Adventures of a Professional Beauty Girl

Three Trends You Can't Miss for 2012!

2012-01-31T08:31:00.000-05:00

Three trends you can't afford to miss. Janelle Loving courtesy of Spa Boom.
1. Social Networking. New advantages. 2. Mobile, access and convenience to information. 3. Marketing content. the value builds relationships . With social media, everyone is on Facebook but are you using it effectively? If you aren't it is the number one thing to do this year. It brings everything about your brand together in an integrated platform. Think about setting separate goals you want to achieve through this medium. Make your social campaigns creative and make sure they reflect your brand. Understand interaction is critical and your online style must be consistent. Latest statistics coming out of Facebook state 500 million users,250 million log in daily. the average user has 130 friends, 250 connections and there are over 900 million interactive objects on Facebook. We don't need to sharpen this point, Facebook is a business phenomenon.
On average a user interacts with 80 pages, groups or events and you want to be one of those pages. Mobile users are on the rise as I've discussed before. There is a limitless demographic as more and more mobile devices are signing on to social media every day. Facebook users between 18-34 are checking in on Facebook first think in the morning, on their smart phone or Ipad. Mobile is so important because it is so easily accessible and convenient. Instant gratification. We are multitasking all the time so having access to instant information about daily specials for example can let a guest know there was a cancellation that evening and she can stop by on her way home now. 56% of buyers are purchasing on their smartphones at home. Mobile devices are a steady source of information during the week but on the weekend they rival tablet and computers for accessing information. Just as many users are now using mobile devices on the weekend at the same level they use their tablets and computers. Mobile devices provide instant information on the go. How many of you look up a restaurant in the car and pull up directions? Rarely do I ever pull up mapquest on my home computer any more. So as a consumer of beauty services, potential guests can pull up your salon, services, promotions, as well as directions, prices and in some cases appointment availability on the spot. I can click on a phone number and be instantly connected to any business with mobile access. Last but most important is content. What is it you are providing? Create your competitive edge by developing yourself as an expert. Make your content interesting , think if you would want to read it. Be consistent in your marketing content, information and services. Give people a sense of what their experience is going to be like at your salon or spa. You can do that with creative marketing content. Readers can totally sense the vibe of your salon through your wording whether it is hip and trendy or relaxing and rejuvenating. Be respectful of the clients time and don't bore them with the same message over and over. Make all communication unique and different on each venue. Be authentic. Consumers are following you and can instantly tell when or if you are not doing your own communication. Creative content comes from passion, what is your passion you want to share with the world? Extend your reach and push out your boundaries to create a wider circle of influence. I had lunch with a Ladosha Wright who writes a blog and has a very active Facebook page and she told me people fly in from other cities to get services she talks about in her social media content. That's what I call valuable content!

January Grab Bag!

2012-01-24T10:20:00.002-05:00

Last week we talked about the Success Start small win Big challenge. Those of you interested in following along have your first action step. The first week of the challenge is to figure out your why. Why do you want to start a business or grow your current business. Forget the cliché’s like make more money, flexible schedule and get to what having these things would mean to you personally. What do you want more money for? A retirement account? Boat house? Helping your kids through college? What exactly is the root of your why? Maybe you are fulfilling a passion or sharing in a cause. Maybe you want to control your own destiny or fulfill what you think to be your purpose in life. Whatever the root cause of your why, spend some time fleshing it out. When you have written everything down spend some time distilling it into one sentence and post it somewhere you will see it every day. Having this mission statement helps keep you on track on those days you can’t seem to even get to the station. January is a good time to reevaluate your menu. Do you have too many services that just confuse your guests? Look at what your guests focused in on and let go of the rest. Look for new treatments and services to offer your guests. With spring coming you should be thinking about spring treatments, maybe adding a wellness service like reflexology or Reiki, a growing area in the industry. Think about hosting an anti-superbowl party at your salon with fluffy treatments, drinks and chick flicks. You should also have your Valentines specials in place offering Gift cards and special treatments for that special someone. Partner with florists, restaurants, massage studios and offer a special gift to anyone that returns your business card to your salon. Maybe offer a first time incentive or free gift, whatever works best for your market and your brand. With the start of show season this weekend what shows and classes are you going to attend this year? Keeping up with current trends is a fantastic tool to keep guests. January is a good time to budget out your educational investments for the year. Car pool, grab roommates and get yourself to these meccas of all things nails and beauty. Don’t get left in the nail dust. I also just joined Smart Brief from ISPA. This new service delivers newsworthy articles relevant to the salon and spa industry in one convenient daily email. Save time and be smarter. And last but not least, I saw an interesting newsfeed on Internetq’s website. A recent study found that consumers are spending more time surfing the web on their mobile devices than their pc’s. Mobile users spent 94 minutes a day browsing content through mobile apps compared to 72 minutes a day on mobile and traditional PC.s. Their advice? “With consumers spending more time on the web via mobile devices, it grows increasingly imperative for businesses to optimize their websites for mobile viewers.” I took a look at my own website from my mobile phone and it works beautifully. Make sure your site is mobile friendly so potential new guests aren’t clicking off your site before they even get a chance to see how awesome you really are. Here’s to working smarter On our business and not just in it!.

Success Challenge

2012-01-17T23:02:00.000-05:00

So here we are heading into the third week of the year. How many New years resolutions have you broken so far? This weeks tip is about shaping up your business. Trimming the fat, gaining more focus, being healthier, more profitability and enjoying more freedom. Sound good? When preparing for this segment I go to my trusty resources and this months issue of Success magazine’s theme is marketing. My favorite magazine on my favorite topic. I was drawn into the article called Start Small Win Big Challenge, wait did someone say challenge? This article written by Tory Johnson, Good Morning America’s workplace contributor and the owner of two businesses. Tory invites readers to quote “take the small steps that will ultimately catapult your career to a new level of success.” Game on I say. One of Johnsons businesses is called Spark and Hustle, a company that provides consulting services to current and aspiring small businesses. Which by the way broke the million dollar revenue mark in under a year, in a recession. She challenges all small business owners and you are all small business owners remember, YOU incorporated. Success.com is launching her 12 week, 12 step program to help boost your business. She breaks it down into manageable, bite size pieces so its not overwhelming. I for one am signing up and I hope you do to. I will share my progress every week with you either in my whole segment or just a brief update. But I will be blogging about it for sure. Here are the first 4 steps to get started. Step number one is to commit to your why. Take some time and really think about your why. Why is it you do what you do? I know a big why of mine is transitioning to a career out from behind the nail table. Besides the challenges of contact dermatitis I want to share my journey, my struggles and triumphs with other professionals to help them grow their business and elevate their career. May passion lies in the education and training of business skills so overlooked in this industry. You will endure much more when you are clear about the goal, the why. Number two, Take responsibility, you are in control. If your business is not where you want it to be it’s the drivers fault. And who is driving your business? Your willingness to take ownership of exactly where you are, how you got there and what could you have done differently is liberating. Think outside your own business as if you were a consultant. The answers are right there, maybe you weren’t diligent in your execution. Or maybe it is time to address a weakness. Not good with numbers? Hire a coach or a good accountant to school you in what numbers you need to keep front and center in order to reach your goals. Read a book take a class, learn new ways of thinking to get different results. Three Know your numbers. When you are down, by how much and why. Are costs going up? Have you lost more clients than you are gaining? An honest look at numbers every week will alert you to changes before they become detrimental to your business. Creating solutions before they are big problems will position you for growth in 2012. And last but not least. Own your destiny. What could you be if you refused to fail? Choose three things that if you could wave a magic wand and make happen in your business. Too long a list and you’re overwhelmed. Three things you can focus on and wrap your brain around. Make the items on your list specific, not vague like I want to make more money. How much more, by when? Next claim your expertise and define yourself with a nickname. You have to define what it is you want to be known for before you can put an effective plan into place. So there it is, the challenge 2012. I know I am up for it, how about you? Follow my blog at NTR I will most likely be adding content besides the marketing segments. Success Challenge

The 30 Minute Secret

2012-01-15T09:12:00.000-05:00

So many professionals ask me how I can possibly do a manicure in 30 minutes. I have written out the procedure that keeps me on target. The key is to have each step as perfected as possible, especially the polish. I can polish in 5 minutes, even a french. Maybe That trick will be the next blog post :)

Natural Beauty Manicure ~ Service Script

We specialize in natural nail services. Your nails will be evaluated for appropriate treatment and product usage. This service begins with steam towels, nail shaping (filing with an emery board). moisturizer is massaged into the nails and hands and cuticle softening product is applied. Hands are place in warm mitts to enhance hydration, product penetration. Cuticle work is performed and nails are polished to perfection with your choice of color or French manicure. This service takes 30-45 minutes.

Service Description

Tools Needed: clean workstation, towels, paper towels, sanitized nail implements, new disposable implements, Cuticle remover, Massage lotion, Cuticle Oil, Saran wrap, heated mitts, polish remover, polish.

1. Greet client. SMILE Approach physically (do not beckon from where you are). Make eye contact. Introduce yourself and shake hands if this is your first meeting. Offer beverage. For manicures, offer the option of prepaying to avoid marring polish after the service. Be sure to ask if they need any products. You can always retail after the service and offer to house charge the product.

2. Guide client to nail area. Make them comfortable and have them remove jewelry.

3. Cleanse hands with warm towel infused with cleansing product and essential oil, perform preliminary consultation.

4. Remove polish (one hand)

5. Shape nails with appropriate file with 240 for thin nails 180 otherwise.(one hand)

6. Perform hand/arm massage for 3-5 minutes(depending on cuticle work)

7. Apply Cuticle remover and wrap in saran, place in mitts.

8. Remove polish, shape nails and massage & wrap next hand. Place in warm mitts.

9. Unwrap first hand, push back and/or gently trim excess cuticle.

10. Apply Oil to cuticles and massage in.

11. Use cotton pad on nails to remove residue. Gently clean under the free edge.

12. Apply dehydrator if necessary, Polish nails.

13. Place client under nail dryer for 3 minutes. Apply quick dry drops or spray.

14. Offer to guide client back up front, get keys out, help pay if they haven’t prior the service.

15. Recommend appropriate products and follow up services.

16. Thank the client for coming before leaving them in the hands of the front desk or complete their sale.

Closing Procedures

*How was your service today? *Product Purchase *Salon Menu

*Rebooking time (other services?) *Salon Newsletter/Product Information

*Products in bag with info and tissue

*”Thank you and come again”

Don't Worry, Be Fabulous!

2012-01-11T10:12:00.000-05:00

Tonight’s tip is about combating the Do-It Yourselfers. Every since Gelish showed up in Sally’s it seems every month there is a new company offering a consumer version of their professional product. Seems we have discussed this to death without gaining any more insight to the challenges than we started with. This past week I saw a post by my friend Jayne Morehouse president of Jayne and company, a full-service brand communications agency for beauty companies and salons. In her new column Beyond Your Chair in Stylist magazine she tackles this very issue of the do it yourself market segment that seems to be growing daily. Personally I have had several conversations with manufacturers behind the scenes and this problem is not going away soon. So what’s a beauty professional to do? Jayne is blunt and direct to the point. You simply cannot compete based only on your hands and your tools. “You must compete on how your hands and your heart use those products to create beauty in your clients lives.” Have you ever gone to an art fair and seen a beaded work of jewelry for an exorbitant price? Yes we all have, and I bet you thought just like me, well I could do that at home for a lot less. Do I? No. So what I’m paying for is the artists interpretation of how the gems are artfully displayed into a work of art. That my friends, is what we do. They may have the tools and maybe with some training can give themselves a decent polish job but will they have works of art? I don’t think so. Why not? Because they don’t bring the passion and the love of the craft to their work, to them it is a chore, to us it is a passion. As Jayne continues in her article, “What they cant’ find is someone who applies this color with caring, kindness and empathy. Someone that listens and focuses only on them for the entire service, you are “present and in the moment” where no one is more important than your client. That’s what we can do that no one else in her world can. Make it her special 30-60 minutes filled with positive and professional conversation and focused on what you have planned to make her feel special and alive for those minutes. Jayne’s recommendations are similar to what we have offered here on Nail Talk Radio with a few twists. Start with a conscious conversation each visit asking how their nail style, color and or art worked out and offering something new that you have been thinking of since their last visit just for them. Listen and make recommendations according to her wants. As you begin to offer new styles and trends they can’t just anywhere your clients begin to trust you more and more to the point where they will just say Whatever you recommend I always love. Be available and accessible and connect any way that is easy for your clients. Some want email, some like text, come still want a phone confirmation. Connect in a way that is convenient for your clients, not for you. Share information and don’t be afraid to educate your client. The more they know the better decisions they can make. Will you lose a few to these at home products? Yes, I personally have lost a few but I also have gained many more in return by always pushing myself to learn new techniques, have the latest products and tools and traveling for education or fashion week to show my clients I am on top of my game. Don’t let your thoughts focus on what you are losing or you will lose more. Focus your thoughts and efforts on gaining a more sophisticated client that understands your value and wants to treat herself to the professional that you are.

See Jayne's full article here
Beyond The Chair

Re-Tooling for 2012

2012-01-03T08:28:00.000-05:00

Let’s Get this party started. Last January I went through a marketing calendar outlining specific items you should be working on every month. If you missed it you can look it up on my blog under Year planner part 1. Tonight I will break down the most important steps to get your 2012 marketing efforts in hyper drive to get the best traction.
Get your 2012 marketing started by re-identifying your target market. This is where the Guest profile really helps your efforts. Find it on my blog under Guest Profile. Now is the perfect time to start using this if you haven’t already. Tell your guests in order to serve them better you are reorganizing your business files. Make sure each and every guest fills out a new Guest profile, no exceptions. Chances are your records may be out of date. Make sure you include your facebook link and encourage all guests to like your page on Facebook and follow you on Twitter. Send out posts a few times per week w/ specials, new products, and education events. You can have special Facebook fans of the week or Twitter retweet contests to keep your guests engaged with your social media by rewarding them. Check out all the ways to use the guest profile in your marketing efforts on my blog. So have you identified what it is you are going to implement in your marketing strategies in 2012? Before you get too ambitious I want to share some insight from Darren Hardy, publisher of Success magazine. In our efforts to really hit 2012 strong we may try and work on too many things at once. In this months CD he warns against trying to put too many things into the mix. If we have more than 3 goals, we might as well not have any. Every time you put too many things on your calendar you water down the effectiveness of each one. I know from personal experience all too well. So I am encouraging you to set 3 business goals. That’s right 3. Take the time to fully research , implement and track these three strategies and you will be amazed at the progress you can make. Which three do you choose? Well if you were listening last week I discussed reviewing 2011 and really evaluating what worked and what didn’t. Once you know what worked, wash, rinse and repeat. Does your referral program bring new guests in on a regular basis? Ramp up your efforts. Gaining a lot of clients through Facebook? Commit to engaging even more with your guests on your fan page. The face of social media is in a constant state of flux and in order to stay ahead of the pack you have to adapt to these changes. Many of you may have followed the urge to purge your friends list these past few weeks. Don’t fall prey to being purged from your guests newsfeed. Look into social media tools that make engaging with your fans easier and more efficient. Tools like UberSocial, Tweetdeck, and Hootsuite can let you manage several social media accounts with one inclusive site. You can even schedule your updates, tweets and blog posts throughout the day or week so you can focus on other parts of your business. Technology is moving at the speed of light and only those willing to adapt to the changes will survive.

Shanghai Web Designers.
I don’t know if any of you caught the news blurb What happens every 60 seconds on the web but to name just a few things. Search engine Google serves more that 694,445 queries, 6,600+ pictures are uploaded to Flickr, 600 videos are uploaded to YouTube, amounting to 25+ hours of content, 695,000 status updates, 79,364 wall posts and 510,040 comments are published on social networking site Facebook, 168,000,000+ emails are sent, 320 new accoonts and 98,000 tweets are generated on social networking site Twitter, iPhone applications are downloaded more than 13,000 times, 20,000 new posts are published on micro-blogging platform Tumblr. Don’t get lost in this ocean of information. Target your market, choose your strategies, provide value in everything you do and keep moving forward.

The Year in Review

2011-12-27T11:11:00.000-05:00

Are you further ahead this year than last year? Did your business grow? Did you step outside the bottle and try something new? Last year I brought you 52 tips on marketing your business with a few about success and attitude thrown in for good measure. But its more than just listening and reading. True change comes in the form of doing. When you review your past year think about what worked and what didn’t. Think about how much effort you put into your business and how much more it will take to get to your level of personal and professional success. One mans success is anothers starting point. Don’t compare yourself to others, measure yourself against the only person that matters. You. You define your success. No one else. But you are also responsible and accountable for the journey. What are you willing to do this year to make real change happen? Remember if we keep doing what we’ve always done we’ll keep getting what we’ve always gotten. Challenge yourself this year to learn something new. Are you an acrylic master? How about learning one stroke nail art? Gel perfectionist? Learn to bling. Opening yourself to new challenges shows you and your clients you are willing to do what it takes to keep current not only for yourself but for them. Sign up for a class, buy a dvd, invest in yourself and your talents will expand. We are only as valuable as our skill set, so increase your value by learning more skill sets. Come next week, actually this week for some of us, myself included, there will be plenty of time to reflect on this past year. Take a good hard look at your numbers and look for areas to improve. Do you need to work on your time to increase your value per hour? Do you need a better booking system? Use this down time to research, investigate and try new tools that can make your business more efficient. Everyones assignment this week is to set three new goals this year. Make them real goals, not vague like want to be a celebrity manicurist. Start with tools like maybe buying Crystal Wrights book. Look for opportunities and act on them. I want to increase my income by 20 percent by June 1st. What do you need to learn and do to make that happen? Come up with a few things that will propel your journey towards these new goals, keep a list and review it often. Look at the year in quarters, 1st, second etc and set goals for each quarter. We overestimate what can be done in a month but underestimate what we can do in a quarter. Reach out to find help in the nail community. Chances are there is someone doing what you want to do and would be willing to mentor you. Asking for help is a sign of strength not weakness. Most of all this year enjoy what you do. That is the real key for success. You will never find a successful pedicurist that hates toes. If there are areas of your world you hate, don’t include them on your menu. While we may be able to strengthen a weakness we may never love it, so let it go. I wish each and every one of our listeners a happy and prosperous New Year! And remember, help is only one Monday away.

Attitude of Gratitude

2011-12-19T23:43:00.002-05:00

Today’s tip of the week is about gratitude. I don’t understand how folks in this business can complain about being busy this time of year. Come to think of it they complain when they are slow too. In all honesty, it is just a few short weeks of mayhem and then we are scrounging around for those same clients come January. The nail industry is a service business. At the heart of service is serve from the Latin root servire, to be a slave or servant. While that might conjure up some negatives emotions, if you don’t have a servants heart in this business, that may be at the root of your complaints. Maybe you are not charging what you think you are worth, after all we are not slaves, we work hard but we also get paid, some quite well. Being underpaid and underappreciated can cause resentment. What is the answer? Lift yourself out of your shackles, educate yourself, make sure your surroundings are pristine, go above and beyond the clients wildest dreams and you are no longer a servant, you are the queen business woman. I understand the balance between serving and being taken advantage of is a fine line. Customers cancel, want to change appointments at the last minute or better yet want you to squeeze them in when they didn’t have the foresight to book ahead. These are all problems with solutions. Do you have a cancellation policy? No one will take you or your time seriously until you do. Are there a few flexible clients you can maneuver around to accommodate last minute clients? Are your clients on a standing appointment or at least rebooking before they leave, or booking online? All these strategies can curb even the worst client behavior. I never complain when I am busy, I am grateful because I know how many techs struggling out there would love to be in my shoes. If you are booked out 6 months in advance and no room on the books, guess what? Its time to raise your prices. Remember no matter where you are there is someone else struggling to get there. There is a student in nail school right now struggling to get her license. Sit back and appreciate the hectic holiday times and envision 2012 that busy year round. Clients are the heart and soul of our business and so many of them truly love us and appreciate us for the professional women we are. Did you know one of the top reasons clients leave a salon is because they didn’t feel valued? Yes there are a few that we wish would find another salon but for the most part we truly need to appreciate them. Especially this time of year when they come bearing gifts, cash and checks. Keep a gift log and make sure to send a hand written thank you to each and every one, make sure to add one thing about them that you appreciate, even if it is their trendy shoes. Living with gratitude in your heart is the best attitude to bring you more things to be grateful for. So don’t be a sourpuss. Smile, be grateful and be prosperous in 2012.

Outshine Your Competition

2011-12-13T00:13:00.000-05:00

This weeks tip comes from Susan Young at Get in Front Communications You can follow her on Twitter @sueyoungmedia

The way you communicate with yourself, clients, prospects, employees, and community will determine your success. Want to beat the competition? Sure you do. Consider these 50 tips. Most are based on our internal and external communication.

1. Forget humility: self-promote.

2. Watch your competition but remain clear on your own vision and goals.

3. Write down your purpose, own it, and read it every day.

4. Look at education and conferences as investments instead of “what will this cost?”

5. Get enough sleep so your mind and body can be refreshed.

6. Expect good things to happen.

7. Spend time with industry leaders and people you can learn from.

8. Read, read, read.

9. Develop interests outside of your typical hobbies and comfort zone. This sparks creativity.

10. Analyze. Then act.

11. Keep up with technology.

12. Delegate and outsource.

13. Draw boundaries on your time.

14. Attend your competitors workshops and programs. Watch them carefully (stalking is discouraged).

15. Keep on top of new industry developments and trends.

16. Be visible in your local community. It’s all about relationships.

17. Speak and write for business organizations to build your expertise and name recognition.

18. Volunteer at your professional association or networking group.

19. Put your head down and work.

20. Know your values and what you stand for.

21. Be friendly and polite to your competition. They will share things with you.

22. Read your competitors’ blogs, newsletters, websites, and chats.

23. Track trade publications, business sections, and resources in other cities to get fresh ideas for products, services, and opportunities.

24. Get friendly with news reporters who cover your industry and/or area.

25. Believe that you are capable, talented, and creative.

26. Write down your daily, weekly, and monthly goals. Every task you work on should move you closer to your goals.

27. Get out of your own way.

28. Learn something new every day—and apply it.

29. Be clear on your brand and the results you deliver for clients.

30. Stop making excuses. Be fully accountable and learn from your mistakes.

31. Communicate with your staff and team. They know more than you think.

32. Refrain from bad-mouthing anyone, including your competition.

33. Develop strong communication skills.

34. Hustle (in a good way).

35. Keep your options open.

36. Learn and practice outstanding customer service.

37. Know the pricing, sales point, and profitability of your products and services.

38. Kick your own ass.

39. Network where your competition networks.

40. Under-promise and over-deliver.

41. Have a live human being with manners answer your phones.

42. Return e-mails and phone calls within 24 hours or less.

43. Send hand-written notes of gratitude to clients and prospects.

44. Keep your cards close to your vest.

45. Protect your business reputation in your local community and online.

46. Appreciate word-of-mouth advertising and marketing. It puts money in your pocket.

47. Avoid projects and prospects that are not a “good fit.” Refer high maintenance prospects to your competition.

48. Trust your instinct- implicitly.

49. Avoid jealousy and envy. They are distractions that blur your own vision.

50. Put your head on the pillow at night knowing you did your absolute best.

As professional soccer star Mia Hamm said, “You can’t just beat a team, you have to leave a lasting impression in their minds so they never want to see you again.”
Thanks Susan for the great tips!!

Make Your Clients VIP's

2011-12-06T09:19:00.000-05:00

Tonight’s tip is about stating a VIP program in your salon for your clients. I know many of you are afraid to raise prices in this new economy. Oh they will cut back or quit coming altogether is the usual response. Let me ask you. What hasn’t gone up this year? Food? Clothing? Gas? Electric? Your supplies? Your rent? I can tell you what probably has not gone up. Your prices. I know raising prices is a very touchy subject among nail professionals. Quit feeling sorry for your clients, worrying about their money and start worrying about yours! I can tell you for a fact that your product prices have gone up, the cost of educating yourself has gone up, airfare to classes and shows has gone up. And you are still trying to do it all on last years prices. I know it is a little scary to raise prices but it is more scary not to. Your profit margins are shrinking and the probability of staying in business decreases with an unhealthy budget. So I have a solution you might want to try. Post a note stating as of the first of the year there will be a slight increase in prices to be able to continue to bring the quality services, treatments and products they love. Then offer your guests a VIP card. Make them up on your computer or purchase them from Office Max or Vista print. Add their name and the expiration date on the card. You can price them wherever you think your market will sustain. I started at $25.00 for the year, which gets them 10% off services. $35.00 gets them 10 % off services and retail and $50.00 gets them 10% off services, retail and gift cards. You have to do the math and figure out the savings for your clients based on your prices. The thing is, clients will begin to stretch between visits, cutback on retail and maybe not think of you for their gift ideas. But when they purchase the VIP card they feel they have to get their moneys worth. I found my clients spent just as much if not more because of the savings they got. Not all clients will purchase the VIP card so they will be paying the new increase in your prices. Plus all the new clients come in at the new rate. Winning! Even if you lose a couple of clients the new rate will quickly make up for the lost revenue. Besides the fact that it opens a new spot on your book for a new client at your new prices. I know many of you work hard at keeping up and improving your skills, why are you selling yourself short? Think about selling 50 cards @ $25.00, that's $1250 to start the new year !!Every healthy business raises their prices in order to maintain a healthy bottom line. It’s time you do too. And that’s the tip of the week.

Adventures of a Professional Beauty Girl: The Giving Tree

2011-11-29T07:44:00.000-05:00

Adventures of a Professional Beauty Girl: The Giving Tree

The Giving Tree

2011-11-29T07:43:00.002-05:00

Todays marketing tip is about giving back to your clientele. To quote St Francis “For it is in giving that we receive. “

So many days we are the recipients of our clients love and money, this holiday is a wonderful opportunity to give back and share the love. Every year in my salon I put up “The Giving Tree”. I decorate a small tree with cute little pre-decorated ring boxes I find on line at nilecorp.com and inside I tuck a gift for my clients. Where the ring would go I fold a little paper that has a salon discount on it. I use a word document and print several types of discounts for my clients. Understand though I don’t just pick any gift. I strategically focus on upsells and add on services. I write things like Free upgrade to a spa manicure, or pedicure. Free paraffin dip. 15% off Spa manicure. 15% off anti-aging hand treatment. I offer the opportunity for my clients to experience an upgrade on their normal services because let’s face it. If they never experience the upgrade they really can’t understand the benefit. Once they experience the upgrade they will forever know what they are missing. This small gesture gives them the opportunity to see feel, smell and even taste the difference. Many of my spa treatments come with a complimentary beverage or treat. Peppermint patties and peppermint tea accompanies my Peppermint pedicure. Chocolate cherry hot coco comes with my Chocolate covered cherry pedi. Pumpkin spice tea comes with my pumpkin pedi, you get the drift. So the next time you ask them if they want to upgrade their service with your latest spa service they are more likely to say yes in order to get the spa experience. I also add in gift certificate specials like get a free 10 dollar gift card with every 50 dollar gift card purchase. Free gift, like a sample solor oil and travel hand cream. I do add a few 50% off retail purchases just for the excitement. Think about what it is you are trying to promote in your salon and make it a little easier for your clients to purchase and experience. The giving tree is up all season until January 1 but the special gifts have a very limited time line, usually from Jan1 to end of February or March. Just enough time to get through a few quiet months while promoting your best services. Everyone that visits the salon, even those just buying gift certificates are encouraged to take a gift off the tree. With these next few weeks we will see many more customers treating themselves for a special holiday party or just because. Don’t miss the opportunity to give back and say thank you for your loyalty and your business. I never forget for one moment without them there is no me.

CNTC

2011-11-17T09:27:00.000-05:00

This past weekend I met up with Jada Cunningham, Michelle Torisk and Kimberly Hammond and headed up to the 3rd annual Canadian Nail Techs Connect event hosted by Dayna Knight and Laura Merzetti. We decided back in August on a field trip to Detroit to visit nail artist extrordinaire Janiese Newton we would make the treck. Dayna actually drove down from London Ontario for our nail "Play date" and told us all about this event. We almost didn't make it in one piece, there was a deer that decided to stand in the middle of the freeway when we were almost to Canada. Flying at 75 miles per hour, swerving was NOT an option, so I slowed down and moved to the side ever so slightly and it was just enough to get that deers butt in motion and it darted off across the highway. Whew, it was really close. Once we got to the Holiday Inn in London there was already a meet and greet in progress with many techs already sharing stories, ideas and wine! Dayna and Laura put together some fabulous speakers, vendors and demo tables along with a silent auction and free door prizes.

Something literally for everyone. Amy Becker, Carla Collier and Michelle Sproat shared amazing works of art as well as many others. We also learned that plum sauce comes with just about every meal in Canada, according to the girls behind us at the snack bar. The guy looked at Kim like she was crazy when she asked what it was lol. I know I picked up so many new ideas and valuable techniques. I watched Michelle do a gel design with an actual pin pen...so that's what I can do with mine.haha After a fantastic dinner at East Side Marios we had one more visit with Dayne and Carla before heading up to check out our goodie bags. I will definitely return again next year for more education and networking. Thanks again to all the sponsors and Dayna and Laura for all their hours of preparation and coordinating to bring such an awesome event!

Grand Ideas

2011-11-15T15:37:00.003-05:00

This week we have a special request for some marketing advice. Libera Stoner just opened her spa, Medi Pedi’s and Nails in The Villages Ocala Florida. She is an ER nurse with 22 + years experience and a nail tech trained as a Certified Master Pedicurist looking for grand opening ideas to draw a crowd. Well Libera. You said your spa has a Roman theme so I suggest a Toga Party theme. I googled Toga Party recipes’ and allrecipies.com suggest a wine inspired punch with toga friendly fare that isn’t too drippy to turn your togas into giant napkins. Try

Bacon and Date Appetizer
Coconut Shrimp I
Garden Veggie Pizza Squares
Cocktail Meatballs I
Chicken and Sun-Dried Tomato Bruschetta
Marinated Grilled Shrimp
Make sure the presentation is lush as well, Gold and silver colored platters will give you that plush look you are shooting for. Music should be light and instrumental or go all out and hire a harpist. Next you’ll need to drum up a crowd. Check out other area businesses that would like to be included in your Grand opening festivities. Their databases could quickly add up to a crowd in a hurry. Visit as many area businesses as you can with business cards, menus and an invite to participate in your grand opening. I did this for a grand opening and many companies donated gift certificates to their business that I gave out as door prizes all night. I sold chances at $5.00 per ticket and chose a charity that would receive these donations from the event. Contact your local chapter of that charity and they can send out a newsletter to their database about your event. The Arthritis foundation is a good one considering many people with foot pain never realize it is arthritis, they just assume it is from years of the wrong shoe choice. Make up flyers and post anywhere and everywhere they will let you. You can have a costume contest and even a Roman mythology quiz awarding winners gift cards to your salon. Create an event on Yelp, Facebook and Twitter and get the social marketing muscle flexing on your behalf. Have menus ready and maybe tied like ancient scrolls to go along with the theme. Last but not least out together a few of your own specials including the grand prize of free foot care for a year. Sounds extravagant but in reality is only 8-10 pedicures depending on how often you book them, I recommend every 6-8 weeks. Tie in with some local podiatrists and/or foot clinics and leave invites as well as menus and business cards. See if you can talk one of the podiatrists into speaking for a few minutes on Foot health during the event. Last but not least make sure to write a press release and send out to your local press including an invite to your event.
I also wanted to mention that I am holding a webinar next Monday at 3pm eastern standard time November 21st on Holiday Marketing. It is free to listen, and only ten dollars to download and listen at a later time. Make sure to join me for a ton of holiday cheer.

This Crazy Business

2011-11-01T17:43:00.002-04:00

So yesterday I travelled to the Raylon Corp. in Reading Pa to speak at a sales meeting on behalf of Dashing Diva. This company is growing so fast that they can hardly keep up with themselves. I started my day when my alarm went off at 4:15 AM. Grabbed a quick shower, breakfast bar and headed off to a 6:55 flight to Allentown, through Philly. Two flights later, once in Allentown I rented a car and started my journey to Reading with plenty of time to get to my 1:00 time slot. Soon after I started my journey I was detoured several times due to heavy snow damage. I quickly got turned around, missed exits and found myself totally lost. I was on the wrong road, still heading south, but about 1/2 hour off course. No biggie, I'm sure I can find a way to cross back over to the correct highway. Time was getting away from me now. I was thinking in all my years of teaching, travelling, speaking, I have never been late or not shown up...maybe today would be the first? This is so crazy, I kept thinking. I pressed onward seeing I could keep heading in the direction I was going instead of doubling back and wasting even more precious time. Of course to stop and recalculate my phones GPS was too easy, I stopped and asked, what looked like a guy that would know, at a gas station for directions. My map I had printed out was cut off just past where I thought I could reconnect with the right road. Of course! The man very kindly confirmed my hunch that I would in fact end up on the right road, coming to my destination from "the scenic" route. I finally got to Raylon with 15 minutes to spare and they were of course running behind. Whew. Finally it was my time to speak. I got to share with the sales consultants about the fabulous company, Dashing Diva, their fabulous Global Technical Director ,Patty Yankee Williams, and their fabulous French wrap system. It had been a long time since I had given a presentation at a sales meeting and I have to say I was a bit nervous. I had prepared, even rehearsed, but this time was different. Because I really don't have a "position" with the company, I just went in as a consultant I spoke to them as Millie. A nail dork, and shared my passion. Even though I was being filmed, skyped actually, I was not nervous, ok maybe a little. Sharing my passion for great companies and great products still comes naturally to me. After an "atta boy" from the sales rep and a round of applause from the sales consultants it was back to an hour drive to the airport, two flights and home by eleven. Crazy, right? But love it!!

Our Tragic Loss

2011-10-28T23:30:00.006-04:00

The nail world is saddened this evening to learn of the loss of one of our most talented nail artists. Tom Holcomb was an amazing individual. I did not know him well but I did have the pleasure to take a workshop with him in 1999 in Ohio. It was a stretch financially for me at the time but I knew I must get myself there. I asked my dear nail friend Deb Shoaf if she wanted to come with me so the weekend was on. I thought initially I am so out of my league, what am I thinking taking this class with the master himself. My doubts were immediately lifted when we met Tom that day. I had seen him at shows and knew of his work but this was the first time I had a chance to see and learn up close and personal. He was so humble and unassuming and made the whole weekend an unforgettable experience. We sat in awe for a few demos, I was just amazed at his control over his acrylic as he crafted a face on a fingernail. It totally blew my mind. Next we went over some technical instruction, and then, we were put to the test, literally we had to do nails under his watchful eye, in a competition. No pressure, Salina Rush and John Hauk, champions in their own right, were in attendance as well, which speaks volumes for the respect we all shared for this man. I remember working on my whites when he came by looking over my shoulder. My fingers started shaking like I was possessed by the devil himself. He just joked with me and said, I got my eye on you girl, you're alright. Tom put us at ease the whole day laughing and sharing bits and pieces of himself, not the nail guru but the man. He scored the nails and when it came to critique my nails he was too kind, offering encouragement, not criticism. He showed me that my points were not too far off from the top scores. Far enough, but he pointed out the positive. I always took time to watch him at a show whenever I could and always took another great tip away with me. I am so saddened to hear of his passing. I look to the young up and comers and am sorry for their loss, to never experience his amazing gift. His legacy will forever live on in video, stunning photographs and in the small piece of him we all carry within us. That part that pushes us to excellence. He redefined the "competition" nail always upping the ante with a new twist on his already perfect execution. So heaven just got one of the best nail techs up there and I'm sure he already has a line waiting. RIP Tom. You will continue to brighten our world from above.

Welcome to Stylez

2011-10-24T16:39:00.005-04:00

Many of you know I am always on the look out for what's new and what's next. Well the combination collided this past week when I was asked to join the Stylez4women team as the Director of Sales. This website has been on my radar for sometime now. I just love the stunning photos and the interesting articles. Covering the Hair, Nail, Fashion and beauty community, nails are the real star at Stylez. And who better to feature than the magnificent manicuring community! Everyone's a star at Stylez4women. London Wright has a passion for bringing "celebrity" to every nail tech out there because let's face it, we are all stars! I am so excited to share this site with all my professional friends. Coming soon are the Manicurist magazine and the Virtual Nail Technicians Conference. It's a show that's all about Nails, and all about FREE. Featuring the best and brightest minds from within the Nail industry. Bringing you the chance to network with vendors and industry supporters and colleagues – without leaving your desk. An industry first, by an innovative site! Stay tuned for more from the next BIG thing in our industry. Join today and don't get left in the nail dust! And to all my manufacturer friends...I'll be calling :)

Softie Networking Event

2011-10-17T19:25:00.008-04:00

I have known Kathy Weltman for probably a year now, maybe longer, time flies when you're a softie! I first encountered her on Nail Talk Radio where a legion of nail techs were going on and on about her Soft Landings table towels. Really, all this talk about a towel?? Well after getting to know Kathy a little more over the past several months I discovered indeed, it is not just a towel, it is a company that really cares about their customers, their "Sotfties". Kathy's husband Gary happens to be from Northeast Ohio, not too far from where I grew up and this weekend they were back in town for a Cleveland visit. The ever networking Kathy took full advantage of the opportunity to set up a mini meet and greet at a local restaurant. Weeks ahead of time she planned a get together open to any Ohio nail tech for an opportunity to meet each other and share stories, ask questions, eat great food and drink the most fabulous Pomegranate Ginger Mojitos on the planet. Good friends, good food and a great company providing the setting. It was so very nice to have the chance to chat with fellow techs, share hints and tips, photos and laughs.

There is so much more to Kathy than meets the eye. She even offered her home to a tech to come train with her nail tech for a few days. Who does that? Kathy does. She reminds me of a great business quote. "People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care." Kathy's "softies" are her number one priority and she is constantly promoting them, encouraging them and yes teasing them. She likes to refer to me as Millie Mayhem. If you haven't had the chance to network with her tune into Nail Talk Radio and chat with her in the chat room or join the Soft Landings Group on Facebook. You'll be glad you did.

Proper Care and Feeding of Clients

2011-09-27T10:36:00.001-04:00

Today’s tip is the proper care and feeding of a clientele. If you are just building or almost fully booked proper care and maintenance of your clientele is essential for your long-term success. The average technician loses an average of 5 percent of their clientele per year through no fault of their own. Clients move, they unfortunately move on to the big spa in the heavens, their economic condition changes dramatically. Whatever the circumstance we need to be constantly monitoring our current clientele.

Thanks you’s are essential. I know I’ve talked about his before, a nice handwritten note especially after the first service but how about just because. Maybe you know they got a promotion at work, maybe they had a few difficult weeks or months or year for that matter. If you haven’t seen a client in a few months, chances are something’s up. Don’t ignore the warning signs and take the passive route. Take action with a phone call or a quick email, or yes that hand written note. Something like I’ve noticed that I haven’t seen your smiling face lately and just wanted to check in to make sure everything is alright with you. You may want to offer an incentive to return, It’s up to you to decide how you manage your offers. If you haven’t seen clients in more than a few months try a “Miss you” promotion. Same theme, maybe offering new items or services since they have come in. I sent out an email to my entire list when I started offering Shellac and it brought clients out of the woodwork. If you are consistent with your efforts chances are eventually something is going to strike their interest.

Do you send your guests home with an instruction sheet to ensure they successfully maintain at home the professional service you gave them at the salon? I am including a link in my blog this week from Beauty Tech that has many useful ideas to use in composing your own client letter. http://www.beautytech.com/articles/consumr.pdf

Things like, treat your nails as jewels not tools, check your grip when lifting heavy objects to make sure you don’t break a nail, wear gloves when you do housework and gardening. You know all the things you think they know but don’t. I know a tech that makes her clients sign off that they have read her “10 commandments of nails” before she will guarantee her work.

Do you recommend the right retail for them to be successful? Are you educating them about their nails or just providing a one time service stand? Are you building relationships or counting cattle? Do you follow up a new client service with a phone call to see how they liked their visit? Find out if they have any questions or challenges with their new full set or treatment products. If they are not happy, catching problems early and fixing them will score you big points toward the future of the relationship. I worked with a girl that had one of the first mobile nail salon service businesses in the country. While she was building she was truly a one woman band. She would work all day and at night, in her best British accent, call her clients back to see how they liked their visit. Needless to say she built her business with a strong foundation of loyal clients. So in these challenging times it is more important than ever to keep in touch so you don’t loose touch with your clients.

London Olympia Beauty Show Day 2

2011-09-26T10:09:00.019-04:00

After the whirlwind that was day one of the Olympia Beauty Show we attended the Scratch 100 issue Stars 2012 cocktail party with Alex Fox and all the UK nail stars. It was such an amazing evening and I had the opportunity to meet so many talented nail artists. My hats off to Alex for putting together such a fun night. Nailing the news has its drawbacks, so we headed back to the hotel early to upload the images from the day. Before we knew it, it was time to hit the show floor for day 2. I went right to the Sweet Squared booth to catch up with Fee Wallace and the Naja. Fee was demoing Shellac "Hollywood" and Naja gave us a demo of her new Minx line over gel polish.

OPI has their own nail decal, or applique called Nail Apps. Full coverage nail decals were everywhere! They were definitely in competition for attention with gel polishes. While at the booth Robert Nyugen did a demo of a French tip fade with inlaid flowers.

I stopped in at the Nubar booth to see what was new and Kirsty Lund showed me a fabulous nail art technique with white builder gel over the gel polish Grenadine. This simple technique had beautiful results! Kirsty was also a judge at the Nailympics competition.

Here's a little video from the Dashing Diva UK team. Luda Mantone adds Ring around the roses to the natural nail for a stunning effect. Wraps were all the rage, there were so many companies with so many designs.
Wraps by Chantal was another wrap entry this year. Here is the Gold wrap applied by Patrycia Gawlik from Poland.

The rest of the day I spent running around getting photos of the Nailympics. The entries were so amazing and inspirational.

The awards ceremony was emceed by none other than the NTR team of Naja and Athena. All said a very busy two days!! We were so fortunate to have such lovely hosts, Samantha and Sam Sweet who wined and dined us all weekend. Thanks bunches for the opportunity to work with such an amazing team!

Beauty Ambassador

2011-09-26T09:37:00.001-04:00

A friend and colleague asked me to put together a few minute speech for students entering the beauty biz. Here is the result.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lj3yvgD0XRw

London Rules

2011-09-21T04:53:00.021-04:00

Well, this has to be one of the best adventures yet! Coming to the London Olympia beauty show has been "wicked" as they say. To have this opportunity to experience this international beauty event has been so amazing. Met so many wonderful people from all over the UK. What a great business to be in! The UK is very fashion forward with loads of cool people with incredible artists. The Nail-Philia show was very interesting. Stretching nails into works of art that bend my brain to looking at the nail canvas in all new ways.

Walking through the Olympia Beauty Show for me was like a kid in a candy store. All my favorite things in one place. I spent most of Sunday trying to grab as much of the show as I could into my camera, notebook and brain. I started the day with Sam Biddle and a gel nail art sponge technique. This couldn't have been simpler. She put down two coats of Rosey Future and then with a gel wipe sponge, she sponged a color fade with Red Velvet at the free edge and Rich Raisin at the very tip. She added a hand painted butterfly, Stunning!

I headed over to the Artistic Colour gloss booth to see what Tom Bachiks "Artistic Angels" had going on. Amy Bartick did a gel polish demo of "Hottness" and added some simple animal print with "Swag" black and a marbeling tool. So cute.

Heading over to the Hand and Nail Harmony booth I caught up with Christina showing a hard gel sculpt with a Gelish french. Her technique was flawless and I discovered the trick to using the c curve sticks on gels. She places a lint free wipe first. Brilliant!

Nazilla had some really cool nails going on at their booth. This company specializes in full coverage 3D all out fashion nails as an accessory. Their nails are adorned with gems and lace and bows and so many fashion forward trends. I snapped a few photos of their designs. These awesome fashion accessories can be soaked off and used again and again.

Next I stopped at Konad Nails UK. Tracey Brown showed how simple it is to create nail art with the Konad stamper. She even had the model try it herself, and she did great!
I couldn't resist getting a henna tattoo myself, I just love the beautiful designs and could watch them for hours. I did purchase a book to take some of these designs and scale them for nail art.
Sonia from East London at Unique Beauty did a beautiful piece for me and this design on the girl before me.
Next I was off to the ASP booth to see their gel demo. Steven Rhyswells did a beautiful gel mani on an attendee with Burnt Copper. A beautiful fall color.

The last demo of the day was at the Mistero Milano booth. Carolina from Poland demoed their french polish. For the fine french tip she used a striper brush.

It was a jam packed couple of days for sure. Stay tuned for day 2 of the Olympia Beauty Show...

9/11/11 in NYC

2011-09-11T17:27:00.000-04:00

It is a feeling of dichotomy that I find myself in this morning on Long Island. When it finally dawned on me last week that I would be here, on the tenth anniversary of 9/11 I have to say I was a bit nervous. All the excitement of travelling and participating in my first Mercedes Benz Fashion Week occupied most of my thoughts until this morning, when there is finally a break, no shows today for me. The trip started out much like any other but the closer I got to the city, the more apparent the anniversary became. I kind of feel like a cousin visiting another that I only visit on occasion and there is that ever present awkwardness of being in someone else’s “space”. Not really understanding the everyday rhythm they live with. Thursday coming in on the Long Island Railroad for our first shows was pretty uneventful. I sat next to a young girl that put on her entire face quite meticulously from her Louis Vuitton bag. Then our primping began. Hours of prep on the models for a ten minute walk. Ironic I know. There was very little buzz about 9/11 until heading back home. The Long Island RR was shut down past Babylon for “police activity”. I overheard most likely a native complaining “One little bomb threat and they shut down the whole train, really?” It was an inconvenience more than anything. How soon was forgotten the threats of the past. How many times we heard if they had only been more careful, how could they let this happen to our country. These complaints out of the mouths of the same people who now complain about the extra security measures. Friday was crazier. On the train in we sat across from three officers heading to the memorial at St. Patricks cathedral, all of whom looked like they may not have even been in high school when the attack happened. I wonder if it had an effect on their choice to serve. Officials asked people to not take the subways so getting a cab was next to impossible. It ran us very late for a celebrity client, who by the time we got there was immersed in hair and makeup, not one mention of the tension of the day, at least not while we were there. The cabs could hardly cut through the already thick traffic with now the added snarl of the NYPD stopping all trucks on the street for inspections. Again a lot of complaints about the inconvenience of the added security. Saturday traffic was not as much of an issue and we went about the hectic schedule of prepping models for shows. Many might say beauty and fashion are trivial in the scheme of things but what I witnessed behind the scenes for these past few days is that New York IS fashion. This business of fashion employs so many people from the fingernail painters to the stage managers, stylists, dressers, pressers, security, construction, catering, audio visual people and the list goes on and on. So we had a few extra minutes to add to our commutes and maybe ran a bit late. It is a small price to pay for enjoying the freedoms we have to express our visions of beauty and fashion. To participate in a bigger picture, bringing beauty and art and hope. With no shows today I will go to church this morning and share in worship with fellow Americans and thank God for this amazing nation full of the diversity of those that protect and those that create and embracing each one for the gifts they bring to this United States of America.

NYFW Day 2

2011-09-09T22:57:00.006-04:00

So I am on the train home from New York Fashion week day two. It was another whirlwind. Up and on the train to the city by 7AM for a 9:00 Mani Pedi for Kourtney Kardashian. My friend Patty Yankee Williams let me tag along and asked me "do you want to do nails or toes?" Whaaaaaa? Toes. So we caught a cab to the hotel uptown where they were staying. One of her entourage met us in the lobby and took us upstairs.
We were ushered into a room that was just for hair, makeup and wardrobe. The whole room. Kourtney was getting her hair done when we got there. Patty and I set up camp, I was just lil nervous to say the least. she couldn't have been nicer, truly. Kim was there too, getting makeup and figuring out wardrobe. We polished her nails and toes with one of her new polishes from the upcoming collection. It's very cute, she and her sisters have a few colors and they also have family colors they all helped create. We finished up Kourtney and had to head over to Lincoln Center for the Mara Hoffman show. Kim called over "Nice meeting you". Can't mistake good training. The Hoffman show was buzzing.

When we got there and before we even finished Patty split the team so a few girls could head over to the St Johns show.

It is a tangles mess of flat irons, hairspray, powder, mascara and nail polish behind the scenes.
From St Johns we went to the Academy of Art University show for the last event. Another tangled web of hairdressers,makeup artists and nail techs all converging on these models trying to get them ready for "first look", Since it is spring fashions we had to do feet too and let me tell you, models do not have the prettiest feet. I know because I have seen. The shoes these girls have to wear on those runways are insane. Most already have blisters and show season has just begun. Chatted with a few, mostly nice, a few primas. Spoke with a really nice, absolutely stunning girl the last show, Kelsey. she moved to New York from Vancouver when she was 16. Her mom and dad took turns coming to see her. Crazy right? She is 19 now and living on her own in Manhattan. I asked her if she always wanted to model and she said it was all she ever though about since she was like 5. "My mom was a model. I wanted to be like her when I grew up." How sweet is that? I am so totally exhausted, each night I have averaged 3-4 hours sleep, but the adrenalin of rushing through models doesn't leave much time to think about it. Two shows tomorrow and a day of rest before I head back to the Mundane Midwest. Blessed!

New Adventures

2011-09-07T12:06:00.003-04:00

So with the complications of life, and Facebook, this poor little blog got pushed aside, kicked to the curb, ignored like the red headed step child. And for that I apologize. I guess I never really found the true value in it until recently. I have the blessed opportunity to do what I love, every day. I know that is not true for everyone. I also lost a very close client, at a very young age which has made me stop and take stock. Recently, at a fourth of July party, I was catching up with a cousins sister in law, one I don't see very often and I shared I would be coming to fashion week. She got so excited for me. She offered me to stay at her house in New Jersey, "But you'll probably want to stay in the city." On and on she gushed over my good fortune at the opportunity to check a huge goal off my list. I think at the time, she was more excited than I was. It got me thinking, I so take for granted my position in the beauty world. I have traveled to amazing locations, met most all of my beauty heroes, network with an amazing group of professionals yet I still hunger. For what? I don't really know myself. I have worked as an educator, industry speaker, consultant, owned a salon, developed a product, written for trade magazines, the list goes on and on. I share this not to boast, please understand. I guess I just share this so others can know that even at the top, (or somewhere close) there is still growing, learning, searching for what is next. This weekend I accomplish another goal, to work behind the scenes at fashion week. Check. I am excited and nervous all at the same time. Whatever comes of this weekend I know it will be another wonderful experience to add to my beauty-full life. I will try and update often but most of all I will try and take the experience deep into my soul and appreciate my blessings. I can't promise to stop searching, but maybe I'll slow down and enjoy the journey just a little more.

Work?

2011-04-07T21:00:00.002-04:00

I am so lucky to love my job. Do I work long hours? Yes. Do I love everything about my job? No. Is it perfect everyday? NO. But today my son asked me what was the highpoint of my day. I thought about it for a minute and shared my appointment with Jo. I have been doing Jo's hair for about 9 years now. She was a weekly client until she became ill last year. Jo is one of those clients you see on your appointment book and you get a warm fuzzy feeling. I really love Jo. She is the youngest of four sisters, just like me. She has lost one of her sisters, just like me. We have shared so much over the years, so many good things, a few horrible things, but I know we will be friends forever. Drs discovered lymphoma last year and she has been struggling with her health ever since. She had to have surgery a couple weeks ago and when she got home I went to her house to do her hair. She was pretty weak but I know she felt a little better after I left. She said she would try and come in this week if she felt better. Today she gathered her strength and had her son bring her up to get her hair done. She looked tired and weak but she came in. We washed her hair and got her settled, she was quiet at first but as usual we got to chatting about our lives and it was like old times. I even got her to chuckle and smile and it was the highpoint of my day. You always feel better getting your hair done but today I felt better too.

Update long overdue

2011-03-15T15:32:00.003-04:00

Forgive me bloggers for I have sinned......it's been too long since I have posted. Been busy wth Sooooomany things that distract me from my blogging, I know excuses excuses... Well I have five minutes inbetween clients to catch up....and eat my lunch so here goes. I have been helping my friend Athena Elliott with her new Nail Talk Radio show for the past several months and it has been an amazing ride. I have met the coolest people, many that I would have never met had I not been connected with Nail Talk Radi0. I have a weekly Marketing/success tip that I share with listeners and I have been the producer for the last few shows. Join http://www.nailtalkradio.com/ to see all my posts. I actually helped co-host the show last night which was very cool. Jim McConnell from Light Elegance was our guest and he covered so much information about gels and gel polishes and UV vs LED lights. I have also been working on a screenplay about the business, almost finished with the 3rd rewrite....getting closer! Looking forward to upcoming events in Orlando, Tennessee and Buffalo to name a few. Hope to meet up with my fellow nail dorks so make sure you grab me and introduce yourself!

"Take the Mystery Out of Marketing"

2010-07-26T21:58:00.001-04:00

"Take the Mystery Out of Marketing"
Check out my first radio interview. So much fun. Athena said last week that her heart races a good four or five minutes into the show and now I know what she was talking about. I was nervous pretty much all day, well some of the really early morning, 4:30 to be exact. What the hell was I thinking? Running through my brain. I prepared as much as I could but my marketing ideas are spontaneous, they just pop into my head most times. Looking forward to sharing more marketing ideas in future shows. Thanks and a big shout out to Athena Elliott for starting this amazing talk show for us.

Has anyone seen the last six months? I've misplaced them

2010-05-19T20:08:00.007-04:00

So many of you know, I love to read. It is not unusual for me to read 2 or three books at the same time. I say that not to brag but to confess. I am a bookaholic. It takes over much of my free time, famly time, what is supposed to be work time and sleep time. I have also just discovered it takes up my writing time. THAT was a revelation. A very wise coach told me once if you want to write........write. Simple I know, but not that simple at all. I envy bloggers that write every day, you know who you are. I can't believe it has been six months since my last blog, another confession, bless me. I even started this draft a week ago for pete's sake. I am committing to writing more here there and everywhere. So many of my posts may be short little snippets, the ones so hard for me to do, run on of the keyboard. I have officially signed up to take a writers workshop, dust off my movie script and get working on it again. Many of my nail friends will find it right up their alley, that's all I'm saying no use begging and those of you that have heard the rough draft remember you are sworn to secrecy!!! Just kidding, no not really. Hopfully it will come together sooner than later and I can start shopping it. Wouldn't that be cool. Hey If an exotic dancer can write Juno and get best screenplay......just saying. Signing off for now, till next time I get 5 minutes .

Damn Wigs

2009-12-05T19:04:00.004-05:00

So why do I have to be so good at wigs? What started as a curse helping out at the high school theatre has turned into a blessing, well sort of. All those years ago fighting, pleading with these abominable head dresses all for the sake of art, the theatre! This art I learn would give a woman her self esteem back. This art would allow her to take charge of her illness. Carol was in charge this afternoon. "I know I'm going to loose it all so just shave it" she calmly requested. I try not to flinch. "ok". Out come the clippers and as I begin to buzz her head there is no more chatter, no more small talk of treatments and options. She fell silent just watching. I spoke about my training in the "Look good Feel better" program from the now defunct NCA. I recommended not to shave, too itchy, let's just buzz it close. The rest, I assure her, will fall out soon enough. Why did I have to know this information? Why did I have so much practice with these damn wigs as I watched two so very dear clients both get stricken with cancer, within two months of each other this last year? How is it I am able, barely, to keep from crying myself as I participate in their journey. Cutting locks of hair to try and match wig color. Fitting them in early or late so they don't have to be there in a crowd when they pull off their hats and expose their bald cancer cap. Is it a blessing to have this talent? I'm not sure, what makes me so strong? Why does God think I can handle this job? I don't know, I just know when they call, I cannot say no. It gives me hope to help them check one more thing off their list towards recovery I guess. It is bitter sweet. Carol was thrilled with her wig I had worked my magic on and even though I had just met her and only known her for an hour I asked her if I could hug her goodbye. She seemed very reserved and I was not sure her response. She put down her bags and said "Of course, I could use all the hugs I can get." So can I Carol, so can I.

So wish I had taken before and after shots :(

2009-11-22T08:17:00.005-05:00

Sometimes the best kick in the butt is the one you least suspect or expect. I received one of those such kicks yesterday. I was running through a busy Saturday, looking forward to some much needed down time finally within my grasp . As I was working on one guest a brand new client walked in. I popped my head up and greeted her, excused myself and asked her how I could help her. "Yes I am looking for Millie, she comes highly recommended for nails." " Well that's me..." "Do you have any openings today?" she pleaded. Well I am booked solid, (save for a rare lunch slot blocked out) let me take a look at my schedule. I was finished at 3:15. Staring at that open appointment like my passport to freedom, I relented, "I have a 3:15 if you want to come back"....Oh man did that really come out of my mouth? I was almost out early, and on a Saturday, I might even get in a nap before I was looking forward to seeing my niece in Jeckyll & Hyde. My thoughts of ..."Maybe she can't come back" were quicklky dashed by her delighted "Sure, Oh that would be great". Wonderful, I am sure I sounded as thrilled as I felt at the prospect. As I pushed through the day I noticed I was ahead of schedule and could possibly move her appointment up and still get out early. I took a chance and called. Fantastic, she could move up! When she arrived and I escorted her back to the nail room and I began my consultation. " Well I just love Stephanie's nails, they always look flawless and wanted a full set>" Whaaaaaaaatttttt? A full set. Silly me, assumed it was just a manicure. Great, I have one half hour with an an hour request. I simply can't...Well I hemmed and hawed, geez that takes longer, I didn't realize. She looked back at me with that ever familiar desperation appeal. "You mean you can't do them? But It's my birthday". Ok that did it. Once I assessed her nails I realized I could probably get by with a gel coating and maybe one extension. Ok I won't be able to chat much and My fingers will be flying but, oh what the heck, let's go for it. As I transformed her not so nice nails into perfectly beautiful specimens she was simply in awe. She had never had her nails look so wonderful. They were horribly ridged from her constant picking at her cuticles, and probably a bit of psoriasis. She wanted to treat herself to the enhancements in the hope she would stop picking at her cuticles. After truly flying through the service, finished in 35 minutes I might add( a new record), she was stunned. She could not believe they were her nails and could not stop looking at them. Her enthusiasm was contagious and I found myself getting swept up in her experiencing beautiful nails for the first time. Something I took for granted that I did every day transformed this womans hands. Each step was new and exciting to her, she was giddy. She commented "I wish I had known about you for my wedding, my nails looked horrible that day." She was hooked and rebooked. A brand new client, thrilled with me. Hmmmm, sometimes God puts people in your day to remind you the true gifts you possess and are blessed to be able to offer. I know she thought I was her gift yesterday but I know now she was mine.

Perspective

2009-10-29T12:47:00.006-04:00

Life is truly all about perspective. I just got finished reading an article online about Elizabeth Smart. The now 21 year old kidnap victim has finally decided to speak out about her ordeal. Yes we imagined the worst, she was assaulted and repeatedly raped over the 18 months she was held hostage. What she shared about her experience truly floored me.
"I have never let it hold me back, and I have gone on to do everything, so far, that I have wanted to do, and I think that's so important." She added, "We all have our trials, and we all experience hard times, but I don't think we should ever let it disable us from what we want to do." In the salon we work with and on people all day, every day, day in and day out. We all know someone, maybe more than one person that is constantly complaining about their life, rotten kids, hate their job, marriage is a mess, an extra wrinkle here an extra pound there, whatever it may be. Yes while all those problems are well, problems the worst that would happen may never be as bad as one of Elizabeth Smarts days. Unfortunately this year I also lost two very special people in my life. My father passed away a year ago November and my sister lost her fight with brain cancer in early September. While I do have my day to day struggles I do stop and think with the worst thing that may be happening to me, I’m not dying of brain cancer. I get to see my kids grow another day. I get to share a laugh with a dear friend, a memory with my mom, an inside joke with my sister, and another day on this earth to try and get it right. It may not always be buttercups and roses every day, but while we are still on the right side of the grass, there is always hope.

Breakthrough Success Training

2009-10-06T10:14:00.006-04:00

More Nail Gurus

2009-09-21T08:20:00.003-04:00

I met Athena Elliot about 10 years ago while working for Nail Tek. She was my "booth" neighbor at a show in Texas when working for Star Nails. She was this ball of energy I wasn't quite sure what to make of. She had these outrageous nails that had cut outs in them she had fashioned from hole punchers and was trying to get something going with them. That was when I first realized we were birds of a feather. She had an unbelievably inventive and creative mind coupled with passion and determination to get you on board whatever the project. I know we kept in touch for a bit but you know, life gets in the way of the best of intentions. I was so happy to have a chance meeting with her again this past Chicago show. While having lunch with LaShaun Brown-Glenn she mentioned Athena wanted to meet up for lunch. Once again her enthusiasm and sheer "chutzpa" was so intriguing we chatted for a long time about the business, marketing and life in general. Oh yea, I remember this girl. Upon first meeting, Athena can be a whole lot to understand. You have to know she goes 100 miles an hour and if you can't keep up, oh well. I find it so energizing and motivating to have her in my circle of friends, even if it's just to catch up with her in a 10 minute phone call. She is a warehouse of ideas, marketing tips and business knowledge but most of all a visionary. One of the things I love best about her is she is still learning. Asking for advice, taking notes in others classes, looking for those additional things that if she knew, she could get to the next level. Athena is not afraid of a challenge and usually doesn't even hold her nose before she jumps in. She sees a goal, uses the Laws of Attraction and the Power of Positive Thinking and like a dog with a bone does not let go until she has achieved what she set out to do. Athena has made the leap this year from Nail Tech of the Year to "Celebrity" Nail Tech. Just by the sheer determination of wanting it, she worked every opportunity toward that goal. I can't wait to see what she comes up with next but I know one thing, it will be BIG, Texas BIG!

The true gift we give

2009-08-29T14:19:00.005-04:00

So Wednesday night, this week I gave my sister her last manicure. It was bittersweet. I think we overlook the true value in our jobs. While many may consider it a superficial, ditzy, airheaded profession I know it has a deeper value. I started cosmetology when I was 15 years old. Being the youngest of a family of 4 girls and the queen diva (a former model), beauty and fashion were part of my vocabulary at a very young age. I spent hours pouring over fashion magazines in my mini walk in closet as a kid. The four of us "Morgan" girls spent many hours at the kitchen table at our own mini cosmetic counter brimming with the latest beauty must haves. I enjoyed every aspect of cosmetololgy and studied each area and its many techniques. The area I didn't recognize at first as the most important became evident several years into the business. This business is about people, not beauty. It is about the connections we make with our clients, how we make them look and feel and help them grow in their own lives. I know we are not supposed to get too personal with clients but how can you not? Especially nail clients that are in every week or every other week. Thats more than I see some family members, actually more than I see a LOT of family members. Many clients tell me it is the first they have stopped all day and done ONE thing for themselves. It is their "therapy" their time away from the harried world they try and navigate each day. To be able to help them stop, and relax if only for a brief time and send them back out to the jungle refreshed, renewed and fabulous looking is our gift. To be lifters, that help lighten anothers load. As I reflect on the events at hand I realize that the connection with people was really what I was looking for all along. Beauty was just the pathway.

Nail Gurus Cont'd

2009-08-09T15:38:00.009-04:00

Maisie Dunbar is a tech that had been on my radar for quite a few years. I have attended several of her classes, read her articles and caught up with her at industry shows. It has been so inspiring for me to watch her chart new territory in her career. Her accomplishments and awards are too numerous to even begin to list. A successful nail tech, salon owner including the honors of AVA Salon of the Year 2007 award, educator and celebrity stylist is just the beginning for this serial entrepreneur. Maisie developed Bluffajo, a trendy new make-up line and was awarded the make-up line of choice New York 2009 Spring fashion week. Founding MD Beauty Consultants is Maisie's latest venture. Sharing her years of experience and unparalleled industry knowledge is a natural progression for this beauty visionary. She is all about empowering the nail tech and giving back to the industry that has given her so much. I interviewed her for an article last year and her words ring true to her commitment to being the best and continuing to learn. Maisie says: "The best advice I have for newbies is to partner with a salon/people that are doing what you would like to do. remember success is not going to happen over night just stay consistent and practice perfectly every time, find a good mentor, and never stop learning. Be a green apple and strive to become a red apple. When you stop learning, you stop living." Maisie credits her success to dedication, hard work and persisting to be the best. "I am committed to excellence and part of that is my commitment to education and I will take any business, technique, etc. class to improve my skill or to equip me with knowledge. I am still taking classes. I take at least 10+ classes a year. nails, skin, and body classes. With me having my makeup line I have added another project I have keep learning about. I love to learn!" Maisie and I are trying to organize a VIP event for the Mid-America Classic. Stay tuned for this mighty duet of knowledge coming your way! Details to follow....

NAHA'S

2009-07-24T07:08:00.009-04:00

I am ashamed to say in all my years as a beauty professional, I have never been to the NAHA'S (North American Hairstyling Awards). I have looked in on them, read about them, pulled up their photos online for inspriration, but never once attended the event.That all changed for me and I'm not sure I can ever miss another. I had the pleasure of attending with one of my mentors, Vicki Peters. The draw for me this year was to support another mentor of mine Geno Stampora, who was being inducted into the NAHA hall of leaders. The event was a who's who of industry legends, icons, visionaries and up and comers. There were also about 200 students in attendance this year which was so inspiring to see. Many of you that know me through the nails venue do not know that I am a full on cosmetologist, beauty dork. I study and perform services in hair, make-up, skin care, nails and even waxing. I love it ALL> It was almost surreal to see my hair heroes up close and personal, be able to snap photos, shake their hands and offer my thanks for the years of inspiration, motivation and dedication to this great business that we share that is beauty.I had the chance to tell Nicholas French that I was amazed by his work, just loved it and he thanked me sincerely and said, "You don't know how much that means to me, you know we are never completely satisfied with what we do ourselves." These artists and legends are just like us..Working with passion and commitment, often for little or no pay, labor of love with total devotion to their art and their audience. They have incredible teams around them and are so appreciative of every contribution. The Fashion Forward winner, Faatemah Ampey was so humbled and charming with her down to earth words of gratitude for the wonderful team that helped her fulfill her vision "on a 3 dollar budget". It must be an honor to share the journey with one of these amazingly talented individuals. I couldn't help but wonder as I sat there why are NAILS no longer a category in this amazing event? They used to be. The past winners were not even listed in the NAHA tribute journal. The past winners of what was the "Permanent Wave" category were listed, not offense Eric, you know I love you! How did we let this happen? We can no longer sit back on our perch of the red headed step child of the beauty industry.With so much amazing talent, passion and creativity in the wonderfully dedicated nail artists of the world, we need to band together and get back in the spotlight. Bonnie Bonadeo has done such an amazing job growing this event. The NAHA'S are going to be pushed further with more exposure to the fashion community at large and nails must get back on the platform. I am going to make it a mission of mine to get this category back in the NAHA'S... Who's with me???

Amazing Weekend

2009-07-16T22:40:00.003-04:00

So this weekend upcoming has got to rank right up there with the best. For me, to be able to spend it with two people that literally changed my life. I am spending the weekend with my first mentor, or maybe it's a tie for first, but I digress........Anyhoo I am jetting off to honor another mentor who is being inducted into the hall of leaders. Many moons ago in a far off land, Cleveland to be exact, I was minding my own business at a Fashion Focus in Cleveland Ohio trying to get my CEU's and a plan. I noticed one of my nail gurus, Vicki Peters, was teaching a class on goal setting. Perfect! I soaked up all the information I could mesmorized by this living legend whose articles I read like a religion. It totally dusted off the squirrels in my brain and got me thinking, I definitely need to talk to this lady. I waited after the class through the well wishers, photos and such for my moment to ask my question. "I have been in this industry for so many years, done so many things, but am unsure what's next for me." I lamented. She looked me square in the face, not knowing me from Eve and said point blank, "YOU need to be an educator, walk with me." On the way down to the show floor, she did share with me that although her class was goal setting she really had not a clue what she was doing tomorrow. She was so down to earth and accessable I could not believe my good fortune. Surely, I must have caught her on a good day. She can't possibly be this generous all the time, with a complete stranger no less. Little did I know at that time, generosity was her middle name. Vicki walked me right down to the show floor and introduced me to several regional managers from top manufacturers and said I would be sending a resume. Well, talk about a kick in the butt!! I thanked her for the inspiration and the introductions and promised to follow up. And follow up I did. By the fall show I was working as a manufacturers educator and was looking forward to seeing Vicki to share my story. I bought her a lighthouse candle holder and gave her a note, thanking her for her belief in me. That was truly the beginning of my new path. To grow enough to help others. Vicki and I will be attending a very special event this weekend of another mentor of mine, Geno Stampora, who is being inducted to the NAHA Hall of Leaders. It was about the same time back in the far off land of Cleveland that I met Geno. I was hooked from the start. I could learn a lot from this guy, I remember thinking. We saw each other each show, year after year and I watched him grow at an amazing rate. I needed to know what he was reading and who he was studying. Every show we managed to find a few minutes to connect and be there for each other. How proud I am to be in the company of such giving and talented individuals. How fitting just this morning I read about Steve Farbers book "Greater Than Yourself" In it he states “The greatest leaders that I’ve seen, the best extreme leaders that I’ve met over the years are the ones that never seek credit for their own greatness, but instead, invest themselves in such a way as to make other people around them greater than they are. So instead of shining the light on themselves, they lift other people up and build a track record of creating superstar after superstar.” This is what true leaders do. I had the opportunity to speak to Geno on the eve of this great honor and he is so appreciative. To have worked so hard and finally looked up to take a pause to see that yes, we were paying attention. I shared a quote from June Carder Cash that in her life she was "Just trying to matter". I assured him, yes, you matter and we are all better for it.

Lemon Drop Pedicure

2009-07-09T12:15:00.004-04:00

Lemon Drop Pedicure

To be featured in National Trade Publication
Twinsburg, Ohio - 07/08/09-
Haynam, an award winning salon owner has been tapped for a special feature in NAILS magazine by Managing Editor Sree Roy called "Signature Services". Developing many treatments in house makes her salon stand out from the crowd.
Lemon Drop Pedicure

This unique "Signature Service" begins with a zesty foot soak including Energizing Lemon Sage Body Wash and Tea Tree Oil. Tea tree oil is a natural antiseptic, disinfectant and germicide well known for its healing properties. An invigorating exfoliation is next. The natural magic of tea tree oil, peppermint and lavender creates an exhilarating fragrance experience. A luxurious foot massage with Lemon Sage Body Moisturizer saves the best for last. The natural extracts of zesty lemon, soothing sage and tingly tea tree oil provide a lemon-aid rescue for tired skin. Top off this citrus treat with a new Glitter French toe polish.
Lemon Drop Pedicure $48.00
Add the Glitter French with Color Gels for an additional $35.00
www.naturalbeautysalon.com

Nail Gurus

2009-06-17T19:32:00.006-04:00

So I was able to catch up with Patricia Yankee at the Beauty Tech Nail Tech Networking BBQ in Orlando. Pattie has been on my radar as a "go to" nail guru for years.I have followed her career from the pages of the Nail magazines and decided at the BBQ this was my chance to introduce myself and get to know her better. I had already resigned from Nail Tek before I had the opportunity to meet her in 2001. We shared stories of that fateful year and the passion we share for this industry. I am always so pleased to find these nail industry gurus are very humble, hard working, passionate individuals that have a true mission to improve the industry that they love. Patricia was no different. She was so easy to talk to, generous of her industry knowledge and brimming with the same excitement to be a part of such an awesome industry and wake up to a job you love. We shared stories of familiar experiences, competing for the AVA's, working for manufacturers, developing products, writing for the trade magazines. I felt like if there were a nail sister sorority we would have surely been members. She shared her goals and her dreams about furthering this industry in the eyes of the average american tech. She also shared the fact that overseas the techs have a greater appreciation for the information and education so many overlook here and the frustrations that come with working for a foreign company. But most of all she shared her passion. We could have talked for days but only had a few hours. I look forward to keeping in touch with Pattie and seeing what she will come up with next. Check out her website here Patricia Yankee

ORLANDO!!

2009-06-10T06:52:00.005-04:00

WOW! All I can say is Orlando just might be my new favorite show! There is no sisterhood like the nail sisterhood! We met, we ate, we drank, we worked, we competed, we cried, we laughed we hugged, we encouraged each other, we supported each other, we learned from each other, we compared shoes, nails, husbands, salons and classes. Whew! All in one weekend! Some met for the first time, some met for the hundredth time! New friends, old friends, all nail friends. I was so happy to meet so many new friends in person. The BBQ with BeautyTech friends was so much fun. To be able to meet with so many nail superstars. It reminded me of the new Intuit commercial with adoring fans surrounding the guy that helped invent the USB. "Our rock stars are not your rock stars". We are so fortunate to have so many shining examples of great nail gurus whose only passion is to improve this industry and the people in it. What a gift we all have with access to such wonderful mentors. I am so impressed with so many I can't even begin to single out just one or two. All I know is I had a wonderfully amazing weekend and can't wait to see what these ladies (and gents) do next! I was interviewed by NAILS TV so look for me to post that interview soon. I got so many great ideas for classes and articles I can't wait to get to work on them, as a matter of fact I began an article on the plane on the way home! A big shout out to my home town Nail Friends Jada, Kim and Michelle so much fun to hang with!

Why do I Twitter???

2009-05-21T08:22:00.005-04:00

Everyone is seeking the value in Twitter. I can tell you why I twitter. Yes I can keep up with friends and family one tweet at a time. More importantly I Twitter for valuable information. Many Twitterers that I follow are Internet marketing gurus. These Gurus are writing a new chapter on business for the next ten years. If you are not following these trends you will be stuck with an 8track tape existence. Playing with outdated equipment and outdated business tools. Successful people have the right tools in their tool box to be successful. If they don't have the right tool, they seek it out. They don't wait until it interrupts them. A great idea rarely jumps out at you and interrupts your day. Today I am sharing a twitter post that has value. I am giving it to you to add value to you. The only way to have more and be more is to learn more and do more to add value to what you bring to the business equation. Enjoy this excerpt from Dr. Wealth on Twitter:

You’ve probably heard the saying “It’s easier to keep an existing customer than to get a new one.”
Well, it’s more than just a saying, it’s true.
That’s why you want to take very good care of your current clients or customers and do whatever you can to give them lots of reasons and opportunity to buy from you over and over again.
Who wants to constantly be out there pounding the pavement looking for new clients and customers? That’s a lot of work. It’s much easier to up-sell or cross-sell to people who already know and love you.
Here are 10 tips you can use to put a successful Relationship Marketing program into place so you can reap the benefits for years to come.
#1 Create a customer database or file
Whether you have many clients or customers or just a few,make sure you keep records with important details about them.These details may vary depending on your line of business,but they may include their purchase history, special date such as their birthday or anniversary, family member names or their favorite restaurant or leisure activity.
#2 Never take your customers for granted
Your customers are the reason you are in business.Never assume they will always be there. Continue to earn their trust and show them you care and value their business.
#3 Show your appreciation
Do little things to show how much you appreciate having them as a client. Send them a thank you card or token of appreciation.Do something nice for them. Sometimes its even as simple as just saying “thank you.”
#4 Stay in touch
Find ways to stay in touch with your clients. Send out a regular newsletter. Clip and send them news articles about their industry or issues they are concerned about. Make regular telephone calls or send email. Send holiday cards. Use these tools to remind them you’re still around and that you still care.
#5 Take an interest in them and their business
Ask questions. Find out what their challenges are and see if you can help them. Show them you understand their business or their issues and you’re interested in more than just their last purchase.
#6 Serve them
Make it a priority to go out of your way to provide services that truly deliver and make your customers’ lives or their businesses better. Provide great customer service. Do whatever you canto help them achieve their goals.
#7 Give extra value
Exceed expectations. Give more than your clients are expecting so they are dazzled and anxious to work with you more. Act as if their business is your business and their problems are your problems and help them any way you can.
#8 Ask them what else you can do for them
Find out how else you can serve them. Other products or services you might be able to provide to help them reach their goals and be more successful. Take an interest in looking beyond your last sale into how you can help them even more.
#9 Be responsive
Always respond in a timely manner to your clients. Get back to them quickly when they have a question or need help. Return phone calls and emails promptly. Be on time, or better yet, be early for meetings and appointments. Being responsive tells your clients you think they are important and that you respect them and their time.
#10 Make things easy for them
Always be looking for ways you can make things easier for them.If you meet with clients in person, go to them instead of always making them come to you. Make it easy for them to use your services or buy your products in ways that are convenient for them.Give them options and choices.
If you put these steps into action, I promise you your customer relationships will be strong. And, when you make your customer relationships your top priority you’ll be rewarded with long-term,profitable clients.
(C) Copyright 2005 Debbie LaChusa

What are you feeding your brain?? Part 2

2009-05-15T07:40:00.006-04:00

So I've decided to really make the commitment to walking for at least 30 minutes every day. Those of you that know me well know....I hate to exercise. So I searched for a good cd to pop in the cd player, seriously, maybe I'll splurge on an ipod one of these days for myself instead of just for the kids...Anyhoo....back to my search. Oh, here's one. Larry Speaks on Salon Success, by Larry Curtis. That was a pretty good one. I got this from Larry himself at a show can't remember where or when, within the past few years. So I pop it in, Wow ever notice when your mind is moving in a certain direction things you really need seem to manifest? I have been looking for new content for articles and classes and this CD fits right in. I consider it a must have. GREAT strategies for success. Larry is another hunter/gatherer of information much like myself. Knowledge is power, BUT ONLY when implemented and acted on. It's is not enough to know, you must GROW with that knowledge. So what are these great strategies you ask?? Well you really must listen to the cd to get the most bang for the buck, but just to whet your appetite.....

Never Stop Learning. How good do you WANT to be?

Commit to a few personal missions

Take personal responsibility. For things to get better YOU have to get better.

Stay flexible, life goals don't always fit in exact measure.

Control your attitude and committ to having more fun. Having a good attitude will make inevitable challenges easier to deal with.

Take ACTION. When all is said and done.......more is SAID than DONE.

Your success is up to one person and one person only YOU

Stay tuned for MORE success tips.

What are you feeding your brain??

2009-05-05T07:22:00.007-04:00

I had the tremendous opportunity this weekend to spend two days with one of my mentors, Geno Stampora. I was most likely at one of his first classes at the Barnum Beauty Shows in Cleveland, Ohio in the late 80's. I thought what an interesting guy, and smart, especially for a hairdresser. I can say that because I am one too! I know I shared the fact that I enjoyed his class with him and looked forward to hearing him speak again. I attended his classes whenever I could, oftentimes when he was the only person I was interested in seeing at a show. He was well worth the money. I began putting many of his principles into practice and saw incredible, positive changes in my world. Each time I saw him he had grown too, with better and better information. Not long after that I began teaching and speaking myself at the trade shows and those of us road warriors, back in the day, became "family". There are so many dear friends that I made over the years that I knew from simply sharing a booth next to them at a show, getting stranded at airports, trying to find something to eat at the end of a long day when everything is closed, fighting with convention services, you know, all the glamour there is behind the scenes. I eventually got up the courage to introduce myself to my "heroes". These people that shaped my career, the writers, trainers, motivators that I could pop in my cassette player (yes that's how old I am), and learn from these masters over the years. Eventually these "heroes" would introduce me to other "gurus" and so on. How fortunate am I to be able to call so many of them my friends and colleagues now. The beauty industry has such wonderful people in it. People that encouraged me, guided me and pulled me up to their level to make the industry a better place. Many believing in me before I believed in myself. I am more committed than ever to this industry and creating wonderful success stories within it. Look for a new pr/marketing website coming soon, look for me in more magazines, teaching more classes and speaking at more shows. I'm at your service to help you grow an extraordinary life in the beauty business!

HRTE Chicago

2009-04-29T23:20:00.005-04:00

What a FANTASTIC weekend in Chicago!! All I can say is Holy Sparkle Toes Batman!! The High Road To Education class was one of the best classes I have ever attended. The energy in the room was just electric. Everyone was just buzzing with new information, sharing light bulb moments *(Carol and I over the nail art). It makes me really proud to be a member of this industry. I'm not quite sure that we as nail techs and beauty professionals understand the privilege we share to have such an incredible passion for what we do and get to play at it every day. When I wrote my Nail Friends article for NAILS magazine I waited, holding my breath, for feedback all the while thinking, "this was such a personal article, I wonder how it will read". Finally not being able to take the suspense any longer I finally e-mailed Judy Lessin and asked......."so? no rewrites?" What she shared with me really made my day. She just loved the article and said she wouldn't change a thing, what she loves about working with us nail techs is our passion for our work. I sure shared a lot of that passion this weekend. I was lucky enough to have a few minutes to speak to the attendees about PR marketing and am really hoping a few will make the effort to do it. Attending events like this one really add value to your clients experience by pushing your work to the next level. Why not toot your own horn about it!!

Inspiration

2009-04-16T07:32:00.004-04:00

I am so fortunate to have such a wide circle of friends to gain so much inspiration from. So, I am sending out a query, about anyone that has developed their own private label brand for an article in Skin Deep. My friend/ex-boss from IBD forwards me the name of a gal in Kansas City that does make-up and has developed her own line of cosmetics. Cool, I will try and connect with her. Go to her site, WOW. This girl has got it going on. She has a thriving business as a professional make-up artist and photo stylist and is the make-up artist to the Kansas City Chiefs Cheerleaders. She also has developed her own make-up line called Be Cosmetics. The cool thing about her is that it really is not about the make-up. It's about a movement she is driving, the Be movement. Just speaking on the phone with this young lady for 45 minutes was so inspiring I have joined the Be movement and can';t wait to see this girl shine. She is really about inspiring people to "be" what they truly want to "be" and helping them achieve their dreams. Melissa Blayton is a name you are going to be hearing a lot of soon, I can just tell. The energy and goodness surrounding her is such a wonderful departure from the self indulgent, self serving world that is unfortunately what we sometimes see in the business community. I am featuring her in my private label article and going to work on a feature article for her soon and can't wait to get this girl more publicity. So stay tuned to this stand-out rising star. Click on her fabulous photo to visit her website!

More from ABS Chicago

2009-04-01T22:50:00.004-04:00

The VIP "Experience" was so awesome Saturday evening at the Palmer House Hotel in Chigago. Hosted by Beauty Systems Group it was a wonderful way to thank their clients for their business and inspire them to stay strong in the current economic climate. Something Luis Alvarez said really stuck with me. We are the beauty industry, not the financial, not the insurance, not the auto industry.......The BEAUTY Industry. He encouraged owners not to watch CNN or follow the gloom and doom headlines. Read InStyle, Vogue, Harpers Bazaar and the like. Beauty is alive and well and living in every town from New York to Los Angeles. It was such a positive experience and so wonderful to have such talented artists give up their Saturday night to give back. Hosted by my friend and mentor Geno Stampora the evening inspired me to stay strong and remember when the going gets tough, the tough get busy making everyone look fabulous and feel better. That's who we are and what we do and despite each economic downturn we continue to thrive. The Midwest is a time to see old friends and make new ones. Sadly a few did not make the trek this year, things being too tight money wise, they were missed. Call me an eternal optimist, but I am committed to keep working through the hours, days and months till this nation gets back on track. When you can't afford the education is sometimes when you need it most. I'm so glad I scraped the dollars together to go to Chicago. I reconnected with so many friends and made so many new too add to my network. I wouldn't have missed it for anything.

ABS 2009

2009-03-31T07:27:00.005-04:00

SHEER GENIUS Anthony Morrison

Back already from Chicago, the weekend went too fast! America's Beauty Show is such a great place to meet up with old friends and make new! Saturday we hit the show floor around noon. The new venue at McCormick place is still unfamiliar especially since they changed the show to the new West building. It's going to take a few more years to get my bearings, especially since the show was at Rosemont for so long. Having worked at the show as a manufacturers educator helped know the ins and outs as well as "behind the scenes". This year was all about bling nails and add on hair. There were also a few more "natural" manufacturers to get in on the natural trend. Brows are a category that is getting a lot more attention and minerals are hotter than ever. Young Nails, and Light Elegance were rockin nails with bling fingers and toes. The glitter sensation is gaining traction and my new friend Athena reported that she had an eighty six year old journalist come into her salon in Houston to get these "Rock star" toe nails. Bling is all the rage for the 80 somethings! Never too old to rock! We spent time with the girls from "Top Secret" hair extensions. Stylist to the stars, Denise Rossouw developed this revolutionary light weight add on system takes you from flat to flirty in seconds. Driven by the demand of celebrity clients she developed add on pieces to create a new "wardrobe" for your hair. Add one, two or three pieces depending on your mood or your event and look like a million bucks. Not just for celebrity's anymore. The VIP event was fantastic. A give back event from BSG the group inspired a standing room only crowd with hair legends and up an comers. I hope to get a few videos loaded up soon. In the meantime, just wanted to get a quick update posted before the week gets away from me. Stay tuned for more photos and videos! Busy with SHS production of Music Man. Come and see it if you are in the area!

Dallas

2009-03-26T23:12:00.004-04:00

Whew what a whirlwind weekend. Thanks so much for the warm southern welcome from my friends at Les Nouvelles Esthetiques & Spa and Dermascope magazine. How wonderful it was to see a packed trade show brimming with so many educational opportunities. I was invited to speak on publicity offering Publicity 101 to the many hundreds in attendance. Publisher Will Strunk gave me a wonderful introduction endorsing how underrated and malnourished this area of most Spas and Salons. Once presentation number one was finished it was a quick run back to the hotel where I was speaking at the Permanent Hair Removal Conference in the afternoon. Just enough time to find a vegan lunch, yummy grilled veggies on Texas toast (of course). Knowing I would be attending the Texas BBQ later that evening (and probably not eating a whole bunch) I took advantage of all the fries too. The PHRC was also sponsored by Les Nouvelles and Dermascope as well and I had the opportunity to speak with Saundra Brown, Managing editor of Dermascope. She is based in the DFW(that’s Dallas Fort Worth for you non Texans) area and it is booming! On the local news Sunday morning I heard it is the fastest growing community in the US right now. Well that’s positive news to start out the presentation! The group was very receptive and loved the information. I headed back up to the room, resisting the temptation to head back to the show floor with all the toys, yes I actually did resist LOL. I decided to work on an article due next week for Les Nouvelles and since America’s beauty show is this weekend I will not have another Monday to get it done! After researching on the Internet and some facebook catching up I headed down to the complimentary Texas BBQ. Man if I was a meat eater……..it all smelled so good. Instead I opted for the beans, Cole slaw and potato salad, I know …..mayo…..I tried. There was a band for kicking up your heals and learning the latest dance craze……….make sure to check out the video...coming soon. As much fun as it was this group rolled up the dance floor around 10, just as well. My 5am pick up on the supershuttle will come soon enough so contrary to my sisters advice to check out the hotel bar, I headed up for the night and YES the supershuttle was there before I got turned around. I’m writing this from O’Hare waiting on my connection to Cleveland so I’ll be home for supper, vegan supper<3

Dear PR Diary

2009-03-13T07:36:00.006-04:00

Answer: Persistence, Persistence and Persistence. Question: What three things does it take to have a successful PR relationship. While I have had much success with the press in beauty industry trade publications the "media at large" have been a bit tougher to crack. I had a great connection a few years back at a local magazine. The editor was looking for a new salon and happened to see my menu sitting on someones desk from a leftover press release, no doubt. She called for an appointment and we developed a wonderful relationship. I even wrote a few articles for her. I still send out press releases on a quarterly basis at least. I also include events now and again. So while receiving nice notices I had never reeled in the big fish, until yesterday. Kim Crow Style editor from the Plain Dealer came in for one of my treatment services. I felt honored to find that I was also the start of her birthday celebration. I felt as nervous as a first date. Made sure everything was neat and tidy, got in early with plenty of time to pace, wander around forgetting what I was doing, the usual. What a refreshing delight she is! Very warm, I liked her instantly and noticed a very down to earth, hard working gal. I was immediately at ease and all my nerves were truly unwarranted. We chatted about everything from office quirks to social networking challenges, to airport security mishaps. I know I had a lovely time, I sure hope Kim did! We laughed and forgot about the cares of the world for 90minutes. She couldn't have been nicer or a more pleasant client. We talked about beauty, style and the press of course so watch for those updates to come. What is the moral of the story? Don't be afraid of the press, nurture relationships so that when the timing finally happens and the universe aligns you are prepared to enjoy it! Click the link here to read our press. http://www.cleveland.com/style/index.ssf/2009/03/spa_treatments_pamper_the_body.html

Dear PR Diary

2009-03-11T07:42:00.003-04:00

So who ever said that PR was easy again??? Oh that's right me (o0). Ok so it's not always nice and tidy. Sent a press release last week to Kim Crow, Cleveland Plain Dealer (Style Guru) about the new CocoLime services at Natural Beauty Salon & Spa. BINGO! Timing is everything. Kim e-mails me back that they are doing a a feature on Spring spa services, she would love to include the "CocoMojiToes" pedicure. Awesome, she would also like to come in and GET a CocoMojiToes pedicure. Even MORE awesome! Well scheduling what it is..........editor meetings.........speaking engagements.......We just couldn't get together last week. Not to worry with deadline approaching I will send her the newsletter with all the juicy details. The next best thing to being there is a newsletter. TechTard moment........she doesn't get the newsletter. Oh No up against deadline now....Resend Newsletter with all the juicy details........Too late, she has already written the copy. But wait........she still wants to come for the pedicure this week. Back to awesome. What have we learned? Following up is worth the risk of being bothersome!! Stay tuned for Kim gets a CocoMojitoes Pedicure..........

What to do in challenging times??

2009-03-08T11:51:00.002-04:00

I am so fortunate/thankful to be busy. Many people complain, whine, yet do nothing about their condition. So......... with so many people wondering how I stay busy, I thought I might add my 5 cents. Inflation being what it is 2 cents won't cover it!

1st cent. It will NOT go away if you ignore it. Pulling the sheets back over your head and sleeping in is not a strategy it is a white flag. Never give up, never surrender, as they say in Galaxy Quest! As defeated as you might feel at times, take action. That is the only thing that can change anything. Learn a new technique, read trade magazines, watch tutorials, research how others have become successful. Add some of these new things to your business to shake things up a bit.

2nd cent. Do not read/watch the news. My husband was home in the morning, back to 1st shift for a few days and had the news on in the morning. Oh Nooooooooo, I do not watch the news in the morning or at night. It is the worst thing to start and end your day with. So many of us can get our news feeds online during our FB/Yahoo/Aol/Google/Utube time. (which is a whole other blog post!) So with these updates why do I need to fill my head and my psyche with hour after hour of negativity. Not gonna do it, can't make me!

3rd cent. There still are people/businesses doing well. My 22 year old nephew just bought a house, just as nice as mine!!! How?? College education, worked hard, played, not as hard, put thought and effort into his career path, got a great job with a highly respected software co in town, was fortunate to have parents that helped him with college, no debt, saved living at home for the last 6 months and viola. A young adult that actually listens, priceless. I also have clients that are doing well in business and still need to look good doing it. If you don't have clients in businesses that are stable seek them out!

4th cent. Offer incentives. I know I get a lot of criticism on this one but........I have clients that have supported me through some pretty tough times, both professionally and personally and now is the time to pay back these loyal clients. Just the other day, instead of taking off a clients nails when she said she would have to cut back I offered to do her fills for the price of a manicure instead. She was so thrilled and I was thrilled to not loose a client. We will revisit in a few months to adjust, but in the meantime, 1/2 of something is always better than 100 percent of nothing! Go through your database and send out a "Beauty Stimulus" post card offering a discount, make it enough to matter, and get some of those clients back that you haven't seen in a while. Do whatever it takes to keep the ship afloat! The seas will calm, they always do.

5th cent. Work on low/no cost strategies. Partner with other businesses, create an exciting Spring promotion and send a press release to the local papers. If time is what you have more of than money right now, make that down time as productive as you can. Spend time on things that will MAKE you money. My to do list every day starts with the things that will generate income. If it doesn't generate $$, it's not in the top 5 on my list. If it's not in the top 5 on my list, it doesn't always get done. I learned many years ago to get your toughest, most dreaded task finished first, and the rest is easy!

It's not all rose petals and sunshine out there but being proactive in keeping your salon and yourself busy will pay off BIG!

2009-02-25T21:28:00.000-05:00

Well so much for blogging every day, every other day, once a week........It is harder than I imagined. Even though I love to write, there are just non blog worthy days, then there are blogworthy days without time to blog about them. I'm glad to be busy though. Too many people in my biz aren't busy enough these days, so I won't complain about being busy. I finished up my article on Work-Life balance, with little time to spare, March deadline. I find it ironic I was in such a panic/rush against the deadline given what the title was......the irony was not wasted on me! In researching for the article I discovered some interesting strategies about work life balance. I think it is safe to say we are ALL feeling a bit out of balance these days, what with the state of the economy, but stressing about it does no good. It's not like if you worry enough you can actually change things. The strategies I wrote about are simple, back to basics that we tend to forget over time. One newsletter I signed up for stated that we have fallen back to old habits after realigning our values after 9/11. It's easy enough to do. Miss a dinner here and there, not return phone calls as often as we did, not check in with old friends anymore. Many say the economy is forcing people to return to basics. Dinners at home, with friends and family. Having gratitude for all we really have. The best picture this year shares with us a whole other world that is so deeply impoverished it is just plain hard to imagine. We tend to forget how rich we truly are and how much richer we could be if we quit counting money and counted relationships instead. I'll post a link when the article comes out but in the meantime, just keep swimming!

2009-02-16T21:28:00.001-05:00

I am a pack rat. THERE I said it, now everyone knows. I hate to throw anything away. Sometimes this has huge advantages, sometimes, not so much. Ask my husband and he will tell you of the disadvantages but I say" Love me, Love my piles" its as simple as that. One of the things I really hate to throw away is a great article with great content. With the Internet I had decided that anything that can be researched and found on line, that hard copy can be tossed. Until you go to find an article and the host is no longer hosting it. So back to square one, or pile one as it were. I subscribe to a lot of other peoples newsletters to get great ideas, it's called environmental research....anyhoo if I write about the ones I have saved then I can throw them away! Genius! Here goes, the first of many to clear my desk!! This first tidbit comes from Tim Wackel. sales guru. A client gave me his website and I check it often. For some reason I saved this top ten list, although I'm not sure what it was top ten of ...regardless I found it a value. Enjoy

1) Set and exceed written goals, not just work goals but life goals.

2) Accept responsibility, own all of it, the good, the bad and even the ugly.

3) Prepare, what is the next purpose of your next client interaction. What are you doing to prepare for it?

4) Ask great questions, though provoking, not mind numbing.

5) INCREASE YOUR KNOWLEDGE, Strive to know more, about your product, your client, your competition.

6) Sharpen your communication skills, How much time did you spend last year improving your listening, writing and speaking skills?

7) Know the line between persistent and pest.....nuf said

8) Build long-term relationships, Do you really know what is important to your client?

9) Have a clear definition of selling, understand what it is you are doing, and continue to improve it.

10) Read, Write and Exercise, What are you reading to get you to the next level? All the information you need has already been written, go find it!

Ok so.......One down, many, many to go:)

Grrrrrrrrrrrrr

2009-02-13T18:55:00.000-05:00

So it rarely happens, in fact I can't even remember the last time..... but it happened today. The IRATE customer. She was getting her hair done and her scalp was really dry from the color process she had on Tuesday. It was in fact shedding in large chunks of dead skin. Freaky, we recommended an oil treatment and VIOLA! Chunks gone, scalp like a baby's behind. We are golden. She moves onto brows......20 minutes later emerges as Cruella Deville. Being busy behind the chair.......(thank god)........I only got bits and pieces of what was happening. Even trying to focus on my client didn't work as we both noticed her tantrum. "Oh my God ! You ruined my face! I hate them! " While the esthetician and her hairdresser try and console her things spiral out of control to a full fledged hissy fit. She comes to me and asks "Can you fix these, they aren't even, is there anything you can do?" Well first of all, I am already with a client.....second of all, while they may not be to your liking, they look even and outside of glueing hair back on, not a whole lot I can do. I recommend brow powder to thicken them up until they grow in a bit.......what else can you do? What do YOU do?? Experts recommend the same things in dealing with these clients. Keep your cool. Engaging in the argument will NOT diffuse the situation. Nod and listen. And listen some more and listen some more. Let them blow off the steam. More than likely if they feel heard they will calm down. Have empathy, "I understand that you feel this way."Ask what it is that you can do to provide a solution that works for both parties. Sometimes you just have to let them take off, settle down and think about what the best approach would be. What did I decide to do? We did not charge her for the brows, offered the brow powder for free and let her huff off. I will give her the weekend to calm down, then purchase a lash thickener from the skin care line we use that can also encourage brow growth. All I can do is extend the olive branch.....Hopefully she will take it. Stay tuned........

2009-02-11T19:16:00.000-05:00

My name is Millie and I am a self-help-aholic. Many of you that know me know I am ALWAYS reading a book, or two or three at a time. For instance, right now.....I am listening to The Answer, reading The Sedona Method, How We Love and Design Your Best Year Ever. Ok so I admit, this time, I am a bit over the top and need to cut back. I just can't help myself though....obviously...no pun intended. I LOVE strategies, insights, observations and the like. I love a great quote, theory, idea. I am a junkie. While in Cali visiting my daughter last week I met with Stephanie Yaggy editor of Nail Pro Magazine. We had a conversation over lunch about the state of the industry and where our roles were heading. Although tough economic times call for cutting back I have to admit I am busier than ever. Why am I so busy? Many years in the industry, many services that I offer, making sure to accomodate each and every clients wants and needs. Readers of industry trade magazines fare better in these crunches. They have resources to pull ideas from, other professionals to learn from and perhaps commiserate with. NailPro can be a tremendous resource in tough economic times.......What do these two seemingly unrelated threads have in common? Stephanie asked me if I would be interested in writing an online column for the NailPro website. Millie's tip of the week. So ALL the random reading I have done over the years will finally have an outlet. Yay! If I let out some it will make room for more, that makes me very happy. I am so looking forward to sharing my hints and tips with the world. Stay tuned to this very blog for more details to come!

Geri Valentines

2009-02-01T17:56:00.001-05:00

Geri Animal Print

2009-02-01T17:50:00.001-05:00

I Love Geri

2009-02-01T17:20:00.000-05:00

Everyone should have a client like Geri. She is always on time, books ahead, but is flexible if I need to change her appt. She is also my best walking advertisement. The funny thing is.....I did plain ol' gels with polish for years...maybe a french here or there but one adventurous day I asked her if she wanted to try something different not knowing if she would go for it. She is fun, very fashionable, picks out the best gifts, has good gossip but best of all.......once I offered something a bit different, now.....she lets me do whatever I want on her! She trusts me as the professional and is game for just about anything. She has sat through HOURS of nail appointments (including numb butts for both of us) while I figure out the latest technique. She has sat through squishy gels, filing and refiling all for the sake of art, and improving my skill level. There is something in it for her though... Geri gets a great deal, killer nails at a fraction of what they should cost!. Most of the nails on my slide show are Geri's. She is a three week standing, like clockwork and is usually my last appointment so we can play. I get a lot of my inspiration online, from several sites, from Geri's likes and dislikes and my never ending curiosity. A girl needs to have fun, and a creative outlet, so for that I say get yourself your own Geri and start creating!

2009-01-27T22:18:00.000-05:00

I just finished an article for Les Nouvelles Esthetiques & Spa
American Edition about the Hotel Spa 2009 projections. Such high hopes had been given to double digit growth for these lodging related spas that hotels and resorts couldn't build them fast enough. Now with occupancy rates flat for the first time since 9/11 many of these spas are bracing for a rough year. I spoke with many industry consultants who believe it is like anything else in an overinflated market, time for an adjustment. Many spas that were put together without much thought or sustainability are finding empty treatments rooms. Spas traditionally do well in hard economic times, after all, people still want and NEED to pamper themselves. This economic slump has a very different feel to it though. For the first time it affected me personally. My husband got laid off in November and if it hadn't been for his second job driving pizza around we would have been in far worse shape. Gloom doomers and naysayers on tv and radio, newsprint and internet warned the public to not spend at local small businesses, heck even bigger businesses for fear they wouldn't be around to fulfill the gift cards. What ever dollars people would have spent to keep the ecomony moving forward got lodged somewhere inbetween fact and fiction. So what is normally a high season of gift cards with an opportunity to finally head into the black and out of the red left many businesses short. Good news for me is at least there's cash in the coffers this winter, unlike Januarys past with weeks of gift card usage , can you say anybody got any cash?? Anyone?? I guess it all evens out in the wash. As for me, well my husband did land another job that started after the first of the year, 2nd shift so I can't remember what he looks like, but we're digging back out. As for Natural Beauty, restructuring made a big difference in the business dynamics and saved me a lot of dollars the new administration was likely to take back anyways. So what is the point after all this rambling? Everyone is going through their own economic conditions that are quite different. Spewing more negativity will only make the economic slide more slippery with more casualties. Staying positive, while realistic is the only way to ensure survival. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. I'll post a link to the article when it comes out.

2009-01-24T17:41:00.000-05:00

So Saturday in the salon, usually a crazy, zany blur for professional beauty girls. Today was no different, except for the fact that I have to appreciate more than ever the fact that I am still a crazy, busy girl and how much I LOVE my customers. Today especially, started out the day with one of my favorite nephews, (ok so I only have two but they are my favorites) then a great NEW client, glad as He[[ to have NEW clients, then my favorite couple, Dolly and Thom, the hilite twins,well not really, Dolly gets one color now. As an ex hairdresser she is a pleasure as a client, unusual, I know. Her hubby Thom works for Progressive and has a similar job to what I did as a road warrior for Nail Tek so we have loads of business schtufff to gab about. Lets see then there;s Hope, great gal, been with me along time. I think she stays with me cuz we had a haircolor allergic journey and I spent the better part of a year buying color and testing it on her until we found one she was not allergic to. Anyhoo.......she loves messy trendy haircuts, totally fun to cut! Then there;s Ruth, dear Ruth. I have been cutting her hair since opening Nat Beauty and she is I'm afraid, failing. Her daughter has been faithfully bringing her in for 7 years now and this is the first time I felt a tinge of sadness to really see a significant slide in her well being,. Oh crap, she's a sweet old gal none the less. Next up Suzanne, changed her appt from a pedi to a mani, which was fine with me since I'd been running 15 minutes behind all day......at least I might catch up, (or be 15 minutes late to bed, you never do catch up). She is a pleasure to work on and visit with and we have a lot of similar life philosophies, she is much more spirited in her religious convictions than I am and I admire her spirit and strive to have her unwavering faith. Norma was on deck and simply one of my most elegant gals, very chic and savvy for an older gal, something we all should aspire to...anyhoo she offered my husband and I tickets to the play in Hudson this eve, so I am learning from my daughter and graciously accepting. Last but not least one more of my sisters wants my beautiful gel nails so.......what are sisters for, to help make you even more fabulous than you already are! So that is my day full of beautiful, wonderful clients that I am so thankful to have making me tired!

2009-01-23T19:19:00.000-05:00

Well I finally figured out my Partigone dust filtration system. I've had it for a couple of months now, first tried to attach it to my mani=pro and the attachment they sent was too short. So....I had to use the vac on the stand. Well that didn't work too well. Still dust everywhere. So I emailed the company and told them it was a Partigone wrong (they did not see my humor) and I needed to know how to send it back. Well......there is only 30 days for return. Of Course. So I told them it did not fit my hand piece. There is a free attachment that is longer they could send for just the postage. I think it cost me about 5 bucks. Well well...BIG difference. Man that puppy pulls ALL the dust right into the vac, not a speck anywhere else. I think it will take a few times to get used to the extra apparatus on the hand piece. Kind of awkward at first but maybe I won't have to dust the salon every day?? Totally worth it. So Now I am A Partigone right girl!! YAY! Had a new client for gel fills. Seems a local gel girl has vanished and her clients are all finding me. Said client had gone to a few nonstandard salons, if you get my drift and was told they were gels. Um..... NO...... they're not. WHY do salons LIE to customers.
Millie"Did they use a powder and a liquid?"
Client"Yes".
Millie"Than those are called acrylic nails".
Man this really PI$$es me off!!!! How are clients supposed to know the difference?? They are being sold a stack of lies and charged extra. So ANY non nail professionals reading this.......if it's a powder and a liquid and stinks to high heaven, you are NOT getting gel nails. I took before and after pics. My camera died so the before is still stranded until I get fresh batteries but I used my phone for the after, can't really see the details but they were a beautiful make-over! And she was so thrilled her cuticles were not bleeding! And yes she rebooked!

Gel Nails Slide Show

2009-01-22T22:20:00.001-05:00

2009-01-22T15:00:00.000-05:00

Well it's finally here.......Ta Da....My Blog. adventures of a Professional Beauty Girl will share my ADD life of being a salon owner/writer/mom/vegan/hairstylist/nail tech/skin care girl/toenail fixer upper and the list goes on. I am currently writing an article for Les Nouvelles Esthetiques on Hotel Spas and their financial outlook for 2009. Very interesting research. Got to visit the Spa at Walden in Aurora Ohio........man what a beautiful property. Spoke with Katie at the Spa at the Sedona Hilton, very cool girl.....the article is almost finished so what's next?? Setting up the rest of this site. I hope to have educational articles, webinars, and all around interesting stuff to share. I am a workaholic so that helps...kinda...I love learning about this business and the people in it so watch for posts about beauty GURUS too that happen to be friends of mine, maybe yours too. I'll try and post links to my various articles and posts to new ones. Gotta make the money now......