Shauna Wright’s social media bio identifies her as a “Beauty Boundaries Advocate,” a mantle she took on after her career as a nail tech almost destroyed her physical and mental health.
Wright, a beauty industry educator and founder of the Black Nail Tech Collective, has never been afraid of the grind. Working in Washington D.C. with a Master’s in Business Administration, she had a stressful but lucrative job in federal program management.
Wright got laid off in 2012 and started doing her own nails out of financial necessity. That’s when she discovered she loved it.
Though she did land a new corporate job, Wright went to cosmetology school on the side and became licensed as a nail tech. She started doing nails from home for family and friends, then began working part-time out of a salon in Maryland.
Though Wright was grinding for years with both a full-time and part-time job, the problems really began after she decided to devote her career entirely to nails.
Here are four major lessons she took away from that experience. Wright has retired from doing nails and is now focused on teaching nail techs, so they don’ t have to learn the hard way.
1. CREATE BOUNDARIES & PRIORITIZE SELF-CARE.
When I first started doing nails I was working full time at my day job, 6am-2pm. I would drive from DC to Maryland and then take salon clients at 5, 7, and 9 pm. I’d go to the gym after that. I did that for four years.
In 2017 I met my now-husband. We’re dating, I’m in a very stressful job, I’m making six figures. I found my own salon suite and I quit that job to do nails full time.
I had maybe $25K saved up and I didn’t miss a beat financially. My books built up immediately from 7am to 7pm.
I didn’t have boundaries, policies, or procedures in place. I didn’t have self-care. “No” wasn’t an option for me, because I felt like I needed to work to get the money.
I was chronically dehydrated and I developed a kidney issue. I developed asthma. I developed a herniated spinal disc from sitting for so long and not stretching. I have never experienced that much pain in my adult life.
From the back pain, and the trauma dumping from my clients, and physical exhaustion I was experiencing, and the emotional unbalance I had — I was becoming very depressed.
I went back to my other job. I took doing nails back to part time, and I started making boundaries for myself.
That whole time I was doing nails full time, I was siloed. I didn’t have that community to advise me and to tell me to start saying no, to create boundaries, and to prioritize my health above all else.
Now I want to be that voice for other people.
2. BUILD YOUR PROFESSIONAL COMMUNITY.
Nail techs can be siloed into their own world, especially new techs. Sometimes they don’t think about connecting with nail techs in their area, or maybe they live in a rural area and there aren’t a lot of others around.
If they don’t have community, if they don’t have someone to educate or mentor them, they could feel alone to the point where they may feel they’re not growing. They may get imposter syndrome. They may not want to do nails anymore.
Or they might have an idea to start something, but if they don’t have that support, they’ll probably never jumpstart it.
Social media can help in a lot of different ways. Use it as a networking avenue, especially if you don’t physically have somewhere to network.
By that I mean commenting, DMing, asking them what the industry is like in their area.
If you are starting out, it’s good to bounce ideas off of others and ask questions: What type of product do you use? What type of base coat? Top coat? What’s your cancellation policy? How do you handle this type of client?
I’ve made real-life friends from doing that, in Canada and all over the U.S., all by communicating via social media and creating a community for myself.
3. FOCUS ON DEVELOPING A NICHE INSTEAD OF CHASING TRENDS.
I don’t pay attention to trends simply because they fade in and fade out.
The problem with a lot of nail techs is they want to do everything. You can’t do everything and succeed at everything. Seasoned nail techs don’t do anything outside of what they offer.
You can’t perfect all those services, so find two that you want to do and perfect those. Your tribe will find you.
You have to find the clientele that fits your skills. if you’re jumping all over the place, if you’re following the trends, you’re not going to have a steady clientele. When I retired last year, I had the same clients as I had when I started in 2012.
4. FOLLOW THESE SOCIAL MEDIA DO’s & DON’TS.
DO: Prioritize self-care over posting.
Trying to have a business on social media and taking care of your mental health is a task, and it takes effort and discipline.
In the beginning, Instagram was so much fun … now it’s more: What time do I post? Can I post at this time? How do I schedule posts? … and it’s a whole stressful thing that can lead you to just not do it.
Your social media is for you, and if you need breaks then take a break!
DO: Turn off your notifications.
I haven’t had my Instagram notifications on for five years. It’s distracting!
Especially for someone who has ADHD like me, post your work and get off the phone. If you want to come back and check the comments later, you can. Don't obsess.
There has to be boundaries between social media and your real life — because if not, you’re going to drive yourself crazy, burn out, be exhausted. It’s not worth it.
DON’T: Measure yourself against other nail techs.
Focus on your own work and don’t compare yourself to someone else. My main message for social media is to compare yourself now to yourself then.
Focus on how you can do better and have the point of view that you’re not posting for other people — you’re posting for you. You’re posting your growth.
DON’T: Mix your personal and professional life on social media.
The number one thing I teach in my social media classes is to be professional. I really can’t harp on that enough.
Social media has turned into something where people think everyone wants to see their regular life. If I’m a customer looking for a nail tech, I don’t need to know what you’re wearing, I don’t need a Get Ready With Me. I want to see your work!
The way social media is now, it’s so personal on your business page and some people think that’s okay. But that can really backfire.
Shauna Wright is a Virginia-based nail educator and founder of the Black Nail Tech Collective (open to all licensed nail artists). She will be teaching three classes at the International Beauty Show in New York from March 23-25 — register here.