Thomas Worthington field hockey goalie Mae Conroy, a sophomore, runs her own business outside her activities. What started as an activity just for fun during COVID became a business and her full-time job.
Conroys interest was sparked by the influence of her sister,
“My oldest sister started doing them during COVID, and I quickly picked up on it after that. Starting with a ‘how to’ book and some polish, then moving to gel and little designs on myself and later my friends letting me practice on them with extensions,” Conroy said.
After she developed a skill, she quickly fell in love with the art of doing nails. She quickly started working on friends and family,
“She was a friend and had just started doing nails and I thought I would support her. Plus I had seen her nails that she had done before on herself so I knew that she would be good at it.” Said Sophomore Etta Kilzer-Whisman.
Along with friends in her grade, she did her teammate’s nails, “The reason I started going to Mae to get my nails done is because she’s very kind she’s also a very talented self-taught nail artist that needs customers to go to her to gain more confidence in what she does as well as getting better at what she does her pricing is very convenient other than going to a nail salon and paying almost $100 to get your nails done.” Says Senior Layton Simeone.
When Conroy started doing the nails of people close to her and doing an amazing job, the word got passed around and helped her business take off;
“First with some girls from the field hockey team coming in for Winter formal my freshman year. Then last summer starting my Instagram page @maes_nails1. My Instagram page allowed me to reach other people I didn’t talk to on a daily basis, and share pictures of my work for people to say” stated Conroy.
With Conroy’s business taking off she’s had lots of clients. Some of her clients have shared their experiences,
“Mae is very fast so if you’re ever in a hurry she can get it finished quickly but she still makes you feel good about the designs and colors you want and making your nails perfect” Said Simeone. Along with Simeone’s statement, “Really good. It’s a reasonable price for the same thing as a nail salon, if not more.” Kilzer-Whisman commented.
Conroy is involved with a lot at school. The balance of school and sports is enough to keep her busy. Keeping a good balance is a challenge for most, “It’s definitely not easy but making my own schedule helps a lot. Doing nails allows me to make my own schedule and fit people in whenever I have the time. So on days where I have a gap between school and practice, I can fit a set in, where if I had a more traditional job I would be unable to work a shift” Conroy shared. Working at her own pace, and on her own time has been a huge benefit to Conroy. Along with Conroy having a flexible schedule, it’s easier for clients to get an appointment with speed and quality,
“She always does such a great job. The quality is amazing and she can do so many designs that a normal nail salon cannot” said Kilzer-Whisman. Simeone shared a statement in agreement, “I will continue to go to Mae because she’s quick, confident, and convenient!” Simeone and Kilzer-Whisman have shared multiple similar opinions about their experiences with Mae and her skills.
Conroy’s job is not easy, however, she puts all her effort into her art.
“My favorite thing about doing nails is getting to talk to people I don’t usually see. I’ve been able to make a lot of new friendships with people around Thomas and other schools just from getting their nails done. I also love trying new things like new designs or textures on nails, it allows me to be creative and learn new skills” said Conroy.
Conroy is a very talented artist with a passion for what she does and her clients see that, “Ever since I first got my nails done by Mae I’ve been recommending her to anybody and everybody it helps her with being confident as well as getting the attention she deserves from customers!” said Simeone.
Simeone has a very popular opinion according to another one of Conroy’s customers,
“Yes, I would. She does great nails for such an affordable price. They last long and she always finds a way to fit people into her schedule” stated Kilzer-Whisman.
Conroys clients always have very wonderful experiences, and they always come with positive feedback.
Doing nails is an activity, job, and outlet for Conroy. She has expressed her enjoyment of it and its importance in her life. She has spoken about where she sees her nail career going;
“I don’t see nails being a profession, but I would love to continue doing them through the rest of high school and hopefully college,” said Conroy.
Even if Conroy doesn’t continue on this route professionally it’s good for her to know that she made the right choice in her high school career by doing something she loves, while also gaining work experience and new friendships.
