The nail industry could use some sprucing up. In honor of our all-makeover issue, I thought I’d weigh in on how I’d make over the nail industry.

For starters, I would …

• Make sure that clients knew what a good nail looked like, what a good manicure felt like.

• I’d lock a bunch of manufacturers in a room, not letting them out until they came up with a new technology that would bring clients back into the salons in droves.

• Increase the ratio of state inspectors to salons.

• Simplify the process of reporting bad salons.

• Challenge any state that required fewer than 600 hours to raise their standards.

• Require all states to allow apprenticeship programs, and I’d make sure all apprentices did meaningful work and ultimately earned their way up.

• I’d slowly eliminate booth rental in the industry. And I’d show both nail techs and salon owners why it hurts the success of the businesses in the long run.

• I’d get more nail technicians involved in an industry association. They have to know that there is power in numbers and that no one understands their industry (and thus, no one can truly understand the laws it needs) better than nail techs.

 • I’d require any nail tech who spoke disparagingly of a Vietnamese nail technician to listen to the story of how that Vietnamese nail technician came to work in the nail business.

• I’d outlaw $15 full sets.

• I’d require all nail techs to wear masks when they file, and require that salons have proper ventilation systems.

I’d make the fines for bad salon sanitation a stiff deterrent.

• I’d require continuing education every two years. It would include business and technical aptitude, as well as personal motivation.

• I’d require that all state boards staffed working professionals who still had a hand in the real salon business.

• I’d get a campaign going to promote the nail industry as a worthwhile career to entirely new groups of individuals.

I can dream, can’t I?  

 

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