Today, our #womanwarrior of our #womenwarriors series is Michelle Gill (instagram: @_candy_paint_). Michelle is an amazing individual as the creator of her nail art brand Candy Paint, and the manager of @brunettethelabel. Her experience is incredible from doing @mileycyrus nails, to being the ultimate #GirlBoss leader at the Brunette Flagship Store on 231 Union Street in #Vancouver.
About Michelle and her woman warrior:
“I’m blessed to be surrounded by many women warriors, but the one who has inspired me my whole life and continues to inspire me is my mom. She is without a doubt, the strongest woman I know. She did every job possible, from being a waitress to working in care homes to provide for me and my sisters. Once we got older she put herself through school to become a CDA which gave her a great career and ultimately her independence. Seeing my mom work as hard as she did made me strive for more. I never wanted a conventional career, I was too much of a free spirit and my mom supported my creative side, always.
My nail art brand, Candy Paint literally started in my mom’s living room when I was 19. I did my first client there, had my first photo shoot there and my mom was always there supporting and like most moms, making sure we all ate! Working for yourself is not easy, but having my mom as my number 1 fan and supporter made the hardships worth it. She’s that woman who gives out my instagram handle to everyone, tells them how I did Miley Cyrus’s nails and proudly tells them, ‘I’m Candy Paint’s mama.’
Candy Paint ultimately led me to my current job with Brunette the Label, a company that stands for exactly what I believe in. Miriam Alden (another amazing woman warrior) started this company and brand with the core value of women supporting women, or as we say ‘Babes Supporting Babes’. It’s a company I’m proud to be a part of and grow with. I run our first retail store and all things customer service related. I love what I do, I get to speak to people from all walks of life and hear their stories, I get to be creative and work with an amazing team who genuinely want the best for everyone around them and the brand. It’s such a positive environment and it allows my creativity to thrive. I still actively work on my nail art and will be incorporating that into my current job very soon!
I just turned 30 years old and after much trial and error with various jobs and different avenues, I’ve finally found what works for me, makes me happy and feeds my soul. I am by no means settled, I’ve got big ideas and big plans for my future, my career is just beginning and the person I do it all for is my woman warrior, my mama!Come visit me at the Brunette Flagship Store at 231 Union Street and you can follow me on instagram @_candy_paint_ and @brunettethelabel”
Project Women Warriors 