Hair What I'm Saying
"Hair What I'm Saying" is created to share real life experiences with real people in the beauty industry to promote healthy relationships with consumers and Beautyprenuers. We will get into the nitty gritty of the backend of hair/salon business to help consumers understand why certain policies are implemented in order to sustain a healthy balanced salon environment for both parties, while consumers share their unprofessional and challenging experiences behind the chair. The goal is to bridge the gap to understand one another's perspective in hopes of clarity and unity.
Hair What I'm Saying
"From Kazakhstan to Polish and Purpose: Aiko’s Nail Entrepreneur Journey"
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
Instrumentals By: duwhop_2.0
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Welcome back to Hair what I'm Saying, the podcast where beauty meets life's biggest stories.
Speaker 1:I'm your host, kenetra, and today we're diving into a story of resilience, reinvention and redefining success.
Speaker 1:My guest is Aiko, a talented nail artist specializing in Russian manicures and pedicures, who immigrated to the US from Kazakhstan through the Diversity Visa Lottery Program. From navigating culture shock in New York to finding her creative passion journey uncertainty of the COVID pandemic, aiko's journey is nothing short of inspiring. She's now the proud owner of Moon Glow Nails in Austin, texas, turning her skills into a thriving business. We'll discuss her path from employee to entrepreneur, common misconceptions about nail techs and how she overcame personal and professional challenges to build the life she envisioned. This is an episode full of wisdom, inspiration and plenty of gems for aspiring entrepreneurs in the beauty industry.
Speaker 1:Welcome to the Hair what I'm Saying podcast. I'm your host, kenetra Stewart. Today we have Aiko of moon glow nails, located in austin, texas, who specializes in russian manicures and pedicures. Welcome to the show, aiko. How are you? I'm good. Thank you so much for having me. Absolutely thank you for coming to 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 podcast ever. Oh my gosh. Well, I'm glad to do the honors. Yes, for sure. Thank you Especially. You know, with your specialty it's fairly new. I don't know if it's new for your line of work, but it's new for a lot of us out here in Austin, texas, getting my nails and toes done with the Russian way, and I'm just glad you're here to share more information about how you started your journey into that line of work and just giving us more insights and information on what it exactly is.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm excited too.
Speaker 1:Great Growing up in Kazakhstan. What were your dreams as a child?
Speaker 2:I was thinking about this question. Yeah, I think, growing up, I always dreamt big. You know, kazakhstan it's not like population wise, it's not a big country, but territory wise it's quite big. It's quite big, um. And I felt like, growing up, I always knew that there are like great things ahead of me. Um, and when I was a child, I remember, uh, I would tell my grandma that one day I will move to america and I will bring her with me and we'll be cruising around in the convertible. For some reason I would say that when I was like a little child, oh, wow. And then, you know, fast forward, and I'm here now. So it's crazy. I felt like, you know, growing up in a post-Soviet Union brand new country, there was a lot of like hardships and uncertainties and, more than anything, I feel like I've dreamt of stability. And you know, knowing where I come from, I knew that in order for myself to get to a stable place, I need to put a lot of work and a lot of hard work into it For sure.
Speaker 1:Yeah, did you dream of being a nail tech? That was that anywhere?
Speaker 2:no, I did not dream of being a nail technician particularly, but I always was into aesthetics of beauty. Uh, I grew up watching, you know, mtv, america's next top model, tyra bank, smiling with your eyes and all that yeah and um, and I feel like I was always into it and as soon as I started like making my own money, I was very into getting my nails done. That was like one thing that was always non-negotiable for me.
Speaker 1:Oh, I love that. Okay, how did your parents and family respond to your decision to move to the US and later to pursue nails?
Speaker 2:Yeah, respond to your decision to move to the US and later to pursue nails. Yeah, they had really mixed feelings, of course, because it's so far away For those who don't know, kazakhstan is like a good day of flying away from the States. So I feel like they were very like anxious and worried about me, but at the same same time, they supported my decision to move because they knew that it's going to be better for me, it's going to be better and more opportunities here. So, even though they had like mixed feelings, I felt I felt their support.
Speaker 1:That's great, yeah, that's really good because this is so important, you know, when your family supports you especially, that's a big, huge career, I know. Huge life change. It's a whole life change. Forget the career, just a whole life change. A different country, just different everything. Yeah, and I look Kazakhstan up on the map and I was like whoa, this is like on the opposite side of the world. Yes, and I think for you to just, you know, come here, like become an entrepreneur, to like that is really admirable. It takes a lot of courage to do something like that in such a foreign country. You know, yeah, yeah, in Kazakhstan, how are careers in beauty, like doing nails, typically viewed?
Speaker 2:like doing nails, typically viewed um. Yeah well, you know as I don't think it's a secret that um, like, asian parents are very demanding and they want their kids to be like I don't know doctors, lawyers, some kind of corporate job and um, being a nail technician is not considered to be a very prestigious job because it's like a manual labor. It's not very well paid, at least in Kazakhstan. So whenever I told my decision that I'm gonna try to be a nail technician, of course at first my mom was like a little hesitant, but then, and and I think here in states too, actually people don't consider it as a very like um prestigious job.
Speaker 1:Easy, that's right, yeah, that's very. Anything in a beauty industry is not. It's like a hobby.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, yeah, exactly yeah and I really do want to change that perspective though.
Speaker 1:I feel, like.
Speaker 2:It can be very lucrative if you a very lucrative business and job in general. Yeah, if you structure it correctly, if you know what you're doing, I think it's a great career to have, because people everywhere get their nails done For sure. No matter where you are, it's the service that will always like you know it's service that will always like you know it's something that will always feed you absolutely it will.
Speaker 1:And, um, I know for sure, when my nails are not done, I feel a little self-conscious like of even simply grabbing things you know like I feel too thin or something, yeah, or like they're not done. You know they're not groomed and they're not presentable. You know, even if I didn't have polish, at least if they were groomed and manicured I would feel better, for sure. But just not just neglecting my nails completely. I'm like it's still a part of some line of self-care.
Speaker 2:Self-care, personal style. A lot of people express themselves through nails. It's like part of your you know identity, of your style too. Absolutely For sure.
Speaker 1:What was the hardest part about leaving Kazakhstan and moving to the US?
Speaker 2:Oh, definitely leaving my family. Yeah, that was like the hardest part. It still is very hard till this day, but I try to go there every couple of years. My family comes visit me, like we take turns in seeing each other. So that was definitely the hardest part, I think. Leaving my family, because I'm very close to them. Yes, it's my mom and my little sister, okay, but, um, we try to talk every day on video, on facetime, um, we're very much like present in each other's lives, good.
Speaker 1:So, yeah, that was, but that was hard, though, very for sure, yeah after experiencing the culture shock in new york and deciding to return home during COVID, what gave you the courage to try again?
Speaker 2:Okay, that's a good one. You know, as a foreigner, when you think about states, the first thing that comes to your mind are like the big cities new york, miami. I didn't know, la.
Speaker 2:Yeah, when you think about new york like you think of those big cities got you, I never even knew about austin, yeah.
Speaker 2:And then I think, when I was in new york, uh, I was realizing, and when I went back I was like realizing that new york is not the only representation of America, right, that there are so many other places out there. And I knew that New York's dynamic was too much for me it's too hectic, it's too big, it's a lot, it's a fun place to visit, but not to live Like you need to have a really really tough skin to be able to make it in New York, live like you need to have a really really tough skin to be able to make it in new york. So then I was like started, you know, doing my research and seeing, okay, where I could move, where it's like a little slow paced compared to new york, but somewhere there I where I could still build a business and like make it. So then a lot of online research led me to austin, texas, so I decided to give it a try here okay what was that?
Speaker 2:I've never been here before, yeah that's what was that thing?
Speaker 1:where's, like, austin? Is it like it couldn't have been dallas, houston? Yeah, what made austin be the all-in for you? Like I know, this is gonna be my next you know place where I'm gonna really build my life honestly, I wasn't thinking too hard about it.
Speaker 2: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 there is a lot of potential. So I saw that potential and I was like I think this is a good place, because I saw that a lot of people from california are moving here, especially during or after pandemic. Yeah, I saw that a lot of it companies are moving here.
Speaker 1: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 here Till this day.
Speaker 2:And when I talk to you know locals they say, oh yeah, austin's been growing for like past I don't know 20, 30 years, so it's still maybe is even in early stages of growing.
Speaker 1:Yes, it is. Who knows For sure it is? But yes, it is For sure it is. But the growth is happening pretty rapidly.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it is Absolutely. I mean, look at all the highways and the constructions.
Speaker 1: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 regular schedule. Like at five o'clock I can go do this and I'm gonna go do that, but it's like it's a lot of people here now so you're probably gonna run into traffic now, yeah, you know. So it's a lot, even for them like to adjust, for sure, because the the growth rate is happening so fast.
Speaker 1:You know, yeah, I was like it's a great thing for sure. What inspired you to try nail artistry?
Speaker 2:uh, well, as I said, I was always into aesthetics, into beauty, um, and I remember when I moved to the, to new york, I realized that there was a huge gap in the industry in in the beauty industry, specifically when it comes to nails. Absolutely, I remember I was having like an hour and a half ride one way to just get my nails done in an absolutely different part of New York. For those who know New York like I was living in Queens, oh yeah, and my nail technician was all the way in Brooklyn, in Brighton Beach area. So it was like good hour, hour and a half one way and I would do that drive just to get my nails done, because I was accustomed, I was used to a certain quality, absolutely, because in Kazakhstan we don't call them Russian manicures, by the way. In Kazakhstan it's like a thing that they call it here in the States. Very interesting, it's just getting your nails done. In Kazakhstan we call it e-file manicure or dry manicure.
Speaker 1:Oh, and it is dry.
Speaker 2:And it's made with the help of e-file machine. So what was I saying?
Speaker 1:let's go back. What was talking about the nail artistry?
Speaker 2:you were saying you would drive in like an hour and a half and when I was doing all those drives I was like what's going on? Why am I doing this? Why can't I find a place which does a decent manicure? You know um close to me, but it was really hard to find and I was like if this is hard to find in new york, I'm sure in other parts of the states it's going to be even more in demand absolutely so that's where I saw the opportunity and the gap in the market I was.
Speaker 2:I was like you know, we're living in 2024 right now. I think think people want better quality services, as they should expect good quality, and that was something that I couldn't find, so I was like you know what? I could make a career out of it? I should try to become a nail technician.
Speaker 1: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 lacking heavily. Yeah, because you can do hair, you can do makeup, it's everywhere, you know there's not a huge gap. Yeah, but to find a really great nail tech specializing in a certain type of you know Technique Technique that is very hard. So for you to do the market research and be so intentional, that was very smart. That was a very smart move.
Speaker 2:Thank you. I saw that I feel like people are used to like just going to regular nail salon and they don't even know that there are different options out there. Oh, you know when you get used to something you you just in your comfort zone and you don't even think, oh, is there something else? But yes, you can get a better quality service somewhere else. You just have to find a specific, you know technique that you would like, and and the technician for it too, for sure russian manicures and pedicures are so detailed and precise.
Speaker 1:What do you love most about this specialty?
Speaker 2:There are a lot of things that I love about this technique. First for me definitely is the attention to detail. I'm very attentive to detail myself and I love the clean results each time. I love how great retention is. Um, I'm very much into the natural nail care and like the health of your natural nails and I'm sure if you have tried russian manic at least once, you know that you know all of those things tick when you get Russian manicures done and the nails grow so fast. Yes, your nails get longer, healthier, better each time when you come.
Speaker 1:That's what I've noticed. I'm like gosh, like already some new growth there. I mean, it grows so fast. Yeah, like within like two and a half three weeks you can already start seeing, you know, the new growth.
Speaker 2: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 the cuticle so that there is no gap right there. It's almost like the color starts growing out from the cuticle right, yeah, right under it.
Speaker 2:so that's what, um. Another great thing about russian manicure because, um, you can go in between appointments a little bit longer than with a traditional gel manicure or like acrylic. You go in every two weeks, but Russian manicures you can get done every three to four weeks, so just once a month, basically.
Speaker 1:Yeah, for sure.
Speaker 2:Yeah, because.
Speaker 1:I think I see you like once a month. I think I've seen you actually after five weeks. Yeah, yeah, for sure. How did you hear about it? You Actually just hashtagging really like nail text, like austin nail text, austin nails, yeah. And then I saw your uh, like your bio on instagram was like russian manicures and pedicures. I'm like what is that? All I've seen were like the nails just look great, yeah. And I was like whoa, like they like flush down so you didn't know.
Speaker 1:It's a thing I didn't know. It was like I kind of maybe vaguely heard about it but I didn't really pay attention to it and even still like I had to learn a lot through you, just following you and what you do and also just doing my own research. Like what is this specialty? And I could visually see it was way different from a traditional. You know, just visually the difference is huge.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so visually I was already sold, like I can see why this is called. It's like a technique, a certain specialty, and it's not just like going to the nail salon and getting your nails done Cool. But I never, you know, looked up the background of it. You know so, but visually you can tell like it's very different.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I love that. I love that you learned about it through me because I did. Uh, it's uh, it's a huge trend on social media russian manicure. I think that's where it all started being. I mean named russian manicure and usually people like learn about it somewhere on TikTok or Instagram and then they search for the technician in their cities. No, I like that, but in your case it was different.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I was just hashtagging nail techs and Austin nail techs and then boom, there you were. I love that, yeah, and of course, on Instagram. You know hashtagging on Instagram and I was like, oh, russian manicure and pedicures. And I'm like, well, I can visually see it's a difference, but I don't really know exactly what it is. I was just sold from the visual presentation, if I'm being honest, and then later I wanted to know more about it and then that's when I started like intentionally doing research, like what is this?
Speaker 2:You know yeah.
Speaker 1:Before learning the Russian style, had you done nails traditionally?
Speaker 2:I learned how to do it in a beauty school, but I've never offered it as a service. Okay, yeah, I just kick-started specializing in this technique. As I said, I saw potential in there and I still see it. I think it's in the very baby stages of gaining its popularity. It's just going to get bigger from here, yeah.
Speaker 1: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 about some challenges that you probably had to overcome like during covid um. It was a challenging time for a lot of us yeah so many people and your experience was unique with having to return back to kazakhstan. How did it feel to move back during during such an uncertain period?
Speaker 2:uh, I think at first I felt like almost defeated, right? Uh, because I moved to the states end of 2019 like october I think it was september, october and then, just five months after covid hits, and you know, new york was like the epicenter of all that COVID madness. I don't know if you remember when they brought like this huge boats where they would set up hospitals and there were so many outbreaks and New York was just crazy during that time I was like, oh my gosh, I'm a newbie immigrant, Just like what's going on.
Speaker 1:It was so Global crisis going on. I'm just trying to move here.
Speaker 2:I just tried to move here and all of this happens and, yeah, at first I felt like anxious, defeated. I was like what's going on? And then, you know, made a decision to go back to kazakhstan, just to wait out and see what what's gonna happen. And even getting back to kazakhstan was like a whole journey because there were no flights, yep, and I had to reach out to the embassy and they like organized a special uh, how is it called like a repatriation flight or something like that, or basically they like evacuate you, you, from one place to the other. So it was like a whole thing, crazy journey to go back home.
Speaker 2:But now, like four years later, I realized that it was the right decision at the time, yes, for sure, because it was such uncertain time, as you said, and I was really happy to be close to my family. It gave me like peace of mind and then I could really like step back and see what should I do next? That's when I enrolled into beauty school. While I was stuck home, I was like, let me start learning this, just not wasting my time and start doing something. So that's when I started learning to do how to do nails and, you know, researching for a new place to move and then by, like September I think that was September 2020, basically five months after I returned back to Kazakhstan, I flew to Austin. Okay, yeah, okay, yeah, okay, mm-hmm.
Speaker 1:What helped you stay hopeful while figuring out your next steps?
Speaker 2:My support system, my family, my friends yeah, definitely Very grateful to have them in my life. They always support me, no matter what what I decide to do. Um I'm sure for my mom it was hard, you know, um letting her child go so far away and change her for some reason.
Speaker 1:I'm getting emotional, good, like just let it out yeah, it was a hard time you know there was some hard decisions that you had to make.
Speaker 2:You know, just reliving and telling your story, yeah, it's okay, yeah yeah, I think it was hard for her, but she supported me good yeah, I'm sure it was, and also, um, goingip of water.
Speaker 1:I've got emotion on the podcast. It's okay, it's normal. You know, just that was a very uncertain time for a lot of us. You know, you had a big dream and then you went to chase that dream and then in 2019, the next year, it was COVID. You have to go back, reset, which was a great I think it was a great decision too. To have the emotional support from your family too. That's always, I feel like, the most important whenever you're making big life changes. You know that support just helps you keep pushing, you know, and then to do it all over again, like I already left, and that was hard, and then I got to do it again, you know, and um, and then to do it all over again, like I already left, and that was hard and then I gotta do it again.
Speaker 1:You know yeah and hopefully things do work out this time, yeah. So I mean, of course you're gonna get emotional, you know, and then you're doing so well too. So it's like thinking about being in those times back then, uncertain for sure about.
Speaker 2:It was so scary yeah.
Speaker 1:And then now you're like here doing so great it's. I'm sure you're overwhelmed with happiness and also you know the experience back then. Yeah, so it's, it's extremely valid. Yeah, yeah, building a clientele in the new country isn't easy. What helped you stand out and attract loyal clients?
Speaker 2:um, yeah, you're right, it's not easy. Um, I think, for me to have like a quality start here, it was beneficial for me knowing english before I moved um. So when I was growing up, my mom would always send me to like esl classes um, and she was like really pushing me to learn english. That was always like number one priority and when I moved here I thought, oh, my english is so great, but no, like I, first of all, in kazakhstan, we learn british english.
Speaker 2:Oh, yeah, really yes, I would have never thought all the books, everything, everything, all the materials you learn, it's all british english. Oh so when I moved here, I was like, okay, this is english, but it's different english for sure. So it took me a little bit to readjust and still I don't think I'm like 100 fluent, but I try. Yeah, you do well, very well, yeah, thank you.
Speaker 2:I think knowing english like really helped me from the get-go. Plus, when it comes to like building, you know, relationship with clients, I think they just saw that I'm very passionate about this career, that I'm dedicated to it and stay like professional. Yes, uh, they saw all of that. Plus, I always try to like listen to what they have to say. I think if you're a service provider and you're working like one-on-one with the client, it's important to just listen, because clients have always something to say um, and you can get like hints of what they like about the color, the shape, I don't know, um their previous experiences, what they liked, what they disliked. If you really listen to it and try to cater to their needs, they will be loyal.
Speaker 2:100 they will stay with you forever. I have clients who have been with me from day one, basically, so I've been doing this for like four years now. Yeah, and they've been with me for four years, which is crazy because in these last four years, like I grew so much and my business grew so much, and they're still with me, which I'm so grateful.
Speaker 1:It's the consistency, too, of how you're running your business. You know the consistency, and also, as you're growing, you're elevating, and they're witnessing it, and so they, then they believe in you yeah and they want to support.
Speaker 1:You know it's like they want to help you on your journey too. Yeah, it's like I'm getting quality service and I see her really passionate, like you said, dedicated to this line of work. Yeah, that's that's how they, like you said, listening. You know that's a that's a big one that a lot of us in the beauty industry we miss, you know and that's how they veer off and they go somewhere else, because you know they're there to be heard, most mostly.
Speaker 1:Yes, you know, and when you can tune in and listen to whatever it is that they have to say and they don't have to say it exactly yeah it's just little things that they say you're like, okay, I know not to do that you know, yeah.
Speaker 1:And then they're saying you know, like you're checking all of the check boxes for them and you know whatever it is that they're looking for in a nail tech. You know, and I think it's so beautiful when they can witness the growth and you keep growing. You know, yeah, and it makes them want to stay and they want to be a part of it too.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you know, yeah, they do, you're right, that's exciting to see it Right, that's exciting to see it.
Speaker 1:They see you believe in yourself, and so automatically they just believe in you too, you know, oh yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah, sweet, I never thought about it from that perspective, that's what I see in you for sure, so I'm sure they see it as well. You know, and I'm in the beauty industry, and so I can view it from a different perspective than clients, so, and I can see it in that way as a professional, yeah, than clients. So, and I can see it in that way as a professional, yeah. So yeah, before opening your own business, you worked at a nail salon in Austin, texas. How was the transition going from employee to entrepreneurship?
Speaker 2:uh, it was hard. I'm not gonna lie, it's um it. It was really hard. I've never had experience of running my own business before, and no one in my family did it either, so I had to like, teach myself, educate myself everything you know. Now, when I think about it, I think I jumped. I just jumped into it. I was young, ambitious and hungry.
Speaker 1:Yeah, for sure, and that will get you there. It will. That's like the foundation for a lot of first-generational entrepreneurs. It's like just hungry, yeah, you know, and excited too, you know For sure.
Speaker 2:I feel like, you know, I'm about to turn 30 in January and I feel like, have I been in my 30s, maybe I have not been as like, uh, courageous, brave. I would have like, probably thought about it million times and stuff like that, but at the time I was just like I need to do this. Yeah, I feel like I can do this. Um, also, I was working in a Russian-speaking nail salon oh, wow, were you. Yeah, oh, wow, okay. And I still like love all my colleagues and my ex-boss Till this day. We keep in very close touch, good. But at the time I felt like I'm stuck in a bubble. 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 around me spoke the same language that I used to speak back when I was living home.
Speaker 2:Um, it was just feeling too comfortable like I felt like I'm not growing in that bubble, so I was like I need to get myself out of there and start something on my own. But, as I said, it was hard because, um, there are just so many more things to running, uh, just to just just doing nails. Right, it's not just doing nails, there's just so much more like taxes, licenses, being compliant with all the latest rules, I don't know red marketing, yeah, client communication.
Speaker 2:The list goes and, on and, on and on and yeah, logos, business name, you know, yeah, it's a lot that goes into it it's a lot into it and it it's a lot into it, and I made a lot of mistakes along the way, from which I learned, but it still is a learning process to this day, I think it always will be, because it's always evolving. The beauty industry is always evolving.
Speaker 1:Entrepreneurship is going to evolve. When it comes to marketing, there's going to be new ways to market. You know, you might even brand later differently. Yeah, you know for sure but that's what makes it fun though. Yeah, it is like also just seeing the growth. You know, you go back and see like oh, that's how I used to do it, and you can see your journey, how you've evolved and how you've grown.
Speaker 1:It's always so rewarding to witness, you know? Yeah, definitely. How do you balance the creative side of doing nails with the responsibilities of running?
Speaker 2:oh my gosh it's a hard one. It's so hard to balance it. Um, I think when it was just starting out, especially when I just started renting my own suite and working on my own, I had a lot more free time to be creative. I would do my own nails or I would take in models to like, practice, different techniques or designs that I would like. But now, you know, I'm fully booked almost all of the time.
Speaker 1:So hard to get in.
Speaker 2: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's working with, working with me part time, and so I'm responsible for her books and her, you know, clients and communication and all of that um and now definitely, I feel like I have less and less time to be creative. Yeah, so what I started doing lately is I know it sounds super boring, but just scheduling time to be creative.
Speaker 1: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 very legit. Yeah, it's just not fun.
Speaker 2:So I was like, when I see that I have like, say, for example, a two hour gap on my schedule and I'm like, okay, there is some techniques that I wanted to try, or I invite in a model to practice a certain thing, um, yeah, because I don't think there is any other way. When it comes to be doing clients nails and being creative, what I try to do, if I know that they want any kind of like intricate art, yes, um, I try to discuss with them beforehand. Okay, yeah, so I have these clients who always want like crazy intricate art on their nails and I try to ask for their inspec pictures beforehand. Yes, so, to make sure that I have all the right supplies, tools, I know how to do it. So I'm not, like you know, improvising on the moment.
Speaker 1:At the moment, it helps to you know, once the clients become, you know, residual, you get to know their personality and so, like you said, it's like I know this client, I know she always gets something intricate. Let me reach out, yeah, even a lot. The time to intentionally on a schedule just in case I want books, oh yeah, I get it, I get it yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:What about your work doesn't ever like? Uh clients, do they ever ask for something that you've never done before?
Speaker 1:like I don't know any kind of hairstyle they've asked for some things I've never done before. I let them know. It's a disclaimer, I've never done it before. Yeah, um, and if I have the time I'll do it, but not a lot. It doesn't happen a lot, but first-time appointments I 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 do that. This is what we can do. You know, if you're okay with that, we can proceed with that, but the next time I'll make sure to a lot enough time being that I know that you like to do things outside of what's on the menu. Yeah, I'll make sure to a lot more time for you next time.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:It usually works, you know, and then they become those same clients that request these different things, and so quests these different things, and so, um, and I just I just automatically go in and just I'm like, let me add a little bit more, add a little bit more time.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and it don't happen that often, usually with being that I do a lot of hair care yeah they're more worried about hair care and, um, I think brides are usually the ones where I get to experience and do a lot of different things. Yeah, you know, but I'm always prepared for them. I have had brides to change their 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 of anxiety. I'm not going to lie, you know, but that's when I don't allot time to talk, either I time to talk, either I just do work. You know, usually I'm asking like, how is everything being? You know, when they do that to me, I just work.
Speaker 1:I need full concentration to make sure I really execute that hairstyle yeah, yeah I don't get a lot behind the chair, but every now and again a bride will switch it up on me. I just make it work. You know, on a wedding day, you know. But behind the chair I do try to ask them to give me a little bit more flexibility, because I'm not prepared.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so it's just all about communication, clear communication and they understand, like I have never had a client to be like upset. And they understand, like I know this is a last minute request. Yeah, and I do feel like the way how you market, you will bring in those clients that do have room for understanding.
Speaker 2:You know yeah.
Speaker 1:Marketing strategically when it comes to personalities is a whole thing too. Oh, absolutely, yeah, yeah, so you tend to find those clients who get it. That's true, mm-hmm, many people believe that taking a break. Actually, I'm sorry, let me back up. Some people online, like dermatologists and cosmetologists, criticize Russian manicures, saying they're harmful or illegal. How do you respond to that?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I was telling you during our last appointment. There is a lot of stigma about Russian manicures and pedicures. I think a lot of it comes from just lack of education. Yeah, and generally, if you remember, like any new beauty service on the market usually gets so much hate, the easiest I could remember is the laser hair removal, remember yeah, when it just came out. Yeah, everyone was like oh my gosh, you're gonna get cancer yeah, yeah it sure did. Or like those uv lamps, for example, the ones that you use for gel manicures.
Speaker 2:Everyone's like, oh my gosh, that exposure, you're gonna get cancer yeah but when you start educating yourself about the technique um, there is I I like strongly disagree, let's say, with all the claims that russian manicures and pedicures are harmful, illegal, too invasive. People say right, um. I disagree with that because I think if you know the right technique, um and don't get me wrong it's an advanced technique. I don't think anyone straight out of beauty school can start doing this technique. I think you need to really get special training for it, a certification, you need to practice a lot, you need to know nail anatomy, because all of that is connected and it's really important to know where's the dead tissue that you can cut and where's the living tissue where you shouldn't go too deep into um. But it's a lot of the times if people had bad experience with um russian manicures.
Speaker 1:I think it's not about the technique, it's about a technician I, you know, after doing my own research, that's what I gathered. I was like I think it's more of a technician. You know, just not being educated yeah, on how to really specialize or, you know, perform this technique.
Speaker 2:That's what I saw, yeah yeah, because, as I said, it's an advanced technique and you 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 and they say, oh, they cut me too deep or they nipped me or you know, something went wrong. But I think you really need to do your research before you go to a new place, and that's what I always try to educate my clients, because I say, even if you go somewhere else, I'm not against it at all. Yeah, I just want you to know what to look out for, right absolutely, because it can be um, pretty bad.
Speaker 1: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 with the technique. Yeah, I didn't see anything else.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you know another thing, um, I think where a lot of controversy comes from is, uh, different terminology. So in russian-speaking countries, the we call it cuticle and here everyone else calls it cuticle right that dead tissue that we, you know, trim um after cleaning it.
Speaker 2:Uh, but here in states according to like cosmetology books, those milady books, remember yeah milady, yes, yeah, yeah, they call it eponychium, eponychium, eponychium, so that's two different terms, and eponychium is part of the skin which is around the nails, and the cuticle is the dead skin which is underneath the eponychium. I'm sorry, I don't want to go too deep into it. No, go deep but what I'm just trying to say is because of different terminology used in different countries. Dermatologists here they say oh no, you're not supposed to cut the iponikium. Yes, no one's cutting living tissue. We're only cutting the dead skin? And if it was?
Speaker 1:living. It would hurt, it would hurt.
Speaker 2:Absolutely yeah. And you know, when you clean the cuticle with, like the nail bits how we do in Russian manicures dead skin, it just easily lifts off of the nail plate, and we do in russian manicures that skin, it just easily lifts off of the nail plate and it's ready to be trimmed. It's nothing's gonna happen. It's a dead tissue, just like your hair, just like I don't know what. What is, what is?
Speaker 1:out of that tissue something that grows out and it's living, but it's not quote-unquote living. I think hair is like the closest 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:So I think it's just lack of education. If you know the technique right, everything's going to be fine.
Speaker 1:And I've had no problems. Yeah, and I've been commenting you long enough to know if there's gonna be an issue, you know. So that's why, when you mention that to me, I'm like what misconceptions are out? There this is great. Many people believe that taking a break from polish allows nails to breathe. Is this a practice customers should consider, or is that even necessary?
Speaker 2:uh, I always joke. I say males don't need to breathe because they don't have lungs.
Speaker 1:So corny, I know that's a really good one, because they don't yeah what's breathing exactly it's like like giving your hair to breathe like it's, it's, it's already a formed dead tissue that you cannot really affect on the grown part.
Speaker 2: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 break sometimes might be beneficial if you are I don't know traveling, if you know that you cannot make it to your next appointment. Oh yeah, just, maybe you're just emotionally tired of nails that happens too. But what I say is, if you're taking a break from getting any enhancement, then it should be for at least two, three months.
Speaker 2:Okay, yeah, it does make sense to do a full removal this month. Next month, come back again the third month. You want to do full removal again. It does make sense, okay, why? Because when you do a full removal, it uh takes off the outermost layers of your natural nail. No matter how safe, accurately and precise the removal was done, it still takes off a little bit of your natural nail layers. And two, three months is enough time 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 take your break.
Speaker 1:Okay, that makes sense. Okay, so now the next question I feel like has been answered, because I've said, like I noticed in the past, when I remove gel polish from my nails they tend to be weaker. Does this have anything to do with the gel polish itself?
Speaker 2:It doesn't have anything to do with the product. I'll tell you that, no matter what you get, is it gel, structured gel, acrylic dip powder? There's so many products out there. It's all about, um, removal. Removal should be safe, uh, it should be proper and, um, it takes time. Right, and unfortunately, what I see a lot when clients come from like regular nail salons, I see this uh, rings of fire. I don't know if you have ever seen them so it's like when they're rigid. Maybe we can put like a picture on the video.
Speaker 2:I don't know I'll ask him canny yeah, um, this is like like rings like on the nail bed literally you can see dents of when the nail bit oh yeah was like it was too much pressure and you know, in regular nail salons the process feels very rushed.
Speaker 2:Yes, they're trying to get you in and out, in and out and, um, they put a little bit too much pressure and try to do fast and then you get those rings of fire and there is no way of getting rid of them unless you just wait for it to grow out. Oh okay, so a lot of the times it's about improper removal. Um, in our studio we do offer full removal, but it takes time. It's not gonna be like 15 minutes and you're good to go. Yeah, because it usually is. You know, usually it takes about like 45 minutes to an hour and even though it's like a cheaper service because you're not really getting any enhancement on, we still take our time because we don't want our clients nails to be ruined by rushing the surface so, yeah, okay, that literally answered my questions.
Speaker 1:Yeah, what do you do to ensure your clients are safe and happy with your services?
Speaker 2:um safety. Uh is number one priority at Moonglow Nails all the tools in our studio. They go through three step hospital grade. I would say disinfection.
Speaker 1:You're always sanitizing when I'm there yeah, disinfection.
Speaker 2:My clients know they're used to autoclave running all the time. Yes, it's running every time I come there well, hopefully in the future, when I move to a bigger space, I'll have a special dedicated room.
Speaker 1:Oh no, I'm completely okay with it. I mean it shows your safety precautions to make sure you are not transferring you know any bacteria or anything you know amongst your clients. So no, I don't. It can run all day, I don't care.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, no, it's very important. Disinfection and sterilization.
Speaker 2:it's funny that I've read, you know, those little texas law like the tdlr books that they send you yeah, I've read there that, um, using autoclave to sterilize tools in nail salons is strongly advised, but it's not required. So, for example, if they say, we understand that autoclave is an expensive investment and purchase 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 sense advise. It doesn't make any sense At all. It doesn't make any sense. I think if you're running like a business, it's number one thing that you should get. It's an investment. Don't get like extra 100 polishes, get an autocliff. That's right, you know it's important.
Speaker 2:I can't believe that's optional. It is optional.
Speaker 1:It. I can't believe that's optional.
Speaker 2:It is optional, it's strongly advised, but it's not like required. Oh wow.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's some good information. Eventually, they're going to have to make that like in black and white. I can see it. I think so.
Speaker 2:I strongly believe so. It's, you know, a lot of when there is no control and no requirements, like people can do whatever they want. Yeah, and then that's where we see, like those outbreaks yeah, no, I would never risk it. Yeah, for me, as I said, it's a top, top priority. That's good to know.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's good to know what's something you wish every client understood about your work or the process of a Russian manicure and pedicure.
Speaker 2:I wish clients understood that quality takes time, absolutely, it cannot be rushed and it cannot be cheap. Mm-hmm, it cannot be rushed and it cannot be cheap. You know Russian manicures and pedicures. They take longer. Yes, that's true. It takes about like one and a half to two hours for a service. And then when people hear that, they're like, oh my gosh, no, I'm not going to sit for two hours to get my nails done, two hours to get my nails done. But what they don't realize is that by going to like a regular nail salon every two weeks, uh, wasting each time their time, gas, money, um, they're not saving money in the long run. It's adding up. It's adding up each time. Most importantly, you're wasting so much time. You think that you are saving time by going in every so, every two weeks, and spending I don't know how. How much is it in regular salons these days? Maybe like 60, 80 dollars.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you think that you depend on what you get, man, I guess what designs that kind of run you around, yeah, yeah yes, you, you're spending less than an hour in a salon, but then you have to go back in two weeks again Because you know the enhancement maybe like the retention, is not the greatest. I don't know. You can see the grow out already, and even the Russian manicures it takes long. You only need to come in every three 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 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 is a sweet spot, yeah, um. So I wish clients understood that. And that's where higher price point comes from too, because it's a longer service. It requires special uh equipment, um tools, so it just cannot simply be cheap.
Speaker 1:No, it can't and also, like you said, if you do the math and you're going to them every two, you've already paid for your Russian manicure exactly, probably a little bit more. When you start considering gas and time, you know, like you mentioned, so you might as well I'd rather go once a month than to be coming every two weeks.
Speaker 1:You know, everyone's too busy. Everyone's busy and I forget the quality that I'm seeking as well. Yep, you know, versus you know, I really like how I can look at my nails and they're like flush against my cuticles. You know, you used to see that on Pinterest, yeah, and I was like, oh, I can go get that done now.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah, for sure.
Speaker 2:That's what a lot of clients call it actually Pinterest nails.
Speaker 1:Yeah, because you're like how did they do that? That's Photoshopped. There's no way that's a real thing.
Speaker 2:No magic, just the right technique.
Speaker 1:Right, yeah, so yeah, for sure, many people underestimate how profitable a career as a nail tech can be. How has your career as a nail technician allowed you to support yourself and build a business?
Speaker 2:I, I'm just so grateful for everything I have uh in my life. Uh, you know, I moved to this country what, like four or five years ago I think. I had like maybe two, three thousand dollars in my pocket when I just moved didn't have much, but now, like, I'm proud to say that this job, this career, uh is fully supporting me, my lifestyle. I'm supporting my family back in kazakhstan. Oh, wow, that's amazing. It's given me a lot and I will be forever grateful to all clients who, you know, supported my business consistently, or even it was once. I will be very grateful to my friends here. My friends became like a second family to me. Um, my friends became like a second family to me, yeah, and and I'm just very, very, very lucky to call them my friends and it's like my chosen family here, yeah, yeah that's good yeah doing nails is such an intimate experience.
Speaker 1:You're working closely with your clients. How do you connect with them and make them feel cared for?
Speaker 2:as I said, I try to listen. If it's a first-time client, I just ask I don't know easy questions just to make them feel relaxed like, um, I don't know, is it your first time?
Speaker 1:yeah, those are some of the questions you asked me I would say yeah, like getting to know me a little bit more about my nail history and stuff.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I try to ask just questions and then clients usually they have a lot to say. Or if I see that the client is not very talkative and they just like want, you know, a quiet appointment, that's totally cool with me too, Because I could use a break too.
Speaker 1:I know, because it's like you got another client coming in there.
Speaker 2:I could use a break too, I know.
Speaker 1:Because it's like you got another client coming in. There's another client. Yeah, it's like reading a room and I do it too. I can tell. You can tell if a client wants to talk, right, I feel like as we as service providers, we almost mirror our clients. We do.
Speaker 2:Whatever they say, I'm like yes, that's how we have so many different personalities when we're at work yeah, we do have a lot we have to vibe with each one yeah, it's like acting, yeah, yeah, it's like acting it's, and it can take a lot. It takes a lot of energy, for sure, and it's important to like fill your cup at the end of the day when you go home and just like do stuff that is good for you absolutely yeah, because it's like you've been pouring yeah day long.
Speaker 1:You know we we pour more than just our technique into these clients. You know we do a lot for them beyond the surface of what they're coming there for. So, yeah, it's important to go home, wind down and, like you said, fill your cup back up so you can be energized and ready for the next day. What advice would you give to someone trying to turn their passion into a career, especially in a creative field?
Speaker 2:uh, let me think about it and take your time. Yeah, I think I would say just start small. You don't have to become popular all of a sudden, immediately. It's just it's not how it works For sure. No, just start small, start doing something every day and then just keep doing it until you find that this creative you know hobby or whatever you want to call it a profession, is something that you would like to do 100% of the time, and it's supporting you and your family. Yeah, so start small, dream big, don't stop ever believing in yourself and just take. Take it slow. Yeah, just uh, don't rush.
Speaker 1:That's what I would say I feel like in these creative fields, you can easily get distracted too. You know, especially with social media, there's so many ways to get distracted. For sure. One thing I'm learning is to stay focused yes whatever you're doing, like, just stay on that yeah because, you know, in the beauty industry there's so many avenues, you know so many different things you can tap into and become creative doing yeah, and it is so hard to not get distracted for sure, for sure, I think.
Speaker 2:Sometimes it's. For example, I there are days when I don't look up anything real nail related for days and I'm like when I'm feeling that I'm just about to get burned out or something. Yeah, I think it's important to just be bored. Good, yes, that's some good advice. A lot of people are like scared of being bored, but sometimes it's good for you.
Speaker 1:I love being bored.
Speaker 2:I absolutely love being bored with nothing to do yes, and that's when you really get creative, because you are, like you know, longing for that. You want to do something cool and, um yeah, just just step back, yeah yeah, I'm glad you brought that being bored.
Speaker 1:I'm glad you brought that you know to the listeners because I don't think enough people 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 time to reset, readjust, recharge and you know you get more creative. Yeah, you know if you're constantly, just always, doing something, you're going to lose some of that creative juice. You know, or it's going to the quality.
Speaker 2: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 being thrown at your face every single day, right, and you get discouraged. You're like, oh my gosh, while I'm just chilling here, someone else is become becoming so much more successful, so much more. You know, I don't know whatever bigger than me, but what you don't see is that what's happening behind the scenes. Maybe this person has been doing it for five years, ten years, and they're only showing you this successful side, where in reality, they were like tears and sweat and it was hard for them too. Absolutely yeah.
Speaker 1:You only see the success. You don't see the ugly.
Speaker 2:We don't see the ugly. No, you don't. I wish we did, though. Yeah, I know.
Speaker 1:Because I feel like you allow yourself to have more grace, you'll be more kind to yourself instead of feeling incompetent because you're not showing up enough, like oh, I'm lazy because they're already doing something and the reason why they are doing great things is because they're doing it every day, and that's not the case.
Speaker 1:We only see a very small portion of the journey of their success. If they want to be vulnerable enough 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 for too, like talking about the nitty-gritty so people can stay hopeful, yeah, and understand this is a journey, it's not a sprint Like. You have to really take your time, you know for sure. I love that. Looking back on your journey, what is one thing you tell your younger self when she was just starting out? I love this question.
Speaker 2: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 the process.
Speaker 1:Yeah, celebrate the process. It's like you get discouraged right? Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:And just like really enjoying it and living in the moment. I know it sounds so cliche, but it really is what life is about just being present in the moment and enjoying, um, whatever you have done so far and looking back like I'm so grateful to my younger self that I took that leap and decided to do what I did and, um, that gives 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 support system here. Yeah, no family. I mean, I have my friends, but still like. But like it was hard.
Speaker 1: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 and you've done it twice. You didn't do it one time, you did it two times. I think that's your biggest step, and then everything else, of course, is going to be like some, you know, little obstacles in the way, but I think, with you getting the hardest part out, I don't think it's nothing that could defeat you after that. It's like this is this one thing that I'm probably going through right now, but I know I'm gonna be able to get through it because I've done it during the pandemic. It was a lot going on for you yeah, so I'm like everything else.
Speaker 1:it may feel like a burden in the moment, but you are going to be great because you did a lot to build your business to get to where you are today. Thank you, and I feel like anything else after that would be like another thing, but we'll get through it. You know, yeah For sure, what's next for you and your salon.
Speaker 2:Well, right now, moonglow Nails is a team of two. Hopefully, we're going to grow into a bigger space. That's my priority for next year. I'm looking into expanding and hopefully I will find more people who would join us yeah, someone who is just as passionate about nails as we are. So that's my plan as of now. And what else? I started teaching not so long ago like one-on-one private courses to people who want to learn the technique. It's a two-day private course, so I would love to do more of that. In the past year, I've done like about four students, I think. So congratulations, thank you. Yeah, that was very exciting. And, um, actually, my employee vitalia. She was the first person who reached out and was like I love your work, can you teach me how to do it? So that sparked the interest with vitalia yeah and like you, know what?
Speaker 2:I've never tried it before. But, as we learned, I love getting out of my comfort zone.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you do yeah, for sure.
Speaker 2:And I was like you know what, Let me try to do it. And I did it once, Like I came up with the program, I was like can you wait two, three months before I come up with a program and everything, because I really wanted it to be, you know, not perfect, but like good to even to start with, and then, after I posted about it on social media, people started reaching out and saying oh, we didn't know that you offer courses like we're interested.
Speaker 2:So I started getting a lot more interest in that. Yeah, so I would love to do it more in the future too. Yeah, for sure, yeah.
Speaker 1:Especially with it being a growing field, you could be like the person everyone reaches out to because you've been doing it the longest. You'd be more of like a veteran in the field. So you're more trusted. Yeah, you know. Yeah, especially with it being like I said, being so new, you know and we know with years of experience that that's already enough trust, you know For sure. Yeah, so if you are a nail technician, yeah, no, for sure, I'm just going to advertise this really quick.
Speaker 2:Not even advertise. I really want to say that if you're a nail technician and you're still not offering this service, I think you really should, absolutely, because it's's gonna get big I have a feeling it's gonna get huge and it's gonna become like a new norm in the I. That's what I hope for. I want it to become a norm so that people are used to a good quality service yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:How would they go about reaching out to you if they wanted to book classes with you?
Speaker 2:My Instagram or my TikTok account. It's Aiko underscore Moonglow Nails, Okay.
Speaker 1:And what about booking services with you as well?
Speaker 2:Same. You can go to the studio account, which is Moonglow Nails ATX, or to my personal Instagram, and there would be links. Uh, we're also pretty much everywhere google maps. You can go through website and book over there too okay, yeah, okay.
Speaker 1:Is it anything else you want to share with the listeners before we close?
Speaker 2: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 is just believe in yourself, just bet on yourself, don't be scared. If something would go wrong, you can always put yourself back up and continue learning, and just continue your journey.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you got to embrace the going wrong, the making the mistakes, it's okay. It's where you learn the most and 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: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:Well, thank you so much for your time. I really appreciate you doing this for me. You're the first nail tech we had on the show, yeah, so I was so excited when I, when I extended 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 to make it open for every, you know to hair.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so I appreciate you sharing with us today. Thank you so much for having me and, uh, if you ever want to do it again, we can go more extensively. Absolutely into like nails, nail care, what to look out for when you go into nail salon.
Speaker 1:Oh, that would be good, because, yeah, with this one's like trying to get to know you and then yeah, I feel like this was more about me and try to add but also add in some nail stuff too, so the next one can definitely be dived deep into just the nail industry?
Speaker 2:yes, yeah, we'll definitely do, because there is a lot to talk about about nail industry and, uh, yeah, I feel like we can do it again sometime, for sure yeah, well, thank you for that.
Speaker 1:Really appreciate it. That's it for today's episode of Hair. What I'm Saying? Aiko's story reminds us that life's challenges can often lead us to discover our greatest strengths. From learning a new skill during a global pandemic to building her own business, aiko has shown us what it means to bet on yourself and embrace reinvention. If you enjoyed this conversation, don't forget to subscribe, rate and leave a review. It really helps the podcast grow. Thank you for tuning in and remember every journey comes with its own challenges, but it's how you rise above them that defines your story. Stay focused, stay inspired and never stop believing in the power of your dreams. Until next time, thank you.