We recently connected with Nijayla Aiken Licensed Esthetician | Self Care Advocate and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Nijayla Aiken , 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?

I often tell people that I grew up alongside my business because I started it when I was only 16 years old. The journey wasn’t a straight line. There were plenty of stagnant seasons, mistakes, lessons, and moments where I had to completely reevaluate my approach.

One thing I’ve learned is that many aspiring entrepreneurs focus on the success stories they see online without realizing how much work happens behind the scenes. I understand that perspective because I was once that person too. It’s easy to admire the finished product without understanding the foundation that was built underneath it.

I graduated high school a semester early, took a week off, and immediately enrolled in esthetics school. By the end of June, I had celebrated both my high school graduation and my esthetics graduation. Shortly afterward, at 18 years old, I moved into my first salon suite. I thought I was ready for everything that came with business ownership, but I quickly learned there was much more to entrepreneurship than providing a great service.

For a while, I found myself comparing my journey to what I saw from beauty professionals and influencers on social media. It wasn’t necessarily about validation—I genuinely wanted the level of success and freedom they appeared to have. Eventually, I realized that social media is designed to showcase highlights, not the years of work, setbacks, and sacrifices that happen behind the scenes.

One of the most important decisions I made was stepping away from social media for a period of time. I needed to reconnect with myself, gain clarity, and focus on what actually needed to be done to move my business forward. As simple as it sounds, I had to stop consuming and start building.

When I returned, I shifted my focus. Instead of studying individual influencers, I started paying attention to successful salons, established businesses, and even the part-time jobs I worked while growing my company. Some entrepreneurs view returning to a 9-to-5 as a setback, but for me, it became one of my greatest learning opportunities.

Through my experiences in retail and customer service, I learned how to identify customer needs, create systems, establish routines, maintain consistency, and build structure. Those lessons became invaluable as I worked to grow JW Artistry. I began treating my business less like a side hustle and more like an organization that needed processes, standards, and long-term planning.

Another major factor in my growth was recognizing that I couldn’t do everything alone. I have been fortunate to have mentors who have guided me through both business and life. They challenged me to think bigger, helped me navigate difficult decisions, and provided perspective during moments when I felt stuck. Their support played a significant role in helping me become not only a stronger entrepreneur but also a more confident young adult.

Looking back, scaling my business wasn’t about one marketing strategy or one breakthrough moment. It was a combination of personal growth, learning from every environment I was in, building systems, seeking guidance, and staying committed even during the seasons when progress felt slow. The biggest lesson I’ve learned is that sustainable growth happens when you focus on building a strong foundation first. Once that foundation is in place, everything else has room to grow.

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 am a licensed esthetician serving the Charleston, South Carolina area. Entrepreneurship has always been a part of who I am. Long before I officially started my business, I had a strong hustle mentality. In middle school, I sold candy to my classmates, and by high school, I had expanded into selling phone cases, AirPod cases, and jewelry.

At 16 years old, I took a leap and started my own business, originally known as JW’s Glitz and Glams Artistry. At the time, I only offered makeup services. After graduating from esthetics school and becoming licensed, I expanded my service offerings to include lash extensions, brow services, and customized facials. This year, I have continued to grow the brand by introducing a retail line featuring body care, skincare, cosmetics, fragrances, and lip care products.

I take my profession seriously because, to me, being a beauty professional is about much more than helping someone achieve a certain look. It’s about helping people reconnect with themselves. There was a time in my own life when my self-confidence was at a low point, and I felt disconnected from who I was. I believe many people experience seasons like that. Whether it’s the demands of work, family, parenthood, or simply life itself, it’s easy to put yourself last while taking care of everyone else.

As people, we naturally want to support and uplift those around us, but we often forget that we must also care for ourselves. That’s where self-care becomes so important.

The mission of JW Artistry is to promote empowerment, confidence, and self-love through beauty and wellness services. I often tell my clients, “It’s great to keep your hair and nails done, but your face is the first thing people see, and it’s the first thing you see when you wake up every morning. Why not invest in taking care of it?”

What truly sets JW Artistry apart is the experience we provide. Clients often describe my studio as cozy, comforting, and welcoming. My goal has always been to create more than just a beauty space—I want it to be a safe space. I want every client who walks through my door to feel seen, valued, and cared for.

To me, beauty maintenance should feel like therapy, not a doctor’s appointment. Every service is an opportunity for someone to pause, pour into themselves, and leave feeling more confident than when they arrived.

Where do you think you get most of your clients from?

What really helped me build my reputation with my business is going out and talking to people. I really feel like that is a lost practice lol. Dont get me wrong social media content is great for bringing in customers but over time it feels kind of awkward doing that with every single person that books an appointment. Especially not having dialog before the appointment, not knowing what you look like or even if the service you booked is the right one for you. Most of my reoccurring clients now are from in person interactions and they’re now lifetime clients/friends. Those are the clients I gain a deeper relationship with and retain a lot more, and if you’ve really built that repour with them they will bring more business to you.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

In my early stages of my career, I began to believe that there is a difference between doing esthetic practices and going pro. For me, for a long time I was just someone doing esthetic services. I was just working, not strategically building my business just working. If thats you, thats okay but at some point you have to want more for yourself and your business. you have to really sit down and ask yourself “Whats the end goal?” or “What is the purpose behind what im doing?” I didnt start trying to implement better systems and habits within myself and in my business until I was 20/21. Ages 16-19 I was just a hustler, I never really knew how to scale my business or really anything about sustainability. So when that realization hit I knew I had to define what a foundation looked like for my business and build it as fast as I can.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://jwartistryllc.glossgenius.com
• Instagram: Jwartistryllc_
• Facebook: JW Artistry LLC

Image Credits

Life in Motion Photography/Arzhane Smith