Friends and Family

For me, friends and family, who are clients, seem to be my most challenging ones.  They don't listen to my rules, they don't take care of their nails and they don't care if I lecture them.  Why do I put up with them?  Because I love them!  However, there are a few things I would LOVE to say to them, but, obviously, I can't, so I will now.  Here.

Mother.  I love you, I know you gave birth to me after 26 hours of labor, but for the love of all things good, can you please wash your hands, without being told, before you sit down.  Please wash them right the first time, removing all the cookie dough, bread dough, hamburger and whatever the hell you were cooking or baking, before you came into the salon, that is under your nails.

I would like to continue to work for may more years, so please do not look at your nails while I am working on them.  You are putting constant pressure in an upward motion, causing me to put constant pressure in a downward motion.  This results in me having numb hands after we are finished.

It's been 18 years .  Do not try to pay.  I won't take your money.  You are the ONLY person who is given this luxury.  Enjoy it.

Sister.  Please be on time.  When you are late, you put me behind all day long and it stresses me out.  It's not like you have a job or anything.  There is no reason for you to be late.  Your Starbucks run can wait until after your appointment.  Since you are already late, you should know exactly what you want when you sit down.  I am going to start telling you your appointment is 30 minutes before it actually is and then I think we will both be in sync.

Best Friend Barb.  I love you, but you have to stop firing up all the other techs, and their clients, in the salon with your topics.  By the time you leave, everyone is all pissed off at their husbands.  We are angry and ready to go home and castrate them with our stiletto nails.  That is my only complaint about you.

The above things, are things I would never tolerate from clients.  I guess these three get away with these things because they are family and friends and I love them.  What things do your family and friends, who are clients, do to annoy the ever living crap out of you?

--Nancy

Another Sellout?

So, it looks like all you bitchers and moaners out there that hate the manufacturers that cater to the DIY'rs can add Young Nails to your boycott list.  I, still, don't care.  DIY doesn't affect me at all.
http://www.lomasigel.com

--Nancy

Under Appreciated

Reader Submission


So I been thinking for awhile to raise my prices, I'm very inexpensive for the work that I do.


I love what I do but at the end of the day I feel overworked and under appreciated because the creativity I put out. I decided that this year I get my own place as well, so 2 weeks ago I posted a heads up I'm raising my prices by $5. Today I worked on my price list and posted it, honestly I still feel like I'm not charging enough, I cant get it through my head that I'm under cutting myself, for some reason I feel bad to charge more than I am, I know stupid on my part.


Anyway I had a client text me asking if that means her price is going up too. WOW! I didn't know how to respond especially since shes one of the reasons my prices are going up and her price is the same as everyone elses so I don't get what she meant by that. I'm a little offended she'd even ask me that. I finally text-ed her back and said "well it means everybody s price is going up"...


--Under Appreciated 

New Year's Resolutions

Readers have submitted their resolutions for 2012!

• I am going to set my schedule and STICK to it, no more adding hours and days.
• I would like to become a better nail technician and find a job!!
• I don't usually set resolutions, but my plan this year is to take (at minimum) two more CND classes, and attend at least one networking event.
• Take some CND classes hopefully 2 or 3), set and stick to a schedule, expand my art abilities, be completely booked solid at least 2 days a week-every week.  I just started this August and am still building my clients.....Christmas season rush has been awesome, tho! Booked solid every day Tuesday thru Saturday, and now that I know what it feels like I want it every day!  OH! And set up a blog with my nail art stuff to link up with Pinterest!
• I am working on rebuilding my clientele after taking a few years off.
• I'm REALLY going to build my new desk this year... really.
• I am going to take charge of my employees and hold them accountable for not following salon rules and procedures, especially paying their booth rent on time.
• I am going to implement a Cancellation/NO-Show Policy and enforce it.  Strictly.
• I am going to raise my prices.  First time in seven years!
• I am going to bring in two new services to the salon before summer.
• A cleaning schedule!  A different room will be on schedule each week so that once a month each room gets a total overhaul and in the off weeks just the normal weekly cleaning.
• We WILL get our client records in order this year!
• I want to get rid of my paper appointment book.  I want to go all online and utilize a mobile phone and laptop and online booking.  I'm scared!!
• I WILL go to Premier Orlando this year!
• Enter a competition and finish on time.
• Start using an efile.  My shoulder can't take hand filing much longer.
• I want to not only learn gels this year, I want to master them.  Better yet, I will conquer them!
• Clutter be gone.

December Kicked My Ass

I don't know about the rest of you, but December kicked my ass, especially the last few weeks.  I have a few Reader Submissions to post, however, I would like to hold off on them and post something different this week.

What are your New Years Resolutions for this coming year?  For your business, career, etc?  Submit them to me at nailtechtalk@yahoo.com and I will post them.  You can send them to me on Facebook, or on the Nail Tech Talk Facebook Page if you don't want to post them anonymously.  I will compile a list and post them!

--Nancy

BUYER BEWARE!!!

I was tipped off to a FaceBook group that was started to buy, sell or trade things within our profession.  While I think it's a great idea, the moderator needs to set up some kind of rules because it seems as though she is allowing people to sell things under false pretenses.

First case in point, was the reason why this link was sent to me.  Someone was offering a CND ProFinish 20 watt, two handed light.  It said she paid $265 for it and was entertaining any reasonable offers.  She stated that it was practically brand new and used only a few times.  Well, a number of people assumed that this is a UV light that will cure gel and gel polish and soak off gels.  When someone posted that this light was "Nothing more than a glorified polish dryer" all hell broke loose and then all the ridiculous came out.

Ridiculousness like statements like this:

The light has 5 "4WATT BULBS" if you add that together u get 20WATTS!This is what I do with my 36 watt lamp, i remove 3 bulbs which leaves me with 9 watts and I use that to cure my builders to lessen the heat spike more bulbs DOES equal more curing power!  it works the same way iff you want less wattage to cure, u just remove how ever many bulbs u want to get the wattage u want--common logic i do it All the time!I asked this very question to a woman who works for star nails and developed her own UV/LED and I asked this very question to the President of CND, Gelish reps and a President of Forever French Nail Systems and they all told me the same thing.

WOW, I am glad you aren't MY nail tech or that you don't work for me because that is just bat shit crazy!

First of all, the number of bulbs doesn't matter.  More bulbs just gives you more even coverage.  A one bulb light will not cure a whole hand, you have to cure the thumbs by themselves.  A light with four bulbs will give you the ability to cure the full hand.  A 36 watt light is a light with 4 - 9 watt bulbs, just like this light is one with 5- 4 watt bulbs.  Four watt bulbs will cure or should I say DRY a UV topcoat.  Who the hell uses those any more?  Are any of you people really still polishing nails?  I haven't polished a nail since February (I just looked) and that was someone from OUT OF TOWN.

Second, I would like to call bullshit on the statement that you asked people from Star, CND, Gelish and Forever French and they confirmed what you are saying.  Elaine Watson of Star would NEVER tell you that 4 watt bulbs will cure gel, gel top coat, gel polish and soak off gel.  I laugh at the thought of actually being able to ask the President of CND a question.  Really???  Hell, I can't get them to return a phone call or an email, yet you can just ring them up anytime you want?  Give me a break.

Lastly, if you are having to remove bulbs from your light to avoid a heat spike, might I suggest that you either find a new product to work with to take a freaking class and learn how to use your product.  Taking bulbs out of lights?  Who the hell has time for that ridiculousness???

Everyone do yourself a favor and educate yourself on UV lights.  Jim McConnell from Light Elegance is like the guru of UV lights.  Start reading on page 14.  

I have looked through this page some more and while I see a lot of good things, like people looking for pedi carts and people selling newer things like the new OPI soak off gel system, I still see crap like this.  Someone is selling SOLARNAIL powder.  How the hell old is this stuff??  CND discontinued it how many years ago (Just like they discontinued ProFinish, which is what that stupid light above was for).  Don't you people know that there is a shelf life on products.  I would garner that that jar of Solarnail powder is five or more years older.

So, BUYER BEWARE!  Don't be buying someone's old ass product.  Don't purchase someone's nail polish dryer (because lets admit it, that is exactly what that lamp is) and be all bummed because it won't cure your gel.  Don't buy other people's shit.  If they don't want it, why the hell would you???

Thank you for the tip on this little gem.  I have also received a tip on some things to watch on International Competition Judging as well.  Keep them coming!

--Nancy

Strut Your Stuff - Where's the Beef???

So, the Strut Your Stuff winners are finally online.  Sure would be nice to know the NAMES of the winners and where they are from.  Are we ever going to know this information or is the posting not completely done.  It's been like this since last night.  Kind of anti-climatic if you ask me!

--Nancy