By Hannah Lazarte
From school dances to graduations, people get their nails done for various reasons. It may be for the aesthetic, to express their creativity or to boost their confidence.
In any case, sophomore Rylee Nguyen promotes all these reasons in her nail business’s Instagram, @ryleestipsnotoes, where she always makes sure her customers are satisfied.
“I take pride in making sure every nail design matches what my clients want and helps them feel good, confident and taken care of,” Nguyen said.
Inspired by others on social media, she bought a nail kit and started doing her own nails. As she continued to get better, she started to post her work on Instagram, allowing many people to reach out and know about her.
With affordable prices starting at $15 for press-ons and $20 for Gel-X, Nguyen’s pricing depends on how complex a design is. For instance, designs that are more time consuming or intricate than another would be priced accordingly.
“I believe everyone, especially girls my age, should be able to enjoy beautiful nails at reasonable prices,” Nguyen said.
Although Nguyen struggles to balance her business and student life, she still plans to open up her schedule and take bookings during Thanksgiving and winter breaks.
Giving a special thanks to her twin sister for being someone she could practice on and her mom for helping with funding, Nguyen is grateful for the people who helped her business become what it is now.
Owning a business doesn’t come without learning. For Nguyen, she was taught patience, creativity and responsibility.
“I’m still learning how to manage my time and improve my skills,” Nguyen said.
One of Nguyen’s dreams is that her business will allow people to experiment with their creative side. She also encourages future business owners to keep working hard and never give up.
“Listen to people’s advice and feedback and don’t let people put you down,” Nguyen said.
The next time you have an event coming your way and want your nails done, pick Rylee Nguyen and hear about her story of owning a business and being a nail tech!
