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At 26 years old, Luanna Ann became the proud founder of Aeonian Nails, a booming home-based nail studio in Bandar Sunway.
But her journey began just over a year ago when she left a stable corporate job—with no plan.
“I was working as a personal assistant at a law firm. My salary was around RM2,400 a month, but the traffic, the workload, and the stress—it just wasn’t for me.
“So in 2023, I decided to take a leap of faith by quitting my job. I had no plan or safety net. I just went for it,” she recounted.
Starting fresh with no art background
Although Luanna studied business marketing, her partner suggested she consider doing people’s nails after seeing how burnt out she was at her previous job.
“Two months after resigning, I told my partner I couldn’t go back to the corporate world, prompting him to suggest that I work on nails instead. So, I booked a nail course, and that’s how it all started.”
With an initial investment of between RM10,000 and RM15,000, which included courses, tools, materials, and transforming her bedroom into a studio, Luanna jumped headfirst into the world of nail art without any formal art training.
I have zero art background. But I rarely say no to client inspirations. Even if it’s something I’ve never done before, I’ll just go for it. It challenges me and helps me improve,” she said.
She then shared about the first paying client she received, one that still reverberates in her mind to this day.
“Her name was Laticia. It was a freestyle set and it took me five hours to complete. I sketched everything out beforehand and it was both a nervous and proud moment for me.
“At the start of operating Aeonian Nails, I only earned RM70 a day and could only manage one client daily. But as my skills grew, so did her client capacity and income.
“Eventually, I could take three clients a day. That increased my earnings by about 500%,
she shared proudly.
Today, Luanna earns four-figures monthly, with her income soaring to five-figures during festive seasons. However, she admitted there were months where business wasn’t as brisk.
“There are good months and slow months. Sometimes clients cancel appointments at the last minute, or there are weeks with no bookings. But I’ve learnt to manage that by focusing on creating content to attract more clients,” she said.
Building her brand from scratch
Luanna runs every aspect of Aeonian Nails by herself— be it bookings, cleaning, content creation, or marketing.
“I started by taking bookings via direct messages (DMs), but it became too messy. So I switched to a booking site and later WhatsApp. I picked up these systems by learning from other nail technicians. It’s all about finding what works best for both me and the clients.”
As for Luanna’s marketing strategy, it’s largely self-taught and content-driven.
Most of my clients come from TikTok as it has more engagement compared to Instagram. That’s how I built my client base.
Despite enjoying a boom in business, Luanna said faced stiff resistance at the beginning, especially from her mother when she expressed her desire to establish Aeonian Nails.
“My mom was against it at first. She thought my corporate job was way more stable. But she didn’t really understand how draining it was for me.
“However, my persistence won out and now she fully supports me in my nail business,” she shared.
From nail tech to mentor
Today, Luanna also teaches others who want to learn nail art.
“I realised teaching could give me additional income and allow me to share what I’ve learned. So I thought, ‘Why not?’“
Luanna also continues to refine her services, systems, and client experience by learning from other home-based nail technicians and evolving her business model.
“I think what keeps my clients coming back is not just the results, but the connection I share with them as well as I deliver quality, maintain communication, and bring good energy in all sessions.”
While acknowledging the pressure many feel to juggle multiple income streams, but she believes it all boils down to staying focused and giving one’s dreams a shot.
Life’s too short. If you’re unhappy, take a gamble. Even if it fails, at least you tried and learned something. That’s more valuable than staying stuck and wondering ‘what if’“
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