Today we’d like to introduce you to Dhannylle Swalberg.
Hi Dhannylle, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Here’s how I’d fill it out:
When I decided to start my business, I was actually in college working on my general education. I quickly realized that traditional school just wasn’t clicking for me, and if I was going to leave college, I knew I needed to have a plan for what came next.
I’ve always loved art and knew I wanted to do something creative. I remember having a conversation with myself about how I could turn that love for art into an actual career. In high school, I had experimented with painting designs on nails and really enjoyed it, so I decided to take a chance and go to nail school.
At the time, I had quite a few people who weren’t necessarily supportive of that decision. I heard more than once that I probably wouldn’t make it as a nail tech, especially doing the kind of detailed nail art I wanted to do. Instead of discouraging me, it honestly made me even more determined to prove that I could build a career doing something I loved.
After getting my license, I worked in several different salons, and every experience taught me something—both what I wanted to do in my own business and what I didn’t want to do. I continued pushing myself creatively, practicing nail art and taking on designs that challenged me. Even when people doubted my work or told me certain things couldn’t be done, it made me want to learn, improve, and push myself even further.
Over the years, I’ve grown not only as a nail artist, but also as a business owner. What started as me trying to find a creative career has turned into something I’m incredibly passionate about. I’m still constantly learning, challenging myself, and working toward becoming the best artist and business owner I can be. I think one of the biggest things my journey has taught me is that sometimes the path that doesn’t make sense to everyone else can end up being exactly where you’re supposed to be.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It absolutely has not always been a smooth road. There have been so many ups and downs throughout my journey of becoming the nail tech and business owner I want to be. This industry is definitely not for the faint of heart. There can be a lot of comparison and jealousy, and I’ve had to learn not to let that take away from what I’m building or make me question whether I’m good enough.
One of my biggest struggles has honestly been learning to believe in myself and stop comparing where I am to where everyone else is. There is always going to be someone who has been doing it longer, has more followers, is more booked, or is amazing at something you’re still learning. I’ve had to remind myself that there is room for all of us and that someone else succeeding doesn’t take away from my own success.
I’ve also learned that growth can be really uncomfortable. Whether it was building my clientele, pushing myself creatively, putting my work out there, stepping into education and mentoring other nail techs, or most recently taking the leap into my own salon suite, there have been plenty of moments where I’ve questioned myself. But every hard season has pushed me into something bigger.
I’m still learning as I go, and I definitely don’t have everything figured out, but I think that’s part of it. The hard moments have taught me to trust myself, keep showing up, and remember why I started in the first place. Looking back, some of the things that felt like setbacks at the time ended up being exactly what pushed me toward the next chapter of my career.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I’m a nail artist, and I think what I’m most known for is my ability to create really detailed nail art on such tiny canvases. I love being given an idea and figuring out how to turn it into something unique on a set of nails. I especially love character art, cute and fun designs, 3D elements, and anything that lets me get creative. Holiday nails are probably my absolute favorite, especially Halloween and Christmas, because I feel like that’s when I really get to have fun and push my creativity.
Recently, I entered the 90’s Character Nail Art competition at the Utah Nail Expo and ended up taking first place in the public voting. That was a really special moment for me. I’ve spent years working on my art and constantly trying to improve, so having other people recognize something that I put so much time and creativity into was incredibly rewarding.
I think what sets me apart is that I’m always trying to learn and push myself. I never want to get to a point where I think I know everything. Even after doing nails for years, there is always another technique to learn, another style to try, or something I can improve on.
That mindset has also made me really passionate about education. I love helping other nail techs grow and sharing the things I’ve learned along the way. As I’ve grown in my own career, I’ve realized that success for me isn’t just about having a full clientele or creating beautiful nails. I want to create an environment where other nail techs can learn, feel supported, and become confident in their own work too.
I’m probably most proud of how much I’ve grown while still genuinely loving what I do. I get to make art for a living, connect with amazing people, continue challenging myself creatively, and now help other nail techs along the way. I don’t think I could have imagined all of that when I first started.
Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
If there’s one thing I would want other nail techs to take away from my story, it’s that there is room for you in this industry. It can be really easy to look around and feel like there are already too many nail techs, too much competition, or that someone else is always going to be better than you. There can be comparison and jealousy, but I don’t think any of that has to determine how far you can go.
With hard work, consistency, and a willingness to keep learning, you can build something that is completely your own. There are clients out there who are looking for exactly what you have to offer. You don’t have to be the best at everything or have everything figured out—you just have to keep showing up, improving your craft, and finding what makes you different.
Moving forward, I want to be the kind of nail tech and educator who reminds other artists of that. I want to help create more support and education in this industry and show other nail techs that we don’t have to compete with each other to be successful. We can learn from each other, celebrate each other, and still build successful careers of our own.
I’m still building my own story, and I have so much more that I want to accomplish, but if my journey can encourage even one nail tech to keep going, believe in themselves, and take a chance on what they want, I think that would be something really special.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dhanailz
