We were lucky to catch up with Reyna Esquivel recently and have shared our conversation below.
Reyna, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Looking back, do you think you started your business at the right time? Do you wish you had started sooner or later?
. During the 2020 COVID quarantine, I like everyone else took up a hobby. Mine happened to be nails. I started out with a $10 acrylic kit from CVS and did my first set of nails on myself that took about 12 hours and as soon as I touched something, they all fell off, after that, learning the techniques was a challenge for me that I wanted to become proficient in.
Once the world got back to “normal”, I unfortunately didn’t practice as much because I was focused on my job at the time and would only practice nails on myself once in a while, but they had to be very simple, no art no color just plain due to my Jobs strict dress code policy. I eventually would stop practicing for a few years and not until 2023 I began to fall in love with the craft again, this time I wanted to take it seriously and change course in my life. I have always been very involved in the arts, whether it be competing in different art competitions or painting murals for my school. I always dreamed of doing some type of art and owning my own business, but I never had a clear idea of what it could be. In September of 2023 I started attending manicuring school for my State License and practiced actual nail art during my free time and completely fell in love with it. I was definitely more focused and driven compared to the years before. Fast forward to my life now and I am extremely immersed in the nail community. I’ve been taking clients for the early start of this year and have encountered so many beautiful people who I have created amazing bonds with. Many of my clients give me total creative freedom because they trust my judgment and love my unique art style. I truly believe if I had started my nail business years ago I wouldn’t have been as focused and devoted like I am now. Starting a business is all about mindset and risk taking, if you’re not fully invested in changing your life then it simply wont happen.
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.
Hi I’m Reyna AKA “Gell Queen” a licensed and Certified nail artist based in California. I specialize in Gel nail Extensions and creative nail art. I have developed my own art style that many of my clients travel far to receive. I consider myself an Alternative style nail artist, many of my designs contain edgy and futuristic motifs which are a bit more rare to come across. I love to make a statement and stand out from the crowd. By specializing in a unique style I attract the exact target market I am looking for.
Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?
As a beauty professional in 2023, Social media is a core part of expanding your business. Not only do you have to create quality work but you must also be entertaining, educational and relatable. I mainly use Instagram to target new clients by continually posting content that showcases my work and skills. Showing your face and personality is also an important part of content creation for service providers because your potential clients can see what to expect when booking with you.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
One of the most rewarding aspects of being an Artist is using my creativity to bring joy into another persons life. Thoughts and ideas that I’ve created from scratch specifically for a client can have the biggest impact on their life at that moment in time. I’ve had clients tell me that the art I’ve created for them inspires their path to success. If I can bring lightness to someone’s life who really needs it then I know I’ve done my job.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: Gell.queen
