What made you choose Bio Sculpture?

As soon as I started to research the gel systems available I quickly realised that Bio Sculpture were, and are still, world leaders with good reason. They are the only gel system that has a 5* safety rating, their products are vegan, cruelty free, incredibly gentle and don’t damage the natural nail – all factors that are important to discerning clients along with product quality and finish.  They have an amazing selection of colours that’s constantly growing and with the introduction of Evo and Essence Glitter their brand is evolving and always remains relevant and on trend.

Why does a career as a manicurist suit you more than your previous career?

Finding a work/life balance is hard with a young family.  My husband and I have two sons who are 12 and 10, with busy schedules.  Throw in working parents, running a home, juggling childcare with different schools and holidays, homework and family commitments life can swiftly become stressful.

Working for myself gives me the absolute freedom, flexibility and drive to work the hours I want to so that I am here for my family whilst giving me the fulfilment that I’d been looking for in a career that actually interests me, that I’m passionate about and enriches all our lives. I never have that Monday morning feeling and count myself incredibly lucky that I have such a supportive husband and children who never fail to show Oscar winning interest in nails!

What is your favourite Bio colour?

That’s such a difficult question but when in doubt I choose Pillar box Red, sassy, classic and timelessly uber chic.

What are your top 3 tips for someone wanting to make a career change and become a manicurist?

Be prepared to work hard. It sounds obvious but there’s no safety net when working for yourself.  You get out what you put in. Nothing happens overnight, or falls in your lap, but it’s immensely satisfying when your hard work pays off.

Be super organised.  Planning, prioritising and mapping out your days and weeks in the diary enables you to keep focus professionally whilst also managing to book in a school sports day, a special assembly or a much needed brunch with a friend. Appointments are your most important aspect, without them there would be no business to promote, so looking after your client base by following up on correspondence swiftly, promoting your work whether it be Instagram, Facebook or maintaining relevant information on your website (for me it’s all 3) is important and does take time and thought.

Stack the cards in your favour by practising as much as you can, you will be inundated with volunteers!  Ask for feedback from clients. Ask for advice from Bio Sculpture.  Watch tutorials and put them into practice.  Research trends to stay current and create pinboards for inspiration.

How many hours a week do you work?

My hours vary but I work approximately 20-25 hours a week.  This increases in the warmer months as people prepare for flip flops and summer holidays and the Christmas party season!

How do you find your clients?

I use a variety of sources to increase business. The best and most frequent is a referral from an existing client and I offer a referral fee as my way of a thank you. In quieter times I will leaflet drop which has always proved successful and a great way for my children to earn a bit of pocket money.  I use social media to promote/advertise and always look for ways to make photos of my work extra special and stand out beautifully, using a prop or a scarf as a background to compliment a nail colour. Recently I had a client with a stunning pair of shoes so we incorporated them into a photo.  Social media is an amazing resource at our fingertips and can reach far and wide, so I always keep it professional with meaningful content.

To see more of Emma's work, or to book an appointment with her, visit her website Facebook page @EmmaPrasad,BioSculptureNailTechnician | Instagram page @ejprasad