Half-time hand mannequin earns $10,000 a 12 months working simply 5 further hours per week

Washington balances her time between her function because the chief of workers to the chief advertising and marketing officer at Hubspot, a CRM platform software program improvement firm, and dealing as a hand mannequin and nail polish influencer. 

Most days, yow will discover Washington utilizing her lunch break, after work hours, and even early mornings attempting to catch the most effective mild to showcase her newest nail creations, which she shares to her greater than 2,000 followers on her Instagram account @polishedby.chloe. And whereas she’s at all times been a fan of nail polish, she turned this passion right into a money-making facet hustle throughout that pandemic. 

Nowadays, when she’s not testing out the latest colours and sharing the outcomes along with her followers, she’s main digital demonstrations for one of many trade’s high polish manufacturers. Washington took a while after making use of her newest coat of polish to speak to Fortune about how this social media facet profession took off. 

This dialog has been edited and condensed for readability. 

How did you get into hand modeling and creating nail polish content material? 

I’m an solely baby. I like girly stuff. I in all probability ought to’ve had a nail polish funds earlier than the pandemic as a result of if I went to the shop and there was a brand new coloration, I used to be grabbing it and placing it in my cart.

I at all times heard that I’ve good fingers. I don’t know if it’s a Southern factor, however individuals would say I had “piano fingers” rising up. And with my nail beds, there may be numerous actual property. So to have the ability to truly do one thing cool with that, and generate revenue has been incredible.

In the course of the pandemic, particularly after we have been on lockdown, I used to be simply portray my nails lots. I needed to strive new designs and publish to social media. However my mates didn’t care about this on my common Instagram. Usually I speak about random issues: household photos, boyfriend photos, Georgia soccer. These are my subjects. So I made a brand new Instagram, simply to see. I assumed perhaps I’d have the ability to get 10 followers, however it could be one thing for me to do—type of like my mani reminiscence guide.

However you didn’t simply cease at 10 followers, proper? 

It picked up quick! I used to be not likely anticipating something to return from it. Firstly of the pandemic, there was an inflow of nail Instagram pages. I believe everybody was bored at house and desirous to have a artistic outlet. 

Friendships have fashioned from this. It’s simply the strangest, weirdest, most lovely factor. The nail group, if you’ll, was everybody at house portray their nails and speaking on Zoom whenever you couldn’t go to completely happy hour or go to brunch. I’ve made some actually fantastic and exquisite friendships with individuals I’ve by no means met in-person that I’ve talked to on a regular basis.

Actually, I nonetheless really feel bizarre saying hand mannequin. Generally I’ll simply say I create content material. Identical factor. I mannequin my fingers, and I create the content material and take pictures of it.

When did it rework right into a paid gig? 

I had my web page up for perhaps a month, and Olive & June reached out. They’re my most important nail polish shopper. 

They needed to get some user-generated content material, and they also checked out who was tagging them. And that ultimately led them to me. They reached out and requested if they may pay me to take some pictures in the event that they despatched me their polish. They needed to ship a listing of polishes to color and take photos of on my hand. And I used to be like, I certain can. You’re sending me free polish and also you’re paying me—all proper. 

I additionally work for Dana Rebecca Designs, a effective jewellery firm. However I reached out to her versus her reaching out to me. I mentioned that I beloved their issues and that I noticed there was a name for fashions for a photoshoot in Chicago—and I needed to know the way I may work with them. And it went from there. 

How a lot do you earn? 

Influencers could make—at the least within the nail trade amongst individuals I do know—$1,000 to $2,000 to nearly $100,000 a 12 months. That’s not PR, however doing user-generated content material for manufacturers. 

I’ve made at the least $10,000 a 12 months for the previous two years that I’ve been doing it. And that’s having the ability to do it half time. I’m not likely grinding like numerous different persons are. I might say I spend anyplace between 5 to fifteen hours every week on this. 

I’m not solely a hand mannequin, I train Mani 101 on Zoom calls every month for Olive & June as nicely. The category is an hour, after which I in all probability spend an hour prepping, particularly when generally I’m educating a brand new method. I’ve received to first train myself after which I’ll train different individuals.

I’m compensated for educating the category. Moreover I’m an envoy for Olive & June, so I’m compensated that method, too. That’s one other passive method of revenue.

With the jewellery firms, I construction pay by the variety of manicures and variety of pictures I publish, however they’re flat charges. 

That is my play cash. That is my “oh-I-want-that-handbag” cash, or it’s cash I can use to take a position apart from the revenue from my full-time job.

You talked about this was a life-long passion, however what sort of job did you truly need to do whenever you have been youthful? 

I needed to work for OPI and identify the nail polish. I’ve a level in trend merchandising. That’s what I needed to do, and it got here full circle. 

However I graduated within the Nice Recession and in 2007 and 2008, it was a tough time. So I went the IT route. I’ve challenge administration expertise, now main advertising and marketing, strategic operations, and planning. I’ve at all times been a techie and into that sort of stuff, too. However now I get to additionally try this artistic facet, what I’ve a level in, and have it actually come full circle. 

Have you ever managed to get OPI as a shopper or do any work with them? 

They began following me on Instagram. They solely don’t comply with many individuals, so seeing that, after all I did a dance and yelled. My boyfriend requested what was flawed and I used to be like, no every part is correct! So I’ve not expanded to OPI but, however ORLY simply despatched me a PR field so I’m excited to have the ability to discuss to totally different manufacturers.

How lengthy does it often take you to color your nails at this level—what have you ever realized with observe?

The significance of skincare and cuticle care. Irrespective of how good the nail polish is, if the muse isn’t proper, the image isn’t going to be nice—particularly since I don’t edit them. So it’s about not clipping my cuticles, moisturizing all through the day, and consuming sufficient water. 

That’s one thing I by no means considered in relation to taking photos of your fingers. In case you’re dehydrated, your veins are all coming out of your pores and skin and it doesn’t look good. You don’t need to publish that on the web.

I’ve undoubtedly gotten quicker and extra exact. Speaking about ideas and tips I’ve realized: Set a timer. It’s like paint on a wall, you want that first coat to dry fully. So I set a timer between coats. 

First you’ve received to place nail polish remover on first to clear the floor. Then if I’m doing a base coat or ridge filler, I set a five-minute timer. I make certain to at all times have a barrier on as a result of I don’t prefer to stain my nails in case I’ve to color a lightweight coloration later.

First coat, 5 minutes. Second coat, seven minutes. Prime coat 10 minutes. In the event that they’re sticking somewhat bit, you might want to give it some time longer. Or you’ll be able to stick your hand within the freezer for a minute in the event you’re in an enormous hurry. Completely different manufacturers even have dry drops that may assist. Icy chilly water helps too.

The place would you like this to go from right here? 

I wish to proceed to work with manufacturers, whether or not or not it’s totally different nail polish manufacturers, that’s effective. I additionally benefit from the public talking a part of it. I did numerous Instagram lives in the course of the pandemic, for individuals to ask questions. 

I attempt to do just a few issues rather well and be an skilled in that and never attempt to chase the market. Haley Bieber broke the web just a few months in the past along with her donut nails. That’s fascinating to me, however I don’t do tremendous intricate nail designs. I don’t need individuals to really feel like as a result of there are all these influencers on-line that do their very own nails, I’ve to do that, or I’ve to chase this.

There’s nothing flawed with going to the nail salon. I like a pedicure. I don’t let anyone contact my nails, however I like pedicures.

I don’t need to do that full time as a result of this has been a enjoyable passion just about all of my life. I need it to nonetheless be a enjoyable passion—and likewise have the ability to community, to satisfy individuals, and naturally generate income by way of it in that method.

I actually need to have the ability to truly assist individuals, make individuals really feel lovely and really feel competent in what they’re doing.