Today we’d like to introduce you to Carmen Starks-Cowper.
Carmen, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I’m 24 and I was originally born in Lawrence Kansas but moved to Texas in April of 2018. Shortly before moving I made the decision that I was finally going to take the next step in my dream as a nail artist. I purchased $1000 worth of nail products and drove down to Dallas to start my new journey. Upon my arrival, I was meet with many obstacles but will talk about that later. I suppose since I had been receiving nail services since I was a teenager, I assumed doing nails would be easy, however when I picked up my brush for the first time I resized, I was sadly mistaken. The first set I did on myself was absolutely horrible product was all over my skin the shape was bulky and uneven and the set was all-around trash. Feeling discouraged, I started searching for nail groups on Facebook to post my work in and get feedback from more experienced nail techs from around the world and eventually it worked.
Slowly but surely, I started seeing improvements in my technique first it was my cuticle application after that my shaping started to improve I was watching YouTube videos and tutorials all day and night but I still had major flaws, that’s when I met my biggest support system. In September of 2018 I met my boyfriend Davene, he was the first person that truly believed in my dream and while I wanted to be the best in the industry he wanted me to be the best in the world. He would analyze all of my work and point out EVERY FLAW from a lump on a nail to one nail being a little longer than the other, he also created my Instagram page and told EVERY WOMAN he saw with nails that I was the coldest nail tech in Dallas (even though I obviously wasn’t)! I started off doing practice sets charging $10 a set and they were TERRIBLE but I found a few clients that knew my plan. I practiced new techniques on clients as I learned them and eventually found what worked for me. One of the main reasons I am here today is my loyal clients without them I wouldn’t have had anyone to push me to keep going.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
The road has absolutely not been smooth I’ve known I wanted to be a nail technician since I graduated high school in 2013 however growing up in a small town like Lawrence, I didn’t have any support in my dream. When I decided to take the leap and move to Dallas 5 years later, I was faced with even more obstacles which landed me in a toxic relationship and eventually led to homelessness I reached out to a family member and was given a moth to get back on my feet. Within that month, I locked in and was able to move into a studio apartment and begin practicing on nails.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Carmels Claws – what should we know?
Carmels Claws is a company dedicated to the health and wellness of natural nails, the artistry of nail enhancements, educating clients on nail health and boosting the confidence of each client I am able to service. Aside from assisting people face to face, I also create products & tutorials for other aspiring nail technicians around the world. I think the main thing that sets me apart from other nail techs is my attention to detail, I implement this in everything that I do from the precise detail of my designs to the multidimensional layers of my custom glitter mixes.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
So many people deserve credit in regards to my success, as I’ve mentioned before my boyfriend Davene Carter has been my biggest supporter through my journey from day 1. He pushed me to take clients and start my social media, helped me start school, withstood the strong acrylic smell in the house, and supported me when I decided to become a full-time nail tech. He truly deserves all of the praise when it comes to my success. Next up is Gabrielle Flowers. Big Gab has been one of my toughest critics and most loyal clients she was one of the first clients I had the pleasure of practicing on and WHEWWW CHILE… I was so defeated they looked horrible! I just knew she was never coming back then she said “they don’t look that bad.” To my surprise, she just suggested that I try a different technique more suitable to my style and from then on she’s become one of my closest friends. Last but certainly not least we have Britney Johnson we met June 2019 when I did my 1000 follower giveaway, she won the contest and when she came to get her set we clicked instantly. Britney has always been there for me, she lets me vent and gives me amazing advice whenever it comes to running my business or just life in general and we treat each other like family.
Pricing:
- Basic Full Set $40-$50
- Ombre $65
- Freestyles $75-$100
Contact Info:
- Address: 4230 Lyndon B Johnson Fwy Dallas Texas 75244
- Website: https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=17574722
- Email: carmelsclaws@yahoo.com
- Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/c.clawsss
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cclaws
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/carmelsclaws
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