Mecca Elliot: Hair Stylist to Namaste Nail Sanctuary Empire Builder

Suffering from the autoimmune disorder, rheumatoid arthritis, Mecca Elliot tried nearly every prescription medication on the market. But none would alleviated her crippling pain. On a lark, she tried meditation. "Meditation calmed and centered me—I was so anxious at the time—and I became addicted," she recalls. Then an unexpected bonus: slowly, she saw her arthritis symptoms go away. Today Mecca, completely pain-free, credits meditation for her recovery. The former hair stylist went on to become a certified meditation instructor and then, wanting to share the benefits with others, had an light bulb moment: why not marry mediation and the manicure/pedicure experience? Mecca shares the story of how launched and built her innovative, luxurious concept: Namaste Nail Sanctuary. The first salon, which incorporates Deepak Chopra guided meditation—complete with LED glasses and headphones—opened in Studio City, California. And now she and her husband, Michael Elliot (you might remember him pitching his Hammer & Nails concept on Shark Tank), are in the process of opening 8 more outposts. And the couple has launched a franchise operation, and hoping to have 100 open by 2021.