Photography: Srećko Rundić
Hair: Ivona Palić for Salon Franić
Makeup: Karlo Rusan for Ruka Beauty
Styling: Karlo Rusan
Production: Dr. Jakov Jurčević/Poliklinika Dudukovic – Kisic
PR: Say Media
A mother, entrepreneur, and IG influencer - Which of these three describes you the best. What's the life role that you're most proud of?
My life, my everything, and my greatest pride will always be my son. The job of a mother is beautiful and it is something that will guide me and push me forward for the rest of my life. For many years, I have been building my roles as an entrepreneur and influencer from scratch, and now I can say that they are building me. Day by day they create various challenges and the constant need to grow, learn and be better. You can always be better, even when you think you have achieved the best. I can't choose just one role as something that best describes me because I really am all three and I give 100% of myself and my effort in each part.
How did you develop the business idea for Jana Nails?
It all started as a classic story of most beginners, in college as a hobby, a way to earn extra money. At that time, artificial nails and manufacturing were in their early stages, and the supply of materials and the production method in itself were quite limited. After graduating college, I gathered a large number of clients and decided to dedicate myself to this only. What I have always been interested in is drawing and nail art, which, back then was completely unheard of in the world of nails and definitely something that separated me from the crowd. After some time, I also started providing education in the form of courses. Invitations from outside and interest in what I do follow, and that's when everything started to go in a more serious direction. For seven years I traveled and held courses all over Europe, the United Arab Emirates, and other countries. My life has been a journey with brushes and nail paints in hand and constant education of myself and others.
After many years of travel, work, and constant improvement, it was time to create my own brand. The whole brand was based on the experience and acquaintances I gained from all over the world. I started with a couple of products and only ten colors. Overnight I became a one-man band and everything fell into my own hands. What followed were sleepless nights, various formulas, product testing, product photography, collaborations with labs, and emails in the early hours of the morning. With a constant search for better quality, today we have over 5,000 types of products and a presence on the market in more than 27 countries with a tendency to expand and create new trends. In a relatively short time, word got out about us in the business world and little by little I gathered an excellent team of people starting from the employees, to the best graphics department and the whole production team. I am very proud of all of them and they truly make what we are today. It makes us extremely happy because we see that others have recognized the quality, effort, and enormous passion for the work we do.
Was it hard to build a huge IG audience of 1 million followers for jananails_official?
Any great success, of course, requires a lot of time and effort. I can't say it was easy, but with the well-deserved trust of every product user, I can proudly say that the number of followers is largely increasing. A large audience is certainly there because of the products of exceptional quality and design. Also, we continuously work on novelties and create completely new products that have become a must-have all over the world. For every nail technician, we are always ready to offer carefree and pleasant work with quality products, which, along with luxurious design, has led us to 1 million followers.
Is social media the key ingredient in the formula for fast business growth nowadays?
I believe that social media has taken a large part in the growth and development of businesses. At Jana Nails, we try daily to show all the beauty of nail art that can be created with our products. I believe that a beautiful design naturally attracts the human eye to create a wish for a certain product or look, and the very harmony of colors and visuals creates a very important link between the audience and the brand. Although social media is very important, I believe most in the quality of the product itself. I believe that it is precisely because of our product quality that we have become such a hit in the nail world, and in addition to social media, this is one of the biggest reasons for the growth of any business.
Who was your most ardent supporter when you started @jananailss_official?
First and foremost, it is my team and my co-workers, my second family who truly believed in me. Family always comes first, but over the years I have made friends and business associates who have gone beyond that business relationship. They really are my second family. I can always expect sincere support as well as criticism, which I truly appreciate. It's my little circle filled with great people and excellent artists as well.
What is success for you in general - personally and professionally?
For me, one of the biggest successes is customer satisfaction and security in products that you work with 100%. I think that is a true indicator of how successful my idea and the work of the whole team are. It is a great success for me to see how the brand impacted a large spectrum of generations, older and younger, and how every collection is timeless. I am very satisfied because we managed to create something that can give everyone a bit of satisfaction. Also, I need to be involved in the entire production process from beginning to end. I like to choose the final look myself and I always try to offer the highest product quality, innovative product design, and, all in all, to make something by my taste. Success for me is that we continuously create something interesting and new, something different from others. I am grateful to everyone who recognized all that in our brand, who follows us, and gives us immense support and drive. Personally for me – success is to find harmony and balance between work and pleasure.
I guess you have a tight schedule as a mom and CEO of @jananailss_official and @jananails_shop, do you handle the work-life balance well?
I have to be honest and answer that it is extremely hard physically and mentally because this pace is quite difficult to balance. Any mother who works and raises children knows how many organizations it takes to align work and family. Nicholas is always first and foremost. No one prepares you for the role of a mother, and there is no school for it, but it is a special kind of love, and I really put a lot of effort into being what every other mother wants: the best in his eyes.
How do you unwind in your free time?
I really do love to travel and meet other cultures as I did before my son was born, now when he is a little bit older, I can take him on travels as well. I like to just sit somewhere near the sea and just enjoy the peace in my mind. The other side of me likes to party and have a relaxed time with my friends. It's all about balance inside me. I'm a Libra. (Laughs.)
What is your favorite pastime?
I'm quite dedicated to my work and my son, so I don't have much time for parties as I had before, but I also know how to steal a few weekends and spend them with my friends- either going on short trips or just being with them in general.
You're originally from Croatia - is that your current place of residence?
Yes, Croatia is my current place of residence. It is and always will be a place that feels like home.
What do you love most about your country?
I have traveled a lot in back days, the whole of Europe, Dubai, and Russia with a job and education in nails. I have really love to stay in every country, but my heart always brings me back to my country …I guess it is our mentality, we are the Balkans and always will be.
Do you travel a lot for both business and pleasure?
Unfortunately, I am currently traveling very little how I used to travel before. I am a heavy workaholic, and I like that everything is in its place; it requires constant knowledge of everything that happens in the company and constant presence, but I hope that this will change a little, especially with growing markets every day.
If you had to compare yourself to a destination, what would it be?
Any destination where it's hot and sunny and over 40 °C. But there are also some small towns in France where I've worked that I could compare myself to because of their charm and tranquility.
What is still unchecked on your wish list?
My next goal on my wish list (and our company's next goal) is to spread the market into new countries and create a network of well-educated people who believe in what they do and work hard to get there. People who have the same vision as we do. Long term, of course, we want to grow with the products and develop some new formulas, crazy photoshoots, and campaigns with my excellent team of production. Trust me- with our new projects – get ready to be amazed!
