Today we’d like to introduce you to Alexis Juarez.
Hi Alexis, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I started doing my own acrylic nails at the end of 2019 on my bedroom floor. I had stopped working to be a stay-at-home mom and asked my husband if he could purchase an acrylic nail kit so I could start practicing on myself. It was a lot of trial and error but like many small businesses, COVID was a really big turning point for me. I have seen a lot of diy nails on TikTok and was immediately intrigued with this system of Gel-X. Here came lockdown and the nail salons were closed and a lot of my family members were desperate for their nails, so I took advantage and practiced as much as I could. I then started getting messages on Instagram from strangers, asking if I could do their nails. It was a little scary taking a big leap to start my own business, but that was the best decision I could’ve made for not only myself but for my family. I enjoyed doing nails and still being able to make my own schedule since my daughter is my number one priority.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It definitely has not been a smooth road. I knew I wanted to take my career to the next level and not be a home-based nail tech anymore. With that came attending beauty school to become a licensed nail tech, and that was tough. A lot of schools require you to pay the full amount of the tuition upfront, which can range from $3,000-$10,000. I felt like my dream of becoming licensed was put on pause for a while because I felt selfish taking the money from my family to pursue my dreams. Sounds crazy, but being in the position of a stay-at-home mom and having one income wasn’t easy, there was a lot of guilt that came with owning your own business. A year passed, my husband and I talked and decided we needed to just take the leap and with the help of my good friend Caitlin, she and I signed up for beauty school together in April of 2023. It was full-time, Monday-Friday, and it definitely wasn’t easy needing help with my daughter. There were times I needed to take her with me to school because essentially, being a mom is a top priority. Once I graduated from beauty school, it felt like a new start. I decided to re-brand and change my business name from “Nailed by Alexis “ to something more ME. I brainstormed, and LIBRARTÉ Studio was born. I am a Libra, and my job is very artistic, so why not merge both parts of who I am into one! I decided to go with the Spanish form “arte” since I am a proud Latina.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a licensed nail tech that specializes in gel extensions and structured manicures. I also am a content creator and have a big following on TikTok at almost 50,000 followers. I like to post a lot of nail content such as hacks, tips, and tricks for nail techs, and just show my creative side in the kind of art I can do on nails. I take a lot of pride in my work, and I know my clients appreciate that aspect as well. I constantly get comments such as “Omg, I never knew my nails could look like this” or “Omg, you’re so fast but my nails last me forever”. With four years of experience now, I like to be as efficient as possible. I’ve grown into a rhythm with the process of doing nails, and that is one thing my clients appreciate, which is how fast I work. They know their nails are going to last them over a month, and the design they asked for was also reciprocated, but it was done in a timely manner.
So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
The best way to support me is to simply just follow my socials and interact with me. Instagram is the platform where I am most active, where people can book and just constantly see my work. It’s librartestudio on Instagram and TikTok as well.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://librarte-studio-llc.square.site/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/librartestudio?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
- Other: www.tiktok.com/@librartestudio
