Today we’d like to introduce you to Catherine Huynh
Hi Catherine, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Like most cliche stories, my fire for nails started to burn at the age of 6. My dad had immigrated from Vietnam after the war and managed a salon where I spent many of my days after school and on holiday breaks. I started by cleaning pedicure tubs, taking off polish, and killing flies (which my dad paid 25 cents each for). Then I started to slowly learn the craft until I hit about 11 or 12 years old. At that age, I was able to do full services including acrylics, eyebrows, and designing. It wasn’t so much the craft that made a little girl like me want to be at the salon instead of outside at the park; rather, it was the act of doing for somebody else. I loved talking my clients’ ears off, making them feel heard, and making them feel pretty with their fresh new set of nails. I did, however, start to hate my craft due to some familial situations and actually denounced doing nails at a salon at 17 which I find humorous now. Not all fires burn evenly, I guess. I then ran my own mobile nail tech business up until I went to the University of Michigan for college.
After my bachelors and masters at UofM, I picked up doing nails again during COVID. I saw it as an opportunity to pay my way through college and prepare to take on my second masters. I was working out of my apartment and someone had asked to work under me. When I accepted that person, more people asked to work for me. Then 1 employee became 4. I opened my salon because I was outgrowing my apartment operation and 4 employees became 10. Now I’m 24 with my own salon and 10 full-time employees, preparing to open a second location.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Being an entrepreneur has been anything but smooth. As a chronic people pleaser, I struggle with learning to cope with mean, unhappy people that treat service workers poorly. I feel like I’m always scrambling to try to make up for unhappy experiences because I value every single client and believe everyone deserves quality self care—but sometimes, that’s not enough.
As a young entrepreneur, I struggle with lack of experience. I had to work extra hard to fully understand legal documents, employer rights and requirements, and how to manage a reputation. I also aim to go against the status quo and refused to engage in exploitive practice like others in my industry, so I didn’t have any businesses that I was able to model my business after.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a nail salon owner that strives to deliver client-centered experiences, using informed techniques that are supported through thorough technique development and research. I specialize in natural nail health and growing out your natural nails.
Honestly, I am most proud of the aspect of my business that sets it apart from other nail salons. At my salon, I work to create a safe space for women to connect with other women, and for all my clients and technicians to be able to show up at Catherine Nails as themselves. My technicians and I wear pajamas or comfy clothing to encourage our clientele to do the same. I want my clients to come comfy if they’d like, in full face or bare face, and in whatever emotional state they are in. I just want them to feel no obligation to get dressed up and wear their emotional mask. Cry if you need. Have bad days if you need. Have good days if you need. Just come as you are and don’t apologize for taking up space. Creating an environment like that has been one of my biggest, most meaningful successes.
We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking?
I am a huge risk-taker. My business quite literally goes against the status quo. I don’t offer acrylic services which are the most popular services in my area due to health concerns (and my speculations), I wear pajamas, I am heavily appointment based and don’t really do walk ins because I believe in time transparency, and I’m not afraid to facilitate an environment where clients and technicians MUST respect each other and each others’ time.
Everything I do is risky because it’s different, but it conveys my core values and I believe in it, so I do it.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://Instagram.com/nailsbykathersin
