Meet Elainie Crowell | Registered Nurse & Entrepreneur

We had the good fortune of connecting with Elainie Crowell and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Elainie, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
When the COVID pandemic first started I got into doing my own nails. Being a nurse I prefer to stay away from nail extensions and I was not very great at painting my own nails. Then one day I stumbled upon semi cured gel strips. At the time the product was not really sold in America and I would order from overseas. The semi cured gel strips allowed me to do a flawless manicure in under 30 minutes at home. I just simply had to apply the strips to my nail, cure under UV light, and file my nails. I did not have to worry about going to a salon or spending tons of money to get my nails done. My job requires me to constantly be washing my hands. With all the wear and tear I was pleasantly surprised my nails would still look great after 2 weeks. When removing the strips my nails would suffer no damage. I wanted everyone to be able to experience this. So I started looking for a manufacturer and Gellin was born.

What should our readers know about your business?
I am most proud of my ability to allow anyone to have nice nails. Gellin is extremely user friendly and cost effective. You can change your nails in 30 minutes as often as you want without the hassle of an appointment. I always get compliments on my nails and people are always surprised when I tell them they are gel strips. Not nail stickers but actual gel polish that is 60% cured. The strips can be stretched to fit any nail and completely harden under UV light. Getting to this point was not easy. It required talking to multiple manufacturers to obtain the product I wanted. Not to mention shipping during the pandemic was difficult due to the backlog at the ports. I had to push my launch back multiple times due to product delays. I just kept telling myself that the delays allow me to work on other aspects of my business. It gave me time to build my website more. I definitely learned to expect issues. Nothing will go perfect and you just have to push forward. My brand is simple, express yourself. Having the nails you want shouldn’t cost an arm and leg. I try to bring an affordable nail experience that you can do yourself. My goal is to bring this experience to as many people as possible and provide a unique selection of custom designs that are well received. This journey will be a long one and in the future Gellin will expand its inventory to additional designs and products.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
You wouldn’t be visiting Charleston if you did not get close to the water. With that in mind, day 1 would be all about the beach. We’d go to folly beach, grab a bike rental and cruise around the coast. After that, take a walk along the beach and get some sand between our toes. For a bite to each afterwards, we’d go to taco boy which has a great variety of tacos. Day 2 would be all about the historic district. We’d go into the heart of the peninsula and visit King Street. A local favorite for shopping and hanging out. We would then catch a quick uber to rainbow row, a beautiful cluster of 14 pastel-painted Georgian-style row houses. Taking a walk along East Bay Street we’d admire the view till we arrived at The Battery. An historic seawall used as a defense artillery during the civil war. After a few hours of walking around and taking in the sights we’d get dinner at Poogan’s Porch, a classical southern food restaurant. Day 3 would be an adventure. Given that Charleston is a coastal city there’s a lot of beautiful marshland to be seen and the best way to see it is by kayak. We’d grab some kayak rentals by Folly Beach and take off into the marsh from Folly Beach Boat Ramp. You’ll see dolphins surfacing around the marsh grass searching for food, saltwater turtles popping their heads up for air, jellyfish at the surface of the water, and beautiful marsh birds. For an even better experience we’d go during sunset. Once we’re done paddling around we’d go to the Charleston Crab House, a very casual eatery with a grab-heavy menu with amazing waterfront seating. Day 4 – Magnolia Gardens. A very lush garden dating to the pre-Revolutionary war times with a train tour, boat tours, plus a petting zoo. We’d start with a walk among the gardens and visit the Hedge Maze for fun. Then we’d catch a more expansive tour with the train and finally end it with the boat tour, a beautiful serene experience along the West Ashley River. On the way out we’d stop by the petting zoo to check out the animals. For dinner we’d go to Boxcar Betty’s, you will not find a better chicken sandwich. Day 5 – to complete the week we’d take a stroll across the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge. A beautiful bridge with a dedicated walking lane that provides an observation point at the peak. It sits above the Charleston harbor where you can see Downtown Charleston and Mt. Pleasant. After reaching the end and walking down Mt. Pleasant Pier we’d head off to see the USS Yorktown. A WWII-era aircraft carrier with old jets that offers an interesting tour experience. From there we’d go back to Downtown Charleston to take in the atmosphere and grab a bite at Rodney Scott’s BBQ, an amazing lowcountry-style slow-smoked BBQ joint.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My husband Lawton! He was there every step of the way while starting my business. He provided encouragement when I doubted myself. If I needed help with anything he was there whether it was assisting with the budget or packaging orders.

Website: www.gellin.shop

Instagram: www.instagram.com/gellinsemicurednails

Facebook: www.facebook.com/GellinSemicuredNails