Maddie Huang may be a senior in high school, but she is way ahead of most other people her age. She has worked at both a preschool and a local coffee shop before, but her main source of income comes from her artistic ability and creativity. She developed a talent for nail art about a year ago through a lot of practice and trial and error. She does not have a job at a nail salon though, despite the stability it would offer and risk it would eliminate. She is a business minded entrepreneur that started her own salon out of her room: Nails by Maddie.

Maddie, however, did not always have her eyes on specifically maintaining a business permanently. When she started her nail business in February, her “original plan was to fundraise enough money to go on a missions trip to Panama.” Even though her business was only initially for fundraising purposes, she still attacked it with an entrepreneurial mindset. She created her business on a personal (yet universal) identified need. In her words: “salons cost way too much to be getting my nails done consistently.”

Before too long, she encountered great success. This success was not without risk though. “Starting off my business was a big investment for all the supplies and tools,” she said. “I believe I spent around $200 to get started but I have earned all that back and then some.” With $30-$35 appointments about four times a week, she is making a significant profit.

But what brought her this success? How is her business any different from just driving down the road to a local salon? When I asked her this, her response was: “I think my little at home salon is very set apart in that the prices are way cheaper, and each manicure is done with love and care. I love connecting with my clients and keeping up to date with them. I want every person that gets their nails done to feel valued and leave 100% satisfied.” By paying for Maddie’s nail services (and by paying, I mean paying significantly less than you would at a salon), you are not just paying for a manicure. You are paying for an experience.

I know I personally traveled an hour from Grove City College to my nail appointment with her. Why? At a salon, a random adult will do my nails, and that’s about all that happens. I leave with pretty nails, but that’s all. When I go to Maddie’s at home salon, I leave feeling full. I am able to talk and connect and relate to a fellow girl my age. There is more friendship and relationship involved with the very personal elements of her business. Though her setup in her room is just as professional as that of a salon, there is an added factor of connection.

Maddie’s business has been successful, but it has not just fallen together naturally. There have many numerous challenges that have had to be ironed out as well as hard decisions to be made. Maddie reflected on these and said, “I have definitely made many connections and grown closer with a lot of people through my nail business. Being it is done in my house, I keep my clients limited to close friends and family, with the occasional exception of a friend of a friend, etc. Because of my public Instagram account, I have had people reach out to schedule an appointment, but I have to turn them down due to the fact of it being my home.” Maddie limiting the scope of her customers reminded me of what Blake, a speaker in my entrepreneurship class once said: “as a business owner, you have to often say no to people.” From both Maddie’s and Blake’s experience, it is evident that this is a necessary challenge of being an entrepreneur.

Also, entrepreneurs are real people. Sometimes the business owner’s emotions can affect his or her work. In Maddie’s case, she has experienced moments where she has become disillusioned with the idea of doing nails. Between becoming bored or burnt out, she told me that it has not always been easy to continue Nails by Maddie. That’s just something she has had to figure out as her business has matured. She said to me, “as my business is continuing, I am learning to balance all my activities and nail appointments, along with school and time with family.” That is a real thing that almost every entrepreneur has had to experience. As exciting as dreams are, they can be very hard work to fulfill.