Our interview guest is Anastasiia Chyrkunova, a nail industry professional, who proves by her own example that it is never too late to start life with a clean slate. Moving to the United States became for her not simply a change of country, but an opportunity to rebuild her professional path, discover new horizons, and turn a long-standing passion into a career in one of the world’s most competitive beauty markets. Her journey includes changing professions, relocation, adapting to a new country, and constantly stepping outside her comfort zone. Today, Anastasiia works in Florida, specializes in modern manicure techniques, and continues to grow professionally. In an interview with GOSSIP, we talked about life in America, professional development, and why sometimes one bold decision can change your entire destiny!
instagram.com/anastasia_nailsmiami
Many people see emigration as the beautiful ending of a story, although in reality, everything only begins after the move. What was your first year in the United States like?
Emigration truly is not an ending, but a point of starting over. Emotionally, it was difficult to be far from loved ones and the life I was used to, while professionally, I had to prove my value all over again when no one knew me. The first year was especially challenging: I wanted to find clients as quickly as possible and increase my working speed, because in the nail industry, this is also an important factor. At first, I rented a station in a Spanish salon where my mentor worked, and for the first three or four months, I had very few clients. Gradually, people started coming through Instagram and recommendations, and Irina also shared part of her client base with me. After a year and a half, I moved to a Belarusian salon, where I still work today, and that is where I feel much more comfortable.
Before becoming a nail technician, you had already tried yourself in several different professions. Today, many people are afraid to change careers even once in their lifetime. Why have you never been afraid to start over?
For me, starting over is not a failure but a chance to live another interesting life. I have never viewed my previous experience as something lost, because every profession leaves you with certain knowledge, skills, and an understanding of people that eventually find their place in your new career. When we change fields, we do not go back to zero — we start with the experience we already have. I have always been interested in developing, trying new things, stepping beyond what is familiar, and discovering what else I am capable of. I did not want to stay somewhere that no longer interested me simply because I was afraid of losing stability, because stability without inner fulfillment has never felt like true security to me. Now I know for sure: sometimes the greatest risk is refusing to change when you feel that you have outgrown your life. That is why I have always allowed myself to start over, even when I did not know exactly where the new path would lead. And perhaps this ability not to fear the unknown has opened doors for me more than once — doors I had not even seen before.
And why the nail industry specifically? At what point did you realize that you wanted to connect your life with the beauty industry?
The nail industry won me over because it combines creativity, aesthetics, working with people, and the opportunity for constant growth. I completed my first manicure courses back in 2007. At the time, I practiced a lot on family and friends, and later continued studying and improving my skills. However, the real realization came with experience, when I understood how close I felt to the very philosophy of the beauty industry — creating beauty, giving women an opportunity to dedicate time and attention to themselves, and seeing the results of your work here and now. I love that behind an ordinary manicure procedure there is actually so much more: it is time for yourself, an opportunity to relax, talk, switch off from everyday responsibilities, and leave the salon in a completely different mood. What is especially valuable to me is that I can create this feeling with my own hands. And perhaps that is where I found the true meaning of the nail industry for myself — helping women feel even more confident and beautiful.
The beauty industry in America is highly competitive. How difficult was it to find your place in this market and earn your clients’ trust?
The American beauty market is huge, and competition in Florida is truly intense. There are many different salons and independent professionals here, so simply entering the market is not enough — you need to give clients a reason to come back specifically to you. For me, that foundation has been high-quality work and genuine service. I pay particular attention to instrument sterilization, clean nail preparation, precise application without flooding, and a beautiful shape. I built trust gradually through recommendations, honesty, consistent results, and a great deal of work on myself and my promotion. Ultimately, clients stay when they receive a result that meets or even exceeds their expectations! I work in Florida, which is a true kaleidoscope of cultures, and my clients are just as diverse. Approximately 30% of my clients are women from our community who appreciate the same kind of manicure they are accustomed to back home. I also work with American and Latina clients, and each woman has her own vision of beauty and her own preferences. I really enjoy working with such a diverse audience because every client brings her own energy and experience. But they all have one thing in common — the desire for premium quality, the opportunity to relax during the procedure, and to leave feeling good.
Anastasiia, you seem to be someone who simply cannot stand still! Where does this constant need to move forward come from?
I think life itself constantly pushes me toward change, and I am learning to adapt to circumstances and find opportunities within them. Working in tourism taught me to look at the world more broadly, understand different cultures, and work better with people and sales. Working as a manager of a liquor store gave me experience in being responsible for a team, sales, and the psychological atmosphere within a workplace. All of these skills have also proven useful in the beauty industry: communicating with clients, providing emotional support, understanding different cultures, and finding an individual approach to people. At the same time, I realized how important it is for me to maintain a balance between work and life, because life is not only about your profession, but also about family, friends, and travel. Perhaps it is my love of life and curiosity about the new that keep me from standing still.
What principles help you keep going when the journey turns out to be more difficult than expected?
My main principle is: “Difficulties are not a wall, but simply a step up.” I try to be honest with myself, listen to my inner feelings, and never go against something I do not truly believe in. It is very important to me to love what you do, because when you are genuinely passionate about your work, even difficult periods do not make you give up — on the contrary, they make you stronger and help you understand yourself better. I do not believe that success comes without doubts, mistakes, or moments when you want to walk away from everything. During those moments, I remind myself why I started and keep moving forward, even if the next step seems small. At the same time, I understand that motivation alone is not enough: every goal requires discipline, patience, hard work, and a willingness to try again many times. Sometimes the journey turns out to be much longer and more difficult than expected, but it is precisely that difficult path that makes us stronger and leads us where we are truly meant to go.
And what would you say today to a woman who dreams of changing her life but is still afraid to take the first step?
I would tell her: “Be afraid, but do it anyway.” Fear itself will never simply disappear, so you can wait a very long time for the moment when you are no longer afraid at all. There is no perfect time either: there may always be a lack of money, experience, time, or confidence. When I started something new myself, I was afraid that I would not succeed, appear weak, or make the wrong choice. But over time, I realized that we are much stronger than we think we are. So you need to take that first step — and, most importantly, do not give up before you have seen what you are truly capable of!
