Is Nails A Real Job?

Fast forward to these kids all grown up facing the job market as recent grads. The social interactions and conversations hover around material things: Where did you go to college? Where do you live? What do you drive? Where do you work? Beyond the childhood dreams, it’s hard to stay true to who you are and what you love. So what happens in the years between kindergarten and high school or college graduation that make pursuing your passion more difficult. The answer is people-pleasing and judgement. You want to fit in. You don’t want to disappoint. Or maybe you really just don’t know yet. Many adults early on, myself included, buy into a narrow path of what a profession is and what it should be. What is a real job anyway? A real job is something that allows you to earn a
living and provides financial security.

CAREER IS HOW YOU DEFINE IT
I’ve always been a huge proponent of self-discovery through education. By education, I don’t necessarily mean spending over $30K a year on a college education. Pursue and investigate those things in life that make you happy. Approach your profession with a real curiosity and convert that into an income. Chances are you can find a career that not only lines your pockets but feeds your soul. It isn’t a myth. It’s a real possibility. Wouldn’t you rather spend a lifetime working in an area of passion rather than in an area of dread? You only get one life to live. So forget about the profession that your parents want for you or some strange demand society placed on you. Channel that five year old and identify your dream job. Take jobs that help you define and refine it every step of the way.

WORK AND REWARD
Should you discover at some point in the journey that nails is your passion, then there’s no time like the present to pursue it. It’s a great time to be in nails. Did you know that a professional nail artist can earn a fantastic living? In fact, an experienced and hustling nail tech can earn as much as $50K-$100K a year. Let’s break it down. This salary range is the same you would earn as an interior designer, accountant, elementary/middle school teacher, nurse practitioner, e-commerce specialist, construction project manager, and yes… even a firefighter. How annoying is it that people side-eye the nail industry and don’t give our work the respect it deserves. Consider “real jobs” like the ones just listed above and realize that they have the exact same earning possibilities. Sometimes, even nail techs don’t take their profession seriously enough either.

MISUNDERSTOOD
People may question the value and profitability of the nail salon culture. Some may just dismiss it as a simple place for gossip and social chatter. Let’s clear things up. Doing nails is a real job. It’s a real job where the nail pro is an independent entrepreneur who can earn up to a six figure income. A career in nails checks off many of the same boxes that come with the executive level employment privileges with the other “acceptable” professions:


$50K-$100K + Income


Flexible Schedule


Shorter Work Week


Lower Student Debt


Own your own business


Be your own boss


Option to work solo or manage a team


Strong marketing, communication and people skills


Freedom and Control


The traditional model of what a career looks like no longer exists. More and more the personal lifestyle choice is prioritized over the corporate structure. The nail industry truly does not discriminate that is portable and profitable. It’s one of the most open work environments for every background, age or gender. For someone just starting out in nails or someone who feels trapped in their current “stable” employment situation, we ask you to consider making your own check-list and see how a career in nails stacks up.

A JOB THAT WE LOVE
Too many people men and women who have a passion for nails and want to make it into a career are too scared to get into the business. One of the barriers to the nail profession is that the general public discourages it. The general public says that you can’t make money doing nails. The fear of what other people think and what other people say has more influence over you than it should. The bottom line is that you can make good money doing nails and you can have freedom doing this. You cannot control what you love and what you don’t love. So go after the things that make you happy. Knowing what makes you happy is half the battle and the money will follow.


**This is an adaption from our YN Biz Talk playlist on YouTube, “Is Nails A Real Job?”

Follow our YN YouTube Channel and click here to watch the full discussion here: