Cree Smith BALTIMORE NATIVE NAILS LA FASHION WEEK 2022
“Being in such a customer led industry, we should be respectful to ever respectful! And it doesn’t hurt or cost anything to be respectful; and pa The term “applying pressure” has been the overall theme for the last couple of years, so it was no surprise when Cree Smith, owner of Astique’ understood and executed the assignment. InvinciblePR sits down with this Baltimore Native to discuss how she NAILS her first experience at Los Angeles Fashion Week, how this entrepreneur plans to change the game, her steamy new love interest, and how the birth and death of her son lead her to where she is today.
attend any of the shows but on the third day, I made sure to watch and it was dope! It’s one thing to be behind the scenes, but it’s another to have VIP exclusive access and to actually watch the models walk. It was really, really dope! [as she smiles from ear to ear]
InvinciblePR: Thank you for joining me, how are you?
Cree Smith: [Smiles from ear to ear] It was pure excitement. My mom is one of those moms who spoke positivity to me all my life. She would say when I was younger “when you make it big, you won’t sign your name Cree Smith, you’ll just sign Cree. It’s going to speak for itself” so when I told her, she yelled with excitement “I told you! I told you, you would be big and even my brother said “Oh its only up from here”. They are my support system.
Cree Smith: Thank you for having me. I’m great! InvinciblePR: So tell us, how was your trip to Los Angeles? Cree Smith: [sings] A-MAZING. It was wonderful. I loved every minute of it. InvinciblePR: You were there for Los Angeles Fashion Week, right? Cree Smith: [smiles from ear to ear] Yes. InvinciblePR: How did you get the invitation to join this year’s LA Fashion Week? Cree Smith: One of the hairstylists I work with has done both LA and NY Fashion weeks before, and she told me that LA was in need of nail technicians this year. She gave me a contact name to reach out to and I sent him a Direct Messenger through Instagram. InvinciblePR: You slid in his DMs? [laughs] Cree Smith: Yes, honey, I slid in his DMs, we exchanged information, I filled out all the necessary forms and about two weeks later I received an e-mail with an official invitation [grins]. I was so pumped! I was at work in the process of checking out my first client and skimmed through my e-mailed. I was so excited—I was overwhelmed, nervous, but also very excited. Girl, it was hard for me to get through the rest of the day [chuckles]. I told everybody! InvinciblePR: I bet. That’s an amazing accomplishment to achieve so early on in your career. So tell me, you were there for three days, which day was your best day and why? Cree Smith: The last day was probably my best day and I think it’s because I had become familiar with the flow of how things were done. That day I just wanted to take everything in. My first two days there I didn’t
InvinciblePR: How did your family react when you received the official invitation to be a part of LA fashion week?
InvinciblePR: Are they your best friends? Cree Smith: Honestly, yes. They know everything—good or bad they will know. [laughs] InvinciblePR: Keeping family close especially during these times I think is important. So tell us, how did you got started doing nails? Cree Smith: In 2014, I had to stop working because I was put on bed rest for the duration of my pregnancy. The doctor told us it would be a challenging birth, which meant I didn’t have any money. Prior to my son being born I started keeping up my
ryone who walks through our doors. We have to do better, we have to be art of the problem I believe is people know suite culture not salon culture.” own nails and getting them done regularly. So it started out with just a desire to have my nails done. I started doing them myself and said “I kinda like this.” From there, I did some research—looking into nails salon schools-- but then I found an alternative which was an apprenticeship. I had never heard of anyone doing an apprenticeship for nails so I did more research then, as luck would have it, I ended up running across a woman’s page who did bomb nails! Her art work was something I had never en seen before so I reached out to her. InvinciblePR: [interjects] You slid in her DMs too? [laughs] Cree Smith: [smiles] I did, and asked if she would be my mentor. We had one interview and she agreed to mentor me. It took off from there. InvinciblePR: As a first time business owner, what challenges did you experience getting started? Or did you have a template for how to do things because you had a mentor in the field? Cree Smith: During my apprenticeship I wasn’t taught business, honestly I was taught how to do nails. Getting into the actual business aspect was trial and error. I asked around. Several of my clients are business owners, so just using people who were available as resources and who were willing to guide me and, of course, I did my own research. I feel like that would have been the hardest part of it, but it’s a journey of learning because every day I learn something else like taxes [shakes her head and smiles]. InvinciblePR: Oh that’s a beast within itself [both laugh] Cree Smith: Right! I said “I don’t know what this is going to look like, but it has to be done” [laughs]. It was
something that I definitely had to learn and am still learning. Honestly, when you actually become a legal business owner there’s a large amount of responsibility which comes along. InvinciblePR: To whom much is given, much is required Cree Smith: [eyes open widely with excitement] OKAY! And not only that, people are now watching you. Sis, where is the money going? Where is it coming from? We need some of that! So it’s definitely not as easy as I thought it would be, but also not as challenging as I can make everything out to be. InvinciblePR: In our culture, why do you think that is? Why aren’t we taught the business side of having a business? Cree Smith: For two reasons: First, I think there are gatekeepers (especially in Baltimore). People have knowledge on how to become successful, but instead of helping others they keep their knowledge to themselves. Second, I don’t think you can teach what you don’t know. When I first started out, I was so excited that nails were my only focus and I honestly believed my mentor did the best she knew how. Again, you can’t teach what you don’t know. It goes back to what I said before, it’s a journey of learning; a never-ending journey. InvinciblePR: Being a woman is hard, being a woman entrepreneur is even harder. If you could offer once piece of advice to women entrepreneurs what would it be? Cree Smith: Do. Your. Research. Do your research because everyone wants an LLC but it may not be what’s best for you. You do not have to have an LLC to have a successful business there’s Sole Proprietorship and several other types. Also, keep up with your finances. Keep a record of all money coming in and going out and just learning to balance those things. InvinciblePR: Do you now have a why behind why you choose to get up and do nails every single day or do you just look at this as a job? Cree Smith: [intensely pauses] Cree Smith: I think my bigger goal is my why. InvinciblePR: And that is? Cree Smith: I want to own a chain of nail salons in several locations (similar to the ones we see in the
malls). I want our communities to be able to benefit from my success. I want people to be able to walk-in and get whatever service they desire, but I also want to create an institute to train upcoming nail technicians because I strongly believe there is a gap in the area of teaching how to do nails. I also do what I do because I enjoy making people feel good; what’s the saying “if you look good, you feel good.” That feeling you get when you get your nails done and you’re all over the place, talking with your hands [as she moves her hands swiftly] knowing that you’re all that; that’s a vibe! And I genuinely enjoy making people feel that way. Then there’s the art itself. I have the opportunity to create and express myself each day. When my clients love what I create it’s just a dope feeling [as she smiles ear to ear] to have people want to wear my art. It’s a high I never want to lose. InvinciblePR: [shakes head in agreement] As if your saying “Oh you want to wear me on your hands?” I get that and why not, we wear other forms of someone else’s art everyday—clothes, jewelry, tattoos etc. why not our nails too? Cree Smith: Exactly!
Sometimes I get so caught up in creating content I’ll look at the clock and say “oh snap, let me get up.” I shower etc. and I head out. Because I am really big on time management, I am at the salon about one hour before my first client just to be able to organize and prepare myself for the day. InvinciblePR: Once you actually learn how priceless time is to you and to others, you move differently. Cree Smith: Yes! You move differently because you don’t have time to waste, but I do carve out time to talk to my mom and brother every day. The time varies depending on when we all can talk, but we do make time to fill each other in on our lives. Family’s important. InvinciblePR: [shakes her head in agreement] Family is important. I think everyone who still has their family should count themselves blessed. I think COVID-19 put a lot of things into perspective for a lot of people. Do you also meditate? I saw in one of your LA reels that you were meditating, is that something you do every day?
Cree Smith: I don’t believe I looked at it that way. When I first started off I was into nail shaping. I think when your nails look good, you can put just about any color on so I was big on just getting a crisp, clean look. When I got into art it was “oh these colors go together pretty well” then I started learning acrylic, which is a whole different type of art because you’re literally building things.
Cree Smith: Meditation is something I’m just getting into, actually. I overthink a lot, so much so that I found myself forgetting things. The reason why was because I wasn’t present in the moment. I’ve been doing some of the same things for so long that oftentimes my mind begins to wander. I forget that things are happening in the moment that I’m completely missing. I’ve learned I have to meditate, to calm my mind, and bring myself back to the present. I will say [as she giggles] it’s one of the hardest things I’ve ever done in my life. To focus on the right now; my breathing, it’s difficult! [laughs]
InvinciblePR: True. I never thought to look at it that way.
InvinciblePR: It is difficult [laughs]. Especially when your mind is always going.
Cree Smith: Yeah, and because I sculpt nails instead of using tips, I’m literally building nails out of thin air.
Cree Smith: [excitingly interrupts] Always going!
InvinciblePR: Before you became an artist, did you think doing nails was a form of art?
InvinciblePR: [laughs] I never looked at it like that, that’s pretty incredible. Cree Smith: [smiles] I agree, I love it. InvinciblePR: [grins] When you aren’t being flown out to LA, what does a typical work day look like for you? You get up in the morning and do what? Cree Smith: Girl, I get up in the morning and I lay there! [both laugh] Cree Smith: I lay around for another 20 minutes. While lying there I usually post content on Instagram, Tit Tok, edit videos, create reels etc.
InvinciblePR: And you’re trying to force yourself to sit still Cree Smith: Sit still. Sit still and breath, girl! [both laugh] Cree Smith: It really is a thing that people struggle with. I was reading “Battlefield of the Mind”, by Joyce Meyer and one of the things that stood out to me was “How often do you think about what you’re thinking about?” Has anyone ever asked you “what are you thinking about?” and you take a minute, “wait what am I thinking about?” and now you have to think about that. InvinciblePR: That’s so true! [both laugh]
“Respect is not leaving someone worse than you found them. It’s common courtesy; you don’t have to go out of your way, but you don’t have to make anyone feel worse either.” Cree Smith: It is! We find ourselves thinking about so many things at once it’s hard to pinpoint just one thing, so meditation has helped me focus more. And it doesn’t have to be “traditional meditation” (eyes closed etc.) I meditate when I’m doing nails, anything that allows me to be on autopilot is a moment I can take to just be present and reflect. InvinciblePR: I think that’s good. I think our culture is on the go so much. Cree Smith: Yeah, and when you present meditation to them, the response is “What? I don’t have time!”[both laugh] Cree Smith: Who has time to sit still, it’s too many things to be done [both laugh] InvinciblePR: I heard this preacher that I listen to on Clubhouse every morning say “resting should not be a reward, it should be something you do regularly.” Cree Smith: Isn’t that crazy though? We think it’s a reward when it’s something we actually have the right to do? InvinciblePR: Absolutely, but how many people think this way? Thousands if not millions of people. Cree Smith: It’s like we’ll do all this stuff first before we’ll even consider resting. But I also think our culture has the mindset that if we aren’t doing something [voice raises] than we’re lazy.
InvinciblePR: [shakes head in agreement] Absolutely, and God forbid if someone deems you lazy Cree Smith: Oh no, never! Lazy? What? Because there are things to do, even though I’m completely wiped out and its damn near impossible. InvinciblePR: I can say now that was me, I felt that calling me lazy was disrespectful so to never give you the ammunition to do so, I kept moving, exhausted and all but now, say what you will [laughs]. Cree Smith: But if only people knew that you can work productively without killing yourself. We can run the world with a cell phone and laptop, but if someone see’s you with a cell phone, and laptop with the television on, “oh you’re lazy” “oh you have time to watch TV? You’re lazy!” It’s a never ending battle. InvinciblePR: It is especially for our culture. I just want us to be better; be present; be in the moment about some things. Cree Smith: It seems like a luxury instead of our right [shakes head in disbelief]. InvinciblePR: Speaking of wanting better, Customer Service in today’s world with this generation [as she shakes her head]. Cree Smith: [interjects] Sis, It’s few and far in between! [both laugh] InvinciblePR: How do we make it better? We’re depending on you to train up the next generation and send them out into the world [smiles].
Cree Smith: That is definitely the goal. You can do great nails, but if you have a nasty attitude it doesn’t matter what you do. It’s funny you brought that up, I recently had a conversation with a co-worker who brought it to my attention the reason why customer service sucks now-a days, especially when it comes to the beauty industry, is because we have the ability to have our own suite, which is basically your own salon—you can do things the way you want to do it, but the downfall is you don’t have to be around other people; you don’t learn how to respect the majority. For example, (and this is on a small scale) music. There is a lot of music out here, but not all music is appropriate for everybody and knowing how to respect everyone in the room and not just your homegirl is key. People don’t care anymore. People say and do whatever they want and if you don’t like it, that’s on you. Being in such a customer led industry, we should be respectful to everyone who walks through our doors. We have to do better, have to be respectful! And it doesn’t hurt or cost anything to be respectful; and part of the problem I believe is people know suite culture not salon culture. InvinciblePR: How do you define respect? Cree Smith: Respect is not leaving someone worse than you found them. It’s common courtesy; you don’t have to go out of your way, but you don’t have to make anyone feel worse either. InvinciblePR: I asked because people have different definitions, but I also think culture plays a factor (even though it shouldn’t, the reality is, it does). Since you’re versatile and servicing all sorts of people that walk different paths in life, I want to know if your definition translates to all of your customer’s definitions, or do you think you need to stretch a little or see it from a different perspective? Our culture plays a part in how we view different things, respect being one of them.
InvinciblePR: That’s good. Why did you choose “being ok with whatever life looks like for you?” Cree Smith: I feel that I’m just getting to a place where I’m always pleasing people, I’m constantly adapting to what other people expect of me and that has to stop. Being ok with telling people no, or being ok with what resonates in me that’s something I’m still learning and it has been a journey. I want people to be ok with whatever makes their heart sing. Do that! InvinciblePR: I get it. Being content. Oftentimes when people hear content they think settling or mediocre.
Cree Smith: That’s true, I believe our culture does play a part in how we view some things simply because our life experiences have been different, but I still believe respect is something which should be universal. Anyone who walks through my doors will be treated the same whether they’re 13 years old or 60—black, white, purple, green, homeless or rich. It doesn’t matter. InvinciblePR: I also think respect is universal, but unfortunately our world doesn’t see it that way. The great thing is more and more people are standing up for themselves and others. I have faith it’ll get better. So let’s pivot a little, how old are you? Cree Smith: I’m 29 years old, I’ll be 30 this September. Yes, us Virgos are the best to ever do it! [laughs] InvinciblePR: Agreed! No argument there. [laughs] In 5 years, when you turn 35 years old, what do you hope your greatest accomplishment within your career will be? Cree Smith: Having my own first fully staffed salon. Hopefully that will be the beginning of me not having to work so hard. I won’t constantly worry about money, or bullying myself to take so many clients to meet my money goal. I will have mastered the work life balance. InvinciblePR: If you could boil your principles down to three words what would they be? Cree Smith: Respect, peace of mind, and being ok with whatever life looks like for you and being unapologetic about it.
Cree Smith: [anxiously interrupts] but my mediocre may not be your mediocre. InvinciblePR: Very true! But even if it was, you have to be ok with where you are. The only thing that should matter is what you think. InvinciblePR: Do you think it took the birth of your son to realize your talent? And his death for you to live out your talent? Cree Smith: [pauses intensely, and takes a deep breath] Yes, I believe both of those things had to happen, and that’s a very difficult pill to swallow. It seems a little insensitive to say it took the birth and the death of my son to propel my career to what it’s become, but because of the level of care, he required it would have delayed my process. InvinciblePR: Very brave of you, thank you for sharing. [For those who aren’t aware, Cree gave birth to a baby boy, Brice Gains in 2015. Due to severe medical conditions, he passed away in 2017]. InvinciblePR: Do you have family aspirations? Do you want to be a wife? A mother again?
Cree Smith: [smiles] I want it all, but the dating pool is trash right now [laughs]. You know when we’re younger, we plan out our lives and I’ve always wanted a big family, but the older I get and the longer I’m single it’s beginning to look like one child and six dogs [laughs]. InvinciblePR: Listen, its hard out here [laughs] pace yourself, you have time Cree Smith: Oh absolutely! [smiles] But I do want the whole package, whatever that looks like. InvinciblePR: Are you currently dating? Cree Smith: I am dating. It’s something new. I hope it works out. I have good vibes from it, but I’m also an over thinker, but I’m trying to remain positive. One way or another it’s going to work [ laughs]. InvinciblePR: So you’re building an empire and dating, you’re just out here living your best life [laughs]. How did you meet? Cree Smith: Girl, Facebook dating. InvinciblePR: I hear everyone talking about that, I think I’m late to the party. [both laugh]
Cree Smith: Come join the party, it’s not too late [laughs]. It’s definitely a process. I’ve been on there for about two months and I’ve talked to a total of four people including the woman I’m seeing now. She’s the only one that has stuck, it’s just something different about her. She’s great [grins and bashfully looks away]. InvinciblePR: Have you had an official first date yet? Cree Smith: Girl, we’re on date #7 [laughs]. We’ve gone out every week; that was the energy I was looking for, and it feels so good to have that given to me. You know? And she’s so sweet and thoughtful. She picked me up from the airport when I landed back in Baltimore from Los Angeles with flowers [grins from ear to ear]. It’s really the small things for me because she didn’t have to do that. So yeah, I’m hoping it works out. InvinciblePR: It sounds like it will. I’m wishing you the best of luck with love and all of your career endeavors. And when you’ve obtained it all, we’ll sit and talk again [smiles]. Cree Smith: Of Course! Thank you for having me. InvinciblePR: Thank you for showing Baltimore Natives that dreams can come true. Written by Freelance Journalist, Traveya Brown, Owner of InvinciblePR