We recently connected with Nicole Rose and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Nicole, thanks for joining us today. Folks often look at a successful business and imagine it was an overnight success, but from what we’ve seen this is often far from the truth. We’d love to hear your scaling up story – walk us through how you grew over time – what were some of the big things you had to do to grow and what was that scaling up journey like?

Starting a business is hard especially within the Beauty Industry. I went into the Beauty Industry with an open mind and ready to learn. Building up clientele is very difficult to do but maintaining that clientele over the years is even harder. How I was able to maintain my clientele over the past 7 years of doing nails is to always remember to be a client first before you are a professional. When you sit in the clients chair and receive the perspective of what you clients see, feel and are treated will help you grow your business more. I also listened to my clients and other professionals around me, no matter if you just started doing nails or have been doing nails for years… everyone is your teacher. I have faced many obstacles along the way from difficult clientele, finding the right location to work from, not feeling you’re “good enough” at your skill, etc. Throughout the years, I have learned to embrace my clientele, coworkers and society in order to help with my creative process and how to connect better with my clients.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Nails by Nicole Rose is a licensed Nail Professional who started doing nails over 7 years ago. Nails by Nicole Rose specializes in Gel Manicure, Gel-X Application, Deluxe Gel Pedicures. Before I started doing nails, I was working in the Mental Health field as a Behaviorist/ Case Manager in which I helped families who were apart of the system and in need of mental health services. While I was a Case Manager, I enjoyed what I did for my families and the community, but it started to take a toll on my Mental Health. I decided to step out on faith and took an acrylic class from Laque Nail and Beauty Bar and I have never looked back. I started working at the top high end nail salons across the Los Angeles areas. I have previously worked at Laque Nail Bar, Summit Nail Bar, Vertigo Nail Salon and currently I am stationed and the Manager at The Lavender Lounge in Hawthorne, CA. I have worked with the top nail professionals in the industry such as Chaun Legend and Naja the Nail Guru. These two professionals have taught myself as a Licensed Nail Professional how to interact with my clients and knowing a client’s needs and wants. I have learned to always come from a client’s perspective in order to improve my business. The main lesson I was taught and learned is no matter someone’s status, race, color, background, etc everyone is just as important as the next. Also, I call myself “The Beauty Therapist” due to clients expressing their deepest and darkest secrets to you as a person. I have learned that we provide therapy services to our clients just by making their day a little better.

How’d you meet your business partner?

While I was new and fresh within the Beauty Industry and doing nails on a professional level, I met my current shop owner while doing her pedicure. I was doing her feet and we started talking about life situations and how her as a Black woman was able to obtain her own shop and have a successful running shop as well. Throughout the years, I have called on her whenever I needed not only professional advice and guidance but as well as personal guidance. I am grateful for her and everything she has taught me throughout the years because she will never let me give up or stop doing nails because she believes in me that much. This is a huge THANK YOU TO AKEISHA “NICOLE” SEYMORE!!!!

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

The greatest lesson I had to learn is that not everyone is your friend and the people closest to you will never be your biggest supporters. I knew going into the Beauty Industry and the vision I had for my business, that the people closest to you will not support you like a stranger will. I used to be upset when my friends and family members would make comments about my pricing or the work I did. I had to learn that not everyone is your client. One thing I also learned is that you have to keep a distance and certain relationship with your clients in order to not blur any lines. I connect on such an intimate and personal level, that I have to remind myself and my clients that this is my job and hanging out with clients can mess up your professional goal. The greatest lesson is remembering to value your work and business in order to succeed in life.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://nicolerosenailschedule.as.me/
• Instagram: nailsbynicolerose

Image Credits

Nicole Rose
Nails by Nicole Rose