December 8, 2024 • 69 mins
Discover the inspiring journey of Aiko, a talented nail artist from Kazakhstan, who transformed her dreams into reality by establishing her own nail salon, Moon Glow Nails, in Austin, Texas. Aiko shares her story of resilience, detailing her transition from the bustling streets of New York to the vibrant opportunities in Austin. Learn how her unique specialization in Russian manicures and pedicures set her apart in the beauty industry and turned a cultural gap into a successful entrepreneurial venture.
Join us as we explore the intricacies of Aiko's career, including the challenges she faced during the COVID-19 pandemic. Her return to Kazakhstan became a pivotal moment for personal growth and professional reinvention, leading her back to the US with renewed purpose. We discuss the balance between artistry and business, highlighting Aiko's strategies for cultivating strong client relationships and managing the dual responsibilities of creativity and entrepreneurship.
Aiko reveals the secrets behind her success, emphasizing the importance of passion, professionalism, and understanding client needs. We address the misconceptions surrounding advanced nail techniques and underscore the significance of quality and safety in beauty services. Tune in for a heartfelt conversation filled with insights on navigating the beauty industry, maintaining authenticity, and building a business that reflects one's true self.
To connect with our guest, Aiko, follow the links below:
Instagram
Studio Instagram
TikTok
YouTube
To schedule an appointment or book classes with Aiko, visit her website:
Aiko's Website
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:03):
Welcome back to Hair what I'm Saying, the podcast
where beauty meets life'sbiggest stories.
I'm your host, kenetra, andtoday we're diving into a story
of resilience, reinvention andredefining success.
My guest is Aiko, a talentednail artist specializing in
Russian manicures and pedicures,who immigrated to the US from
Kazakhstan through the DiversityVisa Lottery Program.
(00:26):
From navigating culture shockin New York to finding her
creative passion journeyuncertainty of the COVID
pandemic, aiko's journey isnothing short of inspiring.
She's now the proud owner ofMoon Glow Nails in Austin, texas
, turning her skills into athriving business.
We'll discuss her path fromemployee to entrepreneur, common
misconceptions about nail techsand how she overcame personal
(00:49):
and professional challenges tobuild the life she envisioned.
This is an episode full ofwisdom, inspiration and plenty
of gems for aspiringentrepreneurs in the beauty
industry.
Welcome to the Hair what I'mSaying podcast.
I'm your host, kenetra Stewart.
Today we have Aiko of moon glownails, located in austin, texas
, who specializes in russianmanicures and pedicures.
(01:10):
Welcome to the show, aiko.
How are you?
I'm good.
Thank you so much for having me.
Absolutely thank you for comingto share with us today.
I really appreciate it me too,me too.
This exciting it is.
And is this your first podcast.
Yes, this is my first podcastever.
Oh my gosh.
Well, I'm glad to do the honors.
Yes, for sure.
Thank you Especially.
(01:31):
You know, with your specialtyit's fairly new.
I don't know if it's new foryour line of work, but it's new
for a lot of us out here inAustin, texas, getting my nails
and toes done with the Russianway, and I'm just glad you're
here to share more informationabout how you started your
journey into that line of workand just giving us more insights
(01:53):
and information on what itexactly is.
Speaker 2 (01:56):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm excited too.
Speaker 1 (01:58):
Great Growing up in Kazakhstan.
What were your dreams as achild?
Speaker 2 (02:05):
I was thinking about this question.
Yeah, I think, growing up, Ialways dreamt big.
You know, kazakhstan it's notlike population wise, it's not a
big country, but territory wiseit's quite big.
It's quite big, um.
(02:29):
And I felt like, growing up, Ialways knew that there are like
great things ahead of me.
Um, and when I was a child, Iremember, uh, I would tell my
grandma that one day I will moveto america and I will bring her
with me and we'll be cruisingaround in the convertible.
For some reason I would saythat when I was like a little
child, oh, wow.
And then, you know, fastforward, and I'm here now.
(02:52):
So it's crazy.
I felt like, you know, growingup in a post-Soviet Union brand
new country, there was a lot oflike hardships and uncertainties
and, more than anything, I feellike I've dreamt of stability.
And you know, knowing where Icome from, I knew that in order
(03:15):
for myself to get to a stableplace, I need to put a lot of
work and a lot of hard work intoit For sure.
Speaker 1 (03:23):
Yeah, did you dream of being a nail tech?
That was that anywhere?
Speaker 2 (03:27):
no, I did not dream of being a nail technician
particularly, but I always wasinto aesthetics of beauty.
Uh, I grew up watching, youknow, mtv, america's next top
model, tyra bank, smiling withyour eyes and all that yeah and
um, and I feel like I was alwaysinto it and as soon as I
(03:48):
started like making my own money, I was very into getting my
nails done.
That was like one thing thatwas always non-negotiable for me
.
Speaker 1 (03:55):
Oh, I love that.
Okay, how did your parents andfamily respond to your decision
to move to the US and later topursue nails?
Speaker 2 (04:04):
Yeah, respond to your decision to move to the US and
later to pursue nails.
Yeah, they had really mixedfeelings, of course, because
it's so far away For those whodon't know, kazakhstan is like a
good day of flying away fromthe States.
So I feel like they were verylike anxious and worried about
me, but at the same same time,they supported my decision to
(04:26):
move because they knew that it'sgoing to be better for me, it's
going to be better and moreopportunities here.
So, even though they had likemixed feelings, I felt I felt
their support.
Speaker 1 (04:36):
That's great, yeah, that's really good because this
is so important, you know, whenyour family supports you
especially, that's a big, hugecareer, I know.
Huge life change.
It's a whole life change.
Forget the career, just a wholelife change.
A different country, justdifferent everything.
Yeah, and I look Kazakhstan upon the map and I was like whoa,
this is like on the oppositeside of the world.
(05:00):
Yes, and I think for you tojust, you know, come here, like
become an entrepreneur, to likethat is really admirable.
It takes a lot of courage to dosomething like that in such a
foreign country.
You know, yeah, yeah, inKazakhstan, how are careers in
beauty, like doing nails,typically viewed?
Speaker 2 (05:30):
like doing nails, typically viewed um.
Yeah well, you know as I don'tthink it's a secret that um,
like, asian parents are verydemanding and they want their
kids to be like I don't knowdoctors, lawyers, some kind of
corporate job and um, being anail technician is not
considered to be a veryprestigious job because it's
like a manual labor.
(05:50):
It's not very well paid, atleast in Kazakhstan.
So whenever I told my decisionthat I'm gonna try to be a nail
technician, of course at firstmy mom was like a little
hesitant, but then, and and Ithink here in states too,
actually people don't considerit as a very like um prestigious
(06:12):
job.
Speaker 1 (06:12):
Easy, that's right, yeah, that's very.
Anything in a beauty industryis not.
It's like a hobby.
Speaker 2 (06:17):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, exactly yeah and I really do
want to change that perspectivethough.
Speaker 1 (06:23):
I feel, like.
Speaker 2 (06:23):
It can be very lucrative if you a very
lucrative business and job ingeneral.
Yeah, if you structure itcorrectly, if you know what
you're doing, I think it's agreat career to have, because
people everywhere get theirnails done For sure.
No matter where you are, it'sthe service that will always
like you know it's service thatwill always like you know it's
(06:45):
something that will always feedyou absolutely it will.
Speaker 1 (06:49):
And, um, I know for sure, when my nails are not done
, I feel a little self-consciouslike of even simply grabbing
things you know like I feel toothin or something, yeah, or like
they're not done.
You know they're not groomedand they're not presentable.
You know, even if I didn't havepolish, at least if they were
(07:10):
groomed and manicured I wouldfeel better, for sure.
But just not just neglecting mynails completely.
I'm like it's still a part ofsome line of self-care.
Speaker 2 (07:21):
Self-care, personal style.
A lot of people expressthemselves through nails.
It's like part of your you knowidentity, of your style too.
Absolutely For sure.
Speaker 1 (07:32):
What was the hardest part about leaving Kazakhstan
and moving to the US?
Speaker 2 (07:37):
Oh, definitely leaving my family.
Yeah, that was like the hardestpart.
It still is very hard till thisday, but I try to go there
every couple of years.
My family comes visit me, likewe take turns in seeing each
other.
So that was definitely thehardest part, I think.
(08:01):
Leaving my family, because I'mvery close to them.
Yes, it's my mom and my littlesister, okay, but, um, we try to
talk every day on video, onfacetime, um, we're very much
like present in each other'slives, good.
Speaker 1 (08:15):
So, yeah, that was, but that was hard, though, very
for sure, yeah afterexperiencing the culture shock
in new york and deciding toreturn home during COVID, what
gave you the courage to tryagain?
Speaker 2 (08:32):
Okay, that's a good one.
You know, as a foreigner, whenyou think about states, the
first thing that comes to yourmind are like the big cities new
york, miami.
I didn't know, la.
Yeah, when you think about newyork like you think of those big
cities got you, I never evenknew about austin, yeah.
(08:54):
And then I think, when I was innew york, uh, I was realizing,
and when I went back I was likerealizing that new york is not
the only representation ofAmerica, right, that there are
so many other places out there.
And I knew that New York'sdynamic was too much for me it's
too hectic, it's too big, it'sa lot, it's a fun place to visit
(09:18):
, but not to live Like you needto have a really really tough
skin to be able to make it inNew York, live like you need to
have a really really tough skinto be able to make it in new
york.
So then I was like started, youknow, doing my research and
seeing, okay, where I could move, where it's like a little slow
paced compared to new york, butsomewhere there I where I could
still build a business and likemake it.
(09:40):
So then a lot of onlineresearch led me to austin, texas
, so I decided to give it a tryhere okay what was that?
I've never been here before,yeah that's what was that thing?
Speaker 1 (09:53):
where's, like, austin ?
Is it like it couldn't havebeen dallas, houston?
Yeah, what made austin be theall-in for you?
Like I know, this is gonna bemy next you know place where I'm
gonna really build my lifehonestly, I wasn't thinking too
hard about it.
Speaker 2 (10:07):
I felt like Houston, dallas are already big and I
wanted something smaller.
Yeah, I wanted a city that is,you know, big enough for it not
to be, too how to say country,yeah, but then still somewhere
that is developing, where thereis a lot of potential.
So I saw that potential and Iwas like I think this is a good
(10:30):
place, because I saw that a lotof people from california are
moving here, especially duringor after pandemic.
Yeah, I saw that a lot of itcompanies are moving here.
Speaker 1 (10:40):
So I was like I see the potential here yes, for sure
, it is a lot of potential here.
It's still growing.
People are still moving hereTill this day.
Speaker 2 (10:48):
And when I talk to you know locals they say, oh
yeah, austin's been growing forlike past I don't know 20, 30
years, so it's still maybe iseven in early stages of growing.
Speaker 1 (11:00):
Yes, it is.
Who knows For sure it is?
But yes, it is For sure it is.
But the growth is happeningpretty rapidly.
Speaker 2 (11:06):
Yeah, it is Absolutely.
I mean, look at all thehighways and the constructions.
Speaker 1 (11:12):
And I don't think a lot of us are prepared for it.
You know we go out, you know,especially the ones who have
been here, who did not move here, and they are thinking they can
carry on with their regularschedule.
Like at five o'clock I can godo this and I'm gonna go do that
, but it's like it's a lot ofpeople here now so you're
probably gonna run into trafficnow, yeah, you know.
So it's a lot, even for themlike to adjust, for sure,
(11:34):
because the the growth rate ishappening so fast.
You know, yeah, I was like it'sa great thing for sure.
What inspired you to try nailartistry?
Speaker 2 (11:47):
uh, well, as I said, I was always into aesthetics,
into beauty, um, and I rememberwhen I moved to the, to new york
, I realized that there was ahuge gap in the industry in in
the beauty industry,specifically when it comes to
nails.
Absolutely, I remember I washaving like an hour and a half
(12:11):
ride one way to just get mynails done in an absolutely
different part of New York.
For those who know New Yorklike I was living in Queens, oh
yeah, and my nail technician wasall the way in Brooklyn, in
Brighton Beach area.
So it was like good hour, hourand a half one way and I would
(12:32):
do that drive just to get mynails done, because I was
accustomed, I was used to acertain quality, absolutely,
because in Kazakhstan we don'tcall them Russian manicures, by
the way.
In Kazakhstan it's like a thingthat they call it here in the
States.
Very interesting, it's justgetting your nails done.
In Kazakhstan we call it e-filemanicure or dry manicure.
Speaker 1 (12:57):
Oh, and it is dry.
Speaker 2 (12:59):
And it's made with the help of e-file machine.
So what was I saying?
Speaker 1 (13:06):
let's go back.
What was talking about the nailartistry?
Speaker 2 (13:08):
you were saying you would drive in like an hour and
a half and when I was doing allthose drives I was like what's
going on?
Why am I doing this?
Why can't I find a place whichdoes a decent manicure?
You know um close to me, but itwas really hard to find and I
was like if this is hard to findin new york, I'm sure in other
(13:28):
parts of the states it's goingto be even more in demand
absolutely so that's where I sawthe opportunity and the gap in
the market I was.
I was like you know, we'reliving in 2024 right now.
I think think people wantbetter quality services, as they
should expect good quality, andthat was something that I
(13:52):
couldn't find, so I was like youknow what?
I could make a career out of it?
I should try to become a nailtechnician.
Speaker 1 (14:01):
I think it's really smart, with the intentions of
you doing the market research,to know and be aware, like the
nail industry is what's lackingheavily.
Yeah, because you can do hair,you can do makeup, it's
everywhere, you know there's nota huge gap.
Yeah, but to find a reallygreat nail tech specializing in
a certain type of you knowTechnique Technique that is very
(14:25):
hard.
So for you to do the marketresearch and be so intentional,
that was very smart.
That was a very smart move.
Speaker 2 (14:32):
Thank you.
I saw that I feel like peopleare used to like just going to
regular nail salon and theydon't even know that there are
different options out there.
Oh, you know when you get usedto something you you just in
your comfort zone and you don'teven think, oh, is there
something else?
But yes, you can get a betterquality service somewhere else.
(14:55):
You just have to find aspecific, you know technique
that you would like, and and thetechnician for it too, for sure
russian manicures and pedicuresare so detailed and precise.
Speaker 1 (15:07):
What do you love most about this specialty?
Speaker 2 (15:12):
There are a lot of things that I love about this
technique.
First for me definitely is theattention to detail.
I'm very attentive to detailmyself and I love the clean
results each time.
I love how great retention is.
(15:32):
Um, I'm very much into thenatural nail care and like the
health of your natural nails andI'm sure if you have tried
russian manic at least once, youknow that you know all of those
things tick when you getRussian manicures done and the
nails grow so fast.
Yes, your nails get longer,healthier, better each time when
(15:56):
you come.
Speaker 1 (15:57):
That's what I've noticed.
I'm like gosh, like alreadysome new growth there.
I mean, it grows so fast.
Yeah, like within like two anda half three weeks you can
already start seeing, you know,the new growth.
Speaker 2 (16:11):
Yeah and uh, that's actually not so fast because, uh
, when we do russian manicures,you know, uh, the cuticle is
very like, meticulously clean,right, and then the color is
applied all the way up to thecuticle so that there is no gap
right there.
It's almost like the colorstarts growing out from the
(16:31):
cuticle right, yeah, right underit.
so that's what, um.
Another great thing aboutrussian manicure because, um,
you can go in betweenappointments a little bit longer
than with a traditional gelmanicure or like acrylic.
You go in every two weeks, butRussian manicures you can get
done every three to four weeks,so just once a month, basically.
Speaker 1 (16:54):
Yeah, for sure.
Speaker 2 (16:55):
Yeah, because.
Speaker 1 (16:55):
I think I see you like once a month.
I think I've seen you actuallyafter five weeks.
Yeah, yeah, for sure.
How did you hear about it?
You Actually just hashtaggingreally like nail text, like
austin nail text, austin nails,yeah.
And then I saw your uh, likeyour bio on instagram was like
russian manicures and pedicures.
I'm like what is that?
(17:16):
All I've seen were like thenails just look great, yeah.
And I was like whoa, like theylike flush down so you didn't
know.
It's a thing I didn't know.
It was like I kind of maybevaguely heard about it but I
didn't really pay attention toit and even still like I had to
learn a lot through you, justfollowing you and what you do
and also just doing my ownresearch.
Like what is this specialty?
(17:36):
And I could visually see it wasway different from a
traditional.
You know, just visually thedifference is huge.
Yeah, so visually I was alreadysold, like I can see why this is
called.
It's like a technique, acertain specialty, and it's not
just like going to the nailsalon and getting your nails
(17:57):
done Cool.
But I never, you know, lookedup the background of it.
You know so, but visually youcan tell like it's very
different.
Speaker 2 (18:05):
Yeah, I love that.
I love that you learned aboutit through me because I did.
Uh, it's uh, it's a huge trendon social media russian manicure
.
I think that's where it allstarted being.
I mean named russian manicureand usually people like learn
about it somewhere on TikTok orInstagram and then they search
(18:25):
for the technician in theircities.
No, I like that, but in yourcase it was different.
Speaker 1 (18:30):
Yeah, I was just hashtagging nail techs and
Austin nail techs and then boom,there you were.
I love that, yeah, and ofcourse, on Instagram.
You know hashtagging onInstagram and I was like, oh,
russian manicure and pedicures.
And I'm like, well, I canvisually see it's a difference,
but I don't really know exactlywhat it is.
I was just sold from the visualpresentation, if I'm being
honest, and then later I wantedto know more about it and then
(18:53):
that's when I started likeintentionally doing research,
like what is this?
Speaker 2 (18:57):
You know yeah.
Speaker 1 (19:00):
Before learning the Russian style, had you done
nails traditionally?
Speaker 2 (19:04):
I learned how to do it in a beauty school, but I've
never offered it as a service.
Okay, yeah, I just kick-startedspecializing in this technique.
As I said, I saw potential inthere and I still see it.
I think it's in the very babystages of gaining its popularity
.
It's just going to get biggerfrom here, yeah.
Speaker 1 (19:29):
And with you also mentioning that your personality
, like you're really meticulous.
This is definitely your route.
Oh, 100% 100%.
For sure.
So we're going to talk aboutsome challenges that you
probably had to overcome likeduring covid um.
It was a challenging time for alot of us yeah so many people
(19:50):
and your experience was uniquewith having to return back to
kazakhstan.
How did it feel to move backduring during such an uncertain
period?
Speaker 2 (20:00):
uh, I think at first I felt like almost defeated,
right?
Uh, because I moved to thestates end of 2019 like october
I think it was september,october and then, just five
months after covid hits, and youknow, new york was like the
epicenter of all that COVIDmadness.
(20:23):
I don't know if you rememberwhen they brought like this huge
boats where they would set uphospitals and there were so many
outbreaks and New York was justcrazy during that time I was
like, oh my gosh, I'm a newbieimmigrant, Just like what's
going on.
Speaker 1 (20:44):
It was so Global crisis going on.
I'm just trying to move here.
Speaker 2 (20:47):
I just tried to move here and all of this happens and
, yeah, at first I felt likeanxious, defeated.
I was like what's going on?
And then, you know, made adecision to go back to
kazakhstan, just to wait out andsee what what's gonna happen.
And even getting back tokazakhstan was like a whole
(21:08):
journey because there were noflights, yep, and I had to reach
out to the embassy and theylike organized a special uh, how
is it called like arepatriation flight or something
like that, or basically theylike evacuate you, you, from one
place to the other.
So it was like a whole thing,crazy journey to go back home.
(21:32):
But now, like four years later,I realized that it was the right
decision at the time, yes, forsure, because it was such
uncertain time, as you said, andI was really happy to be close
to my family.
It gave me like peace of mindand then I could really like
step back and see what should Ido next?
(21:55):
That's when I enrolled intobeauty school.
While I was stuck home, I waslike, let me start learning this
, just not wasting my time andstart doing something.
So that's when I startedlearning to do how to do nails
and, you know, researching for anew place to move and then by,
like September I think that wasSeptember 2020, basically five
(22:19):
months after I returned back toKazakhstan, I flew to Austin.
Okay, yeah, okay, yeah, okay,mm-hmm.
Speaker 1 (22:29):
What helped you stay hopeful while figuring out your
next steps?
Speaker 2 (22:34):
My support system, my family, my friends yeah,
definitely Very grateful to havethem in my life.
They always support me, nomatter what what I decide to do.
Um I'm sure for my mom it washard, you know, um letting her
(22:55):
child go so far away and changeher for some reason.
Speaker 1 (23:05):
I'm getting emotional , good, like just let it out
yeah, it was a hard time youknow there was some hard
decisions that you had to make.
Speaker 2 (23:14):
You know, just reliving and telling your story,
yeah, it's okay, yeah yeah, Ithink it was hard for her, but
she supported me good yeah, I'msure it was, and also, um,
goingip of water.
Speaker 1 (23:29):
I've got emotion on the podcast.
It's okay, it's normal.
You know, just that was a veryuncertain time for a lot of us.
You know, you had a big dreamand then you went to chase that
dream and then in 2019, the nextyear, it was COVID.
You have to go back, reset,which was a great I think it was
(23:50):
a great decision too.
To have the emotional supportfrom your family too.
That's always, I feel like, themost important whenever you're
making big life changes.
You know that support justhelps you keep pushing, you know
, and then to do it all overagain, like I already left, and
that was hard, and then I got todo it again, you know, and um,
(24:11):
and then to do it all over again, like I already left, and that
was hard and then I gotta do itagain.
You know yeah and hopefullythings do work out this time,
yeah.
So I mean, of course you'regonna get emotional, you know,
and then you're doing so welltoo.
So it's like thinking aboutbeing in those times back then,
uncertain for sure about.
Speaker 2 (24:26):
It was so scary yeah.
Speaker 1 (24:27):
And then now you're like here doing so great it's.
I'm sure you're overwhelmedwith happiness and also you know
the experience back then.
Yeah, so it's, it's extremelyvalid.
Yeah, yeah, building aclientele in the new country
isn't easy.
What helped you stand out andattract loyal clients?
Speaker 2 (24:47):
um, yeah, you're right, it's not easy.
Um, I think, for me to havelike a quality start here, it
was beneficial for me knowingenglish before I moved um.
So when I was growing up, mymom would always send me to like
(25:11):
esl classes um, and she waslike really pushing me to learn
english.
That was always like number onepriority and when I moved here
I thought, oh, my english is sogreat, but no, like I, first of
all, in kazakhstan, we learnbritish english.
(25:31):
Oh, yeah, really yes, I wouldhave never thought all the books
, everything, everything, allthe materials you learn, it's
all british english.
Oh so when I moved here, I waslike, okay, this is english, but
it's different english for sure.
So it took me a little bit toreadjust and still I don't think
I'm like 100 fluent, but I try.
(25:54):
Yeah, you do well, very well,yeah, thank you.
I think knowing english likereally helped me from the get-go
.
Plus, when it comes to likebuilding, you know, relationship
with clients, I think they justsaw that I'm very passionate
about this career, that I'mdedicated to it and stay like
professional.
(26:14):
Yes, uh, they saw all of that.
Plus, I always try to likelisten to what they have to say.
I think if you're a serviceprovider and you're working like
one-on-one with the client,it's important to just listen,
because clients have alwayssomething to say um, and you can
get like hints of what theylike about the color, the shape,
(26:40):
I don't know, um their previousexperiences, what they liked,
what they disliked.
If you really listen to it andtry to cater to their needs,
they will be loyal.
100 they will stay with youforever.
I have clients who have beenwith me from day one, basically,
so I've been doing this forlike four years now.
(27:02):
Yeah, and they've been with mefor four years, which is crazy
because in these last four years, like I grew so much and my
business grew so much, andthey're still with me, which I'm
so grateful.
Speaker 1 (27:14):
It's the consistency, too, of how you're running your
business.
You know the consistency, andalso, as you're growing, you're
elevating, and they'rewitnessing it, and so they, then
they believe in you yeah andthey want to support.
You know it's like they want tohelp you on your journey too.
Yeah, it's like I'm gettingquality service and I see her
really passionate, like you said, dedicated to this line of work
(27:36):
.
Yeah, that's that's how they,like you said, listening.
You know that's a that's a bigone that a lot of us in the
beauty industry we miss, youknow and that's how they veer
off and they go somewhere else,because you know they're there
to be heard, most mostly.
Yes, you know, and when you cantune in and listen to whatever
it is that they have to say andthey don't have to say it
(27:58):
exactly yeah it's just littlethings that they say you're like
, okay, I know not to do thatyou know, yeah.
And then they're saying you know, like you're checking all of
the check boxes for them and youknow whatever it is that
they're looking for in a nailtech.
You know, and I think it's sobeautiful when they can witness
the growth and you keep growing.
You know, yeah, and it makesthem want to stay and they want
(28:19):
to be a part of it too.
Speaker 2 (28:21):
Yeah, you know, yeah, they do, you're right, that's
exciting to see it Right, that'sexciting to see it.
Speaker 1 (28:26):
They see you believe in yourself, and so
automatically they just believein you too, you know, oh yeah.
Yeah, sweet, I never thoughtabout it from that perspective,
that's what I see in you forsure, so I'm sure they see it as
well.
You know, and I'm in the beautyindustry, and so I can view it
from a different perspectivethan clients, so, and I can see
it in that way as a professional, yeah, than clients.
(28:48):
So, and I can see it in thatway as a professional, yeah.
So yeah, before opening yourown business, you worked at a
nail salon in Austin, texas.
How was the transition goingfrom employee to
entrepreneurship?
Speaker 2 (29:00):
uh, it was hard.
I'm not gonna lie, it's um it.
It was really hard.
I've never had experience ofrunning my own business before,
and no one in my family did iteither, so I had to like, teach
myself, educate myselfeverything you know.
(29:20):
Now, when I think about it, Ithink I jumped.
I just jumped into it.
I was young, ambitious andhungry.
Speaker 1 (29:29):
Yeah, for sure, and that will get you there.
It will.
That's like the foundation fora lot of first-generational
entrepreneurs.
It's like just hungry, yeah,you know, and excited too, you
know For sure.
Speaker 2 (29:43):
I feel like, you know , I'm about to turn 30 in
January and I feel like, have Ibeen in my 30s, maybe I have not
been as like, uh, courageous,brave.
I would have like, probablythought about it million times
and stuff like that, but at thetime I was just like I need to
do this.
Yeah, I feel like I can do this.
(30:04):
Um, also, I was working in aRussian-speaking nail salon oh,
wow, were you.
Yeah, oh, wow, okay.
And I still like love all mycolleagues and my ex-boss Till
this day.
We keep in very close touch,good.
But at the time I felt like I'mstuck in a bubble.
(30:25):
You know what I'm saying.
I felt like I'm too in a bubble.
You know what I'm saying.
I felt like I'm too comfortable, too, too cushy.
Yeah, uh, like everyone aroundme spoke the same language that
I used to speak back when I wasliving home.
Um, it was just feeling toocomfortable like I felt like I'm
not growing in that bubble, soI was like I need to get myself
(30:51):
out of there and start somethingon my own.
But, as I said, it was hardbecause, um, there are just so
many more things to running, uh,just to just just doing nails.
Right, it's not just doingnails, there's just so much more
like taxes, licenses, beingcompliant with all the latest
(31:13):
rules, I don't know redmarketing, yeah, client
communication.
The list goes and, on and, onand on and yeah, logos, business
name, you know, yeah, it's alot that goes into it it's a lot
into it and it it's a lot intoit, and I made a lot of mistakes
along the way, from which Ilearned, but it still is a
(31:35):
learning process to this day, Ithink it always will be, because
it's always evolving.
The beauty industry is alwaysevolving.
Speaker 1 (31:42):
Entrepreneurship is going to evolve.
When it comes to marketing,there's going to be new ways to
market.
You know, you might even brandlater differently.
Yeah, you know for sure butthat's what makes it fun though.
Yeah, it is like also justseeing the growth.
You know, you go back and seelike oh, that's how I used to do
it, and you can see yourjourney, how you've evolved and
(32:04):
how you've grown.
It's always so rewarding towitness, you know?
Yeah, definitely.
How do you balance the creativeside of doing nails with the
responsibilities of running?
Speaker 2 (32:17):
oh my gosh it's a hard one.
It's so hard to balance it.
Um, I think when it was juststarting out, especially when I
just started renting my ownsuite and working on my own, I
had a lot more free time to becreative.
I would do my own nails or Iwould take in models to like,
(32:41):
practice, different techniquesor designs that I would like.
But now, you know, I'm fullybooked almost all of the time.
Speaker 1 (32:51):
So hard to get in.
Speaker 2 (32:54):
I'm not bragging here , but yeah, it is what it is.
I'm like I'm very busy.
I have an employee now who'sworking with, working with me
part time, and so I'mresponsible for her books and
her, you know, clients andcommunication and all of that um
and now definitely, I feel likeI have less and less time to be
(33:15):
creative.
Yeah, so what I started doinglately is I know it sounds super
boring, but just schedulingtime to be creative.
Speaker 1 (33:27):
yeah, because there is no other way, and it may be
boring, but it's sufficient.
It's sufficient.
A lot of boring things are verylegit.
Yeah, it's just not fun.
Speaker 2 (33:38):
So I was like, when I see that I have like, say, for
example, a two hour gap on myschedule and I'm like, okay,
there is some techniques that Iwanted to try, or I invite in a
model to practice a certainthing, um, yeah, because I don't
think there is any other way.
When it comes to be doingclients nails and being creative
(34:00):
, what I try to do, if I knowthat they want any kind of like
intricate art, yes, um, I try todiscuss with them beforehand.
Okay, yeah, so I have theseclients who always want like
crazy intricate art on theirnails and I try to ask for their
inspec pictures beforehand.
Yes, so, to make sure that Ihave all the right supplies,
(34:21):
tools, I know how to do it.
So I'm not, like you know,improvising on the moment.
Speaker 1 (34:28):
At the moment, it helps to you know, once the
clients become, you know,residual, you get to know their
personality and so, like yousaid, it's like I know this
client, I know she always getssomething intricate.
Let me reach out, yeah, even alot.
The time to intentionally on aschedule just in case I want
books, oh yeah, I get it, I getit yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (34:47):
What about your work doesn't ever like?
Uh clients, do they ever askfor something that you've never
done before?
Speaker 1 (34:54):
like I don't know any kind of hairstyle they've asked
for some things I've never donebefore.
I let them know.
It's a disclaimer, I've neverdone it before.
Yeah, um, and if I have thetime I'll do it, but not a lot.
It doesn't happen a lot, butfirst-time appointments I
(35:16):
usually don't have room for it,especially if I have someone
come in right after them.
So I'll just say you know, like, unfortunately at this time I
don't have enough time to dothat.
This is what we can do.
You know, if you're okay withthat, we can proceed with that,
but the next time I'll make sureto a lot enough time being that
I know that you like to dothings outside of what's on the
menu.
Yeah, I'll make sure to a lotmore time for you next time.
Speaker 2 (35:39):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (35:39):
It usually works, you know, and then they become
those same clients that requestthese different things, and so
quests these different things,and so, um, and I just I just
automatically go in and just I'mlike, let me add a little bit
more, add a little bit more time.
Yeah, and it don't happen thatoften, usually with being that I
do a lot of hair care yeahthey're more worried about hair
(36:00):
care and, um, I think brides areusually the ones where I get to
experience and do a lot ofdifferent things.
Yeah, you know, but I'm alwaysprepared for them.
I have had brides to changetheir hairstyle at the last
minute and you just go with it.
It's the wedding day, you know.
You just go with it.
You make it happen.
You know it creates a lot ofanxiety.
I'm not going to lie, you know,but that's when I don't allot
(36:23):
time to talk, either I time totalk, either I just do work.
You know, usually I'm askinglike, how is everything being?
You know, when they do that tome, I just work.
I need full concentration tomake sure I really execute that
hairstyle yeah, yeah I don't geta lot behind the chair, but
every now and again a bride willswitch it up on me.
I just make it work.
You know, on a wedding day, youknow.
(36:44):
But behind the chair I do tryto ask them to give me a little
bit more flexibility, becauseI'm not prepared.
Yeah, so it's just all aboutcommunication, clear
communication and theyunderstand, like I have never
had a client to be like upset.
And they understand, like Iknow this is a last minute
request.
Yeah, and I do feel like theway how you market, you will
(37:07):
bring in those clients that dohave room for understanding.
Speaker 2 (37:10):
You know yeah.
Speaker 1 (37:12):
Marketing strategically when it comes to
personalities is a whole thingtoo.
Oh, absolutely, yeah, yeah, soyou tend to find those clients
who get it.
That's true, mm-hmm, manypeople believe that taking a
break.
Actually, I'm sorry, let meback up.
Some people online, likedermatologists and
(37:33):
cosmetologists, criticizeRussian manicures, saying
they're harmful or illegal.
How do you respond to that?
Speaker 2 (37:39):
Yeah, I was telling you during our last appointment.
There is a lot of stigma aboutRussian manicures and pedicures.
I think a lot of it comes fromjust lack of education.
Yeah, and generally, if youremember, like any new beauty
(38:00):
service on the market usuallygets so much hate, the easiest I
could remember is the laserhair removal, remember yeah,
when it just came out.
Yeah, everyone was like oh mygosh, you're gonna get cancer
yeah, yeah it sure did.
Or like those uv lamps, forexample, the ones that you use
for gel manicures.
(38:21):
Everyone's like, oh my gosh,that exposure, you're gonna get
cancer yeah but when you starteducating yourself about the
technique um, there is I I likestrongly disagree, let's say,
with all the claims that russianmanicures and pedicures are
harmful, illegal, too invasive.
People say right, um.
(38:43):
I disagree with that because Ithink if you know the right
technique, um and don't get mewrong it's an advanced technique
.
I don't think anyone straightout of beauty school can start
doing this technique.
I think you need to really getspecial training for it, a
certification, you need topractice a lot, you need to know
(39:05):
nail anatomy, because all ofthat is connected and it's
really important to know where'sthe dead tissue that you can
cut and where's the livingtissue where you shouldn't go
too deep into um.
But it's a lot of the times ifpeople had bad experience with
(39:25):
um russian manicures.
Speaker 1 (39:27):
I think it's not about the technique, it's about
a technician I, you know, afterdoing my own research, that's
what I gathered.
I was like I think it's more ofa technician.
You know, just not beingeducated yeah, on how to really
specialize or, you know, performthis technique.
Speaker 2 (39:44):
That's what I saw, yeah yeah, because, as I said,
it's an advanced technique andyou know, um, some places they
see that it's a trendy service,yeah, and they just advertise oh
yeah, we do russian manicure.
It's no big deal, it's easy.
Oh, it's a big deal, yeah.
And then people go there.
They have bad experience andthey say, oh, they cut me too
(40:06):
deep or they nipped me or youknow, something went wrong.
But I think you really need todo your research before you go
to a new place, and that's whatI always try to educate my
clients, because I say, even ifyou go somewhere else, I'm not
against it at all.
Yeah, I just want you to knowwhat to look out for, right
(40:26):
absolutely, because it can be um, pretty bad.
Speaker 1 (40:31):
Because, you know, you know, just from what I've
saw online, I'm like that,that's definitely like a.
It looked like a, a mishap withthe technique.
Yeah, I didn't see anythingelse.
Speaker 2 (40:43):
Yeah, you know another thing, um, I think where
a lot of controversy comes fromis, uh, different terminology.
So in russian-speakingcountries, the we call it
cuticle and here everyone elsecalls it cuticle right that dead
tissue that we, you know, trimum after cleaning it.
(41:08):
Uh, but here in states accordingto like cosmetology books,
those milady books, rememberyeah milady, yes, yeah, yeah,
they call it eponychium,eponychium, eponychium, so
that's two different terms, andeponychium is part of the skin
which is around the nails, andthe cuticle is the dead skin
(41:33):
which is underneath theeponychium.
I'm sorry, I don't want to gotoo deep into it.
No, go deep but what I'm justtrying to say is because of
different terminology used indifferent countries.
Dermatologists here they say ohno, you're not supposed to cut
(41:56):
the iponikium.
Yes, no one's cutting livingtissue.
We're only cutting the deadskin?
And if it was?
Speaker 1 (41:59):
living.
It would hurt, it would hurt.
Speaker 2 (42:00):
Absolutely yeah.
And you know, when you cleanthe cuticle with, like the nail
bits how we do in Russianmanicures dead skin, it just
easily lifts off of the nailplate, and we do in russian
manicures that skin, it justeasily lifts off of the nail
plate and it's ready to betrimmed.
It's nothing's gonna happen.
It's a dead tissue, just likeyour hair, just like I don't
know what.
What is, what is?
Speaker 1 (42:18):
out of that tissue something that grows out and
it's living, but it's notquote-unquote living.
I think hair is like theclosest one that you can, even
the nail it's also contained of,like you know, keratin, yeah,
which is a good protein.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (42:33):
So I think it's just lack of education.
If you know the technique right, everything's going to be fine.
Speaker 1 (42:41):
And I've had no problems.
Yeah, and I've been commentingyou long enough to know if
there's gonna be an issue, youknow.
So that's why, when you mentionthat to me, I'm like what
misconceptions are out?
There this is great.
Many people believe that takinga break from polish allows
nails to breathe.
Is this a practice customersshould consider, or is that even
(43:02):
necessary?
Speaker 2 (43:04):
uh, I always joke.
I say males don't need tobreathe because they don't have
lungs.
Speaker 1 (43:12):
So corny, I know that's a really good one,
because they don't yeah what'sbreathing exactly it's like like
giving your hair to breathelike it's, it's, it's already a
formed dead tissue that youcannot really affect on the
(43:33):
grown part.
Speaker 2 (43:34):
Anyhow, already you know it's already grown, it's a,
it's, it's there.
Yeah, um, but the question wait, the question was taking a
break.
Yes, yes, taking a breaksometimes might be beneficial if
you are I don't know traveling,if you know that you cannot
make it to your next appointment.
(43:55):
Oh yeah, just, maybe you'rejust emotionally tired of nails
that happens too.
But what I say is, if you'retaking a break from getting any
enhancement, then it should befor at least two, three months.
Okay, yeah, it does make senseto do a full removal this month.
(44:17):
Next month, come back again thethird month.
You want to do full removalagain.
It does make sense, okay, why?
Because when you do a fullremoval, it uh takes off the
outermost layers of your naturalnail.
No matter how safe, accuratelyand precise the removal was done
(44:37):
, it still takes off a littlebit of your natural nail layers.
And two, three months is enoughtime for a nail to go through a
full regrow cycle.
Oh, okay, from top to bottom,from like the cuticle to the tip
.
Just keep it short and takeyour break.
Speaker 1 (44:55):
Okay, that makes sense.
Okay, so now the next questionI feel like has been answered,
because I've said, like Inoticed in the past, when I
remove gel polish from my nailsthey tend to be weaker.
Does this have anything to dowith the gel polish itself?
Speaker 2 (45:12):
It doesn't have anything to do with the product.
I'll tell you that, no matterwhat you get, is it gel,
structured gel, acrylic dippowder?
There's so many products outthere.
It's all about, um, removal.
Removal should be safe, uh, itshould be proper and, um, it
(45:35):
takes time.
Right, and unfortunately, whatI see a lot when clients come
from like regular nail salons, Isee this uh, rings of fire.
I don't know if you have everseen them so it's like when
they're rigid.
Maybe we can put like a pictureon the video.
I don't know I'll ask him cannyyeah, um, this is like like
(45:55):
rings like on the nail bedliterally you can see dents of
when the nail bit oh yeah waslike it was too much pressure
and you know, in regular nailsalons the process feels very
rushed.
Yes, they're trying to get youin and out, in and out and, um,
(46:17):
they put a little bit too muchpressure and try to do fast and
then you get those rings of fireand there is no way of getting
rid of them unless you just waitfor it to grow out.
Oh okay, so a lot of the timesit's about improper removal.
Um, in our studio we do offerfull removal, but it takes time.
(46:39):
It's not gonna be like 15minutes and you're good to go.
Yeah, because it usually is.
You know, usually it takesabout like 45 minutes to an hour
and even though it's like acheaper service because you're
not really getting anyenhancement on, we still take
our time because we don't wantour clients nails to be ruined
(47:02):
by rushing the surface so, yeah,okay, that literally answered
my questions.
Speaker 1 (47:11):
Yeah, what do you do to ensure your clients are safe
and happy with your services?
Speaker 2 (47:18):
um safety.
Uh is number one priority atMoonglow Nails all the tools in
our studio.
They go through three stephospital grade.
I would say disinfection.
Speaker 1 (47:32):
You're always sanitizing when I'm there yeah,
disinfection.
Speaker 2 (47:35):
My clients know they're used to autoclave
running all the time.
Yes, it's running every time Icome there well, hopefully in
the future, when I move to abigger space, I'll have a
special dedicated room.
Speaker 1 (47:48):
Oh no, I'm completely okay with it.
I mean it shows your safetyprecautions to make sure you are
not transferring you know anybacteria or anything you know
amongst your clients.
So no, I don't.
It can run all day, I don'tcare.
Speaker 2 (48:02):
Yeah, yeah, no, it's very important.
Disinfection and sterilization.
it's funny that I've read, youknow, those little texas law
like the tdlr books that theysend you yeah, I've read there
that, um, using autoclave tosterilize tools in nail salons
is strongly advised, but it'snot required.
(48:26):
So, for example, if they say,we understand that autoclave is
an expensive investment andpurchase and if your salon
cannot afford it, then it's okay, you might skip that step, and
I'm like what would you?
It doesn't make any senseadvise.
It doesn't make any sense Atall.
It doesn't make any sense.
(48:46):
I think if you're running likea business, it's number one
thing that you should get.
It's an investment.
Don't get like extra 100polishes, get an autocliff.
That's right, you know it'simportant.
I can't believe that's optional.
It is optional.
Speaker 1 (49:01):
It.
I can't believe that's optional.
Speaker 2 (49:02):
It is optional, it's strongly advised, but it's not
like required.
Oh wow.
Speaker 1 (49:07):
Yeah, that's some good information.
Eventually, they're going tohave to make that like in black
and white.
I can see it.
I think so.
Speaker 2 (49:16):
I strongly believe so .
It's, you know, a lot of whenthere is no control and no
requirements, like people can dowhatever they want.
Yeah, and then that's where wesee, like those outbreaks yeah,
no, I would never risk it.
Yeah, for me, as I said, it's atop, top priority.
(49:38):
That's good to know.
Speaker 1 (49:39):
Yeah, that's good to know what's something you wish
every client understood aboutyour work or the process of a
Russian manicure and pedicure.
Speaker 2 (49:52):
I wish clients understood that quality takes
time, absolutely, it cannot berushed and it cannot be cheap.
Mm-hmm, it cannot be rushed andit cannot be cheap.
You know Russian manicures andpedicures.
They take longer.
Yes, that's true.
It takes about like one and ahalf to two hours for a service.
(50:16):
And then when people hear that,they're like, oh my gosh, no,
I'm not going to sit for twohours to get my nails done, two
hours to get my nails done.
But what they don't realize isthat by going to like a regular
nail salon every two weeks, uh,wasting each time their time,
gas, money, um, they're notsaving money in the long run.
It's adding up.
(50:36):
It's adding up each time.
Most importantly, you'rewasting so much time.
You think that you are savingtime by going in every so, every
two weeks, and spending I don'tknow how.
How much is it in regularsalons these days?
Maybe like 60, 80 dollars.
Yeah, you think that you dependon what you get, man, I guess
(50:56):
what designs that kind of runyou around, yeah, yeah yes, you,
you're spending less than anhour in a salon, but then you
have to go back in two weeksagain Because you know the
enhancement maybe like theretention, is not the greatest.
I don't know.
You can see the grow outalready, and even the Russian
manicures it takes long.
(51:17):
You only need to come in everythree to four weeks for
manicures and then for pedicures.
It's every four to five weeks,depending on how fast your toes
grow.
But four to five weeks formanicures and then for pedicures
it's every four to five weeks,depending on how fast your toes
grow.
But four to five weeks is asweet spot, yeah, um.
So I wish clients understoodthat.
And that's where higher pricepoint comes from too, because
(51:37):
it's a longer service.
It requires special uhequipment, um tools, so it just
cannot simply be cheap.
Speaker 1 (51:45):
No, it can't and also , like you said, if you do the
math and you're going to themevery two, you've already paid
for your Russian manicureexactly, probably a little bit
more.
When you start considering gasand time, you know, like you
mentioned, so you might as wellI'd rather go once a month than
to be coming every two weeks.
You know, everyone's too busy.
Everyone's busy and I forgetthe quality that I'm seeking as
(52:08):
well.
Yep, you know, versus you know,I really like how I can look at
my nails and they're like flushagainst my cuticles.
You know, you used to see thaton Pinterest, yeah, and I was
like, oh, I can go get that donenow.
Speaker 2 (52:20):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (52:22):
Yeah, for sure.
Speaker 2 (52:22):
That's what a lot of clients call it actually
Pinterest nails.
Speaker 1 (52:25):
Yeah, because you're like how did they do that?
That's Photoshopped.
There's no way that's a realthing.
Speaker 2 (52:34):
No magic, just the right technique.
Speaker 1 (52:36):
Right, yeah, so yeah, for sure, many people
underestimate how profitable acareer as a nail tech can be.
How has your career as a nailtechnician allowed you to
support yourself and build abusiness?
Speaker 2 (52:52):
I, I'm just so grateful for everything I have
uh in my life.
Uh, you know, I moved to thiscountry what, like four or five
years ago I think.
I had like maybe two, threethousand dollars in my pocket
when I just moved didn't havemuch, but now, like, I'm proud
to say that this job, thiscareer, uh is fully supporting
(53:14):
me, my lifestyle.
I'm supporting my family backin kazakhstan.
Oh, wow, that's amazing.
It's given me a lot and I willbe forever grateful to all
clients who, you know, supportedmy business consistently, or
even it was once.
I will be very grateful to myfriends here.
(53:37):
My friends became like a secondfamily to me.
Um, my friends became like asecond family to me, yeah, and
and I'm just very, very, verylucky to call them my friends
and it's like my chosen familyhere, yeah, yeah that's good
yeah doing nails is such anintimate experience.
Speaker 1 (53:58):
You're working closely with your clients.
How do you connect with themand make them feel cared for?
Speaker 2 (54:05):
as I said, I try to listen.
If it's a first-time client, Ijust ask I don't know easy
questions just to make them feelrelaxed like, um, I don't know,
is it your first time?
Speaker 1 (54:19):
yeah, those are some of the questions you asked me I
would say yeah, like getting toknow me a little bit more about
my nail history and stuff.
Speaker 2 (54:27):
Yeah, I try to ask just questions and then clients
usually they have a lot to say.
Or if I see that the client isnot very talkative and they just
like want, you know, a quietappointment, that's totally cool
with me too, Because I coulduse a break too.
Speaker 1 (54:40):
I know, because it's like you got another client
coming in there.
Speaker 2 (54:44):
I could use a break too, I know.
Speaker 1 (54:45):
Because it's like you got another client coming in.
There's another client.
Yeah, it's like reading a roomand I do it too.
I can tell.
You can tell if a client wantsto talk, right, I feel like as
we as service providers, wealmost mirror our clients.
We do.
Speaker 2 (54:56):
Whatever they say, I'm like yes, that's how we have
so many different personalitieswhen we're at work yeah, we do
have a lot we have to vibe witheach one yeah, it's like acting,
yeah, yeah, it's like actingit's, and it can take a lot.
It takes a lot of energy, forsure, and it's important to like
fill your cup at the end of theday when you go home and just
(55:17):
like do stuff that is good foryou absolutely yeah, because
it's like you've been pouringyeah day long.
Speaker 1 (55:24):
You know we we pour more than just our technique
into these clients.
You know we do a lot for thembeyond the surface of what
they're coming there for.
So, yeah, it's important to gohome, wind down and, like you
said, fill your cup back up soyou can be energized and ready
for the next day.
What advice would you give tosomeone trying to turn their
(55:46):
passion into a career,especially in a creative field?
Speaker 2 (55:52):
uh, let me think about it and take your time.
Yeah, I think I would say juststart small.
You don't have to becomepopular all of a sudden,
immediately.
It's just it's not how it worksFor sure.
No, just start small, startdoing something every day and
(56:16):
then just keep doing it untilyou find that this creative you
know hobby or whatever you wantto call it a profession, is
something that you would like todo 100% of the time, and it's
supporting you and your family.
Yeah, so start small, dream big, don't stop ever believing in
(56:41):
yourself and just take.
Take it slow.
Yeah, just uh, don't rush.
Speaker 1 (56:49):
That's what I would say I feel like in these
creative fields, you can easilyget distracted too.
You know, especially withsocial media, there's so many
ways to get distracted.
For sure.
One thing I'm learning is tostay focused yes whatever you're
doing, like, just stay on thatyeah because, you know, in the
beauty industry there's so manyavenues, you know so many
(57:13):
different things you can tapinto and become creative doing
yeah, and it is so hard to notget distracted for sure, for
sure, I think.
Speaker 2 (57:22):
Sometimes it's.
For example, I there are dayswhen I don't look up anything
real nail related for days andI'm like when I'm feeling that
I'm just about to get burned outor something.
Yeah, I think it's important tojust be bored.
Good, yes, that's some goodadvice.
A lot of people are like scaredof being bored, but sometimes
(57:47):
it's good for you.
Speaker 1 (57:48):
I love being bored.
Speaker 2 (57:49):
I absolutely love being bored with nothing to do
yes, and that's when you reallyget creative, because you are,
like you know, longing for that.
You want to do something cooland, um yeah, just just step
back, yeah yeah, I'm glad youbrought that being bored.
Speaker 1 (58:10):
I'm glad you brought that you know to the listeners
because I don't think enoughpeople really understand how
that is a luxury.
Being bored is a luxury, yeah,and it's okay because, like you
said, it allows you to have timeto reset, readjust, recharge
and you know you get morecreative.
Yeah, you know if you'reconstantly, just always, doing
(58:31):
something, you're going to losesome of that creative juice.
You know, or it's going to thequality.
Speaker 2 (58:36):
Yeah, can go down.
Why people like want to just go, go, go and post, post, post
and be 24 7 on social media?
Because I mean, it's like um,how do we we call it in russian
successful success is beingthrown at your face every single
(58:56):
day, right, and you getdiscouraged.
You're like, oh my gosh, whileI'm just chilling here, someone
else is become becoming so muchmore successful, so much more.
You know, I don't know whateverbigger than me, but what you
don't see is that what'shappening behind the scenes.
(59:18):
Maybe this person has beendoing it for five years, ten
years, and they're only showingyou this successful side, where
in reality, they were like tearsand sweat and it was hard for
them too.
Absolutely yeah.
Speaker 1 (59:35):
You only see the success.
You don't see the ugly.
Speaker 2 (59:38):
We don't see the ugly .
No, you don't.
I wish we did, though.
Yeah, I know.
Speaker 1 (59:42):
Because I feel like you allow yourself to have more
grace, you'll be more kind toyourself instead of feeling
incompetent because you're notshowing up enough, like oh, I'm
lazy because they're alreadydoing something and the reason
why they are doing great thingsis because they're doing it
every day, and that's not thecase.
We only see a very small portionof the journey of their success
(01:00:05):
.
If they want to be vulnerableenough to share which would be
great, you know, but they don't,so maybe we should yeah, we
should, yeah talk about how.
That's what the podcast is fortoo, like talking about the
nitty-gritty so people can stayhopeful, yeah, and understand
this is a journey, it's not asprint Like.
(01:00:26):
You have to really take yourtime, you know for sure.
I love that.
Looking back on your journey,what is one thing you tell your
younger self when she was juststarting out?
I love this question.
Speaker 2 (01:00:40):
I love this question too.
I love this question.
I love this question too.
I would say believe in yourself, don't rush.
Don't rush and just enjoy theprocess.
Speaker 1 (01:00:57):
Yeah, celebrate the process.
It's like you get discouragedright?
Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (01:01:05):
And just like really enjoying it and living in the
moment.
I know it sounds so cliche, butit really is what life is about
just being present in themoment and enjoying, um,
whatever you have done so farand looking back like I'm so
grateful to my younger self thatI took that leap and decided to
(01:01:26):
do what I did and, um, thatgives me hope that I'll be okay
in the future.
Oh yeah, you definitely will,because you did it all by
yourself.
Yes, I didn't have any supportsystem here.
Yeah, no family.
I mean, I have my friends, butstill like.
But like it was hard.
Speaker 1 (01:01:43):
You know that's hard, you know.
So I'm like, if you can do,that's the biggest step to me,
like you've already done it andyou've done it twice.
You didn't do it one time, youdid it two times.
I think that's your biggeststep, and then everything else,
of course, is going to be likesome, you know, little obstacles
in the way, but I think, withyou getting the hardest part out
, I don't think it's nothingthat could defeat you after that
(01:02:04):
.
It's like this is this onething that I'm probably going
through right now, but I knowI'm gonna be able to get through
it because I've done it duringthe pandemic.
It was a lot going on for youyeah, so I'm like everything
else.
it may feel like a burden in themoment, but you are going to be
great because you did a lot tobuild your business to get to
where you are today.
(01:02:25):
Thank you, and I feel likeanything else after that would
be like another thing, but we'llget through it.
You know, yeah For sure, what'snext for you and your salon.
Speaker 2 (01:02:38):
Well, right now, moonglow Nails is a team of two.
Hopefully, we're going to growinto a bigger space.
That's my priority for nextyear.
I'm looking into expanding andhopefully I will find more
people who would join us yeah,someone who is just as
(01:02:59):
passionate about nails as we are.
So that's my plan as of now.
And what else?
I started teaching not so longago like one-on-one private
courses to people who want tolearn the technique.
It's a two-day private course,so I would love to do more of
(01:03:21):
that.
In the past year, I've donelike about four students, I
think.
So congratulations, thank you.
Yeah, that was very exciting.
And, um, actually, my employeevitalia.
She was the first person whoreached out and was like I love
your work, can you teach me howto do it?
So that sparked the interestwith vitalia yeah and like you,
(01:03:42):
know what?
I've never tried it before.
But, as we learned, I lovegetting out of my comfort zone.
Speaker 1 (01:03:49):
Yeah, you do yeah, for sure.
Speaker 2 (01:03:51):
And I was like you know what, Let me try to do it.
And I did it once, Like I cameup with the program, I was like
can you wait two, three monthsbefore I come up with a program
and everything, because I reallywanted it to be, you know, not
perfect, but like good to evento start with, and then, after I
(01:04:11):
posted about it on social media, people started reaching out
and saying oh, we didn't knowthat you offer courses like
we're interested.
So I started getting a lot moreinterest in that.
Yeah, so I would love to do itmore in the future too.
Yeah, for sure, yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:04:27):
Especially with it being a growing field, you could
be like the person everyonereaches out to because you've
been doing it the longest.
You'd be more of like a veteranin the field.
So you're more trusted.
Yeah, you know.
Yeah, especially with it beinglike I said, being so new, you
know and we know with years ofexperience that that's already
enough trust, you know For sure.
(01:04:48):
Yeah, so if you are a nailtechnician, yeah, no, for sure,
I'm just going to advertise thisreally quick.
Speaker 2 (01:04:54):
Not even advertise.
I really want to say that ifyou're a nail technician and
you're still not offering thisservice, I think you really
should, absolutely, becauseit's's gonna get big I have a
feeling it's gonna get huge andit's gonna become like a new
norm in the I.
That's what I hope for.
I want it to become a norm sothat people are used to a good
(01:05:19):
quality service yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:05:21):
How would they go about reaching out to you if
they wanted to book classes withyou?
Speaker 2 (01:05:26):
My Instagram or my TikTok account.
It's Aiko underscore MoonglowNails, Okay.
Speaker 1 (01:05:32):
And what about booking services with you as
well?
Speaker 2 (01:05:36):
Same.
You can go to the studioaccount, which is Moonglow Nails
ATX, or to my personalInstagram, and there would be
links.
Uh, we're also pretty mucheverywhere google maps.
You can go through website andbook over there too okay, yeah,
okay.
Speaker 1 (01:05:52):
Is it anything else you want to share with the
listeners before we close?
Speaker 2 (01:05:57):
out.
Um, I just, I don't know.
I feel like I'm nervous.
Yeah, for sure it's okay.
Yeah, what I want to say isjust believe in yourself, just
bet on yourself, don't be scared.
If something would go wrong,you can always put yourself back
(01:06:23):
up and continue learning, andjust continue your journey.
Speaker 1 (01:06:28):
Yeah, you got to embrace the going wrong, the
making the mistakes, it's okay.
It's where you learn the mostand you grow the most too, if
you take advantage of it.
You know For sure.
Yeah, so I'm with you there,it's not going to be like a
linear process.
Speaker 2 (01:06:41):
It's just going to be ups and downs and it's okay and
I know it can be very scary,but you just got to bet in
yourself For sure.
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:06:54):
Well, thank you so much for your time.
I really appreciate you doingthis for me.
You're the first nail tech wehad on the show, yeah, so I was
so excited when I, when Iextended the invitation, he was
like yeah, for sure.
I was like yes, yes, finally,because I've had makeup artists,
I've had barbers, of course,hairstylists, so I'm like now I
get to talk to a nail tech.
Yeah, because I'm trying tomake it open for every, you know
(01:07:16):
to hair.
Speaker 2 (01:07:25):
Yeah, so I appreciate you sharing with us today.
Thank you so much for having meand, uh, if you ever want to do
it again, we can go moreextensively.
Absolutely into like nails,nail care, what to look out for
when you go into nail salon.
Speaker 1 (01:07:34):
Oh, that would be good, because, yeah, with this
one's like trying to get to knowyou and then yeah, I feel like
this was more about me and tryto add but also add in some nail
stuff too, so the next one candefinitely be dived deep into
just the nail industry?
Speaker 2 (01:07:50):
yes, yeah, we'll definitely do, because there is
a lot to talk about about nailindustry and, uh, yeah, I feel
like we can do it again sometime, for sure yeah, well, thank you
for that.
Speaker 1 (01:08:01):
Really appreciate it.
That's it for today's episodeof Hair.
What I'm Saying?
Aiko's story reminds us thatlife's challenges can often lead
us to discover our greateststrengths.
From learning a new skillduring a global pandemic to
building her own business, aikohas shown us what it means to
bet on yourself and embracereinvention.
If you enjoyed thisconversation, don't forget to
(01:08:22):
subscribe, rate and leave areview.
It really helps the podcastgrow.
Thank you for tuning in andremember every journey comes
with its own challenges, butit's how you rise above them
that defines your story.
Stay focused, stay inspired andnever stop believing in the
power of your dreams.
Until next time, thank you.
Welcome back to Hair what I'm Saying, the podcast
where beauty meets life'sbiggest stories.
I'm your host, kenetra, andtoday we're diving into a story
of resilience, reinvention andredefining success.
My guest is Aiko, a talentednail artist specializing in
Russian manicures and pedicures,who immigrated to the US from
Kazakhstan through the DiversityVisa Lottery Program.
(00:26):
From navigating culture shockin New York to finding her
creative passion journeyuncertainty of the COVID
pandemic, aiko's journey isnothing short of inspiring.
She's now the proud owner ofMoon Glow Nails in Austin, texas
, turning her skills into athriving business.
We'll discuss her path fromemployee to entrepreneur, common
misconceptions about nail techsand how she overcame personal
(00:49):
and professional challenges tobuild the life she envisioned.
This is an episode full ofwisdom, inspiration and plenty
of gems for aspiringentrepreneurs in the beauty
industry.
Welcome to the Hair what I'mSaying podcast.
I'm your host, kenetra Stewart.
Today we have Aiko of moon glownails, located in austin, texas
, who specializes in russianmanicures and pedicures.
(01:10):
Welcome to the show, aiko.
How are you?
I'm good.
Thank you so much for having me.
Absolutely thank you for comingto share with us today.
I really appreciate it me too,me too.
This exciting it is.
And is this your first podcast.
Yes, this is my first podcastever.
Oh my gosh.
Well, I'm glad to do the honors.
Yes, for sure.
Thank you Especially.
(01:31):
You know, with your specialtyit's fairly new.
I don't know if it's new foryour line of work, but it's new
for a lot of us out here inAustin, texas, getting my nails
and toes done with the Russianway, and I'm just glad you're
here to share more informationabout how you started your
journey into that line of workand just giving us more insights
(01:53):
and information on what itexactly is.
Speaker 2 (01:56):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm excited too.
Speaker 1 (01:58):
Great Growing up in Kazakhstan.
What were your dreams as achild?
Speaker 2 (02:05):
I was thinking about this question.
Yeah, I think, growing up, Ialways dreamt big.
You know, kazakhstan it's notlike population wise, it's not a
big country, but territory wiseit's quite big.
It's quite big, um.
(02:29):
And I felt like, growing up, Ialways knew that there are like
great things ahead of me.
Um, and when I was a child, Iremember, uh, I would tell my
grandma that one day I will moveto america and I will bring her
with me and we'll be cruisingaround in the convertible.
For some reason I would saythat when I was like a little
child, oh, wow.
And then, you know, fastforward, and I'm here now.
(02:52):
So it's crazy.
I felt like, you know, growingup in a post-Soviet Union brand
new country, there was a lot oflike hardships and uncertainties
and, more than anything, I feellike I've dreamt of stability.
And you know, knowing where Icome from, I knew that in order
(03:15):
for myself to get to a stableplace, I need to put a lot of
work and a lot of hard work intoit For sure.
Speaker 1 (03:23):
Yeah, did you dream of being a nail tech?
That was that anywhere?
Speaker 2 (03:27):
no, I did not dream of being a nail technician
particularly, but I always wasinto aesthetics of beauty.
Uh, I grew up watching, youknow, mtv, america's next top
model, tyra bank, smiling withyour eyes and all that yeah and
um, and I feel like I was alwaysinto it and as soon as I
(03:48):
started like making my own money, I was very into getting my
nails done.
That was like one thing thatwas always non-negotiable for me
.
Speaker 1 (03:55):
Oh, I love that.
Okay, how did your parents andfamily respond to your decision
to move to the US and later topursue nails?
Speaker 2 (04:04):
Yeah, respond to your decision to move to the US and
later to pursue nails.
Yeah, they had really mixedfeelings, of course, because
it's so far away For those whodon't know, kazakhstan is like a
good day of flying away fromthe States.
So I feel like they were verylike anxious and worried about
me, but at the same same time,they supported my decision to
(04:26):
move because they knew that it'sgoing to be better for me, it's
going to be better and moreopportunities here.
So, even though they had likemixed feelings, I felt I felt
their support.
Speaker 1 (04:36):
That's great, yeah, that's really good because this
is so important, you know, whenyour family supports you
especially, that's a big, hugecareer, I know.
Huge life change.
It's a whole life change.
Forget the career, just a wholelife change.
A different country, justdifferent everything.
Yeah, and I look Kazakhstan upon the map and I was like whoa,
this is like on the oppositeside of the world.
(05:00):
Yes, and I think for you tojust, you know, come here, like
become an entrepreneur, to likethat is really admirable.
It takes a lot of courage to dosomething like that in such a
foreign country.
You know, yeah, yeah, inKazakhstan, how are careers in
beauty, like doing nails,typically viewed?
Speaker 2 (05:30):
like doing nails, typically viewed um.
Yeah well, you know as I don'tthink it's a secret that um,
like, asian parents are verydemanding and they want their
kids to be like I don't knowdoctors, lawyers, some kind of
corporate job and um, being anail technician is not
considered to be a veryprestigious job because it's
like a manual labor.
(05:50):
It's not very well paid, atleast in Kazakhstan.
So whenever I told my decisionthat I'm gonna try to be a nail
technician, of course at firstmy mom was like a little
hesitant, but then, and and Ithink here in states too,
actually people don't considerit as a very like um prestigious
(06:12):
job.
Speaker 1 (06:12):
Easy, that's right, yeah, that's very.
Anything in a beauty industryis not.
It's like a hobby.
Speaker 2 (06:17):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, exactly yeah and I really do
want to change that perspectivethough.
Speaker 1 (06:23):
I feel, like.
Speaker 2 (06:23):
It can be very lucrative if you a very
lucrative business and job ingeneral.
Yeah, if you structure itcorrectly, if you know what
you're doing, I think it's agreat career to have, because
people everywhere get theirnails done For sure.
No matter where you are, it'sthe service that will always
like you know it's service thatwill always like you know it's
(06:45):
something that will always feedyou absolutely it will.
Speaker 1 (06:49):
And, um, I know for sure, when my nails are not done
, I feel a little self-consciouslike of even simply grabbing
things you know like I feel toothin or something, yeah, or like
they're not done.
You know they're not groomedand they're not presentable.
You know, even if I didn't havepolish, at least if they were
(07:10):
groomed and manicured I wouldfeel better, for sure.
But just not just neglecting mynails completely.
I'm like it's still a part ofsome line of self-care.
Speaker 2 (07:21):
Self-care, personal style.
A lot of people expressthemselves through nails.
It's like part of your you knowidentity, of your style too.
Absolutely For sure.
Speaker 1 (07:32):
What was the hardest part about leaving Kazakhstan
and moving to the US?
Speaker 2 (07:37):
Oh, definitely leaving my family.
Yeah, that was like the hardestpart.
It still is very hard till thisday, but I try to go there
every couple of years.
My family comes visit me, likewe take turns in seeing each
other.
So that was definitely thehardest part, I think.
(08:01):
Leaving my family, because I'mvery close to them.
Yes, it's my mom and my littlesister, okay, but, um, we try to
talk every day on video, onfacetime, um, we're very much
like present in each other'slives, good.
Speaker 1 (08:15):
So, yeah, that was, but that was hard, though, very
for sure, yeah afterexperiencing the culture shock
in new york and deciding toreturn home during COVID, what
gave you the courage to tryagain?
Speaker 2 (08:32):
Okay, that's a good one.
You know, as a foreigner, whenyou think about states, the
first thing that comes to yourmind are like the big cities new
york, miami.
I didn't know, la.
Yeah, when you think about newyork like you think of those big
cities got you, I never evenknew about austin, yeah.
(08:54):
And then I think, when I was innew york, uh, I was realizing,
and when I went back I was likerealizing that new york is not
the only representation ofAmerica, right, that there are
so many other places out there.
And I knew that New York'sdynamic was too much for me it's
too hectic, it's too big, it'sa lot, it's a fun place to visit
(09:18):
, but not to live Like you needto have a really really tough
skin to be able to make it inNew York, live like you need to
have a really really tough skinto be able to make it in new
york.
So then I was like started, youknow, doing my research and
seeing, okay, where I could move, where it's like a little slow
paced compared to new york, butsomewhere there I where I could
still build a business and likemake it.
(09:40):
So then a lot of onlineresearch led me to austin, texas
, so I decided to give it a tryhere okay what was that?
I've never been here before,yeah that's what was that thing?
Speaker 1 (09:53):
where's, like, austin ?
Is it like it couldn't havebeen dallas, houston?
Yeah, what made austin be theall-in for you?
Like I know, this is gonna bemy next you know place where I'm
gonna really build my lifehonestly, I wasn't thinking too
hard about it.
Speaker 2 (10:07):
I felt like Houston, dallas are already big and I
wanted something smaller.
Yeah, I wanted a city that is,you know, big enough for it not
to be, too how to say country,yeah, but then still somewhere
that is developing, where thereis a lot of potential.
So I saw that potential and Iwas like I think this is a good
(10:30):
place, because I saw that a lotof people from california are
moving here, especially duringor after pandemic.
Yeah, I saw that a lot of itcompanies are moving here.
Speaker 1 (10:40):
So I was like I see the potential here yes, for sure
, it is a lot of potential here.
It's still growing.
People are still moving hereTill this day.
Speaker 2 (10:48):
And when I talk to you know locals they say, oh
yeah, austin's been growing forlike past I don't know 20, 30
years, so it's still maybe iseven in early stages of growing.
Speaker 1 (11:00):
Yes, it is.
Who knows For sure it is?
But yes, it is For sure it is.
But the growth is happeningpretty rapidly.
Speaker 2 (11:06):
Yeah, it is Absolutely.
I mean, look at all thehighways and the constructions.
Speaker 1 (11:12):
And I don't think a lot of us are prepared for it.
You know we go out, you know,especially the ones who have
been here, who did not move here, and they are thinking they can
carry on with their regularschedule.
Like at five o'clock I can godo this and I'm gonna go do that
, but it's like it's a lot ofpeople here now so you're
probably gonna run into trafficnow, yeah, you know.
So it's a lot, even for themlike to adjust, for sure,
(11:34):
because the the growth rate ishappening so fast.
You know, yeah, I was like it'sa great thing for sure.
What inspired you to try nailartistry?
Speaker 2 (11:47):
uh, well, as I said, I was always into aesthetics,
into beauty, um, and I rememberwhen I moved to the, to new york
, I realized that there was ahuge gap in the industry in in
the beauty industry,specifically when it comes to
nails.
Absolutely, I remember I washaving like an hour and a half
(12:11):
ride one way to just get mynails done in an absolutely
different part of New York.
For those who know New Yorklike I was living in Queens, oh
yeah, and my nail technician wasall the way in Brooklyn, in
Brighton Beach area.
So it was like good hour, hourand a half one way and I would
(12:32):
do that drive just to get mynails done, because I was
accustomed, I was used to acertain quality, absolutely,
because in Kazakhstan we don'tcall them Russian manicures, by
the way.
In Kazakhstan it's like a thingthat they call it here in the
States.
Very interesting, it's justgetting your nails done.
In Kazakhstan we call it e-filemanicure or dry manicure.
Speaker 1 (12:57):
Oh, and it is dry.
Speaker 2 (12:59):
And it's made with the help of e-file machine.
So what was I saying?
Speaker 1 (13:06):
let's go back.
What was talking about the nailartistry?
Speaker 2 (13:08):
you were saying you would drive in like an hour and
a half and when I was doing allthose drives I was like what's
going on?
Why am I doing this?
Why can't I find a place whichdoes a decent manicure?
You know um close to me, but itwas really hard to find and I
was like if this is hard to findin new york, I'm sure in other
(13:28):
parts of the states it's goingto be even more in demand
absolutely so that's where I sawthe opportunity and the gap in
the market I was.
I was like you know, we'reliving in 2024 right now.
I think think people wantbetter quality services, as they
should expect good quality, andthat was something that I
(13:52):
couldn't find, so I was like youknow what?
I could make a career out of it?
I should try to become a nailtechnician.
Speaker 1 (14:01):
I think it's really smart, with the intentions of
you doing the market research,to know and be aware, like the
nail industry is what's lackingheavily.
Yeah, because you can do hair,you can do makeup, it's
everywhere, you know there's nota huge gap.
Yeah, but to find a reallygreat nail tech specializing in
a certain type of you knowTechnique Technique that is very
(14:25):
hard.
So for you to do the marketresearch and be so intentional,
that was very smart.
That was a very smart move.
Speaker 2 (14:32):
Thank you.
I saw that I feel like peopleare used to like just going to
regular nail salon and theydon't even know that there are
different options out there.
Oh, you know when you get usedto something you you just in
your comfort zone and you don'teven think, oh, is there
something else?
But yes, you can get a betterquality service somewhere else.
(14:55):
You just have to find aspecific, you know technique
that you would like, and and thetechnician for it too, for sure
russian manicures and pedicuresare so detailed and precise.
Speaker 1 (15:07):
What do you love most about this specialty?
Speaker 2 (15:12):
There are a lot of things that I love about this
technique.
First for me definitely is theattention to detail.
I'm very attentive to detailmyself and I love the clean
results each time.
I love how great retention is.
(15:32):
Um, I'm very much into thenatural nail care and like the
health of your natural nails andI'm sure if you have tried
russian manic at least once, youknow that you know all of those
things tick when you getRussian manicures done and the
nails grow so fast.
Yes, your nails get longer,healthier, better each time when
(15:56):
you come.
Speaker 1 (15:57):
That's what I've noticed.
I'm like gosh, like alreadysome new growth there.
I mean, it grows so fast.
Yeah, like within like two anda half three weeks you can
already start seeing, you know,the new growth.
Speaker 2 (16:11):
Yeah and uh, that's actually not so fast because, uh
, when we do russian manicures,you know, uh, the cuticle is
very like, meticulously clean,right, and then the color is
applied all the way up to thecuticle so that there is no gap
right there.
It's almost like the colorstarts growing out from the
(16:31):
cuticle right, yeah, right underit.
so that's what, um.
Another great thing aboutrussian manicure because, um,
you can go in betweenappointments a little bit longer
than with a traditional gelmanicure or like acrylic.
You go in every two weeks, butRussian manicures you can get
done every three to four weeks,so just once a month, basically.
Speaker 1 (16:54):
Yeah, for sure.
Speaker 2 (16:55):
Yeah, because.
Speaker 1 (16:55):
I think I see you like once a month.
I think I've seen you actuallyafter five weeks.
Yeah, yeah, for sure.
How did you hear about it?
You Actually just hashtaggingreally like nail text, like
austin nail text, austin nails,yeah.
And then I saw your uh, likeyour bio on instagram was like
russian manicures and pedicures.
I'm like what is that?
(17:16):
All I've seen were like thenails just look great, yeah.
And I was like whoa, like theylike flush down so you didn't
know.
It's a thing I didn't know.
It was like I kind of maybevaguely heard about it but I
didn't really pay attention toit and even still like I had to
learn a lot through you, justfollowing you and what you do
and also just doing my ownresearch.
Like what is this specialty?
(17:36):
And I could visually see it wasway different from a
traditional.
You know, just visually thedifference is huge.
Yeah, so visually I was alreadysold, like I can see why this is
called.
It's like a technique, acertain specialty, and it's not
just like going to the nailsalon and getting your nails
(17:57):
done Cool.
But I never, you know, lookedup the background of it.
You know so, but visually youcan tell like it's very
different.
Speaker 2 (18:05):
Yeah, I love that.
I love that you learned aboutit through me because I did.
Uh, it's uh, it's a huge trendon social media russian manicure
.
I think that's where it allstarted being.
I mean named russian manicureand usually people like learn
about it somewhere on TikTok orInstagram and then they search
(18:25):
for the technician in theircities.
No, I like that, but in yourcase it was different.
Speaker 1 (18:30):
Yeah, I was just hashtagging nail techs and
Austin nail techs and then boom,there you were.
I love that, yeah, and ofcourse, on Instagram.
You know hashtagging onInstagram and I was like, oh,
russian manicure and pedicures.
And I'm like, well, I canvisually see it's a difference,
but I don't really know exactlywhat it is.
I was just sold from the visualpresentation, if I'm being
honest, and then later I wantedto know more about it and then
(18:53):
that's when I started likeintentionally doing research,
like what is this?
Speaker 2 (18:57):
You know yeah.
Speaker 1 (19:00):
Before learning the Russian style, had you done
nails traditionally?
Speaker 2 (19:04):
I learned how to do it in a beauty school, but I've
never offered it as a service.
Okay, yeah, I just kick-startedspecializing in this technique.
As I said, I saw potential inthere and I still see it.
I think it's in the very babystages of gaining its popularity
.
It's just going to get biggerfrom here, yeah.
Speaker 1 (19:29):
And with you also mentioning that your personality
, like you're really meticulous.
This is definitely your route.
Oh, 100% 100%.
For sure.
So we're going to talk aboutsome challenges that you
probably had to overcome likeduring covid um.
It was a challenging time for alot of us yeah so many people
(19:50):
and your experience was uniquewith having to return back to
kazakhstan.
How did it feel to move backduring during such an uncertain
period?
Speaker 2 (20:00):
uh, I think at first I felt like almost defeated,
right?
Uh, because I moved to thestates end of 2019 like october
I think it was september,october and then, just five
months after covid hits, and youknow, new york was like the
epicenter of all that COVIDmadness.
(20:23):
I don't know if you rememberwhen they brought like this huge
boats where they would set uphospitals and there were so many
outbreaks and New York was justcrazy during that time I was
like, oh my gosh, I'm a newbieimmigrant, Just like what's
going on.
Speaker 1 (20:44):
It was so Global crisis going on.
I'm just trying to move here.
Speaker 2 (20:47):
I just tried to move here and all of this happens and
, yeah, at first I felt likeanxious, defeated.
I was like what's going on?
And then, you know, made adecision to go back to
kazakhstan, just to wait out andsee what what's gonna happen.
And even getting back tokazakhstan was like a whole
(21:08):
journey because there were noflights, yep, and I had to reach
out to the embassy and theylike organized a special uh, how
is it called like arepatriation flight or something
like that, or basically theylike evacuate you, you, from one
place to the other.
So it was like a whole thing,crazy journey to go back home.
(21:32):
But now, like four years later,I realized that it was the right
decision at the time, yes, forsure, because it was such
uncertain time, as you said, andI was really happy to be close
to my family.
It gave me like peace of mindand then I could really like
step back and see what should Ido next?
(21:55):
That's when I enrolled intobeauty school.
While I was stuck home, I waslike, let me start learning this
, just not wasting my time andstart doing something.
So that's when I startedlearning to do how to do nails
and, you know, researching for anew place to move and then by,
like September I think that wasSeptember 2020, basically five
(22:19):
months after I returned back toKazakhstan, I flew to Austin.
Okay, yeah, okay, yeah, okay,mm-hmm.
Speaker 1 (22:29):
What helped you stay hopeful while figuring out your
next steps?
Speaker 2 (22:34):
My support system, my family, my friends yeah,
definitely Very grateful to havethem in my life.
They always support me, nomatter what what I decide to do.
Um I'm sure for my mom it washard, you know, um letting her
(22:55):
child go so far away and changeher for some reason.
Speaker 1 (23:05):
I'm getting emotional , good, like just let it out
yeah, it was a hard time youknow there was some hard
decisions that you had to make.
Speaker 2 (23:14):
You know, just reliving and telling your story,
yeah, it's okay, yeah yeah, Ithink it was hard for her, but
she supported me good yeah, I'msure it was, and also, um,
goingip of water.
Speaker 1 (23:29):
I've got emotion on the podcast.
It's okay, it's normal.
You know, just that was a veryuncertain time for a lot of us.
You know, you had a big dreamand then you went to chase that
dream and then in 2019, the nextyear, it was COVID.
You have to go back, reset,which was a great I think it was
(23:50):
a great decision too.
To have the emotional supportfrom your family too.
That's always, I feel like, themost important whenever you're
making big life changes.
You know that support justhelps you keep pushing, you know
, and then to do it all overagain, like I already left, and
that was hard, and then I got todo it again, you know, and um,
(24:11):
and then to do it all over again, like I already left, and that
was hard and then I gotta do itagain.
You know yeah and hopefullythings do work out this time,
yeah.
So I mean, of course you'regonna get emotional, you know,
and then you're doing so welltoo.
So it's like thinking aboutbeing in those times back then,
uncertain for sure about.
Speaker 2 (24:26):
It was so scary yeah.
Speaker 1 (24:27):
And then now you're like here doing so great it's.
I'm sure you're overwhelmedwith happiness and also you know
the experience back then.
Yeah, so it's, it's extremelyvalid.
Yeah, yeah, building aclientele in the new country
isn't easy.
What helped you stand out andattract loyal clients?
Speaker 2 (24:47):
um, yeah, you're right, it's not easy.
Um, I think, for me to havelike a quality start here, it
was beneficial for me knowingenglish before I moved um.
So when I was growing up, mymom would always send me to like
(25:11):
esl classes um, and she waslike really pushing me to learn
english.
That was always like number onepriority and when I moved here
I thought, oh, my english is sogreat, but no, like I, first of
all, in kazakhstan, we learnbritish english.
(25:31):
Oh, yeah, really yes, I wouldhave never thought all the books
, everything, everything, allthe materials you learn, it's
all british english.
Oh so when I moved here, I waslike, okay, this is english, but
it's different english for sure.
So it took me a little bit toreadjust and still I don't think
I'm like 100 fluent, but I try.
(25:54):
Yeah, you do well, very well,yeah, thank you.
I think knowing english likereally helped me from the get-go
.
Plus, when it comes to likebuilding, you know, relationship
with clients, I think they justsaw that I'm very passionate
about this career, that I'mdedicated to it and stay like
professional.
(26:14):
Yes, uh, they saw all of that.
Plus, I always try to likelisten to what they have to say.
I think if you're a serviceprovider and you're working like
one-on-one with the client,it's important to just listen,
because clients have alwayssomething to say um, and you can
get like hints of what theylike about the color, the shape,
(26:40):
I don't know, um their previousexperiences, what they liked,
what they disliked.
If you really listen to it andtry to cater to their needs,
they will be loyal.
100 they will stay with youforever.
I have clients who have beenwith me from day one, basically,
so I've been doing this forlike four years now.
(27:02):
Yeah, and they've been with mefor four years, which is crazy
because in these last four years, like I grew so much and my
business grew so much, andthey're still with me, which I'm
so grateful.
Speaker 1 (27:14):
It's the consistency, too, of how you're running your
business.
You know the consistency, andalso, as you're growing, you're
elevating, and they'rewitnessing it, and so they, then
they believe in you yeah andthey want to support.
You know it's like they want tohelp you on your journey too.
Yeah, it's like I'm gettingquality service and I see her
really passionate, like you said, dedicated to this line of work
(27:36):
.
Yeah, that's that's how they,like you said, listening.
You know that's a that's a bigone that a lot of us in the
beauty industry we miss, youknow and that's how they veer
off and they go somewhere else,because you know they're there
to be heard, most mostly.
Yes, you know, and when you cantune in and listen to whatever
it is that they have to say andthey don't have to say it
(27:58):
exactly yeah it's just littlethings that they say you're like
, okay, I know not to do thatyou know, yeah.
And then they're saying you know, like you're checking all of
the check boxes for them and youknow whatever it is that
they're looking for in a nailtech.
You know, and I think it's sobeautiful when they can witness
the growth and you keep growing.
You know, yeah, and it makesthem want to stay and they want
(28:19):
to be a part of it too.
Speaker 2 (28:21):
Yeah, you know, yeah, they do, you're right, that's
exciting to see it Right, that'sexciting to see it.
Speaker 1 (28:26):
They see you believe in yourself, and so
automatically they just believein you too, you know, oh yeah.
Yeah, sweet, I never thoughtabout it from that perspective,
that's what I see in you forsure, so I'm sure they see it as
well.
You know, and I'm in the beautyindustry, and so I can view it
from a different perspectivethan clients, so, and I can see
it in that way as a professional, yeah, than clients.
(28:48):
So, and I can see it in thatway as a professional, yeah.
So yeah, before opening yourown business, you worked at a
nail salon in Austin, texas.
How was the transition goingfrom employee to
entrepreneurship?
Speaker 2 (29:00):
uh, it was hard.
I'm not gonna lie, it's um it.
It was really hard.
I've never had experience ofrunning my own business before,
and no one in my family did iteither, so I had to like, teach
myself, educate myselfeverything you know.
(29:20):
Now, when I think about it, Ithink I jumped.
I just jumped into it.
I was young, ambitious andhungry.
Speaker 1 (29:29):
Yeah, for sure, and that will get you there.
It will.
That's like the foundation fora lot of first-generational
entrepreneurs.
It's like just hungry, yeah,you know, and excited too, you
know For sure.
Speaker 2 (29:43):
I feel like, you know , I'm about to turn 30 in
January and I feel like, have Ibeen in my 30s, maybe I have not
been as like, uh, courageous,brave.
I would have like, probablythought about it million times
and stuff like that, but at thetime I was just like I need to
do this.
Yeah, I feel like I can do this.
(30:04):
Um, also, I was working in aRussian-speaking nail salon oh,
wow, were you.
Yeah, oh, wow, okay.
And I still like love all mycolleagues and my ex-boss Till
this day.
We keep in very close touch,good.
But at the time I felt like I'mstuck in a bubble.
(30:25):
You know what I'm saying.
I felt like I'm too in a bubble.
You know what I'm saying.
I felt like I'm too comfortable, too, too cushy.
Yeah, uh, like everyone aroundme spoke the same language that
I used to speak back when I wasliving home.
Um, it was just feeling toocomfortable like I felt like I'm
not growing in that bubble, soI was like I need to get myself
(30:51):
out of there and start somethingon my own.
But, as I said, it was hardbecause, um, there are just so
many more things to running, uh,just to just just doing nails.
Right, it's not just doingnails, there's just so much more
like taxes, licenses, beingcompliant with all the latest
(31:13):
rules, I don't know redmarketing, yeah, client
communication.
The list goes and, on and, onand on and yeah, logos, business
name, you know, yeah, it's alot that goes into it it's a lot
into it and it it's a lot intoit, and I made a lot of mistakes
along the way, from which Ilearned, but it still is a
(31:35):
learning process to this day, Ithink it always will be, because
it's always evolving.
The beauty industry is alwaysevolving.
Speaker 1 (31:42):
Entrepreneurship is going to evolve.
When it comes to marketing,there's going to be new ways to
market.
You know, you might even brandlater differently.
Yeah, you know for sure butthat's what makes it fun though.
Yeah, it is like also justseeing the growth.
You know, you go back and seelike oh, that's how I used to do
it, and you can see yourjourney, how you've evolved and
(32:04):
how you've grown.
It's always so rewarding towitness, you know?
Yeah, definitely.
How do you balance the creativeside of doing nails with the
responsibilities of running?
Speaker 2 (32:17):
oh my gosh it's a hard one.
It's so hard to balance it.
Um, I think when it was juststarting out, especially when I
just started renting my ownsuite and working on my own, I
had a lot more free time to becreative.
I would do my own nails or Iwould take in models to like,
(32:41):
practice, different techniquesor designs that I would like.
But now, you know, I'm fullybooked almost all of the time.
Speaker 1 (32:51):
So hard to get in.
Speaker 2 (32:54):
I'm not bragging here , but yeah, it is what it is.
I'm like I'm very busy.
I have an employee now who'sworking with, working with me
part time, and so I'mresponsible for her books and
her, you know, clients andcommunication and all of that um
and now definitely, I feel likeI have less and less time to be
(33:15):
creative.
Yeah, so what I started doinglately is I know it sounds super
boring, but just schedulingtime to be creative.
Speaker 1 (33:27):
yeah, because there is no other way, and it may be
boring, but it's sufficient.
It's sufficient.
A lot of boring things are verylegit.
Yeah, it's just not fun.
Speaker 2 (33:38):
So I was like, when I see that I have like, say, for
example, a two hour gap on myschedule and I'm like, okay,
there is some techniques that Iwanted to try, or I invite in a
model to practice a certainthing, um, yeah, because I don't
think there is any other way.
When it comes to be doingclients nails and being creative
(34:00):
, what I try to do, if I knowthat they want any kind of like
intricate art, yes, um, I try todiscuss with them beforehand.
Okay, yeah, so I have theseclients who always want like
crazy intricate art on theirnails and I try to ask for their
inspec pictures beforehand.
Yes, so, to make sure that Ihave all the right supplies,
(34:21):
tools, I know how to do it.
So I'm not, like you know,improvising on the moment.
Speaker 1 (34:28):
At the moment, it helps to you know, once the
clients become, you know,residual, you get to know their
personality and so, like yousaid, it's like I know this
client, I know she always getssomething intricate.
Let me reach out, yeah, even alot.
The time to intentionally on aschedule just in case I want
books, oh yeah, I get it, I getit yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (34:47):
What about your work doesn't ever like?
Uh clients, do they ever askfor something that you've never
done before?
Speaker 1 (34:54):
like I don't know any kind of hairstyle they've asked
for some things I've never donebefore.
I let them know.
It's a disclaimer, I've neverdone it before.
Yeah, um, and if I have thetime I'll do it, but not a lot.
It doesn't happen a lot, butfirst-time appointments I
(35:16):
usually don't have room for it,especially if I have someone
come in right after them.
So I'll just say you know, like, unfortunately at this time I
don't have enough time to dothat.
This is what we can do.
You know, if you're okay withthat, we can proceed with that,
but the next time I'll make sureto a lot enough time being that
I know that you like to dothings outside of what's on the
menu.
Yeah, I'll make sure to a lotmore time for you next time.
Speaker 2 (35:39):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (35:39):
It usually works, you know, and then they become
those same clients that requestthese different things, and so
quests these different things,and so, um, and I just I just
automatically go in and just I'mlike, let me add a little bit
more, add a little bit more time.
Yeah, and it don't happen thatoften, usually with being that I
do a lot of hair care yeahthey're more worried about hair
(36:00):
care and, um, I think brides areusually the ones where I get to
experience and do a lot ofdifferent things.
Yeah, you know, but I'm alwaysprepared for them.
I have had brides to changetheir hairstyle at the last
minute and you just go with it.
It's the wedding day, you know.
You just go with it.
You make it happen.
You know it creates a lot ofanxiety.
I'm not going to lie, you know,but that's when I don't allot
(36:23):
time to talk, either I time totalk, either I just do work.
You know, usually I'm askinglike, how is everything being?
You know, when they do that tome, I just work.
I need full concentration tomake sure I really execute that
hairstyle yeah, yeah I don't geta lot behind the chair, but
every now and again a bride willswitch it up on me.
I just make it work.
You know, on a wedding day, youknow.
(36:44):
But behind the chair I do tryto ask them to give me a little
bit more flexibility, becauseI'm not prepared.
Yeah, so it's just all aboutcommunication, clear
communication and theyunderstand, like I have never
had a client to be like upset.
And they understand, like Iknow this is a last minute
request.
Yeah, and I do feel like theway how you market, you will
(37:07):
bring in those clients that dohave room for understanding.
Speaker 2 (37:10):
You know yeah.
Speaker 1 (37:12):
Marketing strategically when it comes to
personalities is a whole thingtoo.
Oh, absolutely, yeah, yeah, soyou tend to find those clients
who get it.
That's true, mm-hmm, manypeople believe that taking a
break.
Actually, I'm sorry, let meback up.
Some people online, likedermatologists and
(37:33):
cosmetologists, criticizeRussian manicures, saying
they're harmful or illegal.
How do you respond to that?
Speaker 2 (37:39):
Yeah, I was telling you during our last appointment.
There is a lot of stigma aboutRussian manicures and pedicures.
I think a lot of it comes fromjust lack of education.
Yeah, and generally, if youremember, like any new beauty
(38:00):
service on the market usuallygets so much hate, the easiest I
could remember is the laserhair removal, remember yeah,
when it just came out.
Yeah, everyone was like oh mygosh, you're gonna get cancer
yeah, yeah it sure did.
Or like those uv lamps, forexample, the ones that you use
for gel manicures.
(38:21):
Everyone's like, oh my gosh,that exposure, you're gonna get
cancer yeah but when you starteducating yourself about the
technique um, there is I I likestrongly disagree, let's say,
with all the claims that russianmanicures and pedicures are
harmful, illegal, too invasive.
People say right, um.
(38:43):
I disagree with that because Ithink if you know the right
technique, um and don't get mewrong it's an advanced technique
.
I don't think anyone straightout of beauty school can start
doing this technique.
I think you need to really getspecial training for it, a
certification, you need topractice a lot, you need to know
(39:05):
nail anatomy, because all ofthat is connected and it's
really important to know where'sthe dead tissue that you can
cut and where's the livingtissue where you shouldn't go
too deep into um.
But it's a lot of the times ifpeople had bad experience with
(39:25):
um russian manicures.
Speaker 1 (39:27):
I think it's not about the technique, it's about
a technician I, you know, afterdoing my own research, that's
what I gathered.
I was like I think it's more ofa technician.
You know, just not beingeducated yeah, on how to really
specialize or, you know, performthis technique.
Speaker 2 (39:44):
That's what I saw, yeah yeah, because, as I said,
it's an advanced technique andyou know, um, some places they
see that it's a trendy service,yeah, and they just advertise oh
yeah, we do russian manicure.
It's no big deal, it's easy.
Oh, it's a big deal, yeah.
And then people go there.
They have bad experience andthey say, oh, they cut me too
(40:06):
deep or they nipped me or youknow, something went wrong.
But I think you really need todo your research before you go
to a new place, and that's whatI always try to educate my
clients, because I say, even ifyou go somewhere else, I'm not
against it at all.
Yeah, I just want you to knowwhat to look out for, right
(40:26):
absolutely, because it can be um, pretty bad.
Speaker 1 (40:31):
Because, you know, you know, just from what I've
saw online, I'm like that,that's definitely like a.
It looked like a, a mishap withthe technique.
Yeah, I didn't see anythingelse.
Speaker 2 (40:43):
Yeah, you know another thing, um, I think where
a lot of controversy comes fromis, uh, different terminology.
So in russian-speakingcountries, the we call it
cuticle and here everyone elsecalls it cuticle right that dead
tissue that we, you know, trimum after cleaning it.
(41:08):
Uh, but here in states accordingto like cosmetology books,
those milady books, rememberyeah milady, yes, yeah, yeah,
they call it eponychium,eponychium, eponychium, so
that's two different terms, andeponychium is part of the skin
which is around the nails, andthe cuticle is the dead skin
(41:33):
which is underneath theeponychium.
I'm sorry, I don't want to gotoo deep into it.
No, go deep but what I'm justtrying to say is because of
different terminology used indifferent countries.
Dermatologists here they say ohno, you're not supposed to cut
(41:56):
the iponikium.
Yes, no one's cutting livingtissue.
We're only cutting the deadskin?
And if it was?
Speaker 1 (41:59):
living.
It would hurt, it would hurt.
Speaker 2 (42:00):
Absolutely yeah.
And you know, when you cleanthe cuticle with, like the nail
bits how we do in Russianmanicures dead skin, it just
easily lifts off of the nailplate, and we do in russian
manicures that skin, it justeasily lifts off of the nail
plate and it's ready to betrimmed.
It's nothing's gonna happen.
It's a dead tissue, just likeyour hair, just like I don't
know what.
What is, what is?
Speaker 1 (42:18):
out of that tissue something that grows out and
it's living, but it's notquote-unquote living.
I think hair is like theclosest one that you can, even
the nail it's also contained of,like you know, keratin, yeah,
which is a good protein.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (42:33):
So I think it's just lack of education.
If you know the technique right, everything's going to be fine.
Speaker 1 (42:41):
And I've had no problems.
Yeah, and I've been commentingyou long enough to know if
there's gonna be an issue, youknow.
So that's why, when you mentionthat to me, I'm like what
misconceptions are out?
There this is great.
Many people believe that takinga break from polish allows
nails to breathe.
Is this a practice customersshould consider, or is that even
(43:02):
necessary?
Speaker 2 (43:04):
uh, I always joke.
I say males don't need tobreathe because they don't have
lungs.
Speaker 1 (43:12):
So corny, I know that's a really good one,
because they don't yeah what'sbreathing exactly it's like like
giving your hair to breathelike it's, it's, it's already a
formed dead tissue that youcannot really affect on the
(43:33):
grown part.
Speaker 2 (43:34):
Anyhow, already you know it's already grown, it's a,
it's, it's there.
Yeah, um, but the question wait, the question was taking a
break.
Yes, yes, taking a breaksometimes might be beneficial if
you are I don't know traveling,if you know that you cannot
make it to your next appointment.
(43:55):
Oh yeah, just, maybe you'rejust emotionally tired of nails
that happens too.
But what I say is, if you'retaking a break from getting any
enhancement, then it should befor at least two, three months.
Okay, yeah, it does make senseto do a full removal this month.
(44:17):
Next month, come back again thethird month.
You want to do full removalagain.
It does make sense, okay, why?
Because when you do a fullremoval, it uh takes off the
outermost layers of your naturalnail.
No matter how safe, accuratelyand precise the removal was done
(44:37):
, it still takes off a littlebit of your natural nail layers.
And two, three months is enoughtime for a nail to go through a
full regrow cycle.
Oh, okay, from top to bottom,from like the cuticle to the tip
.
Just keep it short and takeyour break.
Speaker 1 (44:55):
Okay, that makes sense.
Okay, so now the next questionI feel like has been answered,
because I've said, like Inoticed in the past, when I
remove gel polish from my nailsthey tend to be weaker.
Does this have anything to dowith the gel polish itself?
Speaker 2 (45:12):
It doesn't have anything to do with the product.
I'll tell you that, no matterwhat you get, is it gel,
structured gel, acrylic dippowder?
There's so many products outthere.
It's all about, um, removal.
Removal should be safe, uh, itshould be proper and, um, it
(45:35):
takes time.
Right, and unfortunately, whatI see a lot when clients come
from like regular nail salons, Isee this uh, rings of fire.
I don't know if you have everseen them so it's like when
they're rigid.
Maybe we can put like a pictureon the video.
I don't know I'll ask him cannyyeah, um, this is like like
(45:55):
rings like on the nail bedliterally you can see dents of
when the nail bit oh yeah waslike it was too much pressure
and you know, in regular nailsalons the process feels very
rushed.
Yes, they're trying to get youin and out, in and out and, um,
(46:17):
they put a little bit too muchpressure and try to do fast and
then you get those rings of fireand there is no way of getting
rid of them unless you just waitfor it to grow out.
Oh okay, so a lot of the timesit's about improper removal.
Um, in our studio we do offerfull removal, but it takes time.
(46:39):
It's not gonna be like 15minutes and you're good to go.
Yeah, because it usually is.
You know, usually it takesabout like 45 minutes to an hour
and even though it's like acheaper service because you're
not really getting anyenhancement on, we still take
our time because we don't wantour clients nails to be ruined
(47:02):
by rushing the surface so, yeah,okay, that literally answered
my questions.
Speaker 1 (47:11):
Yeah, what do you do to ensure your clients are safe
and happy with your services?
Speaker 2 (47:18):
um safety.
Uh is number one priority atMoonglow Nails all the tools in
our studio.
They go through three stephospital grade.
I would say disinfection.
Speaker 1 (47:32):
You're always sanitizing when I'm there yeah,
disinfection.
Speaker 2 (47:35):
My clients know they're used to autoclave
running all the time.
Yes, it's running every time Icome there well, hopefully in
the future, when I move to abigger space, I'll have a
special dedicated room.
Speaker 1 (47:48):
Oh no, I'm completely okay with it.
I mean it shows your safetyprecautions to make sure you are
not transferring you know anybacteria or anything you know
amongst your clients.
So no, I don't.
It can run all day, I don'tcare.
Speaker 2 (48:02):
Yeah, yeah, no, it's very important.
Disinfection and sterilization.
it's funny that I've read, youknow, those little texas law
like the tdlr books that theysend you yeah, I've read there
that, um, using autoclave tosterilize tools in nail salons
is strongly advised, but it'snot required.
(48:26):
So, for example, if they say,we understand that autoclave is
an expensive investment andpurchase and if your salon
cannot afford it, then it's okay, you might skip that step, and
I'm like what would you?
It doesn't make any senseadvise.
It doesn't make any sense Atall.
It doesn't make any sense.
(48:46):
I think if you're running likea business, it's number one
thing that you should get.
It's an investment.
Don't get like extra 100polishes, get an autocliff.
That's right, you know it'simportant.
I can't believe that's optional.
It is optional.
Speaker 1 (49:01):
It.
I can't believe that's optional.
Speaker 2 (49:02):
It is optional, it's strongly advised, but it's not
like required.
Oh wow.
Speaker 1 (49:07):
Yeah, that's some good information.
Eventually, they're going tohave to make that like in black
and white.
I can see it.
I think so.
Speaker 2 (49:16):
I strongly believe so .
It's, you know, a lot of whenthere is no control and no
requirements, like people can dowhatever they want.
Yeah, and then that's where wesee, like those outbreaks yeah,
no, I would never risk it.
Yeah, for me, as I said, it's atop, top priority.
(49:38):
That's good to know.
Speaker 1 (49:39):
Yeah, that's good to know what's something you wish
every client understood aboutyour work or the process of a
Russian manicure and pedicure.
Speaker 2 (49:52):
I wish clients understood that quality takes
time, absolutely, it cannot berushed and it cannot be cheap.
Mm-hmm, it cannot be rushed andit cannot be cheap.
You know Russian manicures andpedicures.
They take longer.
Yes, that's true.
It takes about like one and ahalf to two hours for a service.
(50:16):
And then when people hear that,they're like, oh my gosh, no,
I'm not going to sit for twohours to get my nails done, two
hours to get my nails done.
But what they don't realize isthat by going to like a regular
nail salon every two weeks, uh,wasting each time their time,
gas, money, um, they're notsaving money in the long run.
It's adding up.
(50:36):
It's adding up each time.
Most importantly, you'rewasting so much time.
You think that you are savingtime by going in every so, every
two weeks, and spending I don'tknow how.
How much is it in regularsalons these days?
Maybe like 60, 80 dollars.
Yeah, you think that you dependon what you get, man, I guess
(50:56):
what designs that kind of runyou around, yeah, yeah yes, you,
you're spending less than anhour in a salon, but then you
have to go back in two weeksagain Because you know the
enhancement maybe like theretention, is not the greatest.
I don't know.
You can see the grow outalready, and even the Russian
manicures it takes long.
(51:17):
You only need to come in everythree to four weeks for
manicures and then for pedicures.
It's every four to five weeks,depending on how fast your toes
grow.
But four to five weeks formanicures and then for pedicures
it's every four to five weeks,depending on how fast your toes
grow.
But four to five weeks is asweet spot, yeah, um.
So I wish clients understoodthat.
And that's where higher pricepoint comes from too, because
(51:37):
it's a longer service.
It requires special uhequipment, um tools, so it just
cannot simply be cheap.
Speaker 1 (51:45):
No, it can't and also , like you said, if you do the
math and you're going to themevery two, you've already paid
for your Russian manicureexactly, probably a little bit
more.
When you start considering gasand time, you know, like you
mentioned, so you might as wellI'd rather go once a month than
to be coming every two weeks.
You know, everyone's too busy.
Everyone's busy and I forgetthe quality that I'm seeking as
(52:08):
well.
Yep, you know, versus you know,I really like how I can look at
my nails and they're like flushagainst my cuticles.
You know, you used to see thaton Pinterest, yeah, and I was
like, oh, I can go get that donenow.
Speaker 2 (52:20):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (52:22):
Yeah, for sure.
Speaker 2 (52:22):
That's what a lot of clients call it actually
Pinterest nails.
Speaker 1 (52:25):
Yeah, because you're like how did they do that?
That's Photoshopped.
There's no way that's a realthing.
Speaker 2 (52:34):
No magic, just the right technique.
Speaker 1 (52:36):
Right, yeah, so yeah, for sure, many people
underestimate how profitable acareer as a nail tech can be.
How has your career as a nailtechnician allowed you to
support yourself and build abusiness?
Speaker 2 (52:52):
I, I'm just so grateful for everything I have
uh in my life.
Uh, you know, I moved to thiscountry what, like four or five
years ago I think.
I had like maybe two, threethousand dollars in my pocket
when I just moved didn't havemuch, but now, like, I'm proud
to say that this job, thiscareer, uh is fully supporting
(53:14):
me, my lifestyle.
I'm supporting my family backin kazakhstan.
Oh, wow, that's amazing.
It's given me a lot and I willbe forever grateful to all
clients who, you know, supportedmy business consistently, or
even it was once.
I will be very grateful to myfriends here.
(53:37):
My friends became like a secondfamily to me.
Um, my friends became like asecond family to me, yeah, and
and I'm just very, very, verylucky to call them my friends
and it's like my chosen familyhere, yeah, yeah that's good
yeah doing nails is such anintimate experience.
Speaker 1 (53:58):
You're working closely with your clients.
How do you connect with themand make them feel cared for?
Speaker 2 (54:05):
as I said, I try to listen.
If it's a first-time client, Ijust ask I don't know easy
questions just to make them feelrelaxed like, um, I don't know,
is it your first time?
Speaker 1 (54:19):
yeah, those are some of the questions you asked me I
would say yeah, like getting toknow me a little bit more about
my nail history and stuff.
Speaker 2 (54:27):
Yeah, I try to ask just questions and then clients
usually they have a lot to say.
Or if I see that the client isnot very talkative and they just
like want, you know, a quietappointment, that's totally cool
with me too, Because I coulduse a break too.
Speaker 1 (54:40):
I know, because it's like you got another client
coming in there.
Speaker 2 (54:44):
I could use a break too, I know.
Speaker 1 (54:45):
Because it's like you got another client coming in.
There's another client.
Yeah, it's like reading a roomand I do it too.
I can tell.
You can tell if a client wantsto talk, right, I feel like as
we as service providers, wealmost mirror our clients.
We do.
Speaker 2 (54:56):
Whatever they say, I'm like yes, that's how we have
so many different personalitieswhen we're at work yeah, we do
have a lot we have to vibe witheach one yeah, it's like acting,
yeah, yeah, it's like actingit's, and it can take a lot.
It takes a lot of energy, forsure, and it's important to like
fill your cup at the end of theday when you go home and just
(55:17):
like do stuff that is good foryou absolutely yeah, because
it's like you've been pouringyeah day long.
Speaker 1 (55:24):
You know we we pour more than just our technique
into these clients.
You know we do a lot for thembeyond the surface of what
they're coming there for.
So, yeah, it's important to gohome, wind down and, like you
said, fill your cup back up soyou can be energized and ready
for the next day.
What advice would you give tosomeone trying to turn their
(55:46):
passion into a career,especially in a creative field?
Speaker 2 (55:52):
uh, let me think about it and take your time.
Yeah, I think I would say juststart small.
You don't have to becomepopular all of a sudden,
immediately.
It's just it's not how it worksFor sure.
No, just start small, startdoing something every day and
(56:16):
then just keep doing it untilyou find that this creative you
know hobby or whatever you wantto call it a profession, is
something that you would like todo 100% of the time, and it's
supporting you and your family.
Yeah, so start small, dream big, don't stop ever believing in
(56:41):
yourself and just take.
Take it slow.
Yeah, just uh, don't rush.
Speaker 1 (56:49):
That's what I would say I feel like in these
creative fields, you can easilyget distracted too.
You know, especially withsocial media, there's so many
ways to get distracted.
For sure.
One thing I'm learning is tostay focused yes whatever you're
doing, like, just stay on thatyeah because, you know, in the
beauty industry there's so manyavenues, you know so many
(57:13):
different things you can tapinto and become creative doing
yeah, and it is so hard to notget distracted for sure, for
sure, I think.
Speaker 2 (57:22):
Sometimes it's.
For example, I there are dayswhen I don't look up anything
real nail related for days andI'm like when I'm feeling that
I'm just about to get burned outor something.
Yeah, I think it's important tojust be bored.
Good, yes, that's some goodadvice.
A lot of people are like scaredof being bored, but sometimes
(57:47):
it's good for you.
Speaker 1 (57:48):
I love being bored.
Speaker 2 (57:49):
I absolutely love being bored with nothing to do
yes, and that's when you reallyget creative, because you are,
like you know, longing for that.
You want to do something cooland, um yeah, just just step
back, yeah yeah, I'm glad youbrought that being bored.
Speaker 1 (58:10):
I'm glad you brought that you know to the listeners
because I don't think enoughpeople really understand how
that is a luxury.
Being bored is a luxury, yeah,and it's okay because, like you
said, it allows you to have timeto reset, readjust, recharge
and you know you get morecreative.
Yeah, you know if you'reconstantly, just always, doing
(58:31):
something, you're going to losesome of that creative juice.
You know, or it's going to thequality.
Speaker 2 (58:36):
Yeah, can go down.
Why people like want to just go, go, go and post, post, post
and be 24 7 on social media?
Because I mean, it's like um,how do we we call it in russian
successful success is beingthrown at your face every single
(58:56):
day, right, and you getdiscouraged.
You're like, oh my gosh, whileI'm just chilling here, someone
else is become becoming so muchmore successful, so much more.
You know, I don't know whateverbigger than me, but what you
don't see is that what'shappening behind the scenes.
(59:18):
Maybe this person has beendoing it for five years, ten
years, and they're only showingyou this successful side, where
in reality, they were like tearsand sweat and it was hard for
them too.
Absolutely yeah.
Speaker 1 (59:35):
You only see the success.
You don't see the ugly.
Speaker 2 (59:38):
We don't see the ugly .
No, you don't.
I wish we did, though.
Yeah, I know.
Speaker 1 (59:42):
Because I feel like you allow yourself to have more
grace, you'll be more kind toyourself instead of feeling
incompetent because you're notshowing up enough, like oh, I'm
lazy because they're alreadydoing something and the reason
why they are doing great thingsis because they're doing it
every day, and that's not thecase.
We only see a very small portionof the journey of their success
(01:00:05):
.
If they want to be vulnerableenough to share which would be
great, you know, but they don't,so maybe we should yeah, we
should, yeah talk about how.
That's what the podcast is fortoo, like talking about the
nitty-gritty so people can stayhopeful, yeah, and understand
this is a journey, it's not asprint Like.
(01:00:26):
You have to really take yourtime, you know for sure.
I love that.
Looking back on your journey,what is one thing you tell your
younger self when she was juststarting out?
I love this question.
Speaker 2 (01:00:40):
I love this question too.
I love this question.
I love this question too.
I would say believe in yourself, don't rush.
Don't rush and just enjoy theprocess.
Speaker 1 (01:00:57):
Yeah, celebrate the process.
It's like you get discouragedright?
Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (01:01:05):
And just like really enjoying it and living in the
moment.
I know it sounds so cliche, butit really is what life is about
just being present in themoment and enjoying, um,
whatever you have done so farand looking back like I'm so
grateful to my younger self thatI took that leap and decided to
(01:01:26):
do what I did and, um, thatgives me hope that I'll be okay
in the future.
Oh yeah, you definitely will,because you did it all by
yourself.
Yes, I didn't have any supportsystem here.
Yeah, no family.
I mean, I have my friends, butstill like.
But like it was hard.
Speaker 1 (01:01:43):
You know that's hard, you know.
So I'm like, if you can do,that's the biggest step to me,
like you've already done it andyou've done it twice.
You didn't do it one time, youdid it two times.
I think that's your biggeststep, and then everything else,
of course, is going to be likesome, you know, little obstacles
in the way, but I think, withyou getting the hardest part out
, I don't think it's nothingthat could defeat you after that
(01:02:04):
.
It's like this is this onething that I'm probably going
through right now, but I knowI'm gonna be able to get through
it because I've done it duringthe pandemic.
It was a lot going on for youyeah, so I'm like everything
else.
it may feel like a burden in themoment, but you are going to be
great because you did a lot tobuild your business to get to
where you are today.
(01:02:25):
Thank you, and I feel likeanything else after that would
be like another thing, but we'llget through it.
You know, yeah For sure, what'snext for you and your salon.
Speaker 2 (01:02:38):
Well, right now, moonglow Nails is a team of two.
Hopefully, we're going to growinto a bigger space.
That's my priority for nextyear.
I'm looking into expanding andhopefully I will find more
people who would join us yeah,someone who is just as
(01:02:59):
passionate about nails as we are.
So that's my plan as of now.
And what else?
I started teaching not so longago like one-on-one private
courses to people who want tolearn the technique.
It's a two-day private course,so I would love to do more of
(01:03:21):
that.
In the past year, I've donelike about four students, I
think.
So congratulations, thank you.
Yeah, that was very exciting.
And, um, actually, my employeevitalia.
She was the first person whoreached out and was like I love
your work, can you teach me howto do it?
So that sparked the interestwith vitalia yeah and like you,
(01:03:42):
know what?
I've never tried it before.
But, as we learned, I lovegetting out of my comfort zone.
Speaker 1 (01:03:49):
Yeah, you do yeah, for sure.
Speaker 2 (01:03:51):
And I was like you know what, Let me try to do it.
And I did it once, Like I cameup with the program, I was like
can you wait two, three monthsbefore I come up with a program
and everything, because I reallywanted it to be, you know, not
perfect, but like good to evento start with, and then, after I
(01:04:11):
posted about it on social media, people started reaching out
and saying oh, we didn't knowthat you offer courses like
we're interested.
So I started getting a lot moreinterest in that.
Yeah, so I would love to do itmore in the future too.
Yeah, for sure, yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:04:27):
Especially with it being a growing field, you could
be like the person everyonereaches out to because you've
been doing it the longest.
You'd be more of like a veteranin the field.
So you're more trusted.
Yeah, you know.
Yeah, especially with it beinglike I said, being so new, you
know and we know with years ofexperience that that's already
enough trust, you know For sure.
(01:04:48):
Yeah, so if you are a nailtechnician, yeah, no, for sure,
I'm just going to advertise thisreally quick.
Speaker 2 (01:04:54):
Not even advertise.
I really want to say that ifyou're a nail technician and
you're still not offering thisservice, I think you really
should, absolutely, becauseit's's gonna get big I have a
feeling it's gonna get huge andit's gonna become like a new
norm in the I.
That's what I hope for.
I want it to become a norm sothat people are used to a good
(01:05:19):
quality service yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:05:21):
How would they go about reaching out to you if
they wanted to book classes withyou?
Speaker 2 (01:05:26):
My Instagram or my TikTok account.
It's Aiko underscore MoonglowNails, Okay.
Speaker 1 (01:05:32):
And what about booking services with you as
well?
Speaker 2 (01:05:36):
Same.
You can go to the studioaccount, which is Moonglow Nails
ATX, or to my personalInstagram, and there would be
links.
Uh, we're also pretty mucheverywhere google maps.
You can go through website andbook over there too okay, yeah,
okay.
Speaker 1 (01:05:52):
Is it anything else you want to share with the
listeners before we close?
Speaker 2 (01:05:57):
out.
Um, I just, I don't know.
I feel like I'm nervous.
Yeah, for sure it's okay.
Yeah, what I want to say isjust believe in yourself, just
bet on yourself, don't be scared.
If something would go wrong,you can always put yourself back
(01:06:23):
up and continue learning, andjust continue your journey.
Speaker 1 (01:06:28):
Yeah, you got to embrace the going wrong, the
making the mistakes, it's okay.
It's where you learn the mostand you grow the most too, if
you take advantage of it.
You know For sure.
Yeah, so I'm with you there,it's not going to be like a
linear process.
Speaker 2 (01:06:41):
It's just going to be ups and downs and it's okay and
I know it can be very scary,but you just got to bet in
yourself For sure.
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:06:54):
Well, thank you so much for your time.
I really appreciate you doingthis for me.
You're the first nail tech wehad on the show, yeah, so I was
so excited when I, when Iextended the invitation, he was
like yeah, for sure.
I was like yes, yes, finally,because I've had makeup artists,
I've had barbers, of course,hairstylists, so I'm like now I
get to talk to a nail tech.
Yeah, because I'm trying tomake it open for every, you know
(01:07:16):
to hair.
Speaker 2 (01:07:25):
Yeah, so I appreciate you sharing with us today.
Thank you so much for having meand, uh, if you ever want to do
it again, we can go moreextensively.
Absolutely into like nails,nail care, what to look out for
when you go into nail salon.
Speaker 1 (01:07:34):
Oh, that would be good, because, yeah, with this
one's like trying to get to knowyou and then yeah, I feel like
this was more about me and tryto add but also add in some nail
stuff too, so the next one candefinitely be dived deep into
just the nail industry?
Speaker 2 (01:07:50):
yes, yeah, we'll definitely do, because there is
a lot to talk about about nailindustry and, uh, yeah, I feel
like we can do it again sometime, for sure yeah, well, thank you
for that.
Speaker 1 (01:08:01):
Really appreciate it.
That's it for today's episodeof Hair.
What I'm Saying?
Aiko's story reminds us thatlife's challenges can often lead
us to discover our greateststrengths.
From learning a new skillduring a global pandemic to
building her own business, aikohas shown us what it means to
bet on yourself and embracereinvention.
If you enjoyed thisconversation, don't forget to
(01:08:22):
subscribe, rate and leave areview.
It really helps the podcastgrow.
Thank you for tuning in andremember every journey comes
with its own challenges, butit's how you rise above them
that defines your story.
Stay focused, stay inspired andnever stop believing in the
power of your dreams.
Until next time, thank you.
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