Oak Hills High School Junior, Brooke Lint, has created her own empire as a nail technician. Going by the name “beauty.boutique.by.brooke” on Instagram, she started her nail business in May 2022. Since then, her designs are gaining attention from both teens and adults, giving her almost 400 followers. As of right now, Lint has to manage her school, tennis, and business, every day.

“Physically, it can be a load when I have a lot of appointments after a long school day and tennis practice,” Lint describes. Typically, her day consists of three to four hours worth of appointments each day. This would be a hefty balancing act for anyone, but Lint really focuses on “trying not to mentally overload myself,” she continues to say, “I am passionate about these nails, but I don’t want to burn myself out while I’m  at it.” Lint tries to utilize her study hall and X-bell as much as she can to give herself an easier time after long days of appointments. However, at the end of the day, it’s all worth it. Addison Childs, an Oak Hills High School Junior who frequently gets her nails done by Lint, describes her experiences as “fantastic. She is always precise about what she does, and you’ll become good friends by the end of it.” Other clients seem to say similar statements as well. Customers always come back for a new, trendy fresh set each month. 

Lint really advocates for the fact that others should start their own businesses that they feel passionate to do. Her biggest advice for those considering it is to “dream big and don’t give up on yourself, the end result will be wonderful.” Lint warns that the process of getting to a point of satisfaction is hard and slow. Originally, her business idea started in Sept. 2020. She would only do her close friends and relatives as a start. It wasn’t until two years later that she was able to gain the traction she needed to become successful. Lint offers a positive perspective to this, saying, “I never lost hope. I saw potential in myself and the little improvements I made after each set and it kept me motivated.” However, what really kept her inspired and motivated is Sydney Pelzer. Pelzer babysat Lint when she was younger. At the time, Pelzer was in cosmetology school, and would do Brookes’ hair every time she was over. Seeing Pelzers’ love and commitment to cosmetology, Lint was inspired to do the same. 

“The biggest part about nails for me,” Lint explains, “Is the idea that many people see it as not a big deal, but I’m beyond blessed that I have the opportunity.”