Meet Danielle Vega of Dani’s Manis

Today we’d like to introduce you to Danielle Vega.

Danielle, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
My journey into the world of nails started in 2014 when I was a stay at home mom on a fixed income, which didn’t cover manicures. I quickly learned how to score some free nail polishes through my love of extreme couponing, and next thing I knew I was doing fun nail designs on myself!! After several months of having my friends ask for manicures, I decided to explore schooling options and enrolled at LuRoss Academy in Ventura, CA in Jan. 2015.

In July 2015, I found myself licensed! I saved over $600.00 in tips during my 18wk manicuring course and used that to buy my first set of gel polishes. I explored mobile manicuring for a while and decided that it was not for me after I found myself doing a fullest of acrylics in a dark garage in a bad area of town. I decided to keep my business home based until I grew my clientele. My source of the advertisement was INSTAGRAM! I moved to this area in 2010 and barely had any friends, but found several inspiring accounts on Instagram. I went to google and searched for more info on how to grow my account to target my ideal clientele. My business just blossomed from there and has continued to do so.

In March 2016, I realized that pedicures in my living room was no longer a great idea and decided to move into a private salon studio! I remember being so scared and nervous, but a good friend said to me “What’s the worse that can happen? You go back to doing nails in your home?” It just made sense to me! She even helped me realize that all I needed was five services a week to make the low rent option I was given for the first 12 weeks. By the time my rent went up, I was doing double the amount in clients!

In Jan. 2017, I added a second nail tech to my team, by March 2017 she was completely booked out, so I added a part-time tech to work evenings and weekends. When Aug. 2017 came around my husband, and I decided to venture off into a storefront. As of Feb. 2019, we proudly have all seven manicuring stations occupied, and we will be expanding into a bigger location in May 2019. How did I get here? I have no idea, it all started with a dream and $600.00 in tips.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I went from being a stay at home mom to a manicurist and then to a business owner in a matter of two yrs! It has most definitely not been a smooth road, but in all honesty, I would do it all over again and in the exact order.

The hardest part for me has been adjusting to the consistent growth of the business, learning when to be a mentor and when to be a friend towards the nail artists in my salon. There isn’t a day that goes by where I don’t get a message from an Instagram follower or friend reminding me that I’m an inspiration. It’s such a humbling feeling that I never, in a million years, thought I’d hear someone say about me. Learning to accept these compliments will forever be a challenge for me.

And I think the biggest struggle, that many can relate to, is finding time amongst the chaos to love myself by setting time aside for just me. Im such a visionary that it often hinders me. I lose sleep over these ideas that float in my head trying to figure out how to make them happen. People who have worked with me will read this and laugh because it’s so true. I just can’t stop thinking of how to do and be more!

Dani’s Manis – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
We are a church of nails!! Home to some of Ventura County’s artistic nail babes. We specialize in all things nail art. From glitter & chrome to hand painted old English & floral designs! Clients come into our award-winning nail salon expecting not only an edgy & modern nail service but also the one of a kind experience that will have them feeling a hundred times more beautiful than when they walked in.

We are not a typical corner shop looking for quantity over quality, we set the standard higher with our waterless pedicures, muraled walls, top hits vibrating through the concrete floors and the pure laughter we all share. As the owner, I am proud of all our nail artists for the commitment, drive, and love they bring day in and out.

What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
Being voted Ventura County’s number one Manicurist and Nail Salon in the first year of business. To be voted number one amongst some very seasoned and talented woman is such a huge accomplishment and just makes me so proud of myself. I never consider myself “better” then any other nail sister, I love my community and the people who are in it.

Contact Info:

• Address: 265 S. Laurel St. Ventura CA 93001
• Website: www.danismanis.net
• Phone: 805-628-0762
• Email: hello@danismanis.net
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danis.manis/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/805nailer/
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/danis-manis-ventura-2

Getting in touch: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.