Today we’d like to introduce you to Janelle Warrick.
Janelle, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I first got into the beauty industry by my love of hair color. I always rocked different hairstyles and colors no one else would think of. In 2015, I was teaching middle school P.E in Stockbridge, GA. I was eager to have my own business one day. I never wanted to work for someone, only myself. The entrepreneur’s life is what I wanted and craved to accomplish. I thought with my creative side. I could do major things.
In 2017, I enrolled at Empire Beauty School in Morrow, GA. I would teach in the day and attend beauty classes at night. The schedule was hectic, but I was determined. The beauty industry started growing rapidly. There were so many directions you could go in. I wanted to be a colorist. However, going through the process of learning about hair, I started to dislike the craft. But the hustle of being an entrepreneur, I was getting ready. I met a stylist named RG who gave me the inside of the hustle and the motivation to really do your craft and focus on the prize. Until this day, I don’t think he knows how much of a motivator he really was.
While going through my program, I learned about skincare and nails. My love for color expanded into a nail form. From the time I started playing with the items in my nail kit, I couldn’t stop. We did small competitions in school and I was determined to win at the end of the night. I fell in love with the artistry of nails. Just like hair, there were many lanes you could go into with doing nails. The program I was in didn’t thoroughly go into depth enough about nails. I had to make a decision and find a nail school with a program I could really learn more. This was my calling.
In 2018, I enrolled at ESI, Elaine Sterling Institute in Dunwoody. I had to start my program over, which was a bummer, but I did what I needed to do. For six months, I dedicated every evening for four days a week from 5-10 p.m. and every other Saturday. The journey was hard in school, as I was working in middle school and coaching cheerleading at the same time. Some nights and Saturday’s I missed class because of being dedicated with my team and had to attend football & basketball games. Luckily, my instructor Miss Ellejay was GODSENT. She worked out my hours with me whenever I needed to make up any work or any tests. Coaching and attending nail school in the evenings would get to me.
Sometimes after class, I would get home in the evenings and cry. I would be so exhausted. I knew it was going to be worth it one day. The girls I attended class with were my nail sisters. I began to bond with them on a different level than my other friends. They understood the nail world we were trying to enter and conquer. I wanted to make a name for myself in the nail game. My instructor became not only my mentor but a mom for life in this nail industry. Miss Ellejay would always motivate me. Always!
Creating my own lane, I came up with NailblossomATL with my friend Rae. We were finishing up our program and about to be Licensed Nail Techs. I was already creating my own business cards and started with the clientele of my co-workers at the school I was teaching at. My clientele grew from friends, family, co-workers, and word of mouth. I started networking as well to get into a salon by the time I was licensed.
In 2019, I started working at a popular nail salon called Nouvelle in Midtown. Nouvelle is owned by Alayna Hoang, who was a nail artist I looked up to. I was so impressed with her abstract work and so excited to be working by her side. All the nail artists at Nouvelle were a bomb. Celebrities were serviced in our salon. It was great for my portfolio. I was learning and growing. I made friends with another tech I looked up to, Bri. Bri helped me to grow tremendously. I decided I really wanted to try to get out of the salon setting and grow my business with NailblossomATL.
Creating and starting my own business was a struggle at first. I didn’t have a plan. I would research, ask mentors, seek networking groups, attend events, really anything to get my name out there. I would make house calls, which made me a separate nail tech in the beginning. The social network was key. I started my Instagram and would post & post. My friend Melessa sent me a post about 2Chainz opening a nail salon and thought I should send my work over. Months pass by and I give up on nails. I had no direction, no love for the hustle anymore. I would just stick to the school system.
March five 2020, on my birthday, I got a call to be apart of the team at Pamper Nail, 2Chainz spot. It was crazy because I had literally said a prayer that morning for direction on my path. Nails entered my life again. I was motivated to start my journey and build again. I couldn’t give up now. I was servicing 2Chainz’s mom, daughters, & friends, building my portfolio again with a great clientele. I was meeting incredible, talented nail artists and people in the industry to network with. And then the pandemic starts.
It was a sign I needed to be on my own. I needed to be Janelle, the entrepreneur. This pandemic was a way for me to sit down and really recreate my brand. I wasn’t a traditional salon tech & didn’t plan on going back to that. Don’t get me wrong. I loved every client I ever serviced in the salon. My clients become friends who then become family. It’s all about the experience with me. I took the time to plan out my goals, recreate my logo, watching nail techs more, studying nail art, and really focusing on my craft. I reconnected with my childhood friend Khadija, who was soon to open up Kharizmatik Nail & Beauty Bar in Stockbridge, GA. We both were tired of working traditional nail salons. It was perfect for me to have a spot and do my own thing!
My personality is three words-fun, creative, and a music head. My clients would say its not the traditional nail appointment. I create playlists for every mood and love hearing music while doing nails. I’m always singing something. I want my clients comfortable and relaxed. I also love the conversations my clients and I have. We laugh, cry, vent, laugh some more. I love it when a client sits in my chair and starts with, “Let me tell you..” Or a man in my pedicure chair is looking confused because he is relaxed.
Right now, during a trying time with COVID 19, I am making an appointment only. My client’s love it because of the one on one time with me and privacy in the suite. Its been a rough hump to get over with it not being traditional anymore in the world, but I am still getting to do what I love. I am teaching virtually and still making my client’s happy too!
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I would say the road to being a great nail artist has been 50/50. I’ve had my negative moments. I’ve also turned those negative struggles to positive learning moments. I had to learn balance first. Being in education had to come first was my way of thinking. Then a lightbulb went off. I could really do BOTH! Why not?
I also learned that everyone has a niche. Everyone won’t like your work, and everyone isn’t necessarily your client. You can’t take it to heart. My client always tells me they love my service. My service, my personality and my laugh is what brings them back to me. I always say, “I service clients like, I would service myself!”
Please tell us about NailblossomATL.
NailblossomATL, for now, is just myself. My plan in the future is to have my own salon and build a team of incredible nail artists in the future. I specialize in pedicures. I absolutely love doing feet and that is what I’m known for. Every tech doesn’t like feet; however, I do. I love seeing a difference in my work from the time you come in and the time you walk out the door.
My clients love the way I massage. I get so many compliments on my massaging. I tell them, I massage the way I would want someone to massage my feet. Simple as that. I also do natural nail work like manicures, SNS, and acrylic work. I’m very proud of how far I’ve taken NailblossomATL. I love how I’ve been working on more creative ways to design nail art & step out the box. I think what separates me is that I don’t focus on just nail bling, but more abstract work.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
If I had to start over, I would have gone straight into the beauty industry rather than the education field. I would’ve trusted myself more instead of letting fear get the best of me.
Contact Info:
- Address: 6055 N. Henry Blvd
Suite F Stockbridge, GA - Phone: 470-443-4623
- Email: nblossomatl@gmail.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/nailblossomatl
Image Credit:
Keilan Scott Photos
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