1st AMERICAS CUP 2023: Katarzyna Kruszynska – Ireland

In the competing world, Katarzyna (Kate) Kruszynska has achieved the highest championship title in Ireland: ‘Irish National Nail Champion. She’s also a multiple award winner in nail styling championships’ all over the world. Recently, in the past year (2023), Kate has represented Ireland in Mexico, Germany, USA: Orlando, Texas and Ohio where overall she won 40 medals and trophies.

“This year I was honoured to achieve the Nailympia Americas Cup, The Nailympia Premiere Cup, Nailympia Art winner of winners and Individual Top Scorer awards. Also, the success of my business was recognised with the ‘Best Established Business’ award from the Local Enterprise Office in 2019.”

Born and raised in Poland, Katarzyna Kruszynska worked as a police officer in the Traffic Accident Department for a number of years, before deciding to follow her heart and move to Ireland.

In 2010 nails became her full-time job starting with a small nail table in the corner of her kitchen where she would find herself often in tears believing she wasn’t good enough.

However, with the support of her family and friends, Kate did do it and eventually opened a nail bar in 2015.

“I have been successfully running Beauty Vision Ltd and an accredited training centre and am the creator and owner of the Kohana Professional nail brand. Kohana is my brand of professional beauty products for nails, eyelashes and eyebrows. The name Kohana comes from many different places and is very unique. In the Japanese language it means ‘little flower’, but it has two more very personal meanings for me: I love Walt Disney productions, and in the movie Lilo & Stitch, I heard that: ‘ohana means family and family means nobody gets left behind or forgotten’, and from there the Kohana name was born. Using ‘K’ for Kate, and ‘Ohana’ for family. Together they make ‘Kohana’, for Kate’s family.

“The other very special meaning with Kohana is in the Polish language Kohana means ‘loved one’, and so I thought that this was just prefect for my brand name, because every person is loved and considered family.

“Behind the business, I’m a loving wife and a mother to three wonderful children. I am an animal lover, with two dogs and one cat at home. I love travelling and trying different foods, and I’m hugely passionate about a fit and healthy lifestyle.

“I’ve been sharing my work and knowledge on social media to help others for a while now and absolutely love this element of my work. I started posting on different social media platforms three years ago and since then I’ve reached over 60,000 followers. The content I share is all about nails, nail art and beauty as well as my business.

“To think that I’m sharing my creativity with so many is an amazing feeling and being able to meet other nail enthusiasts through the world of social media is exciting. I enjoy teaching people who are also passionate about this line of work through my courses and I pride myself on Kohana being a place where someone can learn new skills in a great atmosphere.

“I’m so thankful for the life this business has given me. Not everyone can say that they love their job, but I’m one of the lucky few who can.”