Today we’d like to introduce you to Elayna Darby.
Hi Elayna, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
My story really began during college at the University of South Florida for me. I have always had such a strong interest in politics growing up, having been exposed to some of my family member’s lines of work starting at a young age. I developed a really strong sense of my own political beliefs and decided I wanted to pursue a career in law. I attended USF for 4 years with a Political Science major, only falling short two semesters of my Bachelor’s Degree when I decided the world of politics wasn’t for me.
Lost with what I wanted out of a career and with plenty of extra time on my hands, I took up doing my own acrylic nails as a hobby. Thinking “Oh, maybe I can save a little bit of cash, and picking up something I’ve always been interested in should be fun!”. I sat down and watched countless YouTube videos on products, doing a full set of nails, etc., and I was able to complete my first full set on myself in September of 2019. After a month or two of practice, I decided I wanted to go even further and enrolled in a Nail Specialist program to earn my license as a nail technician, and completed the program in December of 2019.
Now fully equipped with my license, products, and equipment it was time to start attracting clients. First things first was to setup my social media accounts for my business. For my brand, I knew from the very start I wanted the core foundation to be based on feminism and women empowerment. This realm of topics was always the one I found myself really driving home in my political debates when I attended USF, so it only felt natural to me for this to be the basis of my brand. I tossed around honestly maybe 50 different names until I just went with “AFeministNailTech”. I initially was a bit intimidated by the bluntness of the name in fear of driving off the potential clientele. But, I told myself, “if this is the true basis of the brand, even the true beliefs of you as the person behind the brand; the bolder the better”. And my world of devout feminism, met my love for the art of nails.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I’m a true believer that anything worth having is not going to be a smooth road to get to. There are always challenges you will face along the way to your own definition of success. As I last stated I really got the ball rolling towards the end of 2019, not knowing the biggest hurdle in my short life was right around the corner.
In early 2020, I got a call from my mom saying “I have cancer”. My world stopped at that moment, and I just knew this already intimidating road I was traveling on was only going to get more intense. Learning how to navigate being a brand new business owner in addition to the emotional and physical stress of having someone so close to you fight a scary and unpredictable battle is honestly something I don’t wish on anyone.
As of today, my mom has been cancer-free for over one year and counting. That scary moment in my life was truly a reminder to not take for granted the time you have with your loved ones, and to go after what it is you really want in life. After the all-clear from my mom, from that moment on, I went full speed with my business.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I specialize in luxury acrylic nails, known for my “safe space” environment in my private suite, as well as my feminist-driven art.
I am most proud of the response I get from my clients. I have had the pleasure of creating nails and artwork for many of my clients through such special moments (baby showers, weddings, birthdays, etc) and allowing these same clients to enter my safe environment. I strive to help all of my clients to understand that while they are in my suite, they are welcome to fully be themselves. I open the door to any and all genders, races/ethnicities, and sexual orientations; and further, encourage any and all topics of conversation to be brought to the table. What do I and some of the dancers in Vegas have in common? We know how to keep a secret!
I think what sets me apart from others in my field is my brand as a whole. I often times would hear from some of my LGBTQ+ clients that they are often turned away from other nail technicians in the area; or have also heard from clients that some salons in town would make them feel unwelcome seemingly because of their appearances or ethnicities. Again, and I cannot stress this enough, my suite is a place for any and everyone to “come as you are and let’s slay”.
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
Network! Network! Network! Listen, I’m naturally a very quiet and reserved person, but one thing I love doing is collaborating with other nail technicians and brands, especially when their beliefs fall in line with mine. If you can find a mentor that truly inspires you, definitely take that opportunity into consideration. Navigating business is hard, and there isn’t just one book written about it, there are thousands so finding what works best for you is so important. Surrounding yourself with like-minded business owners can only benefit you in the long run.
Pricing:
- Full acrylic sets start at $50
- Reusable press on nails start at $25
- Nail accessories are available on my website starting at $8
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/afeministnailtech
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/afeministnailtech?igshid=1f6e9oayrkl3w
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/A-Feminist-Nail-Tech-105116398332456/
