Life & Work with Christa Cole of Pasadena

Today we’d like to introduce you to Christa Cole

Hi Christa, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
From when I was a kid, my grandma and mom used to go to salons to have their nails done, and I’d watch them. When I got older, I picked up nail polish and would polish not only my nails but my friends’ nails as well. By age 10, I was so into it that I got one of those acrylic nail kits and thought I’d give it a shot. Well, that went south pretty fast. Turns out, the kit was missing a crucial ingredient. But after I recovered from that, I realized I had some talent in this area, and I really enjoyed it. But even though I could do nails, I really had no idea where I could work, seeing as I didn’t have anyone who looked like me working in the industry at the time. I found myself in school for fashion and business, as it started to feel a little boring for me, I found myself enrolling into nail school. I had a cousin tell me I should go to school as I was good at what I was doing. I found myself enrolled in all of my needed classes, and taking heed to this new journey. As I was in school I found a salon job that trained me with more techniques. I was learning the state board curriculum as well as learning on the job tasks. It was really a journey to finding my footing in the industry.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I worked hard in the salon for five years, so I had a lot of knowledge before taking a leap of faith and opening my own business. I struggled in the beginning, but I learned how to be good at what I do and how to be a good listener to my clients. After a few months I was busy, and within the year I was booked solid. By 2020 I was fully booked, and then, boom, the shutdown happened. I knew it was going to be challenging as the industry was changing. And, of course, new requirements for all businesses were changing. It was definitely a challenge, but my business grew even more from there.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I take great pride in having created Nailgician as a private, safe haven for those who come to my chair. Together, we share life’s moments and enjoy the experience while enhancing their nails. My specialty lies in gel services, with a strong focus on wellness, as it plays a crucial role in helping my clients achieve their goal of growing healthy natural nails. At Nailgician, I provide manicures, nail enhancements, and creative nail art. I’m also an educator where I teach the required curriculum to students who want to become licensed in manicuring. With my knowledge I like to educate my clients as well. Having great nails takes time and care.

What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
One of the big nuggets of wisdom I’ve scooped up is to always continue learning new techniques and having a safety net for unforeseen circumstances. I’ve learned from the shutdown that having a savings would keep things going if I had to shutdown business. Also, I’ve learned that welcoming client feedback and diving into new techniques are pure gold for keeping my business thriving!

Pricing:

• Structured Gel Mani $100
• Soft Gel Extensions $120
• Poly Gel Fullset $125

Contact Info:

• Website: https://nailgician.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/nailgician