Publisher's Note: Optimistic About the Nail Industry

Year-end forecasts and predictions for the future are often tricky propositions. Factors and trends can easily misinform and mislead. And bluntly, there is little worse than being wrong so publicly.

Yet even with such cautions, I remain buoyantly optimistic about the nail industry, its status, and its future.

This past year, as Heidi Fron presents in this month’s cover story, has been strong, supportive, stable for our industry. The number of specialty nail-only salons continues to increase, as does the interest and expansion of nail services in full service salons. Consumer awareness is up, courtesy of the mass media, service prices have stabilized, and salon owners and technicians continue to fine-tune that which made them successful: service.

There is no doubt that 1989 will have its challenges, that with the uncertain economic picture, the evolving nature of artificial nail product, the tightening of the market for manufacturers, and the increased interest and competition among distributors.

But for salon owners and technicians willing to make the commitment, 1989 also holds promise. This commitment means more than just showing up for work each day: it demands concentrating on your own business, of remembering and living that you are there to service your clients, and importantly it means looking beyond next week, next month or even next year.

B y continually striving to improve and grow as professionals and individuals, 1989 will be all that 1988 was and more … another step up that ladder to success.