Today we’d like to introduce you to Alexis Boles.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I started doing nails and makeup when I was 14 years old. I mainly only worked on myself, close friends, and family. I started offering services when I got to college. My goal was just to survive and pay bills. I never thought I would like it so much! I decided to drop out of school and moved back to Atlanta in 2017. I went back to my summer job at a makeup kiosk in the mall. I started doing nails out of my apartment. I found a salon suite in Decatur that was perfect for my existing clientele and great for building more! I officially moved into my shop Spring 2018. Now that I’ve been there for a little over a year, I have a small team of beauty professionals working for me!
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Of course not! I had a lot of people who didn’t believe in me! People who now praise me. When I first started doing nails in high school, it was 2010 and a lot of people weren’t really use to a black nail tech. It discouraged me and I stuck to only doing my nails. The beauty industry is an Asian dominated field but their customer base is black women! Doing nails when there’s an Asian owned shop on every corner was and still is hard! I make it by showing my quality and my creativity! Dropping out of school was a really hard decision. I really didn’t know how I was going to make my business work. I use to have an online boutique named Kitty Kartel selling women’s clothes and trying to pay for that work two jobs and do cosmetology was too much! I decided in February 2019 to let Kitty Kartel go and focus on Kissed & Klawed. I did a serious rebrand and redid my shop to mirror my new vision!
Kissed & Klawed Beauty Studio – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I’m the owner of Kissed & Klawed Beauty Studio. We are a one-stop-shop in Decatur, Georgia. We offer nail, makeup, and hair services. We are also about to debut our new line of luxury beauty products set out to make men & women feel like a better version of themselves. I do nails and makeup. When I first moved to Atlanta, I was more known for my makeup but my nails began to take over! I specialize in acrylic and crystal designs. A lot of my work is done with little to no polish! I’m most proud of my branding. I put my name on everything. I always say nobody brands better than me! And of course, I’m proud of my growth! I honestly feel like my customer service sets me apart from peers in the industry. Even though I’m in a salon suite, I run it like it’s a salon! People tend to talk about young stylists being rude and unprofessional, we don’t have that problem! I greet people as they walk in. I want everyone who walks in to feel welcome and know they are about to receive the best services!
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
My proudest moment has to be when I opened my shop! Just to finally be done putting everything together! And to just see my growth from working out of my college apartment to having a shop is unreal!
Pricing:
- Full Set $40
- Full Face $65
- Traditional Sew In $90
Contact Info:
- Address: 2962 Ember Drive Suite 21 Decatur, Georgia 30034
- Website: www.kissedandklawed.com
- Phone: 6785084838
- Email: kissedandklawed@gmail.com
- Instagram: @kissedandklawed
- Facebook: @kissedandklawed
Image Credit:
Peter Sylvester
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