Inspiring Conversations with Renee Phillips of Nashville Nails

Today we’d like to introduce you to Renee Phillips.

Hi Renee, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I didn’t take a straight path to get to where I am today here, my journey has been anything but conventional. I was raised in the South, and like many women, I built my life around family first. I was married for over 30 years and raised two incredible sons, both of whom will always be the most meaningful part of my story.

At a certain point, though, I knew I needed to step into something of my own. After a long season of prayer, personal growth, and some difficult decisions, I chose to start over. That’s not easy at this stage of life but it was necessary.

I’ve always had an entrepreneurial spirit, and opening Nashville Nails felt like the right intersection of timing, instinct, and vision. I didn’t want to create just another nail salon. I wanted to build something special. A place where the experience feels intentional, where the standards are high, and where both our clients and our team feel taken care of.

As of today, our salon is officially open and thriving in East Hollywood, and I’m building it alongside my oldest son, which makes it even more meaningful. It hasn’t been easy as there have been financial pressures, logistical challenges, and a steep learning curve. But I’ve learned that resilience and clarity will carry you through more than you think.

At this point in my life, I’m focused on building something that lasts, something that reflects who I am now and creates opportunity not just for me, but for the people around me. It is a new chapter, my legacy, and a reminder that it is never too late to become who you were meant to be.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Not even close.

Opening Nashville Nails has been one of the most meaningful things I have ever done, but it has also been one of the absolute hardest. There is a beauty to entrepreneurship that people see from the outside looking in, but behind the scenes, it takes a tremendous amount of faith, relentless endurance, and constant problem-solving.

We faced challenges early on that created a lot of pressure during a very critical stage of the business. Funding that we had been counting on changed unexpectedly (and during underwriting), construction and startup costs became heavier than anticipated, and there were moments when there was no road, no map, and no clear way through… so we had to make the path ourselves. It was not just one challenge. It was layers of many complex challenges happening at the same time.

There were very long days, difficult conversations, immense financial stress, and moments where I had to remind myself that ultimately, God is in control. But I also believe difficult seasons reveal what
something is really built on, and how solid that foundation really is. For us, Nashville Nails was built on pure faith, family, resilience, and a genuine desire to serve people well and follow God’s calling in this
season.

What kept me going was the response from our community. Clients started coming in, leaving unsolicited beautiful reviews, telling their friends, and encouraging us in ways they probably did not even realize we needed. Every kind word, every returning client, every person who walked in and felt
something special reminded me day in and day out that this business was worth continuing the fight for.

So no, it has not been a smooth road. Many days, there seemed to be no road at all. But I am proud of how far we’ve come, in many ways. Smooth roads do not always lead to wondrous places. This journey has stretched me, strengthened me, and made me even more committed to building something that lasts, especially for my sons.

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Nashville Nails ?
At Nashville Nails, we want people to feel a sense of community from the moment they walk through the door.

Of course, we offer beautiful manicures, relaxing pedicures, custom nail art, and lovely facials, but what truly matters to me is the experience surrounding the service.

After decades of being a nail salon client myself, I knew exactly what kind of space I wanted to create: a salon was clean without
feeling sterile, elevated without feeling unwelcoming, and professional without feeling impersonal.

Our inspiration comes from Southern hospitality, but we brought it into the heart of Hollywood. That means we care about the details. The greeting when someone walks in. The comfort of the space.
The way the sweet tea tastes. The cleanliness. The consistency. Even the honey-brown stained concrete floors were chosen to feel like soil beneath you, the heated pedicure chairs as clients soak
their feet, and the rural landscaped wallpaper behind them was meant to quietly transport them, almost like they have their feet in a creek somewhere in the middle of nowhere, Tennessee.

I also care deeply about the people who work with us. A salon is only as strong as the team behind it, and I want Nashville Nails to be a place where talented technicians are respected, supported, and proud of the work they do as professionals of their craft. When the team knows they are valued, the clients know they are, too.

We are not trying to rush people in and out. We are building relationships. We are bringing together our community. We are creating a space where clients can slow down for a moment, feel beautiful,
and know they belong.

To me, Nashville Nails itself is a community. We are a mother and son building something with love, grit, and a very clear expansive vision. We want every client to leave with perfect nails, of course,
but even more than that, we want them to leave knowing they’re more than just a customer here.

How do you think about luck?
I do not know that I would call it luck as much as faith, timing, preparation, and perseverance. There have certainly been moments in my life where the right door opened at the most divine time, and I am deeply grateful for those moments. But I have also lived long enough to know that doors usually open after a lot of unseen work, prayer, patience, and courage.

There have also been moments that some people might call bad luck. Personal transitions, financial issues, business challenges, and situations that forced me to make hard executive decisions. But
looking back, many of those difficult moments became turning points. They pushed me to grow. They made me clearer. They taught me what I was capable of, which was much more than I could have
thought.

In business, I do not think you can build something lasting by relying on luck. You have to show up when things seem impossible. You have to keep going when everything feels uncertain. You have to
be willing to learn, adjust, and keep your standards high even when it would be easier and much more comfortable to give up.

That said, I do believe there is lots of grace from God in the timing of life. Sometimes what looks like a setback is actually redirecting you toward something better. Some of the hardest chapters in my life
led me directly to Nashville Nails.

So if luck has played a role, I would say it has been in the form of perspective. The things I once thought were delays or disappointments became part of the unshakeable foundation for what I am still building today.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.nashvillenails.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nashville.nails