Haven Nail Studio’s mission to create a safer, smarter, cleaner nail care experience.
When Kaitlin Casper and Natalie Bolden set out on the path of entrepreneurship, they really committed. Both came from the big agency world and bonded over exploring a world of safer beauty products. Their interest was ignited when Kaitlin, co-founder and expecting mother, had a conversation with her doctor about what to stay away from while she was pregnant. The list of toxic items included a wide range of beauty products. A thought occurred – if certain beauty products are toxic to a mother-to-be, why wouldn’t they be toxic to everyone? Their interest was piqued.
The duo made it their personal mission to learn everything they could and dove into the world of clean, less toxic beauty.
“We learned about the lack of regulation and saw an opportunity for improvement,” said Kaitlin. They thought the most obvious space to start was a place well-known for toxic products – the nail studio.
At the time, neither knew anything about nails but they were determined nonetheless. They made their plan and jumped in headfirst. They signed up for nail school to learn everything they could about the industry, products, techniques, and how they could create a space that was not just cleaner and smarter, but one that was inviting. Fast forward to March of 2019: Kaitlin and Natalie are licensed nail technicians and Haven Nail Studio is open for business!
In doing this, they learned that a traditional pedicure uses about 10 to 15 gallons of water per service. That was just too much waste for them, so they chose to do things differently. Haven Nail Studio offers waterless services and Natalie explains that in doing so, “… our single studio will save hundreds of thousands of gallons of water per year. We are mighty darn proud of that.”
Kaitlin and Natalie set out to build a nail salon that people really wanted to be in, “… one that makes people feel comfortable, pampered, healthy and relaxed,” and they knew that they needed help.
They started working with Northeast Bank who partnered with WomenVenture to provide the necessary capital to achieve their dream. With these small business loans, Haven Nail Studio was able to build out studio located in the 50th and France Avenue neighborhood, purchase tools, inventory and retail items, hire staff, and receive the business advice and help they needed.
“WomenVenture staff provided us with QuickBooks and bookkeeping support and really helped simplify all the new business terminology to make it all just a little easier,” said Natalie. “This support really helped us prepare for a successful first year in business.
“The cherry on top of a great first six months in business has been hearing from our customers verbatim the intentions we set for our customer experience.
“Things like: ‘I’d love to just hang out here all day’, ‘I actually feel healthier leaving here’, ‘That was hands-down the best manicure I’ve ever had’, and ‘I didn’t even miss the water soak!’ “
“We wanted to provide a killer experience on top of amazing nailcare and we are happy to be delivering on our promise,” said Natalie.
With their dedication to a cleaner, safer, smarter nail service and their commitment to an excellent customer experience, the duo is leading the charge for healthy non-toxic nailcare.
You can find Haven Nail Studio at 4948 France Ave S, Edina, MN 55410
