(FORTUNE Small Business) – Baek, 33, never expected to run nail salons when she was studying to be a classical musician. So perhaps it's not surprising that when an injury forced her to change careers, her parents balked. As Korean immigrants, they didn't want her to take a path that seemed stereotypical for Korean women in a country offering so many other opportunities.

But Baek planned to set herself apart by taking a different approach from the typical quick-service salon's when she opened her first Rescue Beauty Lounge in 1998. As she built her chain of three chic nail salons in trendy downtown Manhattan, she gained quick recognition from the fashionista set thanks to her signature nail designs, like Burberry-plaid nails. It didn't hurt that Vogue magazine once named her New York City's most chic manicurist because of her penchant for fashion. This fall Rescue launched its own brand of nail polish in 28 stores nationwide and in Canada. With Baek's business thriving in its unique niche, her parents have a whole new take on her line of work. --CORA DANIELS

I am a first-generation immigrant and came to the country when I was 12. I was a good student, and I had studied to be a professional viola player, so my parents always thought I'd play in a symphony or be a doctor or a lawyer. But I am a rebel. When I told my mom I was going to open a nail salon, she fainted. I am Korean, so it was just so stereotypical--85% of the nail salons in New York City are Korean owned. My parents feared I was throwing away the opportunities this country can offer. But I knew my salons wouldn't be typical.

For me, business is very exciting. I work seven days a week nonstop, but I love what I do. After tendinitis ended my music career I went into restaurant management, but it is very much a man's world, and being a woman and a minority, it was tough. I hit the streets in search of something else. I was on my feet all day, walking in heels. Pedicures were my salvation. But the salons were filthy. There was nothing in between the cheap chop shops and the high-end body spas that treated nails as an afterthought. I saw a chance to offer something new. So I went to beauty school.

After I opened my first nail salon, my mom and I didn't talk for a while because she was so devastated. But my goal was never to be a nail technician. My forte is management. In designing the nail spas, I offered what I would want if I were a client. We were the first to create a nail spa, dedicated to hands and feet. Clients got their own private rooms. Everything was elegant. When my mom came to the spa for the first time, she understood that it was different. Today each of our three spas has a unique look, which adds character. Character is an advantage you can have when you run a small business. It helped us to break through the stereotypes about nail salons. And when the business is running smoothly, it's like having a perfect orchestra in tune.