I gotta tell ya.
A career in nails has been absolutely life changing for me.
With my nail income [and good credit] (gotta keep it real), I was able to buy a brand new car, make the downpayment for our home, and move across the country in that new little car and start life anew.
Yes, just by doing nails as an independent nail tech (my husband also worked, further disclosure).
Even though I wasn’t able to buy the car or the house outright, my successful career in nails gave me the receipts to present to lenders and finance these items… which either have already been paid off or are on a good path to being so.
And if you’re really thinking about a career in nails as an independent nail tech, I want to give you 5 good reasons to prioritize that decision for yourself today.
Imagine this, you can work in a creative field within three to 6 months as your own boss, and with hard work and dedication, work yourself up to at least the median household income (U.S. ~$70k). Let me say it again: without a boss and doing something fun and creative.
Let’s dive in because there is definitely money to be made.
🌸Reason #1: To become an independent nail tech…
Low tuition cost 👩🎓
And actually before we talk about tuition costs for licensing, you have to know that many countries do not require such a thing. Yes, in many parts of the world, if you want to be a nail tech. You could just be a nail tech… without any schooling or licensing.
But if you do have to enroll in a nail program, unlike any other occupation, your education for licensing, even at the high end, should cost you no more than $10,000. (We’re talking about the educational program to prepare you for your state board exam for licensing. Currently, every state in the US requires licensing.
My nail program cost only $3000, but that was 11I paid it all up front at a discount. By the way, years ago, and that was all the $3000 I had in my savings account. So believe me when I say it takes being fearless to achieve your goals.
Schools often provide financial aid or payment plans, and that nail school program will take anywhere from 3 to 6 months, depending on the hours the program requires and whether you go full-time or part-time.
So again, it is a relatively low tuition cost for a career.
When you go independent, you can really start off your business without overleveraging yourself to the point of financial ruin or a lifetime of debt.
I will add that when it comes to a nail program, I went with the cheapest possible, and I recommend you do also because all you’re trying to do is pass your licensing exam. Nail school itself wont make you a quarter of the success you crave.
Trust us, who have been there.
🌸Reason #2: To become an independent nail tech…
Be part of a creative field👩🎨.
Think about it like this. You get to paint and design all the time. And however much you want. There are countless studies about the positive impact on mood when you get to be creative with your own two hands.
Yes, when you’re with clients under a time constraint, that may not be as relaxing, but once you get in your flow and you know your clients for many years those feelings change, but even on your down-time or days-off there is something to be organized or swatched or re-decorated, and seriously there comes a lot of peace and stress-relief in those moments.
To this day, I experience those moments of peace and relaxation when it is time to organize something. It’s fabulous, I can just sit down and pop an online course or podcast.
… because I also have to create space for self-development.
🌸Reason #3: To become an independent nail tech…
You choose how much you want to make 💰
Any time you’re your own boss, you get to experiment with the ceiling of that particular career choice.
There is a ceiling, but as an entrepreneur, you can also be creative about ways to break through that ceiling.
For example, a high-income goal in the industry as an independent is making $100k. It is possible, but it is also a lot of work if you’re just offering nail services. The good thing here is that all you have to do is provide nail services. Not manage inventory or staff.
But then you can grow the business and your responsibilities by selling physical goods, hiring an assistant to help you with services, opening a salon and leasing out space, training staff to execute your method, or teaching classes on your method.
Your income potential is just a matter of how many different things you want to have going on at the same time, but that you can also delegate to grow and scale the business.
And I do have to keep it real…
When I was a nail tech, I cared ONLY about providing services and had very little interest in growing the business in other ways.
Just governing myself, and business choices was the definition of success, and it still is.
🌸Reason #4: You get to design your own schedule.
This will be the biggest incentive,100%, of having a career in nails. ✨
When I first started doing nails, my biggest mistake was not owning my time, and that was partly because at that time, this new venture was essentially my all, my reason for getting up and grinding to be the most successful nail tech I could be.
But part of being a successful entrepreneur is owning your time. And even though I didn’t have location freedom, like getting to do nails anywhere (neither did I want that because I don’t enjoy mobile manicuring at all), I did get to learn to own my time, and I eventually learned to accommodate my clients, around the things I wanted to do.
At that time, it was local travel for me. We lived in California, California is the biggest state in the region with so much to do top to bottom. my husband and I enjoyed ourselves oh-so much during the years that I was a nail tech.
I believe in grinding so hard that you treat yourself to an exquisite time with your loved ones, however often you need to, to remain at the top of your A-game as a creative entrepreneur.
But even if you have obligations like little ones, there is no bigger privilege in a career than to coordinate your schedule around your children.
And a nail career as an independent can definitely grant you that privilege…
As a mother myself now, I honestly could never look back and say Gosh, I wish I was more absent in my son’s life. Of course not. I made big decisions, scary decisions, foregoing my income altogether and moving to a completely different state because I prioritized the future. I didn’t let fear win; praise the Lord!
🌸Reason #5: You get the opportunity at cool opportunities.
Yes, a creative industry comes with cool opportunities 🌟.
While you may not have location freedom necessarily… once in a while you’ll be invited to things like magazine features, celebrity nail calls, working events, attending trade shows and networking events. Or you can even curate your very own.
While these opportunities may be far and few, those are some of the moments along with owning your time, that you get to say… We get to do this!
Honestly, if you are considering a career in nails as an independent nail tech, there is no good reason why you cannot delve deeper into this path.
Now if the time and financial commitment of it all, still makes you nervous Think about it this way…
Soo many people go off to college, to pursue “what they think they want to do in life”, only to finish those 4 years owing or having paid in the proximity of $40k,
and if they are working in their field, often they are working for someone else.
On the flip side…
✨You get to go to choose a field you enjoy. A creative field at that!
✨Go to school for less than 6 months (with many countries not requiring licensing).
✨Not be in debt for the majority of your youthful years.
✨Work for yourself immediately after completing your schooling.
✨And within a year, if you follow my lean roadmap for nail tech success, make a liveable wage.
Yes, I’m working on a new training called The Roadmap for nail tech success. It is a quick guide to give you all of the strategic steps to go independent as your own boss in the field of nails. I’m sharing only what has worked for me and my students.
No suggestions, or “I think this is what is working now”, and definitely no overcomplication of anything.
You can get on the waitlist HERE, and I’ll be in your inbox weekly, inspiring you to take the leap.
Until next time!
And remember as nail tech… We get to do this!
Content written by Paola Ponce.
Loved this blog? Then I think you’ll love learning more about my journey as a specialized gel nail solopreneur in the nail industry. Click here to get instant access to my free masterclass. These blogs are copyrighted material, and any use of this blog is not permitted without written concern first. Some of these blogs contain affiliate links that give us a small commission when qualifying purchases are made. Thank you for being so supportive, which helps us to continue creating valuable resources and content like this.
