Today we’d like to introduce you to Itzel Guzman.
Hi Itzel, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Ever since I can remember, I’ve always been a crafty person. Anything I couldn’t afford, I would try to DIY—nails were no exception.
My husband and I became teen parents at 16, and we went through a lot of financial hardships. But that never stopped me from trying to do my own beauty needs.
Fast forward to 2020, during the rise of TikTok—everyone was making videos, so I joined the bandwagon. Little did I know that I would be liked by so many. I gained 400,000 followers in no time, and that’s when I knew I had to take myself seriously and go to trade school for nail technology.
TikTok pushed me to believe that I had it in me to be more than just a stay-at-home mom of two at the time. I graduated from nail school and started working at a salon for a bit, but working on someone else’s schedule didn’t sit right with me. So I ventured out on my own and began doing house calls to build my clientele.
I remember a group of ladies who managed traveling nurses staying at hotels in the Overland Park area reached out to me for nails. Looking back, it’s crazy that I said yes—I was going to hotels at night to do nails! But word got out, one lady told another, and just like that, I was booked and busy.
I started posting on Instagram, and my audience began growing there too. That’s how I really built my clientele.
Later, a friend from nail school reached out—she had found an office suite we could share and split the rent. I went for it, and everything was great, but unfortunately, our landlord wasn’t the best. We decided not to renew our contract after the year was up.
I then got a suite at Phenix Salon, and everything was falling into place. My clientele grew immensely, and I was booked and busy—until I got pregnant with my last baby and took a year off to enjoy that time with her.
I finally came back to work at the beginning of 2025, and I am so grateful to still have my loyal clients. I know this isn’t the end for me—I hope to grow even more and focus more on social media.
My journey hasn’t been easy, but it’s brought me to where I am now. Looking back, I can see that every closed door led to something better. Every win—it was all God. Through it all, He never left my side and always pulled me through to victory. I am living proof of His favor.
I am also incredibly grateful for all my clients—without them, there is no Itzallnails. I thank them from the bottom of my heart for their loyalty and continued support.
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?
I’ve had my share of struggles along the way.
One of the first came when my boss let me go because she wanted me to booth rent instead of working under the 60/40 commission split we had agreed on. At the time, it didn’t make sense to me—I had just graduated from nail school and didn’t have a clientele yet. That opportunity ended before it could really begin, and I was pretty down after that. But I picked myself up and pushed forward, offering house calls to get my name out there and build my client base from the ground up.
Another challenge came with my first landlord at the office space I was leasing with a friend. She was extremely difficult to work with, but I made it through that experience too.
The most recent struggle happened after returning from maternity leave. I had secured a suite with someone I had known before my leave. She reached out and let me know a space was available, and I took it—grateful for the opportunity. Looking back, I blame myself for being too trusting. I ignored the contract’s fine print, which clearly stated she could terminate the lease at any time. Instead, I relied on her word when she told me the smell of monomer (the nail salon chemical smell) would be perfectly fine.
It took me a month to get the suite up to standard and pass inspection. I only got to work there for four days before she emailed me saying the smell was too much and that I had to leave. Honestly, I was frustrated, defeated, and heartbroken. But once again, with God’s help, I pulled myself together and started searching for a new space.
Thankfully, I found the suite I’m in now. It was truly heaven-sent and has already been a huge blessing in my journey.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am a self taught licensed nail technician. I specialize in acrylic and gel enhancements. I am most proud of my growth. I believe that what sets me apart from others is my personality and ability to brighten someone’s day. My clients always mention how they look forward to our appointments that include alot of talking, laughing sometimes crying! I truly pour so much love into my clients. I believe that’s what sets me apart, i am just not trying to take your money and go, i want to give my clients their money’s worth while providing an experience that they want to repeat monthly, and i believe i do that because one thing about me is my retention is TEA! Most of my clients come to me once a month and can go even longer if they really wanted too.
We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
Success to me is making a living out of something i am passionate about. For example i love my job and every interaction i have with my clients. We truly never stop learning. Seeing different ladies and hearing their stories just gives me so many different perspectives. I can tell you with certainty that in this life yes money will bring comfort but not happiness, so if you can make money out of what you love then you have succeeded!
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