Today we’d like to introduce you to Kendra Johnston.
Hi Kendra, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
I started doing nails in 2008 and immediately fell in love with nail art. I worked in nail & hair salons for 10 years and when Covid hit I decided to take a risk and open my own space. Within my first year of working for myself, I tripled my business by utilizing social media, for free. I outgrew the space I was in and am now in a 2000-square-foot salon completely renovated and designed by me.
I teach nail art classes at the local school and offer internships and mentorship in my salon, The Nail Room. We specialize in hand-drawn nail art and have been featured in our city paper three times and were runner-up for best nail salon last year. It has been such a wild & fun ride.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
There have been many bumps in my road to entrepreneurship. Making certain you are up to city codes is the biggest lesson I’ve learned. Also, calling yourself and asking questions instead of trusting anyone else is such an important piece of owning a business.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I specialize in hand-painted nail art. I’m known for hipster/abstract nail art but love any new ideas and trends. Nails have come so far in the last 15 years, and I’ve enjoyed being a part of the rise of nails in the beauty industry. I’m most proud of the mentorship program I’ve been building for the last few years. I love seeing a student in the internship/mentorship program build their confidence and get better with their skills and client relationships.
Sharing my gift and tips/tricks is something I believe is so important, when I was younger in this industry no one shared tips with me or helped me to build my own business so that has always been a priority of mine.
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
I see my industry continuing to blossom and grow. I see my salon being the nail art spot in the city and hopefully opening 2 or 3 more locations in surrounding cities. In 10 years I hope to convert an RV into a salon and travel the country going to art shows and festivals & doing pop-up nail art.
Pricing:
- nail art tier 1, $50-$60
- Nail art tier 2, $60-$80
- Nail art tier 3, $80+
Contact Info:
- Email: Thenailroomtoledo@gmail.com
- Instagram: @Thenailroom_kendra
- Facebook: Facebook.com/thenailroomtoledo
