When People Don't Appreciate What You Do
Share
A few years ago, on a cold winter evening, I had a client who taught me a lesson I still remember today.
A friend had messaged me saying her aunt wanted to book an appointment. We found a date, she came over, and everything started normally.
She seemed friendly.
We talked about nails, previous nail technicians, favorite colors, and all the usual things that naturally come up during an appointment.
What she didn't know was that she was my last client of the day.
Her appointment started at 8 PM.
Yes, quite late.
Back then, I was working two jobs.
I had a regular job during the week and was building my nail business whenever I had free time. My goal was simple: get enough loyal clients so I could eventually leave my other job and focus entirely on nails.
That particular day, I had woken up at 6 AM.
My first client arrived at 7 AM.
And this appointment would probably finish around 10 PM.
By then, my back was killing me.
My neck hurt.
My ankles were swollen.
And honestly, after sitting for so many hours, I was convinced I no longer had a butt. 😅
No matter how hard you try to keep a good posture, your neck eventually ends up bent over your work. That's just the reality of this job.
I remember stretching more often than usual, rolling my shoulders, moving around in my chair and trying to relieve some of the tension.
Then she asked:
"Does something hurt?"
I laughed and answered honestly.
"Honestly? Everything. But I still love being here because I genuinely enjoy what I do."
She looked confused.
"What happened?"
"Nothing happened," I said. "I didn't injure myself. I've just been working all day."
If I had known what was coming next, I probably would have kept that answer much shorter.
She replied:
"Working? Your back hurts from sitting on a chair all day? I was at work today. A real job. Not this..."
And just like that, I completely lost my words.
I didn't know what to say.
Should I explain that I would rather run a marathon than sit in the same position for 16 hours?
Should I explain that creating nails requires concentration, precision, patience, communication, and physical endurance?
Or should I simply agree that apparently I had done "nothing" all day?
The funny thing is... I wasn't even complaining.
She asked.
I answered.
That's all.
And even if I had complained, would that have made my pain less real?
That evening taught me something important.
There will always be people who appreciate what we do.
And there will always be people who don't see it as a real job.
Some will see beauty professionals as skilled artists and business owners.
Others will see us as people who "just do nails."
Over the years, I've worked different jobs while building my business.
But one thing never changed:
I always knew this was what I wanted to do.
This is my profession.
This is my craft.
And I never wanted to walk away from it.
I know every nail technician, lash artist, makeup artist, hairstylist, and beauty professional understands this feeling.
Sometimes people only see the finished result.
They don't see the hours behind it.
The training.
The mistakes.
The back pain.
The late nights.
The years spent improving.
The good news?
For every person who doesn't appreciate your work, there are many others who do.
Clients who sit in your chair with kindness.
Clients who trust you.
Clients who see the effort behind every appointment.
And most importantly:
Never forget to appreciate yourself first.
Don't wait for everyone else to understand your value.
Some people never will.
And that's okay.
What matters is that you know the value of your work, your time, and your passion.
Don't let anyone convince you otherwise.
See you in the next story. 💅✨
P.S. If you've ever worked in the beauty industry, I'd love to hear your story too. What's the most surprising thing a client has ever said to you?
💅 Products used for this set
This manicure is actually a current set, done on a ”real client„😂 using the exact products I work with daily.
For nail prep I used products from Nailpop – a dehydrator and an acid-free primer, to ensure proper adhesion and a clean base.
For the base, I used Vendeeni Structure Gel, which gives a strong but flexible foundation.
The apex was built using Mshare Builder Gel shade Skin Pink, one of my go-to shades when I want a natural, soft and clean look with good strength underneath.
To finish everything, I sealed the design with Mshare Tempered Top Coat, for that glassy, long-lasting shine.
The pink and gold foil are from Shein, very practical, buy the ones for resin use, not the ones dedicated for nails.
The resin versions usually come in much larger quantities for the same price, while nail art packs tend to be smaller and more expensive per amount.
It’s one of those small things that makes a difference when you work with clients regularly and go through materials quickly. 🥰