Magazine for the professional nail industry.
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170 | NAILS MAGAZINE | DECEMBER 2015 } { my other life Not all kids are lucky enough to have a Christmas tree in their bedroom. But Nellie Neal did, and the fun he had decorating that tree each year sparked an enduring love for the holidays and a lucrative sideline later on. "That tree fueled my passion for everything bright and sparkly," says Neal, a pedicure specialist and the owner of Get Nailed by Nellie in Minnetonka, Minn. Over the past fve years he's successfully established a custom holiday decor business — called Jingle Nells — that warms and brightens clients' homes during the long Minnesota winters. "I got my start by decorating a salon I had previously worked for," says Neal. "Guests loved every inch of the space and requested my services in their homes. After fnding out the income potential for spending a few days covered in glitter, I happily got to work with my hot glue gun in hand." Since then referrals and demonstrations at local home shows have kept him so busy he occasionally has to turn prospective clients away. Neal specializes in all types of interior holiday decor, but his favorite areas are trees, mantles, and staircases. "When going into a home I do a minimum of one tree and one mantle with a coordinating wreath and garland to bring a cohesive overall look," he says. "Doing a holiday transformation in someone else's home is truly a beautiful experience. From consultation to creation, I love customizing every aspect of the decor and seeing the joy on my clients' faces when experiencing it for the very frst time." Neal's holiday decor business has also provided a welcome solution to the downtime he faces at the salon each winter when his snowbird clients leave for warmer climates. "It really helps with that loss of income in the colder months," he notes. There's just one downside to spreading all that holiday cheer. Says Neal: "I can't say I love taking it all down. If it were up to me I'd leave it up all year round!" Decorating for Dollars NAILS (ISSN 0896-193x) (USPS 001-426) is published monthly, by Bobit Business Media, 3520 Challenger Street, Torrance, California 90503-1640. Periodicals postage paid at Torrance, California 90503-9998 and additional mailing ofces. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Nails, P.O. Box 1067 Skokie, IL 60076-8068. Please allow 6 to 8 weeks for address changes to take efect. Subscription Prices - United States $20 per year; Canada $57 per year; Foreign $87 per year. Single copy price - $5; Big Book - $40. Please allow 6 to 8 weeks to receive your frst issue. Bobit Business Media reserves the right to refuse non-qualifed subscriptions. Please address Editorial and Advertising correspondence to the Executive Ofces at 3520 Challenger Street Torrance, California 90503-1640 or online at www.nailsmag.com. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced either in whole or in part without consent of Bobit Business Media. All statements made, although based on information believed to be reliable and accurate, cannot be guaranteed and no fault or liability can be accepted for error or omission. Subscribers: If the Post Ofce alerts us that your magazine is undeliverable, we have no further obligation unless we receive a corrected address within 2 years. Nellie Neal, nail tech In his other life: holiday home decorator "Doing a holiday transformation in someone else's home is truly a beautiful experience."