Tanisha Lal Veitata is nailing it

By Jernese Macanawai

Nailed It began as a home-based nail business. Now, it has four branches across Viti Levu and 22 employees.

Founder and owner Tanisha Lal Veitata, a third-generation Indo-Fijian, started with a simple gel nail kit, a love for nail art and a dream ten years ago. A law student at the time, Tanisha found that very few affordable, high-quality professional nail services were available locally.

So she tried to do her own nails, spending “countless hours after university classes watching YouTube tutorials” and teaching herself techniques, she explains.

Soon she was doing other people’s nails. Tanisha advertised her at-home gel polish manicures and pedicures on Facebook Marketplace for only $20. So when she wasn’t studying, Tanisha was busy booking appointments and providing her services to customers from a spare room in her house. Her work quickly found an audience.

“I began seeing a few clients every week and reinvested every dollar back into the business by buying more nail products, tools, and colours,” Tanisha recalls.

“Eventually, the number of clients grew so much that my parents became uncomfortable with so many people visiting our home. That’s when I decided to rent a small studio space nearby.”

Tanisha opened her first Nailed It studio in Laucala Beach, just outside of Suva, in 2017. She also graduated from law school that same year but decided instead to focus on her business full-time as it was “already thriving,” she says.

“Many people questioned why I wouldn’t continue down the path of law.” But that didn’t stop her from going all-in on Nailed It. And her hard work paid off big time, with Nailed It opening up shop in Nadi six years later and in Lautoka and Sigatoka just last year.

“By the grace of God, Nailed It has now grown to four branches across Viti Levu, and we employ 22 incredible women across our team. What started as a small setup in my spare room has grown into a well-known nail and beauty brand in Fiji, and we continue to have plans for further expansion,” Tanisha says.

‘Stay calm, find solutions, and keep moving forward’

Success didn’t come easy. Early on, Tanisha felt she wasn’t always taken seriously because she was a young, female business owner.

“At times I would ask my father to accompany me when dealing with contractors or suppliers just to ensure I was treated fairly and not taken advantage of,” she says.

Tanisha also had no real experience running a business beforehand. Nailed It forced her to learn the hard way, including handling different aspects of the business such as accounting, finance and compliance.

“One of the biggest lessons I’ve learnt is that owning a business is very different from how it is portrayed in movies. It comes with many challenges—financial, emotional, and even physical,” she says.

“Running a business can be incredibly complex and costly. You have to constantly solve problems, make difficult decisions, and adapt quickly. Entrepreneurship truly is the art of putting out fires every day. Something will inevitably go wrong, and you have to learn to stay calm, find solutions, and keep moving forward. From the outside, it may look glamorous, but behind the scenes it requires tremendous discipline, resilience, and faith.”

As a perfectionist, Tanisha also “tried to do everything” herself, but quickly recognised there was a better approach.

“I rarely delegated tasks, which was unsustainable. It began affecting my health and my personal life,” she says.

“Over time, I learnt to delegate, trust my team, and set clear boundaries around my time. Now I make a conscious effort to protect my personal and family time, which allows me to be a better leader and mother.”

Building community, empowering others

Beyond a creative outlet, Nailed It gave the 30-year-old the means to serve people and create positive change.

The most rewarding part about her job is “seeing the impact the business has on people’s lives”, she says.

“Through the salon, we have built meaningful relationships with clients from all walks of life. Many clients become like friends and part of our community. But what is even more fulfilling is being able to empower women through employment and skills training, allowing them to support themselves and their families. Knowing that the business can help change lives in that way is incredibly meaningful to me.”

While Tanisha dreams of Nailed It becoming an even bigger brand in the nail salon industry in Fiji, ultimately, she hopes it continues to be a place where “people feel a sense of community”, she explains.

“Our salons are not just about beauty services—they are spaces where relationships are built, and clients feel comfortable sharing parts of their lives with us. I am always looking for ways to improve, innovate, and raise the standards of the nail industry in Fiji while continuing to empower and create opportunities for women.”

Her advice to aspiring nail salon owners: start small and master your craft first.

“Perfect the quality of your service and always prioritise the client experience,” she says.

“It’s easy to get caught up in the glamourous image of owning a salon, but the real success comes from delivering consistent, high-quality work and genuinely caring for your clients. Let your skill and dedication speak for themselves.”