A Journey of Determination and Growth
Nguyen Phuong Anh, known by her nickname “Fullah,” has come a long way since she first picked up a nail art brush over 12 years ago. The Vietnamese entrepreneur, who has been living in Dubai for the past six years, now runs her own salon in Jumeirah Village Circle.
Her journey began with a modest salary of Dh3,500 ($953) per month at a small salon. After completing her two-year contract, she transitioned to freelance work, where she was able to build her income significantly. During this time, she worked without a single day off, earning between Dh30,000 and Dh40,000 a month.
Since opening her salon, Beauty by Fullah, at the beginning of the month, she has not taken a salary. Instead, she has been reinvesting all her earnings back into the business.
Exploring Her Career Path
Fullah’s first job was at a small salon, where she earned Dh3,500 a month. After finishing her two-year contract, she started working independently as a freelance nail artist. Now, she has her own salon, which offers a range of services.
The salon features two chairs for pedicure, three tables for manicure, two chairs for the hair station, one hair wash, and one room dedicated to massage. In that space, she has purchased a bed that doubles as a massage bed and a hair wash station, similar to a Japanese hair wash bar where customers receive a full-head massage. Everything is centralized in one room.
Her specialty is nails, and she has been doing it since 2012. She can handle any kind of nail design, from simple to intricate. Her favorite is 3D designs, including flowers, animals, charms, stones, and bling bling.
Financial Insights and Lifestyle
Her customer base is mainly younger individuals, so she keeps her prices affordable. However, the decoration and products used in the salon are of high quality.
As a freelancer, she earned between Dh30,000 and Dh40,000 a month due to her hard work and lack of days off. Currently, she is not taking a salary because the business is still in its early stages. All her savings are being reinvested, and she expects to start paying herself again in about three months.
Saving and Spending Habits
She checks her records after the first few weeks to determine if she is saving. In general, she does save. She avoids spending on luxury items or shopping.
Before moving to Dubai, she shared a room with a friend to save money. Later, she moved to her own small studio, still focusing on saving. Her expenses are limited to rent and food.
Investments and Financial Goals
Back in Vietnam, she has invested in two houses. She does not have any debt, and her family taught her to manage money carefully from a young age.
Even as a child, she avoided shopping, often receiving clothes from her cousin. This habit has continued throughout her life. Her entire family works hard, and they never took summer holidays or traveled. They focused on saving to buy a house and continued saving.
Monthly Expenses and Future Plans
Her biggest monthly expenses include around Dh1,000 for food, and approximately Dh5,000 for rent and petrol. She also sends about Dh5,000 back home for investment. The rest goes into the salon.
Her financial goals include investing more and opening additional branches, possibly in other emirates like Abu Dhabi or Fujairah. In 20 years, she hopes to retire and buy more houses in Vietnam, along with a farm. She dreams of living on the farm, surrounded by animals and growing vegetables, enjoying the peace of nature.
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