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

Alright, Matika thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Are you happier as a business owner? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job?

I feel I am happy as a business owner because I love making my own schedule, I only have to play by my rules (as long as I’m following state laws, lol), I have the freedom to be myself. I’m a beauty professional, going to work with pink hair is amazing.

I do think about what it would be like to have a regular job. And it’s a quick thought. Even when I worked for other Nail salons or call center jobs I always never it wouldn’t last long.

Funny thing is it recently come to my mind. As a new business owner sometimes the money just isn’t there and it makes you wonder is it really worth it. But I know deep down that my business is gonna work out. I have hope. I have faith. I believe in myself and everything that I want to accomplish with my business.
When bills are coming out and the money is coming but is to pay for the bills. It gets frustrating. I really get in a space and it’s like I gotta make something shake because I can’t fail.

It’s times I’m broke and it’s times I feel rich as ever, during both times I remember why I’m doing this. Why it’s gonna be worth it in the end. The nights crying, sad, broke, tired, lonely, depressed will make sense in a few years.

Never give up. Push through.

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?

Hey y’all! I’m Matika Maple commonly known as Tiink P, Madame MJ, and my personal favorite Jackieona, meaning women of many hustles. I’m a 28 year old nail school owner, from a small town in South Carolina.

I’ve been a licensed nail technician since 2012 I attended the Sumter County Career center my 11th grade year of high school. I originally wanted to do hair, I’m actually thankful that didn’t work out. My mom is a breast cancer survivor, she was diagnosed my 10th grade year. She wasn’t able to afford the full cosmetology course. I decided to take culinary arts instead. I really just wanted to get out of high school for two class a day.

My mom cooked and sold dinners to pay for me to get into the nail program at the career center without my knowledge. One day she tells me the school called I had to go get a new class schedule. As a high schooler I had already called my homegirls to see what classes we had together. So I was big time mad. After getting to the school I realized what she had done. I’ll forever be grateful for her. That’s how I got started with nails.

I worked in traditional shops for most of my career. 2019 I stepped out to open my own one person studio, Called Nail Dreams Studio. Everything was lonely until our friend rona come in 2020 and shut us down. During the shut down, I used my unemployment check to take online classes to become a nail educator. I found a school in Rock Hill, SC that I wanted to work at and I drove 2 hours to and from everyday to work as an intern. I did that for two months. In April 2021 I decided to move to that area to work as a paid employee. That didn’t work. Now here I am two hours away from home with no job. I was hurt felt like my dreams were fading. September I got a call from a potential investor that he wanted to invest. After looking at locations we found Florence, SC needed what I was offering.
October 2021 I was signed a lease to my own nail technology school in Florence.

Canvas Artistry was born and ready to show up and show out. We train individuals who would like to become a licensed nail technician on statement laws, proudct chemistry, anatomy, infection control and how to create beautiful nail enhancements. When you are finished the course you will have the 300 hours needed to apply to take your state exam.

Canvas Artistry also offers other products like our foot care line, press on nails, nail products, and nail ebooks.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

I love this question because alot of people say I inspire them because I live so freely and in 2019 I told the word a secret. In 2017 I found out I had HSV (Herpes) I was devastated. I went into a depression and wanted to end my life.

In 2019 I decided I didn’t want to hold on to something that I could change if I was going to continue living. I made a Facebook post. My inbox flooded with messages about thier situation.

I reposted the same post in 2020 and it went viral. I decided to become a advocate for HSV.

I could have given up easily but I chose to live and inspire.

Does your business have multiple or supplementary revenue streams (like a ATM machine at a barbershop, etc)?

We are actually looking to get a vending machine to place in malls with our foot care line and nail products. We host pop up shops and nail shows as a fundraiser. Vendors pay for their spot and we promote to get other businesses to come out.

Contact Info:

• Website: Www.canvasartistry.net
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/CanvasArtistry_nailscool
• Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100075954949374
• Other: Tiktok CA_nailschool