Kennesaw State sophomore information systems major Malia Mitchell started her own nail art business last semester, with the Marietta-based company experiencing immense success in its first six months of operation.
Mitchell said she wanted to teach herself how to do nails because prices at most nail salons were too high for regular visits. After a visit with a freelance nail artist, Mitchell was inspired to open up her own business.
“I fell in love with her work and the whole process, and I never wanted to go back to the salon,” Mitchell said.
Last summer, Mitchell started practicing and perfecting her craft by watching videos of those who inspired her. Mitchell’s roommates let her practice on them to work on her skills. Mitchell began officially taking clients around August 2019.
“At first it would only be like 2-3 clients a week, but with my social media posts and word of mouth from my boyfriend and I, my numbers just kept going up,” Mitchell said.
The business began booming and she was able to make enough money to start paying for books and her phone bill.
She accepts appointments as late as 8 p.m. to help those who cannot make an appointment until later in the day.
Mitchell has learned since beginning her business that trial and error is important. She said she sometimes goes through products quickly due to the popularity of her business.
“I also had one incident where I ran out of monomer during an appointment and I had my boyfriend search everywhere to find some,” Mitchell said.
Besides balancing her costs and products, she said managing both school and her nail business requires logging her own hours to make sure she can study and have personal time.
“When I see that I’m getting a lot of appointments for one week, I might block off some hours for certain days, or block the whole day off so no one can book,” Mitchell said.
Mitchell stated that one should make the time commitment necessary to perfect their craft before diving right in. It is important to make a good first impression on customers, especially when it is a new business. Mastering the techniques can ensure a smooth start, Mitchell said.
A specific style does not exist for Mitchell. She said she likes to try things that are out of the box, such as doing hand-drawn, marble and French tip nails. Adapting to customer wants and needs helps her skills evolve.
“I do love adding crystals to nails because it make nails looks so fancy and pretty,” Mitchell said. “One day, I will have every color crystal.”
To check out her repertoire of completed nails or book an appointment, visit Mitchell’s Instagram account, @nailzbymalia.
