Adeeba Khan: Niles West Alum & Nail Fashionista

Some people don’t believe that dreams come true, but Niles West alum and TikTok influencer Adeeba Khan thinks otherwise. Through persistence and following her passions, @yodeebs has built an online business around her interest in cosmetology, specifically manicures and nail art trends.

“I don’t know if anyone can relate to this, but me and my parents came to America from India when I was five. The things my parents did and the sacrifices they made for me, I’m so grateful for,” Khan said.

After graduating from Niles West in 2012, Khan pursued a degree in biology, in part because her parents thought it would lead to a successful career. She was initially pre-med and even tried nursing, but after taking a marketing class her junior year, she felt drawn down a new path. Rather than changing so late in the process, she stuck with it. Factoring in loans and her parents’ expectations, she decided to complete her Biology degree.

“It took me 10 years to get my Bachelor’s. 10 years. I know it seems impossible, but you cannot give up,” Khan said.

After Khan graduated from Northeastern Illinois University and got her Bachelor’s, she did have a lot of loans. So, she decided to make social media her side hustle to try to pay them off. She tried everything from beauty, fashion, YouTube and even podcasts, but none worked for her. But then, she found her passion for nails. Whenever she had time on her hands, she would take pictures or videos. Even with working full time, she still managed to make time for her dream.

For a lot of students, high school is hard and can be frustrating. For Khan, she had someone that guided her and made her feel special. English teacher Lisa Rossa, helped Khan through her high school years. “I felt like she really saw me, made me feel like I mattered and felt so loved. She’s the best,” Khan said.

Rossa remembers Khan years later and counts herself one of @yodeebs’ fangirls.

“Adeeba sparkled in the classroom — I’m so proud of her. I remember her being genuinely interested in people (even me, even though I was the teacher), her warmth as a person, her soft-spoken nature and her fantastic style. I’m not at all surprised that she’s built this career for herself because she’s smart and follows her heart. I think a lot of kids and adults for that matter would find her story inspiring,” Rossa said.

March of 2020 was the year things really changed for Khan. She posted one of her videos on Tiktok and it went viral and got over 1 million views.

“If you told me years ago I would have a career making DIY nail content online, have my own Limited Liability Company (LLC) and eventually have opportunities like seeing SZA at Madison Square Garden because OPI invited me – I wouldn’t believe you,” Khan said.

As Khan began to build up her social media platforms and started to gain followers, she hopes to keep doing what she loves.

“I would love to say that I hope to do this as long as possible. It’s my absolute dream. Although we are at the mercy of the ever-changing platforms, I hope to do something more to solidify myself more. I would love to product collab with another brand, or even create nail art inspiration for Euphoria season three. That would be a huge accomplishment for me,” Khan said.

Through her time on social media, Khan did have some rough times. Some of her videos wouldn’t get that many likes or views, but she never got discouraged and kept on going. Khan has inspired other creators to keep on going and pursue their dream career just like she did.

Serenay Way, a content creator on Instagram, commented on one of Khan’s posts about how inspired she is by her story.

“Wow I never felt that much honesty and authenticity from someone’s video on platforms like this! You truly made me inspired and congratulations on your achievements! I’m trying to do the same and I hope I will find my way one day as you did,” Way said.

Khan has come very far in her life. Even if she didn’t succeed in something, she never gave up. She fought for her dreams and she made them come true.