As she finishes the last stroke of polish on the set of nails, sophomore Rylie Sodolak tightly screws on the cap to the glittery nail polish bottle. Although her creation took multiple hours out of her time, she keeps her head down and puts energy and effort into every minute. Her at-home nail business began serving her community in the summer of 2024 after her passion for nail art sparked.
“I began doing nails on my sister and myself in July 2024 after seeing it become popular on TikTok,” Sodolak said. “I saw videos of people doing acrylic and Gel X nails and I was like, I can do that.”
Two weeks after she began her hobby, Sodolak began to offer nail services, including Gel X, builder and acrylic manicures to others in her area.
“I enjoy doing nails because it makes me feel calm,” Sodolak said. “It clears anything on my mind because I know I can focus on one thing at a time, rather than having so many things piled up in my brain.”
Thankful to do what she loves, Sodolak faces adversity as she balances her grades at school, her nail business and her dance schedule
“During times including homecoming and the beginning of summer, everybody wants their nails done and it becomes overwhelming,” Sodolak said. “I always have to balance dance competitions, finals and school work all at the same time.”
Busy seasons of balancing school, dance and her business do not remain the only difficulty in Sodolak’s schedule.
“The hardest part about my business is making sure that [customers] enjoy what they’re receiving, and making sure that I am pricing fair,” Sodolak said. “I do not want to overcharge and I want to make sure to give them quality work for what they pay for.”
Marketing tactics, including pricing, do not remain the only important principles when it comes to running a business, according to Sodolak.
“I have to talk to many different types of people every time I have a customer,” Sodolak said. “I [always] have to make sure that they are having a fun time and satisfied with their experience.”
Customers with a fulfilling experience recommend Sodolak’s business to others and share the benefits of the business with her.
“I recommend [Sodolak’s] business since I am always happy with how my nails turn out,” freshman Layla Lake said. “They stay on twice as long as a set from the salon would, making me satisfied with the quality and price of the nails.”
Not only do Sodolak’s services consist of high-quality and reasonable prices, but they also help customers uniquely express themselves.
“I have gotten many types of nails done by Rylie, including solids, French tips, or designs and I have been extremely satisfied each time,” sophomore Riley Lawson said. “I definitely feel more confident after I get my nails done [by Rylie].”
Although the balance between her busy life and pleasing customers remains challenging, Sodolak stays positive and reflects on how her busy life prepares her for the future.
“[My nail business] makes me work under pressure and under certain time schedules,” Sodolak said. “I want to do business in the future, so I know that starting now will help me greatly.”
Not only does Sodolak’s business prepare her for a career, but also helps her to venture out socially to her community.
“I feel that [my nail business] helped me grow in communication skills, which is something that I struggled with before, being an introvert,” Sodolak said. “It even helps me in school during interviews and conversations because I know how to answer people’s questions.”
Knowing all of these benefits, Sodolak remains determined to continue her business and practice skills, working her way towards her goals daily.
“I am like a perfectionist,” Sodolak said. “Whenever I see a set I know I want to recreate on my own, I always try to do it to the best of my ability.”
