Maggie Rants [and Raves]

I'll Scratch Yours If You'll Scratch Mine (and Yes, They Were There!)

by Maggie Franklin | June 17, 2009 | Bookmark +

Somehow I managed to come home with a sore throat and a stuffed up nose. I'm blaming allergies, since I refuse to believe it's possible to get a cold in the middle of June — unless you live in the southern hemisphere. Otherwise they wouldn't be called "colds."

 

The good news is that I finally got to meet my competition team captain, Lynn Lammers, as well as several other Team Pink mates! The even better news is that I like them! I finally have a sense of camaraderie. Everyone is swell and I actually think I might (eventually) get the hang of this competition stuff.

 

I have so many stories, it's going to be hard to condense today's post into a single, coherent, piece of writing. Especially without making you scroll down. And I'd be so much more eager to try if I didn't feel so gosh-darn crappy.

 

I suppose it's possible that sleep deprivation, 54-oz. pina coladas, smoke-filled casinos, and touching the same escalator handrail as 30,000 other people before me might combine for a small risk of taking home some sort of bug that will keep me from feeling too enthusiastic about telling anyone my stories for a few days.

 

Now, this blog is not supposed to be a personal journal of Maggie's Adventures in Manicuring; it's called "Maggie Rants [and Raves]." So instead of telling everyone all about competitions and teammates and hanging out with the girls from Nubar, let me just for a moment hop up and down and demand an explanation from the industry.

 

Why aren't you exhibiting at tradeshows? Yes you. You, dear manufacturers and distributors whom we purchase our products from. Whom we turn to for support in the ways of products and education. Especially those companies that spend so much of their time and marketing budget telling us how important continuing education is and how important it is to stay current and involved in the industry. Why aren't you at the shows?

 

Or worse, why have you forsaken your U.S. customers for events overseas?

 

Don't get me wrong, I understand that the European market is currently booming. I also hear that the shows across the pond are phenomenal, with more energy and a greater appreciation of the nail industry, but that's no excuse to abandon the U.S. market.

 

Not to mention many of the companies that were present at the show were completely apathetic. Or unprepared. I can't believe you would exhibit at a tradeshow and not be stocked with NAIL FILES. That is, of course, providing you actually carry a line of nail files. I certainly don't expect those companies that don't sell files to have them.

 

When I talk to people in The Biz about why they don't exhibit, they usually point out the cost of exhibiting. Now I looked up the exhibitor info for IBS Vegas, and I'm not saying the rent isn't pricey, but then again, I spent almost as much money just to be there as an attendee and competitor as it would have cost to rent a booth there! So I'm gonna have to call "B***S****" and take offense that you don't think I’m worth your time and money.

 

You can't honestly expect me to listen to your pep talks and marketing advice for staying competitive as a nail tech when you don't apply that same advice to staying competitive as a manufacturer.

 

I have learned that you can’t rest on your laurels in this business. This is a fast-paced industry that is in constant motion. That goes for product manufacturers as well. If you sit out too many games, no one is going to ask you to play anymore.

 

In fact. Maybe that's just what I'll do. If you can't be bothered to write a few checks and make a showing at the shows, maybe I can't be bothered to write a few checks to buy your product.

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