This issue marks NAILS Magazine’s eight-year anniversary. It also marks my first anniversary with the magazine.

It’s been a good year for me. A challenging year, and sometimes a frustrating one, but never boring.

I’ve learned a lot in the past year, and one of my most important lessons has been how much there still is to learn.

One of the speakers at my college graduation talked at length about education as an ongoing process. He pointed out that we never stop learning, no matter how much we think we know. At the time, I didn’t pay much attention, and I think any of my fellow graduates did either. We were graduating. We had completed the required curriculum. We had learned all there was to learn. Why was this guy trying to drag us down? We were top of the heap.

It didn’t take long for the world to teach us otherwise. Getting a job, which I thought would be the last major challenge of my career, turned out to be the easy part.

The thing about school is, it’s great for teaching theory. Once you’re out in the real world, however, there’s a whole host of other things you need to learn. Things your teachers never thought to teach you. Every situation is different and even the best instructor can’t cover all the bases. Also, the technology, be it nails or computers, is constantly changing.

So, why am I telling you all this? Because what’s true for a journalism school graduate is also true for a manicuring school graduate. You never stop learning. And once you decide you can stop learning, you're going to stop succeeding. Because the market is constantly changing, whether you decide to change with it or not.

If you are reading this magazine, chances are you know how to do nail. But do you know all you need to know? Or even all you want to know?  Maybe, but I doubt it. Just about every nail technician I talk to is interested in increasing his or her current knowledge of the industry. Most people see doesn’t want to learn more money? And even assuming you are one of the few who believes she knows all she needs to, will you feel the same in five years? The industry is growing by leaps and bounds. New products, new technologies, and new challenges are cropping up; constantly.

The primary purpose of NAILS Magazine is to keep you informed about new developments in the industry. We want to be a big part of your continuing education.

The slogan for the 1990 NAILS Magazine Shows, “Education in Action,” says it all. Education is an active process, not a passive one. Take an active interest in staying on the cutting edge of your industry. Take advantage of all the educational opportunities available to you and, if you feel there are not enough, demand more. It’s your future you’re dealing with!

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