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

Meg, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. One of the things we most admire about small businesses is their ability to diverge from the corporate/industry standard. Is there something that you or your brand do that differs from the industry standard? We’d love to hear about it as well as any stories you might have that illustrate how or why this difference matters.

Being a private/independent nail artist gives me the freedom to do things according to my own pace and standards. I run my own business from A to Z, keeping me in full control of how many clients I service, the types of services I offer, how long I spend on my clients, what times I am available to work, the products I use, and the clientele I’m willing to work with. Often times, nail salons that staff multiple service providers have a culture of speed. The faster you work, the more clients you can service, and the more money you can earn. Unfortunately, this pace doesn’t work well for the high-end manicures I provide. The process for prepping and cleaning up the cuticles alone takes me 45 minutes to an hour. Because of the time and care used for each client, I am able yo deliver a higher quality, more durable result.

Meg, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I started my nail career later than most. After earning a bachelors degree in psychology, working in banking, and being a stay-at-home mom for many years, I was lost and restless. I felt like I had so much creativity and no outlet for it. Around that time I also noticed that I was always watching nail artists on Instagram and admiring this new world of nail artistry that I’d never seen in any salon before. These amazing artists and nail “influencers” planted a seed in my heart that grew into a full-blown love and passion! I couldn’t stop thinking about nails and very quickly did my research and enrolled in a trade school to earn my manicurist license. Since then, I’ve worked in salons and from home. I’m now in my own private studio and couldn’t be happier!

I offer limited specialty services in my suite. Offering fewer services allows me to be very detailed and focus on the services that I excel in. I offer structured gel manicures and soft gel extensions and pretty much any kind of nail art you can think of.

My clients come to me and return because they can count on a durable, detailed service that lasts and brings joy for weeks!

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

Although I don’t have TONS of followers, I have far more than I ever dreamed of! When I first enrolled in manicurist school, I just jumped into social media with a focus on Instagram. I set up my profile and used as many tools as Instagram offered to reach new clients and followers. I think the key to social media success is to first identify your audience. Are you speaking to fellow industry people or to potential clients with your posts and stories? Once you determine your target audience, you can see what other artists have done to get traction to their pages and follow suit.

Social media is constantly changing and many features are FREE! I have gotten great exposure locally and globally, increasing my platform size and my future opportunities. Social media may be a ‘rabbit hole’ but if it’s done correctly, you’ll be happy to dive in!

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

Consistency and love are the greatest pathways to success. Without love for your craft and yourself, you may not be as resilient when hard times come around. Like any business, being a nail artist has its ups and downs. It’s the love that gets you through those downs.

Consistency is what separates you from the others. When you consistently provide a quality service, your client will return and spread the love with referrals. Through word-of-mouth, you can gain lots of business or lose lots of business. Consistency means you have more gains and fewer losses.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://thefreeedge.glossgenius.com/
• Instagram: @thefreeedge
• Yelp: https://m.yelp.com/biz/the-free-edge-glendale-3