ManiMe, started in 2017, is an at-home gel manicure alternative. In order to get a custom set sent right to them, customers simply send in a picture of their nails and ManiMe’s 3d laser printer creates a custom-fit set of stick-on gel nails specifically sized for them, in any design they choose.
Jooyeon Song, who was around 27 when she started ManiMe, created ManiMe to solve her problem of not having the time to sit in a salon for as long as it takes to get your nails done for; and her problem of not having the money that it takes to get a professional manicure.
Song wasn’t alone in her venture, however. While Song was at Stanford University, her and a fellow student, David Miro Llopis (also around 27 at the time), came together to create the idea behind ManiMe; and eventually launch it.
ManiMe features all sorts of designs and colors for both hands and feet. They also let you choose if you want the custom-sized ones or just the regular, in case you want to save even more money.
I think ManiMe is a great idea, especially as far as the price goes. A traditional gel manicure is around $30-$50, depending on where you go; ManiMe is $6-$20, depending on what style you get. So, it definitely saves a lot of money.
As far as time goes, a traditional gel manicure takes approximately 45 minutes to an hour. ManiMe basically only takes the time it takes for you to stick stickers on your nails, which should only be a few minutes – depending on how much of a perfectionist you are.
As far as innovation goes, I think ManiMe is a good idea because it combines manicures with 3d printing, which is a cool and innovative mashup.
Where most of us think of entrepreneurship as this world where we constantly come up with first-world ideas, one person went to a third-world place for innovation. Robert Felder’s story embodies not just innovation but also empathy. His journey began in high school with a transformative trip to South Asia, where he saw that while Bangladesh being a major apparel manufacturer, its people lacked basic clothing, and this deeply affected him. When he came home to the humid Florida winter, he couldn’t find any shorts he liked. These experiences became the driving force behind the company he founded right out of high school, Bearbottom.
