Why are so many nail salons Asian-owned?

By Miranda Miller

The problem with stereotypes is not that they are untrue but that they are incomplete.”

— Nigerian novelist Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Have you ever wondered why nail salons so often seem to be owned and staffed by Asian people? If so, you aren’t alone. “Why are all nail salons Asian?” turns up 2.2 million results on Google and “Why are all nail techs Asian” turns up 95,000. Since so many people are curious, IMBM thought the topic was worth investigating.

Statistics and history

Of the 129,682 nail salons in this country, 51 percent are Vietnamese, 40 percent are Caucasian, 5 percent are Black and 3 percent are Hispanic, according to Nails Magazine’s 2015-2016 statistics. Of the 15,829 nail salons in California, which has nearly 4,000 more locations than the state with the second-highest number, approximately 80 percent are Vietnamese.

But why?

As a Beautygeeks blogger said, actress Tippi Hedren, the blonde who starred in Alfred Hitchcock’s movie “The Birds,” “sparked the beginning of the Vietnamese nail salon industry in 1975.” 

After the Vietnam War ended in April of that year, tens of thousands of Vietnamese migrated to the United States. Hedren, who’d been serving as international relief coordinator for Food for the Hungry, visited a refugee camp near Sacramento. While trying to come up with careers the women could learn to start new lives, she noticed them admiring her fingernails, she told the BBC. Since the women would only need to learn a few words of English to accommodate customers, she flew her manicurist into the tent city once a week to train them. She also persuaded a nearby beauty school to enroll 20 of the women.

Hedren enabled those women to pursue the American dream, so they paid it forward by sending money back home and helping other refugees get started in the profession. Today, Hedren is known as the “godmother of nails,” and many technicians across the country are descendants of the 20 she helped enroll in school.

More to the story

According to Kiem Voong, who owns Mi Nail Salon in Indianapolis, many Vietnamese go into the industry because they have relatives or friends who are in it, but learning a skill that you can perfect in six months to two years is also easier than going to school for six to eight years and having to take ESL and computer classes in addition to what’s needed to attain a degree.

After six months of training, a nail technician in the Midwest can earn $2,000–$3,500 per month, he said. “So that’s why they don’t want to do manufacturing or work in restaurants or supermarkets.”

Voong speaks from experience. He grew up in Vietnam, and then his uncle sponsored his family, enabling them to move to Los Angeles when he was 20. He worked in a machine shop for four years and hated it. He also attended community college for two years.

Five years after his mom and sister moved to Indiana, where expenses and housing prices are lower than in LA, Voong and his wife, Ivy, who earned a marketing degree in Vietnam but decided not to pursue her master’s degree in the United States because of the writing and English involved, followed suit. They opened Mi Nail Salon in June 2012 and quickly became one of the most successful salons in Indianapolis.

Whereas Vietnamese nail salons are often reputed to be unlicensed, unsanitary and unfriendly assembly lines that turn over customers quickly to squeeze more in, Voong’s near-100 Yelp and Google reviews praise his staff’s attentiveness and his salon’s cleanliness. Mi Nail Salon seems to be the only one that has pedicure bowl liners.

“People come to us knowing they’re going to have relaxation and quality work,” he said.

Like many business owners, the Voongs aspire to retire early. Dispelling stereotypes may help them achieve that goal.

Manufacturing seems to be a popular sector for Indiana immigrants, but why?

By Benjamin Cooley

Indiana has long been known as a powerhouse in manufacturing, but recent gains in the industry have instilled even more confidence. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Indiana ranked first in the country in 2014 for percentage of total employment in non-farm manufacturing positions at 16.9 percent. And from 2013 to 2014, Indiana was second in the nation for manufacturing employment growth with a 4.5 percent increase in jobs.

The stats it make clear that Hoosiers take pride in building things and building them well. But among the various factors that make Indiana such a successful manufacturing state, lays a frequently overlooked group of workers: recent immigrants.

As of 2006, about three out of 10 workers in Indiana’s immigrant workforce were employed in the manufacturing industry. Using this figure, along with the latest census data, results in just over 93,000 immigrants working manufacturing-related jobs in Indiana today.

For many immigrants, the manufacturing industry represents a steady and gradual entry into their new lives. Thawngzapum Lian, a once-refugee to Indianapolis from Malaysia, experienced this firsthand. Upon arriving in Indiana in 2007, Lian got his first job working for a manufacturing plant in Plainfield, where he assembled electronics like chargers and smartphone accessories. After working for another manufacturing plant, Lian eventually became a caseworker for Catholic Charities, where he specialized in employment placement for refugees like himself. Lian said for most immigrants he worked with, manufacturing jobs are a good fit.

“There’s not as much competition as other industries. For example, with something like engineering, you need experience and schooling, but most manufacturing jobs only require a high school degree. Most people can get by without even speaking much English,” Lian said.

When Lian held his manufacturing jobs, he recalled, he worked alongside immigrants from all over the world. Now he works as a software engineer for IBM. For him, and many others, working in manufacturing has been a good entry point into the Hoosier workforce.

“What really matters (in manufacturing jobs] is a good work ethic, and many of the refugees I helped find work had a good work ethic, so they did well,” said Lian.

Manufacturing jobs also act as a good entry point beyond the professional realm. James A. McCann, a professor of Latin American studies and political science at Purdue University, described the workplace as a process of learning on the job.

“There’s a lot of assimilation that happens at the workplace. Especially in larger firms, there is a lot of interaction, so immigrants are going to meet people from other places,” said McCann.

As they learn, immigrant employees in manufacturing can experience a less intimidating assimilation process into the new culture. This process takes time, and sometimes, a little extra help from employers. But gradually, McCann explained, a job in this industry can open up other areas of growth.

“The longer you’re there, the more proficient you become at language adoption and social norms. So the workplace is a very important repository for immigrant socialization,” McCann said.

Victoria T. Davis

Language barriers and other cultural differences can turn creating a business plan into a nightmare for Indiana immigrants. Even those who have a solid plan can easily lose confidence if they can’t locate resources to help execute those plans.

Whether one is a potential business owner or current business owner, the State of Indiana has an abundance of resources available to not only lift a potential business off the ground but help maintain those already established.

Here are a few resources available within the state:

Indiana Housing & Community Development Authority

This agency administers the Individual Development Account program, which allows Indiana the opportunity to receive Federal money from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services through a competitive application process through the Assets for Independence Act. The IHCDA is required to match all Federal monies with State monies on a dollar for dollar basis. Qualified participants set savings goals and make regular savings deposits. Every dollar saved is matched, at a minimum for $3 for every $1 saved, to help them reach their goals so they can: Launch a new business, obtain higher education and professional training needed to qualify for a better job or purchase a new home.

For reference materials and application forms, visit in.gov/myihcda/ida or call (317) 234-5825.

Indiana Small Business Development Center

The Indiana Small Business Development Center (ISBDC) has 10 regional offices providing business advice to entrepreneurs and small business owners free of charge. Services provided include one-on-one consulting, strategic planning, market research, loan assistance and more. Business owners work with experienced ISBDC Business Advisors who can help guide them through the variety of resources available at the state and federal levels. To view a list of ISBDC locations and contact information, please click here. Business owners are also welcome to take the new business or existing business survey to connect with their regional office and start the consulting relationship.

For more information on business planning with the Indiana Small Business Development Center, visit isbdc.org or call (317) 234-2082.

Launch Indiana

Launch Indiana offers one-on-one mentorship to innovation-driven entrepreneurs in Indiana and is a joint initiative of the ISBDC and Launch Fishers. The website, launchindiana.org offers advice on seeking investors and lessons every startup should know. Business mentor applications can be found online and address challenges business owners are concerned with.

For more information, visit LaunchIndiana.org.

Immigrants don’t have to go it alone with it comes to starting and building a business. A few resources are available in Indiana for entrepreneurial-minded foreign-born residents. One such organization in Indianapolis known as the International Marketplace Coalition (IMC) helps small business owners build infrastructure and capacity through various economic-development projects.

The IMC, formerly known as the Lafayette Square Area Coalition, is a local business organization working to re-brand the Lafayette Square Area (LSA) into Indy’s International Marketplace (IM). Mary Clark has served as executive director of the IMC. She has worked hard to develop relationships and partnerships with state and local elected officials, ethic community leaders, and residents to help formulate the vision of the IM. According to their website, in 2014 IM was responsible for assisting with the completion of 3 new gateway structures, bus shelters and signage.

The intent of the facade program is to jumpstart retail and commercial development by supporting quality improvements to storefronts and commercial facilities in urban neighborhoods throughout Indianapolis.

The following information outlines the details of the program:

Eligible applicants: Any building owner or tenant of a building located in the International Marketplace Area (see attached map) is eligible to apply. All applications from building tenants require the signature and approval of the building owner.

Eligible projects: Any improvement to primary front-facing commercial facades is eligible, such as attached signage and building entrances, including but not limited to: doors, windows, signage, awnings, brick, stone, wood, or other building surface material.

International Market Place initiatives will allow for the scope of facade improvements to include other improvements to create a more attractive business environment, including the removal of asphalt paving to create more greenspace, landscaping, accessibility improvements to sidewalks, pole signage or other related activities that create an attractive business retail environment. Improvements to interior public spaces in businesses that serve the general public are also eligible.

Applications are accepted at any time. Applications received after September will be considered for the subsequent calendar year. Award announcements will be communicated within 60 days of submission of a fully submitted application.

For more information and to obtain an application, visit imcoalition.org/imclisc-facade-grant. Questions can be directed to smallbiz@lisc.org or (317) 454-8488.

By Ebony Chappel

Each new year, people set resolutions and make plans to lose weight, be more productive at work, save money and achieve other goals. While many start off the top of January on the right track, by Valentine’s Day many of those good intentions have fallen by the wayside.

Motivational speaker, author and life coach Dr. Stacia Pierce says writing out your plan in a journal may help.

“My clients always come to me saying they’ve made a million resolutions, but they have no idea how to keep them,” said Pierce in a release. “Instead of shooting down their goals, I show them how to manifest them — and journaling is the key.”

This year, Pierce released The Success Journal, and IMBM talked with her about the idea behind the journal’s creation and what tips she has for creating success for oneself.

IMBM: What inspired you to create The Success Journal?

Pierce: The Success Journal is a culmination of all my success tasks. It’s a guided journal that leads you through the process of writing your way to success. In my experience I have found that people are intimidated with the journaling process. Some are afraid to write for fear of someone reading the book. Others are used to using their journal to rant only. The success journal is a new way of journaling, and it teaches you to write positive results and desires even before they actually happen in your life. I’ve been using these principles for years, and I have always looked for a journal that had all these features in it. When I couldn’t find one, I created it myself.

You’ve worked with lots of people to help them achieve their dreams and goals. What are some of the common mistakes people make in goal setting and in execution?

The most common mistake in setting goals is not being specific about what you really want. When you are not definite about your goals, then you can hardly achieve them in any way. Another common mistake is not giving goals the attention that they deserve. Your life goes in the direction of your most dominant thoughts. By spending time daily meditating on your goals and how you want to achieve them, you’re most likely to accomplish them.

What advice would you give to someone looking to start goal setting for the first time?

1. Write your goals. I know this point seems like a no-brainer … but honestly many people expect to achieve a goal that is only in their head. What’s written is real. Taking the time to write down what you want to accomplish is the first step to achievement.
2. Review your goals often. A lot of people write their goals only once and never look again. It’s impossible to achieve a goal that you’re not even aware of. By constantly reviewing your goals, you’ll become empowered to develop an action plan to achieve them.
3. Research your goal. Learn all that you can about your goal. Whether it’s to write a book or travel the world, research everything. Find out about pricing, equipment, services you need, etc. Collect magazine clippings, articles and other information that can help you along the way. The more you research, the more real the goal becomes to you.
4. See your goals in the final state of accomplishment. Add a big picture image of success and visualize yourself achieving your goals often. I created a weekly vision page in The Success Journal to help my clients focus on a task until it is accomplished. By seeing your goal vision often, you’ll be able to manifest your desired results.

There are people who have tried to set goals over and over again with no success. What advice would you give them to help them stay on track?

In many cases people are all over the place with their goals and in their thinking. Instead of trying to accomplish a million things at once, pick only a few goals to focus your attention on. Follow the steps that I mentioned earlier with these goals and wholeheartedly give attention to them … you will see results.

What are three top tips you would give people looking to make their 2017 a huge success?

1. Journal your way through the entire year. I cannot stress the importance of scripting out your life. Journaling enables you to align your mind and emotions and focus on your truest desires. Not only is it a great cleansing exercise, but it will also empower you by building momentum, faith and determination to reach your goals.
2. Create a mantra to live by and write it down. Create an affirmation that best describes how you envision your life for 2017. Say it every single day as a part of your daily routine.
3. Take breaks to enjoy life. Schedule in breaks of enjoyment. Create a list of what you love to do. Then use that list to pencil in time to do what you love. The list can have small and big activities. It can be anything from reading magazines, to a spa day, spending time at the beach, shopping, etc. Whatever you love to do, make sure that you set aside time to do it. Do the small things weekly, and plan for major things quarterly or at least twice a year. This is so important, because people often complain about how life gets the best of them and they feel deprived of all the things that they love. You can do whatever you want, when you plan for it! Make your own life enjoyable by intentionally taking action.

For more information on Dr. Stacia Pierce and The Success Journal, visit lifecoach2women.com.