“I’ve always been into beauty and creativity,” said junior Sydney Dawson, describing why she wanted to start her own business. Dawson, owner of her own nail brand preppyclawznails, has been customizing and creating press-on nails since she launched her company from home four years ago.
Her main way of selling is via her Instagram @preppyclawznails and word of mouth around the Maryvale community. Demand tends to surge on the Lutherville campus during the spring and fall dance seasons.
When asked about the growth of her brand and how long it took to grab buyers, Dawson remarked: “All of my friends were just so supportive, like with everything in my life, so they automatically said yes to just like buying my stuff.”
Although Dawson’s brand has seemingly taken off, the challenges of having a small business, especially in this economy and in high school, are more prevalent than ever. According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, roughly 35 percent of small businesses fail due to insufficient demand for their products and services.
When asked about the pricing of her custom nails with the small business economy in mind, Dawson said it is essential to consider the cost of the materials and the amount of time she has to invest. Based on these considerations, Dawson has made changes. For example, she increased prices based on design and cost of production to $15-$20. At the beginning of her journey as a nail designer, she did not consider these factors.
While having a small business can be exhilarating and time-consuming, Dawson expressed how hard it can be to juggle both school and work. She remarked that many nights she asked herself, “Okay, so when am I going to get these nails done? When am I going to do my homework?”
Dawson plans to continue to operate her company in college. However, she intends to wind it down afterward to pursue other passions professionally.
She continues to get better every day with new challenges, such as three-dimensional nail art requests and custom nail sizing based on each customer, she said. Dawson discussed the ups and downs of her brand, which is currently flourishing with booming sales. She stated it took a lot out of her, but she eventually got the recognition and success she had craved as an artist since she was a child.
“Eventually you do get sales,” she said, “and it just works out so well.”
