My journey into the nail industry is one that’s been full of twists, turns, and resilience, and I hope it inspires you to chase your own dreams—no matter the challenges.

When I lost my job as a sales and events manager during the COVID-19 lockdown, I found myself at a crossroads. I hadn’t been to university or college, and my future felt uncertain. But in the midst of that tough time, I turned back to something I’d loved as a teenager: nails.

Years ago, I’d had to stop doing nails after developing a severe allergy to the chemicals, but I was determined to try again. After scouring forums and researching for hours, I discovered nitrile gloves, which allowed me to work on others without triggering my allergy. I couldn’t do my own nails without a reaction, but that didn’t stop me. During lockdown, I painted my own nails daily to create content for Instagram, even enduring allergic reactions just to make sure I had something to post at 5pm each day. My hard work (and pain from the reactions) paid off, though, and I had grown a small, but engaged following of around 2,000 people.

As my audience grew, I started a weekly nail art challenge called the “Print Challenge,” named after my Instagram handle @printbysam. The response was incredible—hundreds of techs joined in, and our group chat on WhatsApp quickly hit its 250-member limit. This community became a lifeline, not just for me but for so many others who found support, encouragement, and a sense of belonging.

When lockdown restrictions eased slightly, I began practicing on coworkers from a part-time job I’d had to go for, at Wagamama. Every nail design I shared on Instagram helped me grow my audience further, and by early 2021, I had around 5,000 followers. At this point, I moved back to my parents’ house and transformed a very little spare room into my nail studio. My setup was modest: a desk my dad built for me from chipboard, a single UV lamp, and under 30 colors. Despite the humble beginnings, my client base grew quickly. I focused on nail health, alongside making sure every person who walked through my door felt confident and cared for, and it paid off in loyalty and referrals. And as I built my client base, I continued creating content late into the night. I poured my heart into every post, and my Instagram following surged to nearly 100,000. That’s when I caught the attention of a major industry brand, The Gel Bottle (TGB). For a year, I worked as a Content Creator for TGB, producing nail art reels, tutorials, and promotional content. During this time, I transitioned away from working with clients and focused on creating with models instead.

Whilst working with TGB was an incredible experience, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I wanted to do more for the nail community. Back when I created the Print Challenge and its group chat, I fell in love with the sense of connection and support it brought to the industry. I wanted to bring that back on a larger scale. I had also been selling my own tutorials on nail prep, shaping, gel application, builder gel, and more. These tutorials were well-received and sold in large numbers, which made me realize there was an opportunity to create something even bigger for the industry.

That’s when the idea for The Nail Dates was born—an online community for nail artists. I envisioned a space that offered the tutorials I was already creating, but with the addition of guest artists so nail techs could learn from the best in the industry without spending hundreds or thousands on in-person training. I wanted TND to be a one-stop resource for everything a nail tech could need: business advice, social media tips, content creation strategies, allergy support, and most importantly, a friendly community.

I poured all my energy into making TND a reality, leaving my role at TGB to dedicate myself fully to this dream. I wanted TND to be everything I had searched for but could never find—a place where nail techs could learn, grow, and connect. After a year of hard work, I launched The Nail Dates, and it has been nothing short of amazing. Today, we’re proud to have just shy of 1,000 members who are part of this incredible community.

My journey has been anything but straightforward, but it’s a testament to what passion, persistence, and a strong community can achieve. That’s why I created The Nail Dates—to offer others the support, inspiration, and tools they need to thrive in this industry. If I can make it, so can you. Join the community and together, let’s skyrocket you to your dreams.