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January 11, 2021It’s no secret that the COVID-19 pandemic has taken a toll on businesses near and far. While the pandemic has sadly forced some people to shutter their doors or put their business operations on hold, it’s also given entrepreneurs time to pursue new business ideas.
VASJ junior Alaysia McMiller is a prime example of someone who was able to harness her entrepreneurial spirit and launch an at-home nail salon amid the pandemic.
“I run an Instagram account where I solely post the nails I do and book appointments off of,” McMiller said. “There are many services that I do with nails and toenails from manicures to acrylic full sets.”
McMiller said her interest in nail design started when she was in middle school and noticed some of her friends getting acrylic nails. She bought an acrylic kit of her own and said she grew to love doing nails for herself and others.
There were both pros and cons of COVID-19 when it came to her business plans, McMiller said.
“I had plans to build up more clientele by meeting new people because I didn’t take doing nails seriously until the beginning of last year,” she said. “With COVID, going out and doing those things wasn’t an option for safety reasons and other reasons that were out of my control. On a better and brighter note, nail salons closed, which caused a higher demand for available nail technicians.”
McMiller said the majority of her clients are friends and family. She has also utilized her social media expertise to reach potential clients on Instagram by including popular Cleveland hashtags in her posts.
McMiller said she’s learning new skills every day, and she hopes to one day be able to help others who may want to pursue a nail business too.
“I am very artistic and I see doing nails as a way to express it,” she said. “Every time I do nails, I get just as excited as the client because it’s my work — my art.”
