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POWELL
From microbiology degree to nail business? ‘It’s a passion’
Al Lesar, Shopper News
Shortly after Samantha Johnson graduated from Tennessee Tech with a degree in microbiology, she made the logical move … and opened a nails business.
Say what?
It all comes down to passion.
“When I was growing up (in Clinton), I knew I wanted to do something in the medical field,” said Johnson, who now lives in Powell. “I might have been a weirdo, but I loved microbiology.
“In college, I got to be a teacher’s assistant in the lab. I fell in love with the hands-on aspect of identifying organisms. It was like a big game to me.”
Immediately after college, Johnson spent a few months learning the real-world application of microbiology in a lab at the University of Tennessee Knoxville. It was a fast-paced job that discouraged Johnson.
From the experience, it left Johnson thinking.
“Since I was 13, I loved doing (finger) nails,” she said. “In the early days of social media, I had an Instagram (account) where I showed my nails designs.”
Johnson and her husband, Nathan Landers, crunched the numbers. After 600 hours at a school in Sweetwater, Johnson was able to open her own business, Knox Nailology.
No regrets
Johnson never questioned her abrupt change of direction, or regretted spending four years on a challenging field of study.
But it took a sign at the nails school in Sweetwater to put it in perspective: When a passion meets a purpose, that’s when extraordinary things happen.
“‘Working with nails is more than a job − it’s a passion,” Johnson said. “It’s something I love a lot.
“College was the best four years of my life. I don’t regret my degree. I grew as a person. I had some awesome mentors. I still really like science.”
Johnson spent this past summer getting everything in order so she could set out on her own by opening a booth at Honey & Co. Salon in Clinton (361 Market St.).
“By going out on my own, I’ve gained a lot of self-confidence,” Johnson said. “I never believed in myself like others believed in me. I went out and I pursued my dreams.”
Interaction important
Johnson said she regularly uses her medical background to help make sure her clients continue to be safe and infection-free. She maintains a sterile environment and is careful to use only approved materials.
“I do structure gel manicures on natural nails,” she said. “I don’t work on any enhancements.”
Johnson said she had a solid foundation on the basics of nail work, but her time at the school gave her a different perspective.
“I learned a lot about how important it was to interact with people,” Johnson said. “The social aspect was something I really didn’t think about.
“When somebody comes in for an appointment, it’s up to me to make that the best hour and a half of their day. My job is to pamper them.”
Johnson is available Tuesday through Friday from 8 a.m.-5:30 p.m., and Saturday 8-noon. A basic manicure starts at $70. Pedicures are also available. For more information, or to book an appointment, go to: knoxnailology@glossgenius.com.
OPINION
It’s time to stop letting the worst of me get the best of me
Leslie Snow, Shopper News
It’s an ordinary night and I feel fine. My husband and I are busy getting ready for bed while Buttercup nudges us with her nose for attention. We’re one big happy family saying goodbye to a perfectly normal day. There’s no reason to believe it won’t be a peaceful evening.
But in the middle of the night, a branch hits the roof with a loud thump. Buttercup barks and runs downstairs to howl in the darkness. My husband gets up to make sure the roof is intact, and when the two of them return a few minutes later to say everything is fine, I assume we’ll all drift back to sleep like nothing happened.
But my mind has other plans. It begins to ruminate over all the things I have to do before the end of the year. There are still holiday meals to plan and gifts to buy. There are end-of-the-year donations to make and bills to pay. I spin through my to-do list until my mind stumbles on a catalogue of bad memories I’ve been saving for a sleepless night.
I think about the time I was taking off my art smock in second grade but accidentally took off my shirt instead. I remembered the time I whispered to a friend during an assembly and got called up in front of the class to be reprimanded. I remember being up for the lead in our high school musical and not getting the part. I remember trying to impress the popular crowd and failing. I remember dumping my best friend. I remember it all.
The night becomes a montage of my worst moments, a cruel “top 10” list. I can picture every awkward minute from my past. I can see myself failing and floundering through adolescence. I want to flip the script in my mind and focus on my successes, but those memories don’t come as easily. They are fuzzy on the details and hard to recall.
A few hours later my mind runs out of failures to tally, and I drift off to sleep. When I wake up, I feel exhausted and foolish. I chastise myself for collecting my wounds and discounting my achievements. I’m a positive person during the day, but in the middle of a sleepless night, my mind wanders to uncomfortable places.
I’m lying in bed watching the sun come up when a thought ricochets through my head. I have to let go. I have to let go of an embarrassing day from second grade. I have to let go of a humiliating first date and a terrible audition. I have to let go of it all because none of it matters now.
I have a happy family and a happy life. I have tried to take care of others and to use my powers for good. I don’t know why my clearest memories are often painful ones or why those memories always seem to find me in the dark of night, but I have to move on. The thought feels like a New Year’s resolution in the making.
Even though I’m 60 years old, I’m not fully formed. I’m still struggling to become the best version of myself. I’m a work in progress. Maybe we all are. But I hope this is the year I can finally let go of the girl that ditched her best friend to hang out with the cool girls. She doesn’t exist anywhere outside my mind on a sleepless night.
Here’s wishing you a peaceful night’s sleep and a very happy New Year.
Leslie Snow may be reached at snow column@aol.com.
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