Today we’d like to introduce you to Andrea Storlie.
Andrea, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I dropped out of high school when I was sixteen years old and legitimately never imagined owning a business. As an incredibly hard worker, I knew that I would always be successful, regardless of what I was doing, but I never intended to be a business owner – it is a venture that selected me.
I have been a manicurist since 2004 and I worked as a salon employee for thirteen years before opening NAIL NINJA as a suite, where I had every intention of working alone as a solo operator. After being approached by a few newer nail technicians for training, I began teaching and opened NAIL NINJA as a storefront with employees in 2019.
Within two years of opening the first store, we had grown from six employees to thirteen in a salon space that only offered five chairs. I began considering expanding yet again and in 2022, opened my second storefront in Northeast Minneapolis and eventually grew to about 48 employees.
Within a few years of opening, NAIL NINJA became a multimillion dollar brand.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has been a hilariously bumpy and character-building journey. I began just a few months before the Covid lockdown, which was a financial and emotional rollercoaster; however, it opened my mind to finding new paths and opportunities in a situation that was beyond my control. Since we could not remain open or provide services to the general public, I began making manicure and pedicure kits for at-home use that our guests could purchase remotely and pick up without contact from my doorstep. We created limited edition T-shirts and custom press-on nails, designed to the client’s specifications. We purchased an autoclave so that our guests would feel safe about our sterilization practices when we could reopen and when we did, we really hit the ground running.
Just as any other business, we hit the traditional snags occasionally: unexpected expenses, staffing issues, etc. but honestly, we are incredibly busy and have really found an incredible support within our community.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
NAIL NINJA is a collaboration of artists who are perfectionists in their craft; they aim to make each service better than their last and are education-driven trailblazers. They pride themselves on meticulous salon cleaning and sterilization protocols that exceed state-mandated requirements and they strive to exceed your wildest nail expectations with impeccable cuticle work, crisp polish applications and bespoke nail art. Though each artist has their areas of expertise, together, they create a distinctive salon experience that is truly inimitable.
Who else deserves credit in your story?
I have investors, Julie and Adam Hunkins, who saw my vision before it was formed and trusted me enough to invest in my dreams. I am incredibly fortunate to have them in my corner. I have had an extremely successful career of 22 years thus far and have so many clients who have been with me for the duration of my career, and many more who have been with me for 10+ years. Many of my longtime clients cried real tears when I opened my first store – they really are my family and I’m deeply blessed to have them in my life. I’ve also been extremely fortunate to have hired, trained and mentored many other artists in my city and even if our professional relationship ended, I learned so many valuable lessons from being their leader and I am truly thankful for the growth opportunities I’ve had because of NAIL NINJA.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://nailninjampls.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nailninjaminneapolis/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet
