I’ve been paying attention lately to how many nail techs are offering classes. One-on-one instruction in person or via Skype, etc.

I think it’s very cool that there are so many techs out there who are willing to make their skills and experience available to help other techs. And I don’t think it’s unfair at all for them to be charging for their time and sharing their talents.

I’m also a huge fan of non-product-related education, so a trend in freelance educating is great.

But...

How can you reasonably require your students to not share what they learn from you?

I mean — sure. I would be ticked if I did a one-on-one with a tech and that tech turned around and re-created our session in a Youtube video. I understand how and why any educator would expect her students not to do something like that.

But you can’t reasonably ask a student to never pass long any of what they learn from you.

I am the culmination of all that I have learned. Each of us is. Which means that when I mentor another tech, everything I teach them is made up of every class I’ve ever taken, every certificate I’ve earned, every magazine article I’ve read, every demonstration I’ve watched, every set of instructions I’ve read.

Could you imagine if EZ Flow, CND, NAILS, or Tammy Taylor demanded that I stop educating other techs because part of my knowledge and skill base came from education that I originally received from them?

It just isn’t feasible to require your students to agree never to share what they’ve learned from you. That’s like telling them that if they take a class from you, they are never allowed to become educators in this industry.

And if there’s one thing we need, it’s more educators.