FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
More Than a Manicure
Melissa Stephens finds her greatest success in the business of investing in other people
“You didn’t know this, but you were my only friend for a year.”
Melissa Stephens recalls the closing line of a Christmas card she received from a client with a combination of reverence and disbelief. “The importance of my job – those 60 minutes I spend with women every other week – is overwhelming,” she says.
Body positivity, the tenet that encourages people to be OK with the way they look and feel at any given moment, is a fairly recent concept that has morphed into a trendy hashtag (#bodyposi), but Stephens has been a believer for years. She began to notice a trend of women putting down their own appearance as soon as they entered her shop. She combated this by immediately finding something to warmly compliment her clients about when they walk through the door of her cozy Berry Hill shop.
“The nails I do, while awesome, should not be the only thing you like about yourself,” Stephens declares. She is intentional, making sure her interactions amplify her belief that women should empower and support other women. “I’m a firm believer in this philosophy. If not us, then who?” she asks.
Stylist, confidant, counselor – none of these roles are in the description of Stephens’ nail technician license, but they’re ones she finds herself in daily. Her clients have done everything from asking her to do their makeup before they duck into her bathroom to change into formal wear for a gala to spilling the frustrating details of their day at work. The biggest surprise for her, however, is the intimacy that she’s built with clients over the years. “You’d be surprised at the kind of soul baring that happens over a manicure table,” she confides. “I thought I would make my impact on the world by telling stories as a journalist, but it’s the stories that I listen to that make the real difference.”
Stephens momentarily drifts away from the conversation and laughs to herself. She apologizes, explaining that she’s thinking of how far she’s come from her early 20s. “Honestly, the thought of interacting with people on a one-on-one basis – consistently interacting with them – terrified me 10 years ago,” Stephens muses. “That’s the beauty of what I’m doing now. Doing nails almost comes secondary to the fact that I’m helping ladies discover their confidence and self-worth. If the only thing that ever came out of this career was the opportunity to be someone’s friend for a year, I’ll take it.”
Melissa Stephens Nail Artistry is dedicated to bringing a fun and fabulous nail salon experience to today’s independent working woman. She knows that nail art is an extension of self-expression and believes that every woman should be free to experiment and discover how to best express herself. Learn more at melissastephensnailartistry.com
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