Today we’d like to introduce you to Chau Le.
Hi Chau, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Around 2000, I just immigrated to America from Vietnam. I worked at a small electronics factory for almost a year. Life was very hard at that time and my daughter was still a toddler. It was by chance that my friend introduced me to the world of cosmetology (nails, hair, and makeup). I knew that everyone at that time was interested in beauty. I enjoyed beauty and fashion myself. At that time, I was living in California. Before I knew it, I enrolled myself in cosmetology school. The more I studied in the program, the more I fell in love with the field. Whenever I created a beautiful set of nails for a client, they always loved it, which made me happy as well. This along with talking to the customers and creating beautiful sets of nails always gave me a force to improve, especially with my limited English and new skills at work.
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?
When I first started as a nail technician, not everything went smoothly. There were a lot of difficulties. The first one was the language barrier between the customer and myself. The second challenge was that since I was new to the field, I did not know as much I wanted. The third challenge was that in Vietnam, I never got to see what acrylics and certain nail art and techniques looked like. There were times when I put too much dip on a client’s nails or on their cuticles. A lot of clients’ nail shapes varied, so sometimes I would drill it too thin or leave it too thick. I would get complaints from the customers to my boss. It was not always easy, but I always continued to push through. At that time, there wasn’t easy accessibility to resources such as Google and YouTube to learn new nail styles and techniques. Most of my learning was from my fellow co-workers’ experiences and just personal experiences. But regardless of the obstacles, I kept pushing through and strived to always learn new things.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Since I’ve done nails for a long time, I am able to do manicures and pedicures, acrylics, dip powder, and design. I can do nail art and design, where it can be custom designed. This can include ombré, marble, and so many more. I also can do waxing. I am very proud of my strong communication skills. What sets me apart from others is my ability to take in feedback to constantly improve and produce the best, long-lasting nail art to make the customers feel most beautiful and happy.
Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
I’ve been a nail technician for over 18 years, but I’m most proud of myself being able to adjust and adapt to a new culture and language despite immigrating to America in my later 20s. I am also a very communicative person, so it helped me gain trust with my clients. I also have a high drive to keep learning which also helped me become successful in my profession.
Pricing:
- Full set of acrylics: $40 and up
- Dip powder color: $35 and up
- Manicure with gel: $30
- Waxing; $10
- Pink and white ombré: $55 and up
Contact Info:
- Email: chaumle1204@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/nailsbycindyle?utm_medium=copy_link
Image Credits:
My daughter, Tramy Dinh took my photos.
