Michelle Chapple - Art Director, VENUS & Founder, Wild Cherry Parlour
A fashion and beauty enthusiast with an eye for branding, an entrepreneurial spirit and a creative skillset, Michelle’s the Art Director at VENUS and founder of Wild Cherry Parlour, a custom nail art and design studio. Inspired by a not-so-great experience at a nail salon, Michelle took things into her own hands to create a biz that creates one-of-a-kind press-on nail designs for her customers—no matter what they ask for. A true champion for others in her industry and community, Michelle leads her hustle with compassion and grit, and we’re excited to see what she comes up with next.
The Basics:
Hometown: Honolulu, Hawaii
Current city: Jacksonville Florida
Alma mater: University of North Florida
Degree: B.F.A., Concentration: Graphic Design + Digital Media
Very first job: Graphic Designer, Love Brigade
Hustle: Art Director, VENUS Fashion; Creator, Wild Cherry Parlour
The Interests:
Babe you admire and why?
There are quite a few babes I admire: Kyra Rosa of @yas_mija, Amber Collins of @zeethriftburglar. Angelica Valdes of @foreverfamiliars, Lauren Gherardi of @retroluxeresin, Argie Mitra of @dressmitra, Tabatha Hayatian of @thevelvetgardenjax, Yolonda Allen of @sugahfootspa—all talented women of unique backgrounds who own small businesses.
What’s your power outfit?
Pink and black head-to-toe with a set of badass nails, of course.
The Hustle:
Tell us about your hustle.
I currently work full-time at VENUS as an art director, where I focus on branding, social media and video content. It’s a lot of fun, hard work, and has been an incredible experience—as I’ve always wanted to work in the realm of fashion. I dedicate all of my spare time to creating content and designing custom nails for Wild Cherry Parlour. I try to post on social media at least three times a week and fulfill as many orders as I can. Each set of custom nails is one-of-a-kind, so it’s very important that I get to know each client’s wants and needs in order to create a plan. For example, one of my clients wanted nails that could light a flame, so we talked through different ideas and ways to construct a slot for a match and a spot for the strike paper. To date, it’s one of my most frequently requested features.
What inspired Wild Cherry Parlour? How long did it take to make your vision a reality?
Wild Cherry Parlour started after I went to a salon and they laughed when I asked them to do a hand-painted flame design on my nails. I was willing to pay for the nails accordingly, but they flat out told me “no”. I was really disappointed, but then I thought, maybe I could do it myself. I watched lots of YouTube and Instagram tutorials and practiced for 6 months before launching my brand. I vowed that Wild Cherry Parlour would be a place for people to get exactly what they wanted and to have a personal experience where they feel that anything is possible when it comes to their nails. It's been about 7 months of really amazing pieces worn by incredibly creative minds. Wild Cherry is named after those who are sweet and unique, which perfectly describes not only our work, but our clients.
What’s one of your most favorite campaigns or projects VENUS has produced? What made it successful, and how did you measure its success?
There have been so many great experiences and campaigns in my time at VENUS so it’s hard to pick a favorite. I’ve had the opportunity to work with influencers and help conceptualize and develop super fun events. We partnered with Sports Illustrated Swim last year, and models like Kate Bock and Jasmine Sanders modeled our products. More recently, we’ve worked with a lot of talented people like photographer Danny Cardozo and videographer Ryan Abel to create amazing campaigns. The most successful ongoing project, though, has been rebranding VENUS.
How have your past professional and academic experiences and lessons prepared you for the work you do today? How have they not prepared you?
Having a background in graphic design has helped me create content for myself without having to outsource designers. Having a fine arts background has helped me understand sketching, painting, sculpture and color theory. Professionally, I’ve worked corporate and service jobs in the past. Both arenas taught me how to offer friendly and effective customer service which definitely helps when you are running a small business on your own. My fellow small business owners that are one-women-bands know the experience of playing all rules
How has being a WOC impacted your professional experiences? What can we do to create more supportive and inclusive work environments inside and outside of your industry?
When you’re a woman of color in a predominantly white male-led corporation, it can be intimidating when you’re starting out—but you’ve got to be present and be heard, even if you’re the only one that looks or thinks like you. At VENUS, I’ve made great strides in my tenure, even though I was the only WOC at some meetings. Now that I’ve grown into my role, I’m more confident in knowing that I can make a difference and feel respected by my team members. It’s also a great feeling to know that your beliefs and community are supported. I’m a member of VENUS’ Diversity & Inclusion committee that consists of women of all different backgrounds. It’s extremely fulfilling to be a part of something that makes all people feel welcome, and that they have a safe space. There’s a bit more leverage in the nail industry as it’s predominantly led by women, and since I am my own boss where my business is strictly run online and through social, I make my own rules—which is awesome. I love the diversity in the people I get to interact with in both the corporate setting and internet realm. Balancing the two has taught me how to tailor my approach in each setting; no matter where I am, I feel comfortable having a conversation with anyone whether they are a CEO of a multi-million dollar company or a dominatrix with thousands of online subscribers. Suffice it to say: things stay exciting between both areas of work.
How have your job + industry differed from what they looked like pre-pandemic?
My team at VENUS has been working remotely since we left the office in March. We’ve found effective ways to adapt to the state of the world while increasing productivity and communication skills despite being remote. I do miss my team members, our water cooler convos and especially our potlucks. In terms of Wild Cherry Parlour, people feel more safe wearing press-ons delivered to their door than they do going to salons, so I’ve been very busy during the pandemic.
What’s one thing you’re proud to have accomplished in your career thus far?
One of the most challenging projects I led was the rebranding of VENUS in 2019. We changed everything from the logo to the brand colors to the voice and visuals. It was successful in that it opened the door to the evolution of VENUS as a catalog brand to this multi-faceted company that has a specific look and feel, and continues to be relevant amongst the infinite e-commerce options today. In terms of Wild Cherry Parlour, I’m extremely proud of being able to grow a small idea into a business. It’s something I’ve always wanted to do and I find it so fulfilling to make awesome nails for amazing people.
Who are some women in your field that you look to for inspiration?
Fashion: @tra.my1, @lalamichmich, @mj_day.
Nails: @vivxue, @finger_paints_nailart, @femibeauty, @longhairprettynails, @emilysusannah.
Career and/or life advice for other babes (both inside and outside of your industry?)
Make your own path and create your own way of hustling. Focus every ounce of passion and time into manifesting your desires. Whether that’s reaching a financial goal, gaining “x” amount of followers or creating “x” number of posts per week. Just get started and keep going. No one’s going to make it happen for you, so my best advice is to do the work and do it because YOU LOVE IT. Also, please support others in your community. If your friend starts a brand, buy something. If someone you know is starting out and they have questions, help them. If someone opens a shop in your same industry, shout them out and ask to collaborate. There are infinite opportunities and clients out there and we can all succeed by raising each other up. SPREAD LOVE.
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