Things I Learned Along the Way — Huck's Fiftieth Special Issue collects lessons learned and creative advice from fifty of the most inspiring people we know. Each day we'll be sharing a new excerpt from the magazine. Today, WAH Nails founder Sharmadean Reid explains how she made her dreams a reality, and why she's now driven by helping others to do the same.

#15 – Sharmadean Reid

WAH, the psychedelic banner under which Sharmadean runs a number of creative projects — all aimed at celebrating independent women — started life as a hip hop fanzine in 2005. After gaining a cult following, Sharmadean, keen to create a space where the community could come together — like the vibrant barbershops that dot the neighbourhood — founded WAH nails salon in Dalston, East London. WAH is a celebration of creative women, more than an aesthetic, and Sharmadean is passionate that everyone gets a shot at doing what they love.

“Ten years from now I’d love to be a patron of the arts, helping support young people who want to achieve their dreams. I remember moving to London [from Wolverhampton], from a single-parent family, and I had no money, I could barely afford my rent, I definitely couldn’t afford a computer. So I would love to be able to help other working-class kids who have a dream, to achieve it. And I want to facilitate young women, single mums and the like, to make their own money.”

This is just a short excerpt from Huck’s Fiftieth Special, a collection of fifty personal stories from fifty inspiring lives.

Grab a copy now to read all fifty stories in full. Subscribe to make sure you don’t miss another issue.