Today we’d like to introduce you to Valeria Hernandez and Clara Tavera.
Hi Valeria and Clara, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Clara Tavera: My name is Clara Tavera, I am 53 years old. I am the mother of Valeria Hernandez, my business partner, together we have built Nails & Blinks LLC. For many years I worked full-time in an office dealing with a lot of stress, and very long hours in front of a computer that made me feel tired and sick. I always wanted to have my own business and being my own boss. However, with two daughters and both in college at the same time, it was difficult for my husband and I to cover the extra expenses we had at home. I believe God was the only one that made my dream come true when Valeria and my husband had the idea of this business using our spare room at home as our small studio. It was very difficult for me to trust my hands and my eyes when my first models were my two daughters, it was a big challenge knowing both are very picky and perfectionists like me. I do my best every day to satisfy my clients trying different products and practicing other techniques in order to improve my skills.
Valeria Hernandez: My name is Valeria Hernandez, I am 25 years old. I honestly never thought my career was ever going to be a business owner or nail technician. I loved hair, make-up, nails, etc but they were always just a hobby to me. I took cosmetology school in high school and graduated with my cosmetology license back in 2015. Cosmetology was just a hobby according to me and my parents. I never thought of it as a full-time job/career. My passion was teaching. I went to University in Houston-Downtown where I studied to be an elementary teacher. During college, I worked at supercuts where I learned to cut hair.
Unfortunately, I hated it. I realized it wasn’t for me. I started a new job as a daycare teacher in February 2016 where I completely became in love with children. I was the after-school program teacher. During that time, my mom had gotten sick due to the stress and being overworked at her 9-5 job. She decided to quit and be a stay-at-home wife/mom for her health. She had very high blood pressure at her age. She then started doing some side jobs but she was never happy, we were just in need of money since both my sister and I were in college and financial aid wasn’t helping. Both my sister and I became obsessed with eyelash extensions during that time that my mom had the crazy idea of doing eyelashes extensions too! She says it was our idea but it was all her. I thought she was crazy. However, who would have thought that that was going to change our lives for the better. She didn’t want to do it alone and because I had my cosmetology license, she asked for me to partner up with her and do something as a side job. I hated hair after I worked at supercuts, so I decided to go with acrylic nails. We then used social media to spread the word and once we started growing people would recommend us. We grew and grew every day on our Instagram. I would work at the daycare during the day and in the afternoon or weekends, I would do nails. It was the best thing ever! I got to do the two things I loved the most, teaching and nails.
On my last semester of college, I got pregnant to my beautiful son who is now two years old. I finished my student teaching, I had a contract ready for me to begin teaching fall of 2020 and I slowly stopped taking clients. I knew my nail career was coming to an end. I graduated with my bachelors degree in teaching on December 2019. However, who would have thought that in the next two months everything was going to change. I gave birth in February 3rd, 2020. Pre covid. I had to put my teaching contract on hold since the pandemic and quarantine started in February/March of 2020. I didn’t know what was going to happen. I was being a mom but I still needed to work to provide for my son, so I began doing press-on nails. I would ship them out to people all over the United States.
Everyone loved them since nail salons were closed. I began to also do videos on Instagram on how I did nails and designs. That’s when my business blew up, everyone would ask what supplies I used and where I would get my products. I then had the idea of starting my own online nail supply brand. I launched my store in October 3rd, 2020 and sold out within 3 minutes. It was honestly such an important day in my life. Ever since then, our business blew up even more. I am now able to provide for my parents and my own family. I get to spoil them and give back to them. They’re my backbone. Without them none of this would have happened. My dad does everything and goes along with all of my crazy pink ideas. My mom is my business partner, my bff and my number 1 supporter. It’s all because of them. They brought us to the United States for a better life and here we are living the American dream.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Clara Tavera: There has been more satisfaction than struggles; however, the most difficult part is watching my daughter working extra hours in order to answer all the messages to get our appointments every week, being a mom, a wife and plan every little detail to make our business grow. My job as a mom and partner is more to look the way of being a good support and do whatever she needs to see her happy face at the end of the day…
Valeria Hernandez: It definitely has not been a smooth road. Social media can be very ugly. People are really mean for no reason. The obstacles that I’ve had would be how hard it is to please people. I do everything for my business, I don’t have an assistant or a factory with machines to help. I used to stay up every day just to have packages done or customize them myself. I am now glad I have hired employees who help me run my store but I’ve ranned our business for the past 4 years just so my mom can be stress-free and have a job she loves. I depend on her and she depends on me. She helps me with anything and everything. I don’t know what I would do without her, she’s the one that has made this journey a little easier.
We’ve been impressed with Nails & Blinks LLC, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
We are a mother and daughter business called Nails & Blinks LLC. We do eyelash extensions and acrylic nails. I (Valeria Hernandez) also run an online nail supply store of nothing but pink nail supply products. I try to be as creative as possible when it comes to my products, which I think sets me apart from your average nail supplies. Being a mother and daughter business is also another thing that people love and admire. I am the most proud of how far we came and how much we have grown. We came from nothing and now we are so thankful and blessed to have everything we need and more due to our business.
What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
Clara Tavera: The freedom and independence of working with my daughter and learned to be her partner beside her mom is the most amazing experience because this has been my dream job. Besides being a lash artist is truly an art! Seeing clients satisfied with their results is one of the best parts. Eyelashes extensions transform anyone’s look, I can’t believe my hands are my most important tool.
Valeria Hernandez: The most important lesson I’ve learned along my journey is kind of cliche but honestly to not give up. People will be so envious and make fun of you because of the crazy ideas you have or the things you want to do, if I would have listened to them I wouldn’t have been where I am today. My mom has always pushed me to follow my dreams and do whatever I think it’s right. She says it’s all me but honestly, it’s her. I do everything for her. Seeing how much she had worked, how sick her job got her, how unhappy she was, it would break my heart. It brings me so much happiness seeing her doing what she loves and being happy 24/7. I love doing that for my mom and I love working with her.
Contact Info:
- Website: Nailsandblinks.com
- Instagram: @nails_and_blinks
- Other: Tiktok: @nails_and_blinks
