Edmesta Lockhart always dreamed about being a Nail Technician and for the past 16 years she has done just that while also showcasing her artistic creativity.
It wasn’t easy, at first.
“It was a lot harder than I thought,” she admitted. “I worked for multiple companies, different salons.”
Lockhart said she realized she wanted to be an entrepreneur.
“I enjoy being able to be my own boss,” she said. “I enjoy being able to set my own schedule. I enjoy being able to make my own with my whole journey.”
Lockhart opened her own nail salon - ELock’s Eccentric Nail Salon.
“I started gaining some visibility and people were coming to see me,” she said adding her friends helped her step out and network.
“I started stepping outside the box,” she said. “I got into doing some classes, doing some networking, and just venturing out. Trying to figure out my own way of being in business for myself.”
Her attention to detail, artistic nature and persistence to succeed paid off when her clients, satisfied with the services, began to refer other customers to her salon.
“I let my work speak for itself and I let my clients do most of the talking,” she said. “Word of mouth is everything.”
Lockhart offers a variety of services at Elock’s Eccentric Nail Salon. Gels, acrylics, French tips, nail art, full sets in a variety of sizes, inlay full sets, and 3D nail designs.
Lockhart is also a massage therapist, and she incorporates that skill by offering hot stone pedicure services as well.
She can do it all. You want little bows and glitter on your nails, she can do it. You want perfect French tips with flawless smile lines, that’s what you’ll get. Looking for a fresh set with pretty bows and colorful stones – consider it done. Soft colors, bold colors of various lengths and sizes are all options due to her creativity and vision.
“At first I would look things up on Pinterest and Instagram,” she said. “Ideas started popping up. Back when I first started, I needed them to bring a picture, a visual. But now I use my imagination of what I’d like to see on their nails and match that to their personalities.”
She said she is proud of the brand she’s developed. At first, there were some ups and downs. She even moved away from Chattanooga for a brief period. But she decided to come back home to Chattanooga to finish the work she had become known for and opened her studio inside Suite 185 at 4850 Highway 58.
"I felt like I hadn't finished or completed the assignment that I was on,” she said. “So, I'm definitely in a restarting season.”
In addition to providing nail services Lockhart now teaches the Manicurist course at Chattanooga College. She also offers nail care classes outside from the school.
“I teach at Chattanooga College on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and then I work in the shop Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays,” she said.
Teaching was supposed to be part of her plans for the future.
“I get to do both things that I love,” she said. “My interest in teaching was supposed to be a retirement plan. I'm way too young. But I thought that maybe I needed to see or get the experience before I retired and got into teaching. Now that I'm teaching, I enjoy doing both.”
She said her students have things a bit easier than when she first started. She said she had to make all the tiny nail decorations by hand using acrylic.
“These days the students can purchase all those items online,” she said. Lockhart said she also tells her students to take pride in their work to receive word of mouth referrals.
“It truly is the best way to grow your business,” she said.
Booking an appointment is easily done by visiting her website. You can review all the services she provides; select the service you’d like to book and get your appointment scheduled.
ELock’s Eccentric Nail Salon
- 4850 Highway 58 Inside Suite 185
- (706) 406-5990
- Visit: elockthenailwiz.glossgenius.com