Junior Amy Retana turns passion into profit with nail art
Junior Amy Retana has turned her passion into a business with NailzzByAmy, her at-home nail salon. With appointments lasting anywhere from 30 minutes to hours long, Retana is building a steady stock of clients.
“Back when I lived with my dad I would visit my mom every other weekend and she would always do my nails,” junior Amy Retana said. “It was my favorite memory when we were together so when I came to live with her, she inspired me to do nails.”
Retana has had to balance her nail business with both schoolwork and another job. At times, she has clients right after school or before and after work.
Junior Anya Corbitt is one of Retana’s regular clients. “She’s very dedicated and puts in great effort to do nails and when she did mine for the first time I loved them a lot,” Corbitt said. “I would tell people to come ready to talk because Amy builds good communication with her clients and is very loving.”
Retana has received positive feedback throughout the year as she’s progressed and expanded to being able to do more than 10 styles of nail art. While her nail business is currently a hobby, being a nail technician might expand into becoming Retana’s lifetime career.
With more than seven nail salons within five miles of campus, there are plenty of places for someone to get their nails done. However, for some people getting their nails done takes nothing more than a visit to Nailzzbyamy, located inside the home of 16-year-old junior Amy Retana.
“Back when I lived with my dad I would visit my mom every other weekend and she would always do my nails,” Retana said. “It was my favorite memory when we were together so when I came to live with her, she inspired me to do nails.”
It hasn’t been easy as juggling school and doing nails can be a struggle.
“It can be difficult to manage being a nail tech and going to school at the same time especially because I have another job as well,” Retana said. “During the week if I’m off from my other job I have a client right after school and on the weekends I either have a client before work or after work.”
With appointments lasting anywhere from 30 minutes to hours long, Retana is building a steady stock of clients.
“She’s very dedicated and puts in great effort to do nails and when she did mine for the first time I loved them a lot,” junior Anya Corbitt said. “I would tell people to come ready to talk because Amy builds good communication with her clients and is very loving.”
Retana has received a lot of good feedback throughout the year as she’s progressed and expanded to being able to do more than 10 styles of nail art.
“It was really relaxing and she made sure everything looked the way it was supposed to before moving on to the next step,” junior Madison Brown said. “I really think she’s going to succeed as a nail tech and everyone in the area should go to her.”
Currently just a hobby and small business opportunity for Retana, being a nail technician might expand into becoming her lifetime career.
“In the future I see myself attending cosmetology school and getting my nail license so that I can have my own shop and become a full-time nail tech,” Retana said. “My favorite part of doing nails is when I see a smile on my clients face because something as simple as nails can make someone’s day.”
