FingerNailFixer

Sharing Your Voice on Nail Industry Issues

by Holly Schippers | May 2, 2016 | Bookmark +
Nailfie with my group during ANP's Tech Talk

Nailfie with my group during ANP's Tech Talk

Wow the Best Lil Nail Show in Texas sure was an amazing experience! There were so many great things going on and awesome people there that it was a little overwhelming to narrow the blog ideas down and the week got past me before I got to the point of having things sorted in my mind to talk to you about! Let’s start with the inaugural Tech Talk event that was a collaboration between NAILS Magazine and the Associated Nail Professionals. First, make sure that you have visited their website and educate yourself about who and what they are.

If you do not currently have liability insurance, or you are overpaying for it, then they are the perfect solution. They are also advocates for nail professionals, so follow them on Facebook at least for helpful information even if you have liability through another company. 

Next, the Tech Talk event had three uniquely inspiring guest speakers throughout the night; Jan Arnold, Tammy Taylor, and Linda Nordstrom each got us all revved and ready to unite, elevate, and educate the industry as a whole. They are all industry contributors in different ways, as well as very charismatic and passionate people. I would imagine at least one of them is on the bucket list of people to meet for nail professionals around the world!

In between speakers, the groups at the tables had the chance to offer their opinions, advice, and ideas relating to current industry issues. The biggest question was: What issues do you feel nail professionals face today? Each table had a facilitator to take notes and ensure that each table member had a voice. The facilitators consisted of well-known industry names which I listed in the pre-event blog!

The hot button topic at my table was lack of a nationwide standard. So many consumers figure since we all have supposedly gone to nail school and acquired a license that all nail services are basically the same. This is untrue on so many different levels for a plethora of reasons. Some nail professionals assume themselves all-knowing upon completing school or one class outside of school, others don’t actually learn anything in school, and then you have those that go to school for hair, have no nail training, and go for it based on nail services they have received. A fellow pro recently took a job in a salon, only to be informed that they were required to cut the eponychium by the owner who stated that they had been getting their nails done for 20 years and therefore knew everything about nails. I myself interviewed at a salon and was informed that the only education or training any nail professional in the salon needed would be provided by the spa manager who had not personally taken a class in over 20 years since graduating from school. Between the variation of information learned in school, the willingness to learn outside of school, and the validity of what they learned, there is a massive canyon of difference in services, salons, and nail professionals. Our table felt that a lot of this gap could be bridged with consumer education. We felt that if consumers knew basic, scientific, universal facts that applied no matter the product or brand used, that it would force those doing nails to update their education.

Another issue was outdated and differing information on state board exams. Some schools are actually teaching three different methods of doing nails. One is the way to do nails to pass the boards, one is the proper way, and one is the “real life way” to do them cheap and fast. How on earth is a student supposed to know right from wrong, myth from fact, or what to do in that type of scenario? A national test that is updated yearly could be one way of correcting this according to my group.

What are your thoughts and opinions on all of this? I would like to be a strong voice for the industry that speaks on behalf of all the nail professionals that don’t have the time to offer a voice or prefer to be anonymous. Leave a comment here, on any of my social media, or even via email so that I can share your thoughts and ideas. Hopefully working together we can initiate change!

 

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