We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Porsha a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Porsha thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. How did you scale up? What were the strategies, tactics, meaningful moments, twists/turns, obstacles, mistakes along the way? The world needs to hear more realistic, actionable stories about this critical part of the business building journey. Tell us your scaling up story – bring us along so we can understand what it was like making the decisions you had, implementing the strategies/tactics etc.

I have been doing nails for 9 years now and owning my own salon for 5. When starting out you do the always get walk-ins or referrals cause you aren’t experienced. I knew early on I needed things like Instagram and word of mouth to grow my business in a mid sized city. I posted every day for years and made sure I was showcasing my best work. I would also highlight my open spots every single time. I also worked in a restaurant as a host/server so I made sure to always have my nails done and business cards on me in case someone asked. I worked out of my house for co-workers as well on my days off so they could be walking advertisements of my work. I never worked for free and am so glad I set that standard up front cause now I have loyal clients who are willing to pay. When you value yourself and set goals at the beginning it may take a bit but is totally worth it!

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 originally went to nail school just for a hobby. I quickly realized it would be a great fit for me as I love serving people and being creative. My style changes all the time but my niche would be hand painted designs. I specialize in natural nails with gel and also educate with the brand I use the most so it’s really fun to help clients learn what is safe and best for their nail health. One of my favorite parts is getting to know whoever is sitting in my chair. I have had some loyal hands for 6+ years and we grow so close seeing each other and visiting once a month for almost 2 hours. I knew early on I wanted to be independent and now successfully owning my business for 5 years is my greatest accomplishment. I love making my own schedule and living my life how I feel is right

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

I always love to be my genuine self on social media. I post real content that people can relate to and add some humor. I find most of my followers are interested in nails but also want to see the other side of my business which is what I am like in my down time. I make sure I highlight policies or things I want to address with the general public in a light tone. I try to emphasize on my tardiness and rescheduling policies so people know what to expect upfront before booking. In an industry where you don’t get paid fully unless the client shows up that is crucial

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

When working in the beauty industry we are constantly seeing clients come and go. It can be challenging when you get to know and enjoy someone and then life takes them in a different direction. I have had clients move out of state, have budget changes and even ghost me after years of holding hands. It hard sometimes to not take things personally or get sad but embrace the changes. It makes room for someone new in your chair!

Contact Info:

• Instagram: porsha_nailedit