As kids, many of us participated in fun small business ventures. Whether that involved a lemonade stand, dog walking, or lawn mowing, everyone has to start somewhere when it comes to entrepreneurial pursuits. Once high school hits, though, business ideas stem more so from passions and become far more elaborate.

Junior Dayanara Lopez has dedicated herself to turning that spark of inspiration into a business. Chasing after her love of all things art and beauty, Lopez has established her own nail business on Instagram (nailsxdaya).

For as long as she can remember, Lopez has been captivated by the art community and its many facets. 

“I’ve always been super interested in art and drawing, so doing nails felt really natural to me,” Lopez said. “My passion for beauty and that mix of art really got me interested.”

Learning how to do nails requires regular practice and a great deal of dedication. Fortunately for Lopez, this process came fairly quickly and naturally.

“I would work with different mediums and practice on myself, friends, siblings, and silicone hands,” Lopez said. “It did take a while to build confidence and start taking clients but after my first paying customer, I felt motivated and excited to continue growing.”

With her newfound confidence, Lopez took to making a name for herself and started on the journey of business promotion. 

“I began by posting my work and business all over social media including Instagram, Snapchat, and Facebook,” Lopez said. “I eventually bought business cards and many of my clients started referring me to other people.”

Nails have most definitely become a luxury, and Lopez strives to provide affordable, quality services so that customers can treat themselves.

“While the materials are costly and it takes a great deal of time, I factor the prices based off of the service and I avoid up charging 5 dollars for each gem,” Lopez said. 

Finding inspiration in a hobby early on can be extremely rewarding when it comes to future pursuits. Some may view Lopez’s nail art as work but she likes to think of it more as an ongoing passion. 

“I hope to continue growing and I most definitely will be doing this in the future,” Lopez said. “This journey has been such an investment and I know it will be so worth it.”

With Lopez’s continuous growth as an artist and nail tech, there is no doubt that she will continue to take strides in the small business community. Getting inspired and establishing a name for herself early on will hopefully fuel her motivation into the future.