Meet Diamond Chapman | Nail Technician & YouTuber

We had the good fortune of connecting with Diamond Chapman and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Diamond, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
When I first started my business I was in college in a small town, Huntsville TX. Being on such a large campus with a limited amount of jobs in town made me have to figure something. I come from a family of entrepreneurs. Both of my parents and my grandparents were entrepreneurs. I knew whatever I decided to do, I would have the power to do so. I was trying to figure out what I wanted to do then I started doing my own nails, because I was tired of the local nail shops messing them up, and then my roommate suggested I do other nails.

What should our readers know about your business?
I started my nail business, Dime of Dazzle, when I was a 20 year old sophomore in college at Sam Houston State University. As I mentioned earlier, this started as a last resort when I could not find a job. I have always been interested in the art of nails, I’ve been doing nail art designs since I was a child. I started wearing acrylic nails at the age of 13, my first nail tech was a black woman. I didn’t grow up going to Asian nail shops, my mom always supported black businesses..

My professionalism is one thing I would say that separates me from other businesses. I have never had a complaint about my communication or professionalism. I make sure to put policies in place that me and my clients can easily stick to.

The thing I am most proud of is that I taught myself. I knew I wanted to do nails so day and night I would watch nail tutorials on YouTube. I would fall asleep watching nail videos. That’s when I knew I was passionate about it. I never got bored watching the videos.

Honestly, now that my business is in Houston I feel that it has taken steps back. My business was more successful when I was in college doing nails because it was easier to build clientele. Here in Houston there are a lot of nail techs and this is a big city. I am nowhere near where I want to be but the fact that I am consistent, I know that I get closer everyday. Staying motivated has been one of the toughest things when it comes to being a nail tech in Houston.

Along the way, I have learned that if I give up it will not matter where I came from or what I did to get there. Everything I worked for and what I been through will only matter if I succeed. I dropped out of college because I didn’t want to help someone else pursue their dreams, I can’t quit and not pursue my own.

I want the world to know that I have taken breaks in the past but it’s game time now. The only person standing in my way is me. I’m here to work for what I deserve and what belongs to me.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
If my best friend, Rayven, was visiting Houston the first place I would take her is to Taste Bar! Taste Bar is one of my favorite restaurants in Houston. You can’t go wrong the Jerk Lamb Chops, Mac & Cheese, Greens, with a side of Yams. Overall, taste bar is definitely a vibe. I have never had a bad experience. After dinner, we would have to go to Prospect Park, it’s just an experience you can’t get anywhere else and definitely a spot for tourist. The next morning, we would have to go to an amazing brunch place that I’ve actually only been to once called Liberty Kitchen. The environment makes me feel luxurious and at peace. After brunch, we could go visit the aquarium downtown and ride scooters. For lunch, we are definitely going to Lost & Found. Lost & Found is a Houston gem. Great prices, great views, and great food! If you couldn’t tell, I love to eat! My best friend has never had a real seafood boil, so it would only be right for me to take her to my favorite seafood place, Crafty Crab in Jersey Village. Later that night, we would definitely have to try Trill on Wheels so she can get the full Houston experience. After all this, I hope it’s Sunday! She would definitely have to wait until Monday to leave because you never leave Houston on Sunday Funday! I would give an itinerary for Sunday but you never know where you will end up in Houston on a Sunday!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would like to give a shout-out to my former roommate from college Kailyn “Kayypee” Perry. Although we lost connection, I wouldn’t have started doing nails or continued doing YouTube without her. She kept me motivated and focused. She saw more potential in me than I saw in myself. Even when I felt I was at my lowest, she never let me actually get there.

Website: https://dimeofdazzle.as.me/schedule.php

Instagram: https://instagram.com/dimeofdazzle?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

Youtube: https://youtube.com/c/DiamondMonae