A Work in Progress: Keeping Your Business Fresh

If you’ve ever done any home renovating, you’re surely familiar with that feeling that nothing is ever finished – the realization that just when you’ve put the final coat of paint on the kitchen, the cabinets look shabby? Or just when you’ve got the spare room exactly as you want it, your college-age son announces his intention to stay home next semester, in your spare room. So it is with running a magazine. We’re always tinkering, adding sections, removing others, tightening design, moving things around. It’s a work in progress.

Our team met last summer and went through the magazine page by page, evaluating whether each was working, whether readers were responding, and how we were fulfilling our readers’ needs every month. We decided to do some renovating.

One of the things we came up with was four “theme” issues this year. Last month was YOUR issue , with every word written and edited by our own readers. I loved it, not just because I didn’t have to write this page for a change, but because I believe that there is no one better suited to help a nail technician than another nail technician. I’ve seen how you network when you’re together, what questions you ask each other. In April , it’s the Back to Basics issue, sort of our “spring cleaning” issue with articles on the fundamentals and ideas on preventing staleness or burnout. In July, it’s the All Makeover issue, with technical makeovers (reforming nail biters, for example), business makeovers, and personal makeovers (we’re not going to do your makeup but we’re going to show you how to assess your own strengths and weaknesses and make some helpful shifts). Finally, in October,  it’s the education issue. Ask any nail tech what one of the biggest issues facing the nail profession and she’s bound to tell you education, whether it’s in the schools or continuing education. Our October issue will cover education from start to finish.

As for the tinkering on this issue, we welcome three new regular departments: World View, 10 Ways…, and Point of View. Because the nail industry is truly an in-ternational industry and we can learn so much from how others work, we’ll visit a different country every month and talk to nail professionals around the globe. For 10 Ways, we’ll give you 10 fast ways to do something. This month we’ve got 10 Ways to take advantage of the lovers’ holiday, Valentine’s Day. 10 Ways will always be on the last page of the magazine, ready for you to take the ideas learned straight to work. Finally, in Point of View we ask three nail professionals about an industry topic. They will be chosen for their diverging perspectives. This month we ask a salon owner, a booth renter, and an employee what most influences the nail styles their clients wear. I hope you enjoy our improvements. We are motivated to constantly improve this magazine for YOU. Like our homes, it’s a work in progress.