Nail Tech Talk: Meet Joanna Tompkins, Scratch Stars’ Nail Business Mentor Award winner 2023

Meet Scratch Stars’ winner of the Nail Business Mentor Award 2023, Joanna Tompkins of Nail Tech Tribe, as she shares insight to her career journey and reveals details from her competition process… 

“10 years ago, I was an admin assistant wanting more than anything to escape being tied to an office job and someone else’s schedule. I went from always going for the easy option to knowing I wanted to start my own business. So whilst on maternity leave, I decided to train in nails!”

Everyone has something that will bring out their ambitious side and for Joanna Tompkins, it is nails. As her confidence grew with her skills, Joanna decided to open her own business and it was only two years later when she was awarded winner of Scratch Stars’ Mobile Nailist of The Year.

However, while Joanna notes how much she was able to grow her business to over 800 clients with a team of three other nail techs, she made the decision to revert back as a sole trader when starting her business, Nail Tech Tribe.

“I didn’t want other nail techs and beauticians to think the only way to earn more was to get a salon or grow a team. I’ve now helped hundreds of nail techs to be earning £4-5k a month working from home, mobile or renting a space somewhere without the stress of having to have a team!”

With her business now being a multi six-figure business in itself and having helped 15,000 nail techs and beauticians to grow their business and earn more without having to overwork,  we were really pround to announce Joanna as this year’s Scratch Stars Nail Business Mentor Of The Year. “Another absolute highlight of my career,” Joanna shares.

Despite being on a plane over the Pacific during the Scratch Stars Award ceremony, Joanna managed to log into Instagram briefly to discover she had won.

“I couldn’t believe it! I burst into tears and filmed a 3 minute live to capture my feelings which included massive pride, accomplishment, gratitude towards my team and clients and happiness!” Joanna shares.

“What I love most about entering is how much it pushes you out of your comfort zone.  It can be scary to enter and it often feels like I have a million other things to do but I make the time and both times that I won I didn’t think I stood a chance!

“I am that typical last minute person and I love that deadline to make me do my best work! I’ve entered four times now and i’ve won twice. I never thought I would win and actually even this time I questioned whether it was worth my time, you’ve got to be in it to win it!”

With her number one tip for nails techs being to invest in the business mentors in the early stages to help change your mindset and strategy to be in a position to book clients and change your life, Joanna states that her current aim is to make sure as many nail techs and beauticians have as much confidence as possible to continue achieving a great industry.

To find out more about the Nail Tech Tribe, click here