Nail professionals have an opportunity to influence the professional careers and personal lives of others. I’m not referring to the clients whose needs you tend to daily. I’m talking about your fellow nail technicians.

Over the past four years, 108,605 new nail technicians have entered the field; there aren’t any figures on how many have left, but most of us who have been in the industry a little while know that the number is probably too high. Whether they’re unhappy with the money, the working conditions, or the profession’s long-term opportunities, many nail techs leave the field to do something else. How many of those who have left might have been dissuaded from doing so by the influence of a successful nail technician who shared with them her love for the career and what made it so satisfying and successful?

What if salon owners and experienced nail technicians would devote some energy and time to mentoring nail technicians new to the field? Think back to your own early years: Would you have benefited from the experience and wisdom of an industry professional? Could you have used some guidance from someone who had already tried all the products, dealt with every kind of client, and suffered through her own long days without appointments? Would it have helped you in establishing yourself if someone who had walked the road before you had said, “It will get easier and you will get faster”?

You have the chance to be that person in someone else’s life and career. If you are a salon owner, you could set up a mentoring program at the salon by pairing experienced nail technicians with recent graduates. They could be encouraged to follow some basic training steps, or simply to have lunch now and again to discuss the challenges of making it in the nail industry. You would probably be amazed at how interesting your own personal story of how you got started and built your clientele is to a novice nail tech. You may also find that these new professionals, mostly women, are equally interested in how you juggle the demands of your personal life with the demands of the salon.

The industry needs people - like you - who love their work and are willing to share that enthusiasm with others. You can make a big difference by simply passing it on.

 

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