Why are more than half the nail salons in America run by Vietnamese?

Following the fall of Saigon in April of 1975, there were many Vietnamese living in refugee camps in the United States. A Hollywood star named Tippi Hedren visited a Sacramento refugee camp in 1975. Given the refugees interest in her nails, she realized she could leverage this to help them find employment. She helped 20 individuals become licensed nail technicians. These original 20 individuals dispersed across Southern California and spread news of the opportunity in being a nail technician.
Many immigrants to the United States do not have higher educations or speak fluent English. They are limited in their opportunities and careers. Being a nail technician is a viable option for recent immigrants to provide for their families and prosper as a community.
The Vietnamese offered discount services that could be as much as 50% cheaper than other nail salons. They made nail saloons more accessible to the American public by offering lower prices. It is not enough to have the lowest price. In business, you must ensure a high quality product and/or service. Getting nails done became even more popular with women across the country. A nail saloon offers the opportunity for multiple people to work, as well as pool resources together to operate the business.
For many immigrants, employment is a means not only to provide for themselves, but to send remittances back home to their native countries, as well as pay for the education of their children in the United States.