Success Story: My journey in the nail industry
- Young Nails South Africa
- Jun 5, 2018
- 3 min read
Updated: Jun 21, 2018
My name is Angeleque Cilliers. I am a 36 year old ex-paralegal, mom, wife and entrepreneur.
I matriculated in 1999 at the age of 17. Like many 17-year olds, I was rather uncertain about what I wanted to do with the rest of my life.
The one thing I did know was that I wanted to get involved in the Beauty industry. Unfortunately, that wasn’t what my Dad wanted. I then decided to join the law firm where my mum worked and my position was debt collecting secretary. Over the years, I did various courses and I ended up working for a leading law firm as a paralegal in Sandton.
As the years went by, I always knew in the back of my mind, that being a paralegal was not what I really wanted. In 2007, when my daughter turned a year, the idea to make a career change, once again entered my mind. While browsing through the You Magazine, I found the details of three different nail companies that offered training. Without any experience or prior knowledge in the Beauty industry, it was by chance that Young Nails happened to be the first company that I contacted. I received all the course information and had some savings which I believed was perfect or so I thought.
Initially both my father and husband were against me becoming a beautician. My husband believed that once I did the course, boredom would set in and all the money spent would be wasted. After a few months of nagging, he finally agreed that I could do the course
At the end of 2007, I did my training at Young Nails Roodepoort and I qualified in early 2008, I then started doing nails only part time as my husband did not believe that this could be a profitable and stable income for us.
During 2012, I was extremely unhappy at the law firm where I worked. My husband encouraged me to quit my job. I was extremely nervous to do this, as we had financial commitments and two children to look after. Despite this, I resigned and started doing nails full time from home. That first month, I managed to make up more than 50% of the salary I earned at the law firm. However, from the second month thereafter, I covered my full salary and I have not once looked back since then! I am often asked how I built a client base. Fortunately, I worked and did nails at the same time. I did my colleges, friends and family member’s nails. I also did a few metric girls’ nails complimentary, (for free), but in return, they had to advertise my work at their school. By word of mouth, I became very busy in a short time. To date, I have not spent any money on advertising at all.
Today, I am not only a nail tech but a passionate Young Nails Mentor. I became the new mentor for Young Nails Roodepoort in 2013. I was awarded Mentor of the Year 2016 and Mentor of the Year Runner up 2017! I am also one of the distributors for the Young Nails brand. Never had I imagined that the Young Nails advertisement in the You Magazine would have impacted to such an extent!
I resonate strongly with the quote that “every master was once a beginner”. When I look at some of the beautiful nails posted on social media, I am reminded that those beautiful nails were created by somebody who was also once a beginner.
I am finally doing what I love, what I am passionate about. This has allowed me to triple my income and has also given me the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of other women – some of whom are in the same position I once was in.
Today, my husband, who once was so skeptical is my biggest supporter!
Sometimes, we seek solutions by praying to God but for some reason, we hold back and don’t see our prayers being answered. Our prayers are sometimes answered in very unexpected ways. For me, I had to be pushed over the edge, to get out of my comfort zone.
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