Smart business is about seizing every opportunity that comes your way.

Even smarter business is about creating opportunities for yourself.

Ranny, the founder and owner of PALM Nails & Beauty Bar, did just that. She spoke recently with My Lombok about the growth and success of her business.

‘Covid-19 had hit and no one could predict when things would get better. I did some intense brainstorming every day to figure out what I could do, from home, to make a little money.

‘I’ve always been artistic, so I came up with the idea of selling false nails online. I wanted to help people feel good about themselves; getting a fresh set of nails without leaving their house would do that. People quickly heard about my up-to date nail designs, branded Nails by Ranny’.

Ranny had been interested in beauty services since she was a child, when her mother ran a beauty salon in Lombok. After completing high school in Bali, though, her interest focused on the growing tourism industry in Indonesia and she did a bachelor’s degree in Hotel Management in Surabaya, East Java. This was to be an ideal foundation for building a people-centred business.

‘We did practical courses, with exposure to hotels and restaurants and we gained experience in running our own café and hotel and serving the public. I completed an internship Melaka, Malaysia. That was the moment I realised that I loved travelling, working in the service industry and meeting people from different places’.  

After graduation, Ranny was offered a great job in one of Bali’s top hotels. Within six months, the pandemic hit and she was forced to move back to Lombok. Nails By Ranny was the start of a new direction.

‘Lombok still has a lot of opportunity for people to build businesses and I think going into the nail industry was a great decision for me’.

Building a business

Under Covid-19 restrictions, Ranny made full use of social media.

Working from her room at home, she hand painted each set of nails.

‘I captured my work with my phone camera and posted every day. I also made content on social media showing how I created my own designs with gel polish. It attracted a lot of people and they were amazed by my products’.

After selling 100 sets of nails in just two months, Ranny opened a nail art studio. Her parents generously provided a place for her to use – with room for one client at a time. Following strict Covid rules, she began by applying her nail art designs directly to customers’ natural nails.

Just one year later, in March 2022, a rebranded Palm Nails & Beauty Bar opened for business.

‘Our biggest project was to re-decorate the salon space before launching PALM. This involved working with interior designers, builders and the team to create a space our clients would love. There were a few challenges to overcome, but it was fun and seeing it all come together for the launch event was a really proud moment for me!’

Ranny’s team includes three staff trained in nail artistry, two beauty therapists and an administrative assistant. As with any business, finding the right people was a challenge.

‘It can be tricky. The skills needed for the job are not regularly taught in schools. I like to provide opportunities, and a lot training, to inexperienced staff. It takes time and requires funding. It’s also a risk; they might not want to work in the beauty industry long-term. It’s been great, though, to provide careers for those who are interested in beauty. They now have all the skills to provide our clients with a great service’.

PALM now offers manicure, pedicure and gel polish, eyelash lifts and extensions, brow lifts and tints, as well as a hair spa, facial treatments, waxing and massage.

Opportunities and rewards

A growing business brings new responsibilities, as Ranny has discovered.

‘I start work early and plan the day’s activity at the salon. Some days I handle customer nails and brow appointments, but sometimes I focus on business management. That might involve accounting, human resources, inventory and social media, so one day often looks quite different from the next’.

Ranny recognises the importance of consistency as a key to success.

‘In the beginning, I was not as disciplined as I am now. How to plan activities and manage time is something people usually need to work out for themselves. The best tactics I’ve learned are usually the simplest. We schedule everything into our calendar, so each task has a specific time frame for completion. This has to be done consistently, leaving a little room for creativity.

‘It’s also important to keep up to date – by watching videos, reading articles, or doing multiple courses. There’s always room for learning’.

She is a great believer in communication skills. She realises the importance of interacting professionally and confidently, when networking with other business owners and when working with her team and her customers.

Her clients include locals and westerners living in Mataram, as well as tourists visiting Lombok or even the Gili islands.

‘I’m exposed to new challenges regularly, from learning about the management tasks to meeting guests that come from all over the world! This helps me develop – professionally and personally’.

It’s clear that Ranny enjoys her work and appreciates the rewards it brings.

‘The best thing about having your own business is to be able to connect with more people. Some customers have even become really close friends, like we’ve known each other our whole lives!’

Her clients obviously agree. The business lends itself to promotion on social media platforms, where she displays her work, and where happy customers recommend her services to their friends.

‘The daily content –  the Insta story and feed – has made a huge difference. People in Indonesia are always on Instagram’.

Ranny manages to make time for herself, too, When she isn’t in the salon, she enjoys going to coffee shops and spending time at the beach.

‘The lifestyle is one of the things I like most about living and working in Lombok. Compared with other cities I have lived in, Lombok is considered quite affordable. There’s so much beautiful nature to see and you don’t need to spend money to enjoy it! I find it really relaxing but also it helps me use my imagination and think creatively for the future.  

And what does the future hold for PALM Nails & Beauty Bar? Ranny is already making plans.

‘We will definitely expand  – a larger team, more treatments, new techniques and, we hope, another outlet in Lombok’.

Her secret for success?

‘To anyone starting up a business, I would say: there isn’t really a secret. Be well organized, be flexible and be creative. Always pay close attention to the details but never lose sight of the big picture’.

You can check out PALM Nails & Beauty Bar here:

Address: Jalan Tumpang Sari no. 14, Cakranegara, Mataram, Lombok.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/palmbeautylombok

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/palmbeautylombok/reels/

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Social media blurb

Do you love to be pampered? Do you love individual creative designs? Then you’ll love this feature in the latest issue of 𝘔𝘺 𝘓𝘰𝘮𝘣𝘰𝘬. Meet Ranny, founder and owner of 𝘗𝘈𝘓𝘔 𝘕𝘢𝘪𝘭𝘴 & 𝘉𝘦𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘺 𝘉𝘢𝘳, one of our featured local businesses. Read about her success in 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘈𝘳𝘵 𝘖𝘧 𝘉𝘦𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘺: 𝘕𝘢𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘐𝘵 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘔𝘰𝘳𝘦.

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