Today we’d like to introduce you to Kaila Wilson.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Kaila. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
In 2014, I was working a dead-end job at a local restaurant. I knew I needed to get out of it and find a career. I had always had a nail polish addiction, so I decided that cosmetology school was the right route for me. After searching for schools, I finally settled on Kenneth Shuler School of Cosmetology in North Augusta, SC. The first couple of weeks, I felt like I didn’t know what I was doing there. That was until I met Kisha McClenney. I saw her doing nails and i definitely wanted her to do mines. After a while, I thought “Maybe I should learn how to do this. It seems fun.” From that day forward, nails were my life. A year or so after graduation, I saw a post on Instagram that a shop was looking to hire nail techs; it turned out to be one of my favorite nail artists Mary Negron. I jumped at the chance to work with her at Haus of Bling; she’s the best in my city. She took a chance on me and hired me. The amount of skills that I learned from her is invaluable. I never imagined that I would be working along side her. When Mary transitioned to a new location inside of Digits Nail Bar, she suggested that I should come along to. Of course I took her up on the opportunity. There I met Kristen Smith, the manager, who explained to me the vision of Digits. She didn’t want it to be like the discount nail salons; she wanted it to be different. She wants us to raise the bar, set the new standard for nail salons in our area. She wants all of us to be the best that we can be.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
It hasn’t always been easy. There were times during my journey where I thought I’d never do nails again. It was a gut-wrenching feeling. Directly after graduating cosmetology school, I was working at another dead-end job at a local beauty supply. I was content just working there and barely scraping by when it came to paying the bills. In October of 2016, I was fired. I thought it was the end of the world; I had never been fired from a job before. Little did I know, that this was a blessing in disguise. Shortly after getting fired, I decided to start doing nails for the public. I knew it was now or never. I did nails in my house for a few weeks until I saw Mary’s Instagram post looking for nail techs. There were plenty of other times in my journey where other jobs would distract me from what I love doing the most. Sometimes, I would sit and think that I wasn’t good enough. You can’t sit and dwell on the negative; you have to believe in yourself. If you don’t believe in your gift, your skills, your abilities then no one else will. It may sound cliche, but never give up on your dreams. Don’t let anyone or anything get in your way.
We’d love to hear more about Digits Nail Bar.
I am a Nail Artist at Digits Nail Bar. I do acrylic nails, manicures, pedicures, and nail art. I would say that I specialize in acrylic nails. I believe I’m known for having neat work and also my transformations of sets from other salons. I am most proud of the way I can make a person feel better about themselves just by doing their nails. There’s no better feeling than seeing their face light up when they have a fresh set on their hands. I feel like at Digits, we provide an escape from everyday life. The clients can really relax and be themselves; they can decompress. What sets me apart is the fact that not only me but also my coworkers, put our all into the nails that we do. At most salons, they like to get you in and out in a hurry. We take our time to make sure our clients are happy with the service they receive. we don’t think of people as just dollar signs.
Do you recommend any apps, books or podcasts that have been helpful to you?
Instagram is my number one favorite app. Not only do I get to show the world my art; I can also look at other people’s work. It’s where I mainly find the inspiration for my nails. I also love the Selfish Babe app. it sends you random inspirational quotes throughout the day. I can’t go a day without using Spotify. Music is life! I listen to music when I’m happy, when I need a pick me up or if I just need a moment to be sad. I also have a journal which helps me be a better me. It helps to keep me organized; it’s also a good outlet for me. If I’m feeling stressed about anything I can just write it out and usually, I’ll feel 100% better.
Pricing:
- Acrylic Full Set- $35
- Nail Art- $5 per finger
- Ombre Nails- $40
Contact Info:
- Address: 315 S Belair Rd, Suite 2, Martinez, GA 30907
- Website: digitsnailbar.com
- Phone: 7065918945
- Email: admin@digitsnailbar.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nails_by_kaila/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/n
- Other: https://www.hausofbling.com/
Image Credit:
Kenneth Shuler School of Cosmetology, Meghann Lehmer McLeroy, Digits Nail Bar
Getting in touch: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
