We recently connected with Nia Archuleta and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Nia thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Are you happier as a creative? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job? Can you talk to us about how you think through these emotions?
As a nail tech I am happy I get to do what I love! As an artist you always think , is my work good enough? Will the client be happy with my craft ? Did I try my best ? I always look at myself and say is it worth it ? I truly believe if you allow peoples opinions and social media to answer these questions nobody would be an artist. You have to be able to roll with the punches, people will always have an opinion or view on what you do. So being able to be self motivating and happy with yourself is very important! I always think about if I had a good old regular 9-5 i wouldn’t worry about my bills being paid. Being a nail technician you have to weave out the bad apples to get to the good ones. Working a 9-5 is not a bad thing at all , personally being on a schedule having consistent income and learning a trade is wonderful. Nobody tells you when becoming your own boss it comes with working 24 hours a day, staying relevant in the industry and being financially responsible in everything you do is required.
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?
My name is Nia Archuleta also known as Yas from @nailedby.yas, I’m a nail technician from Clayton County Ga. Im filipino and black . I’ve been doing nails since I was 21 years old, I got introduced to the industry from Nhi Ho , also known as @nailsbyhobag. She has a shop in the middle of Riverdale, ga right on hwy 85 called LA NAILS. I started off doing feet and slowly transitioned into doing nails. I always loved to be hands on and craft with my hands, I used it as therapy through my teenage years, being self taught I only took a couple of art classes in my younger years. The best Art teacher I’ve ever had was Mr.Norwood he motivated me to continue my journey. Also proving that no matter who you are and where you come from you can be a artist. Im most proud of being able to do what I love so it doesn’t feel like a job, I enjoy meeting new women and providing a private space for them to unwind and feel free. I want my potential clients to know when they sit in my chair the goal is to build relationships with them not just take their money. I may not own a large shop or be huge on social media , but I have a lot to offer and show my supporters.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
The most rewarding aspect of being a creative artist is watching women walk out feeling beautiful. I’ve seen my clients whole mood change from the moment they came and sat in my chair. Being apart of weddings, birthdays, gender reveals etc, feels like a piece of you added the finishing touches to accomplish that special moment! Watching my clients scream and smile when I finish their nails drives me to keep pursuing my ideas as a nail technician.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
Deciding to relocate to a completely different area strongly impacted my small business, although I thought only moving 45 minutes from where I started wouldn’t affect my clientele ,it most certainly did ! I realized the overall convince I took away from my clients that were only ten minutes down the street caused me to lose way more than I expected. I went through depression , missing family and friends, questioning my decisions and dealing with PCOS. But knowing that I wanted more for myself allowed me to keep pushing forward and search for new clients in my area . I went to local stores and handed out business cards, I offered special discounts to my old clients for traveling to me. It drove me to create more content and think outside the box to gain more supporters .I even started working for free and only accepting tips to get out my content and show my worth to people. Then I realized I can do both , balance school and do what I love while transitioning from my comfort zone. In the moment I felt like I lost everything but I knew how much I would gain if I trusted god with my journey.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @nailedby.yas
- Linkedin: Nia Archuleta
- Other: TikTok @ohits.yasmeen
Image Credits
Nia Archuleta