Meet Tonia Thomas

We recently connected with Tonia Thomas and have shared our conversation below.

Tonia, so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?

You know finding your purpose is not easy and can be very challenging. I learned finding your purpose is a journey that often involves self-discovery, reflection, and sometimes a bit of trial and error. It begins with introspection—examining your passions, strengths, and values. Ask yourself what activities make you feel most fulfilled and energized. For some, purpose can be found in a specific career path, while for others like myself, it might be rooted in personal relationships or creative endeavors. Taking the time to understand what genuinely excites and motivates you is a crucial first step.

It was not until God changed who Shyneeknobs is suppose to be and what to do with her that I found what my purpose is. I had no idea since I was little girl that I was somehow inspiring, helping others, saying the right things, and giving, etc… to people. I was just being myself as I am today. On top of it I love color, color has a profound impact on human perception and emotion, often evoking breathtaking reactions in many individuals like myself. Did you know that the human eye can perceive millions of colors, each one triggering different emotional responses and memories and touches the soul is what makes it so captivating and breathtaking to many people. Oh Yeah!!!

I just recently asked God Why nail polish and he said Tonia, because you love color and you have always been there for people just by being you but would always seem to get some kind of hate whether left out of things, talked about, manipulated, used, and disrespected and nail polish is you because of all the things you been through in your life and in spite of it all you never gave up. My purpose in short is to help others mainly women and girls to love themselves from the inside out and to never allow someone to create their reality for them, See,,, We are the nail polish that inspires through color!!!

Purpose is not always a fixed endpoint but can change and develop over time. Life’s circumstances, personal growth, and external influences can all shift your sense of purpose. Embrace the journey with an open mind and allow yourself the flexibility to adapt and grow. Remember, finding your purpose is a personal and unique journey, and it’s okay if it takes time to uncover so be patient and open to evolution.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

My name is Tonia Thomas and I am the CEO/FOUNDER of Shyneeknobs Vegan Nail Polish, I create nail polish to inspire women and girls to love themselves from the inside out and to never allow someone to create their reality for them. I also have a girls line Princessknobs Nail Polish and create journals, notebooks,

Shyneeknobs is a brand that was created as a replica of my life and how I overcame self-doubt due to others opinions of me. Shyneeknobs is the nail polish that inspires through color, we are not your average nail polish.

I am always excited to create not only the color of each polish but to give each one a name. The name of each polish resembles something that I or any woman or girl has or are going through and need a reminder of who we are, what we can do, and what we are not tolerating anymore. I learned later in life that what is important is how you feel about yourself not what others think about you.

God gives me clarity on what to create for Shyneeknobs and then shows me how to bring it to life. I will try to redirect something the way I think it should go but it almost always goes back to the way God explained it to me. Shyneeknobs will be at our first vending spot ever in November and I am very excited for that. I have launched my first lip liner (Berry Lip} and lip gloss (Vanilla Lip Polish) together they are called Vanilla Berry Lip.

Also for my girls line Princessknobs I have created a themed collection box called Retro Princess that includes various products that will sprinkle a bit of joy and positivity into a young girl’s daily routine and I am currently looking for our Princessknobs Nail Swatcher In addition to this I have created additional inspirational notebooks for back-to-school season for my in-house brand Pippispaper Daily Writing. I am currently working on more to come this fall.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

WOW, I needed a moment for this one, I honestly can say sticking to my why I started Shyneeknobs, research, research, research, and more research, and never giving up no matter what.

Don’t be scared to fail, failure is part of life but don’t just stay there, get back up and keep moving forward. The thing is to never stay down and always remember why you started and most importantly always talk to God and remember there is nothing wrong with talking to yourself and asking yourself questions because it is a sense of selfcare. Take time out for you no matter how easy or hard it gets because social media will make you feel like you have to post, create reels, go live or comparing your business to other businesses everyday in order to grow your business, but in all reality it is overwhelming and can cause you to give up.

Any advice for folks feeling overwhelmed?

First and foremost, for me it’s important to acknowledge my emotions rather than suppress them. Recognizing that I’m overwhelmed is the crucial first step in addressing the issue. Once I’ve acknowledged my feelings, I will take a break from whatever is causing my stress, even if it’s just for a few minutes or take a few days or week to just breathe. I binge watch movies a lot too because your mind is focused on what your watching and not what issue you have.

Another effective strategy I do is to prioritize and break down tasks. When everything seems overwhelming, it can be helpful to make a list of all the tasks you need to accomplish. Once you have everything written down, prioritize them based on urgency and importance. Focus on completing one task at a time, rather than multitasking which can often lead to increased stress. Breaking down larger tasks into smaller, more manageable steps can also make them seem less daunting. Remember to celebrate your small victories along the way, as this can boost your morale and provide a sense of accomplishment.

Lastly, I don’t hesitate to seek support from my husband, however, my first go to is God and writing down or talking it out to myself. Absolutely one can talk to a friend, family member, or professional counselor if you have a true go to person because sharing your feelings with someone else can provide relief and new perspectives just as long as there is no judgement.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.shyneeknobs.com
• Instagram: www,instagram.com/shyneeknobs
• Facebook: www,facebook.com/shyneeknobs
• Other: TikTok www.tiktok.com/shyneeknobspolish