Full-time KU student and nail technician Helen Zheng runs her small business in the comfort of her dorm room. Zheng started her nail art business called Nails by Helen a year and a half ago and has accumulated over 1,300 Instagram followers since.
Zheng, a sophomore majoring in accounting, said she often gets recognized for her work among her clients in Lawrence and in her hometown of Olathe.
“I remember last year, my roommate, she had a girl over, and she was like, OMG, you’re the Helen. It was so funny,” Zheng said.
Unlike other nail technicians, Zheng invites her clients into her dorm room, which she has turned into a nail salon for her appointments.
“It’s really accessible because, like, people are already on campus or people [who] live on campus can just come here, so it’s really easy,” Zheng said.
Throughout Zheng’s life, she said she has always been passionate about art and doing nails. When Zheng was 17, she worked at a nail salon and received her nail technician license during her senior year of high school.
“With like knowing how to do the designs and everything, it just kind of progressed over the years,” Zheng said. “I’ve always been really, like, creative since I was little, so that kind of helped.”
Nails by Helen offers a variety of nail services such as gel, gel X, acrylics and press-ons with add-ons such as designs, chrome and French manicures.
Zheng said her favorite part about her business is the relationships she’s made while doing her client’s nails.
“I feel like I’ve met a couple of my like, my [close] friends,” Zheng said. “With the reoccurring clients, it’s really fun because most of them, they talk to me, and so we have like conversations, and we like do updates and everything.”
One of Zheng’s recurring clients, high school senior Kelli Valdez, said she heard about Zheng’s business through Instagram a year and a half ago and hasn’t looked back.
“I keep going back to her just because she’s just so phenomenal. Her work is incredible. She is just the sweetest,” Valdez said. “Also, she knows how to make her clients feel comfortable and safe.”
Ellen McDowell, a KU senior and recurring client, said she always receives compliments on her nails and refers people to Nails by Helen.
“I heard about her through a girl in my [basketball] camping group, and I keep coming back because she always does a great job,” McDowell said. “She’s easy to talk to, fun to talk to and I like the prices.”
Zheng said she barely has any free time as she typically has two-to-four clients on the weekdays and six-to-ten clients on the weekends.
“I have classes, and then right after that, I will just do appointments, and that’s all I do,” Zheng said. “I like being busy. I don’t really like just sitting around.”
Although Zheng makes her living off her business and loves doing her clients’ nails, she said she makes school her top priority.
Valdez said Zheng stands out from other nail artists because of Zheng’s dedication to nail art, school and among all else, her clients.
“Helen is just so hard working and so passionate about what she does, no matter if it’s school or if it’s art, she just is so passionate about it, and she wants all her clients to make sure they come out of their appointment feeling beautiful and happy with their nails,” Valdez said.
Despite Zheng’s passion, she said for the first couple of years after graduation, she wants to focus on accounting and not take on as many clients.
Zheng runs Nails by Helen completely through Instagram where she showcases her previous nail sets and lists her prices. Zheng said she sets up appointments a week ahead of time through Instagram stories and messages with her clients.
“I definitely recommend her to anyone out there that’s wondering, or needs a new nail tech,” Valdez said. “Let me put you on with my girl, Helen. She’s amazing.”
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