Beauty at UMD: Being a student business owner

Student business owners Omoniola Oladimeji, Marissa Nicole and Christianna Owunna are making University of Maryland women feel beautiful one client at a time by providing highly demanded services on campus.

“More than anything I hope to empower each of my clients and make them feel beautiful,” said licensed esthetician and owner of Winx By Neso, Christianne Owunna. “It’s such a rewarding feeling watching my client’s reaction when they get up and feel just a little bit more confident.”

Owunna is one of the few beauty business owners on campus, and she provides eyelash extension services for UMD students, the greater College Parkcommunity, and within her hometown, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

With the workload of being a senior kinesiology major, being involved with campus organizations and owning a business, Owunna says time management is one of her biggest struggles.

“Being a student with your own business is no joke,” she said. “I am still getting the hang of [it] but Google Calendar is my best friend.”

She started her business in October after receiving her license from esthetician school and felt confident in her services. Owunna also actively does research, watches videos, and asks questions to improve her skills for her business.

Due to the high demand for this service on campus and a low-cost for her supplies, Owunna is able to provide affordable prices for her clients.

Her company Winx By Neso offers classic sets for $60 and charges $30 for fill-ins. She also offers to pick up and drop off services for students on campus that are $5 each way.

Since the start of her business Owunna has learned sometimes she has to learn to say no, especially while still being a student.

“I would definitely consider myself to be a people pleaser, so sometimes it’s difficult for me to tell clients that I don’t have space in my schedule to take them,” said Owunna. 

Just like Owunna, student business owner Marissa Glover struggles with time management also. Glover started her nail business Grabberz Nail Co. in August. As a new business owner, Glover learned she had to be vigilant with her time management. She only takes appointments on the weekends, and she sets a limit for the number of clients she can accept. This schedule makes it easier for her to focus on all of her school work and activities during the weekdays. 

“At times it is challenging, I find myself handling business when I am supposed to be paying attention to my school work,” said Glover, a junior public health science major from Laurel, Maryland. “Having so much on my plate has forced me to prioritize and compartmentalize my daily and weekly tasks.” 

Glover took a leap of faith and taught herself how to do nails after waking up one morning and seeing nail pictures on her discover page on Instagram. In 2018, Glover and her friends also struggled to find a nail technician that was not only affordable, but high quality. 

“If other people can do it, why can’t I? So I decided to learn how to do them myself,” said Glover. 

Grabber Nailz Co. offers full sets starting at $45, it includes the choice of clear or regular tips, colored acrylic or gel polish, and any nail shape or length. Traditional fill-ins start at $35 and special fill-ins for those who wish to add or change their colored acrylic or remove any encapsulated designs are $45. Her company also offers manicures for $15. On Fridays all freestyle sets are $60. Glover calls this special “Freestyle Friday.” 

“I feel like I’ve been a blessing to the University of Maryland community because I am right next to campus,” said Glover. “I try to stay as affordable as possible because I know my client base is mostly students.”

Glover’s biggest lesson she learned as a new business owner was inspired by a quote: “Don’t wait until you’re ready because the time you’re ready, it will be too late.” She knew if she waited to start her business due to self-doubt and balancing her school workload she would have abandoned her plan altogether. 

As a self-taught nail tech Glover constantly researches, watches YouTube videos and asks other professional technicians for advice to constantly improve her skills. 

Not only are eyelash and nail services available on campus, but student business owner, Omoniola Oladimeji, provides hair care services specializing in wigs with her business Miss Olaa Stylez. 

Oladimeji has been doing hair since she was 14 years old, starting out by offering braiding services, and later branching off to wigs. 

“It’s my passion, I literally have to do something with my hands,” said Oladimeji, a senior international business and management major.  “I just always have to be doing something with hair.”

Miss Ola Stylez offers a variety of services including closure and basic sew-ins, natural hair care, wig construction, weave, and wig maintenance, styling, frontal installations, coloring, box braids, crochet and so much more of your hair needs. 

As a student business owner, Oladimeji is very involved on campus and is also currently studying abroad. She ensures she puts her education and business first, but she gives credit to God for how she balances everything. 

“It’s not easy balancing it but I give credit to God. I can’t explain it, I don’t know how I do all this stuff, but I feel like it’s just because I have his strength.”  

Oladimeji applies the skills she learns within her major to improve her business such as creating invoices, developing marketing techniques, creating her website and more.

“I don’t want to just be a regular hairstylist, I want to have an impact on the industry,” said Oladimeji. 

With the hair industry constantly evolving, Oladimeji practices new techniques on herself before offering the services to her clients. Her greatest lesson she has learned from her years of experience is to “run your own race.” With hair being a very popular business, she remains true to herself, her craft, and the love she has for her passion. 

“Seeing the reaction of my clients afterward brings me the most joy,” said Oladimeji. “You’re actually making somebody feel good and that’s so beautiful.”

Her greatest advice to the UMD community is to “invest in how you want to be addressed.” Oladimeji believes beauty should not be budgeted, it’s great to invest in good quality products, especially hair. 

Omoniola Oladimeji, Marissa Nicole, and Christianna Owunna all agree that it is hard being a student business owner but each of them take joy in building their clients’ confidence with their services.