We recently connected with Tina Nguyen and have shared our conversation below.

Tina, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Being a business owner can be really hard sometimes. It’s rewarding, but most business owners we’ve spoken sometimes think about what it would have been like to have had a regular job instead. Have you ever wondered that yourself? Maybe you can talk to us about a time when you felt this way?

My business has been up and running for almost 4 years. These 4 years have been filled with highs and lows- the highs most often but the lows have definitely coexisted. If I told you that I never had the thought of quitting and just getting a regular job when those lowest times have hit I would be lying. The long hours, creative blocks, responsibilities and lack of benefits such as PTO, 401k (retirement), and health insurance can be tough. These thoughts of scarcity usually invade my business owning bliss during times of burnout. I wonder what it would be like to have the privilege of working from home sometimes or even having a flexible schedule and being able to get things done while I’m “working” versus being tied to a table all day in order to make money. Over the last few years I have experienced these moments a handful of times. The more I do, the more I have learned to really analyze the situation and if it was what I really wanted or is it that I need to find ways to cope with burnout. Every single time, I’ve come to the conclusion that it wasn’t true and honestly I’m not sure if a regular job would be what would fix the scarcity. From that, I’ve learned to just take a break, disconnect and find balance. Those coping skills allows me to remember the gratitude that actually exist and how fortunate I am of my business. Nothing brings me more joy than to create art and connect and vibe with so many different women. It reminds me of all the times people with different careers have told me how lucky I am to be able to do what I love and connect with women from all over which I can definitely agree with.

Business owning has been the most impactful thing I’ve ever done. Impact by definition is a “marked effect” or influence to oneself or community. Through my business I’ve grown so much and in my own growth I have been able to guide and help those in my chair with their own growth and healing. My business has never just been about nails, it serves a greater purpose through connection with others. With that, I find joy. So when I do feel like quitting when the imposter syndrome kicks in or the scarcity mindset takes over, I remember how impactful my existence is and the safe space I am able to provide my guests. I’ve been in the nail industry for almost 15 years. Even though I cannot predict the future and the direction my business will take, I do know that I am very blessed to be able to live within a purpose. I do not regret my business and I am thankful that I have not quit.

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 originally from Pensacola, Fl. I lived there for the first 23 years of my life. About 6 years ago I finished college and realized that I wanted adventure. I didn’t have any baggage or ties so I made a decision and took a leap of faith on a journey that changed my life completely. At 23 years old with little to almost no life experience, I packed up my small car and moved to Austin on a whim.

I’ve been in the nail industry for almost 15 years. My mom has been in the industry since she was 6 months pregnant with me. By default I grew up in the nail salon and eventually picked up on the trade to help my family and then eventually becoming licensed. To be honest, I never enjoyed doing nails before because it was always expected of me. I even went to college and earned a degree in Kinesiology thinking that I wanted to pursue physical therapy. When I first moved to Austin I decided to work for a year before applying to grad school. In that first year, I worked for two different salons. They were both completely different experiences. They both taught me a lot and even though my mental health struggled working in those salon structures, I do look back often and give thanks to those times. In all the years I’ve been doing nails I have seen so much toxicity related to salon work culture, client interactions, failed business plans. One day, I decided I wanted to do something different. I’m good at nails through experience but other than that I’ve always enjoyed holding space for people. Instead of going to grad school I decided to not only stay in the industry but to branch off and open my own business. I wanted to not only create art but I also wanted to curate a space where anyone and everyone can visit and leave happy with their service every single time.

Since opening my business I’ve grown so much not only a person but as an artist. I am a nail artist that focuses on natural nail health. My focus is to not only create beautiful nail art, but also to help my guests maintain their nail health through structured gel manicures. A big flaw in nail services provided across the board is inexperienced nail technicians lacking education and skillset using professional grade tools. Many people believe that get their nails done ruin or compromises their nail health. I’ve seen it with my own eyes time and time again where people do end up with severely thinned nails from going to an inexperienced artist. I wanted to change that. For me, I found a product that has longevity but also isn’t so hard on the natural nails. After that, I learned how to do nail art through experimenting with different mediums and brushes. At first I wasn’t very good or fast with it, but eventually over time with practice and determination I really strengthened my craft and successfully filled my books with a solid clientele. I am proud of myself for sticking with the plan and curating the space I envisioned even through all the tough stressful times of business owning and also just life in general. These four years have been the toughest love anything or anyone has given me. I appreciate the journey and am very thankful I am in the position I am in today.

I think the biggest thing for me is I want everyone to know that I am just one human in a world filled with over eight billion. I have dreams and ambition just like many others do and have started from the beginning in the order life dealt. Nothing has come easy by any means but it doesn’t mean that it is impossible. I want to be a role model in the sense that a young girl from a small beach town in Florida made her way to a completely foreign territory and made things happen for herself and her future. I would’ve never guessed 6 years ago when moving out of my hometown was just a “thought” that I would be here today. I’ve been able to create such a great career for myself and have made so many beautiful memories and connections along the way. As beautiful as the nails may be on social media, theres an even better story behind it.

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

Honestly, consistency. I opened my business in January of 2020 right before the world shut down due to covid. In the beginning I maybe had one or two clients a day working seven days a week to try and get by financially. I was so worried and thought that I maybe I made a mistake opening my business by taking the leap of faith without any solid cushion to fall on. By the end of February and the beginning of March in 2020 business picked up a bit but definitely still not enough. I was hopeful, but still consumed by worry and fear. Then Covid-19 happened and the world shut down. It wasn’t until the end of March when we were all forced to shelter in place that I realized that maybe the shelter in place/quarantine could be a blessing in disguise for the trajectory of my business. That is when I started practicing and bought a fake hand to work on while at home for those 8 weeks. I was off work but I still put in the work day in and day out. I went back to work mid May with all the practice and knowledge I obtained while being off and by June I was fully booked. Since then my books have been overly full on top of a long waitlist of people who want to be in my chair. It was all because I decided to put one foot forward and take the initiative to work hard on becoming better at a skill instead of lounging around during that time off. I never took my foot off the gas pedal. Even after returning back to work and gaining more and more clients. The busier I got, the harder I worked. It did not matter that I started operating at a surplus, I made sure the quality of the work I produced stayed the same or became better. You being good at what you do and the talent you have is one thing- pulling through and making sure the person in your chair is getting what they paid for is more important. When your client has a good experience with you they will tell everyone they know about their experience. If you are an artist like myself, your art will also attract and gain attention to the public eye. I could’ve never done that if I did not put forth the effort to advance my skill set. I’ve built most of my clientele through word of mouth and social media. It is important to operate at a certain standard and taking the initiative to stay sharp at your craft to achieve success.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

You are never “too good” at something. It doesn’t matter if you are a master stylist or have a senior role. There are always ways to advance and improve at your skill. We live in a world where technology is fast growing and social media is your main profile. I thought that once I mastered the structure and art involving nails that I would be able to just coast and maintain. Even with my lengthy experience and surplus of business I had to humble myself and remember that I am still a student. There will always be so many ways to improve at technique, bookkeeping, social media, so on and so forth. There is so much knowledge out there, I just had to be willing to open my mind and obtain it. It does not matter where you are at with your business journey or career- reach out to others in your industry, take classes, watch youtube videos, reels and tik toks. It will keep you sharp, up to date and efficient in your work. I started to slip on applying pressure when I would hear “you’re the best nail artist I’ve ever been to”, “these are the best nails I’ve ever gotten”, “Tina you are such an artist and you don’t miss”. I had to quickly remember that even when you think you’re the best, there is always room to become better.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: tnguyenbeauty.atx