Founder Thea Green shares how Nails.Inc grew from a nail bar to a $40 million sale

Thea Green identified a demand for on-the-go manicures while editing for Tatler and founded Nails.Inc in 1999, debuting a 70-shade polish line and a flagship nail bar. Early adoption by Vogue staff led to concessions in Fenwick’s, followed by placements in Harvey Nichols and Selfridges, pioneering the concept of a service within a beauty hall. Strategic collaborations with personalities and brands—including Alexa Chung, Victoria Beckham, Magnum and McDonald’s—propelled the label into the U.S. market and secured shelf space at Boots and Sephora.

After building the business while raising three children, Green sold Nails.Inc at the end of 2024 to Pacific World Corporation for about £30 million, staying on as chair. The firm recorded its highest revenue in 2025 at $34.7 million and reports sales of its newest “It’s Topless” range at a rate of one bottle per minute in the U.K. Green attributes her success to early perseverance, disciplined pricing and a focus on small wins.