trust at that.

What sets me apart from others is me. I’m one of one and if there is ever a time a client goes to someone else they ALWAYS come back and say so and so doesn’t do it like you. With a consumer mindset, I try to treat my clients how I would want to be treated and it works for me. I’m really big on customer service and all my designs are based on my clients personality, lifestyle, and finger shape. I used to compare my nails to other nail techs and how they didn’t all look the same like theirs. People always comment on how they love that about me so I learned to embrace it.

Keep a look out, you will see my name again!

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

I remember when Covid hit. No one thought it was a big deal until it was. We got the news that cosmetologists could no longer perform services and I had a full schedule of clients for the next week. At this time I was paying booth rent at a lash suite. Thankfully I wasn’t required to pay booth rent while we were out. This is when I started my press on business to accommodate those who still wanted to keep their nails done. I refused to take clients like some people were still doing and expose myself. I was extremely concerned at first but I had to create a new income for myself. Doing so showed me how resilient I really am. I made a lot of money selling press ons and my kids and I never went without the few months I was out of work.

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

I started with $1000. I had been working at a nail salon but all the clients I took were mine. They booked on my site so I had no need to continue to pay commission to someone else when I could keep it all for myself. I loved where I worked but it was time to move on. I took that grand and bought an inexpensive nail table, a few supplies to start, about 30 gel polish colors, and paid my booth rent at the lash suite. My clients had no problem following me. I was there for a year before expenses increased and I realized I could afford a suite to myself. I used my income tax and I money I had saved up to move. I found the suite I’m in now and barely had anything to furnish it at first. I’m now in the stages of redecorating

Contact Info:

• Website: www.marlieerose.com
• Instagram: @marlieerose_
• Facebook: Marliee Rose
• Youtube: Marliee Rose
• Other: Pinterest: Marliee Rose