Rising Stars: Meet Nikki Son

Today we’d like to introduce you to Nikki Son.

Hi Nikki, 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 grew up as a child of immigrant parents and as an immigrant myself. My parents worked hard to provide for my three siblings and me. We didn’t have much growing up and were always considered a low-income household. My parents only asked that I do well in school and get a stable job. Seeing how much my parents struggled to survive in a new country, I knew I wanted better for them and myself. I went to UC Irvine and got a degree in Business Economics with honors, got a corporate accounting job, and fulfilled my parents’ wishes of me. However, I was unfulfilled myself. With accumulated debt from school and life, along with helping my parents financially, my 9-5 job was not enough. I knew I had to do something else. I knew I needed to make more money to provide for my parents and myself. I started my business as a side hustle and devoted all “off-hours” to it. I put my first training class on a credit card and never looked back. I spent the first year of my career working both my accounting job and my side hustle for 16 hours a day, seven days a week. I sacrificed time away from family and friends to make it work. After a year, I started paying down all my debt and it ignited a sense of freedom in me. Choosing to go after my dreams and passion of art and beauty has been the best life decision I’ve ever made. Now, six years later, I have my own studio with two artists under me, and 100s of clients a year. I’m blessed and lucky to be where I am today, but I also worked super hard to be here.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Being my own boss and a first-generation entrepreneur has not been easy. It has come with a lot of trial and error with no clear direction or path. I had to figure out a lot of things on my own, make mistakes, and ultimately learn from it. One of the main struggles I’ve had was overcoming imposter syndrome and never thinking I was good enough. I remained humble after all these years, but I can finally accept how proud I am of myself and all my accomplishments.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a cosmetic tattoo artist and trainer located in Orange County, CA. I specialize in natural powder brows, lip blush tattoos, and eyeliner. I am most proud of having so many returning clients year after year and all the students I have trained in this art form. Their continued faith and trust in me speaks volumes for my work and myself. What sets me apart from others is that my work is meant to enhance what my clients already have. My work heals natural in a way where others cannot tell it is a “tattoo”.

What makes you happy?
Professionally, seeing my client’s reactions to my work makes me so happy. Making them feel more confident and beautiful always brightens up my day. Additionally, the friendships I’ve made with my clients are priceless and I love catching up with them whenever they come back. In terms of training, I’m happy I can be a mentor to those seeking to start a business for themselves and achieve the same freedom I have. Personally, my family, friends, two dogs, food, and traveling make me happy. I’m pretty low-maintenance and don’t require much to be happy. I’m also happy with the progress and successes I’ve had throughout my career.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.beautybynicksz.com
• Instagram: beautybynicksz
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/beautybynicksz
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/beauty-by-nicksz-garden-grove
• Other: https://linktr.ee/bbnicksz