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Volume Up

Volume Up is an extension of TheTease.com hosted by The Tease founder and agency owner, Kelly Ehlers and VP of Digital, Jeffrey Lunnen.
Every Monday, Kelly and Jeffrey will be sharing headlines of our favorite articles on the site, our rants about what’s going on in the salon pro world, and interview founders, tastemakers and industry icons.
Sponsored by Function of Vex
Interview with Nicole Tran and Michael Lam
NICOLE TRAN — Creative Director & Co-Founder
Nicole Tran started as a self-taught nail artist studying Korean and Japanese artists on loop, chasing a feeling the industry hadn’t given her yet. She earned her license, built a career, and hit every milestone the industry had to offer. And then she built something the industry didn’t.
Function of Vex was born from frustration, obsession, and the belief that nails aren’t an accessory — they’re the art. Every product she creates asks one question: why doesn’t this exist yet? Function of Vex is the answer — built for every artist ready to ask the same thing.
MICHAEL LAM — COO & Co-Founder
Michael Lam is the backbone of Function of Vex — the infrastructure behind the vision. While Nicole dreams big, Michael makes sure the foundation holds. The finances, the hard calls, the reality checks.
He believes passion isn’t enough. That a great company has to take care of its people first — employees, community, the artists Nic is building for. Where Nic is focused on impact through product, Michael is focused on impact through people.
That tension — and that trust — is exactly what makes Function of Vex work. Honesty and difficulty have always gone hand in hand.
Links:
- https://f-vex.com/pages/new-about-page?srsltid=AfmBOopv6Yieba2cTsMnFCDn8Ye2xyAV1DTcep_qHiJL-tm32WOeHEQh
- https://www.instagram.com/nictrick/
- https://www.instagram.com/functionofvex/Â
News from TheTease.com:
- https://www.thetease.com/a-unique-new-collab-between-the-sassoon-academy-and-jeremy-jairdoeshair-pugh-comes-together-this-april/
- https://www.thetease.com/80215-2/Â
Obsessed or Over It?
More from TheTease.com
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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/volumeupbythetease/ (volumeupbythetease)
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kellyehlers/ / (KellyEhlers)
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eljeffreycraig/ (eljeffreycraig)
Web: https://www.thetease.com (TheTease.com)
Email: VolumeUp@TheTease.com
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Credits: Volume Up is a Tease Media production. This episode was produced by Monica Hickey and Madeline Hickey. James Arbaje is our editor and audio engineer. Thank you to our creative team for putting together the graphics for this episode.
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Thank you to the team who helped create our theme song. Show them some love and check out their other work!
•Josh Landowski https://www.instagram.com/josh_landowski/

Rule Breaker Awards
- Included: Davines This is a Perfecting Hairspray, Davines Beautiful Things Restoring Leave-In Mask, Denman D83 Gentle Paddle, and Denman D4 African Violet 9 Row Original Styler
- The fearless innovators who dared to defy conventions and reshape the beauty industry.
- The full list of Rule Breaker Award winners were revealed in PRINTED Vol. 2.
Hair, Pros, Sponsored, Volume Up Podcast
From What Not To Wear to What To Do with Hair: Nick Arrojo’s Razor Sharp Advice for the Hair Industry
Extensions, Get The Look, Hair, Pros
Jacob Schwartz Breaks Down Bella Hadid’s Recent Sculpted Chignon Look
Pros, Sponsored, Volume Up Podcast























