MY LIGHT BULB MOMENT

Founder of Nails Inc. Thea Green

Thea Green, 41, founder of nail bar and polish brand nails Inc and new make-up line INC.redible, lives in London with husband nick and their three children.

GROWING up, I was experimental with beauty. As a little girl, I pierced all my dolls’ ears with my mum’s good earrings and cut their hair. As a teenager, I wore turquoise eyeliner and almost-white lipstick.

When my mother said I couldn’t get my hair highlighted, I poured household bleach on my head, thinking it was the same stuff used in salons. My hair didn’t change colour, but it felt like straw. Yet it was still a great result, as Mum took me to get proper highlights.

I liked earning money, but given my love of fashion and beauty products, £5 pocket money wasn’t enough. At seven, I made perfumes out of rose petals and bubble bath to sell outside my house.

Later, I was one of the first among my friends to have a job — I worked in an old people’s home on Saturdays — and when I was a student at the London College of Fashion, I worked on the fashion desk at the Daily Mail, recreating what Diana was wearing from the High Street. I loved it! By 23 I was fashion editor at Tatler magazine, having started as an assistant. I often went to the U.S. for work, and noticed that lots of women had manicures. American nail bars can be grotty, but they are quick.

In the UK there were just exclusive salons women went to on special occasions. One day I was on the Tube and realised that everyone was wearing nail polish — but did it themselves.

So that was my lightbulb moment. I decided to bring nail bars to the UK. We mixed the American manicures’ speed with the charm of a cosmetic brand. We’re now the UK’s largest nail bar chain, with more than 60 locations.

My advice for budding entrepreneurs is to see what exists that you can do better. Much of success is having the courage to do it. nailsinc.com/incredible