First off I have to say that the wedding I attended in San Diego was beautiful. Lauren was a stunning bride and I wish her and Michael a lifetime of joy and happiness! I had a charming little set up next door to an outdoor waterfall to do mini manicures and paint some toenails. The weather was perfect in Southern California last Saturday to be outside. Lauren wanted a simple French manicure on her tidy natural nails. We did do a UV top coat just to help with longevity. They weren’t taking a honeymoon right away, but I wanted her to at least make it though several days of family time and opening gifts. Two bridesmaids and the mother-of-the-bride all got polished nails, and the maid-of-honor was the only one to request that her toes get some polish as well. I have always loved doing weddings. I have done bridal make-up for years, but this was a fun new twist to my job! I am so glad that I got to share this day with her and her family, and I was honored to be able to help where I could!

As we come into July my business is noticeably slowing down like it always does during the summer. Last month was busier then usual for the time of the year, so I am hoping that July might surprise me as well! I having been using the Square for credit and debit card transactions for a few weeks now, and I absolutely adore it! My clients who have tried it think it’s pretty cool. Several of my clients have expressed that they don’t want any of the profit taken away from me and said they will still pay by cash or check.

I personally think the convenience of the Square is amazing! I can literally use it anywhere! It only costs me 3.75% + 15 cents if I have to manually type the card number in. It is 2.5% if I scan the card. Last week I changed my purse and I have been forgetting to put the scanner (which is the size of a quarter) into the new bag I have been toting around so I have had to manually take cards. The program gives you space to punch in the service the client had done so when the receipt gets e-mailed to the client she knows exactly what it is they are being charged for! I also immediately get an e-mail with my current balance sent to me as soon as the transaction is approved, and by midnight that night I get an additional e-mail telling me how much was deposited into my bank account. There is no guesswork and it is the absolute perfect fit for my level of business! The website itself also makes tracking sales a snap and will make my bookkeeping easy too.

The next big thing on my list of this year’s plans is to bring in a new skin care line to my business. I haven’t focused on promoting facials in a while and this will be a great way to get new clients and my current clients excited about skin care again. I have almost narrowed it down to a preferred line, but nothing is set in stone yet. Hopefully by my next blog entry I will have something new on its way to me!

—Karyn, Body Skin and Nails by Karyn, Roseville, Calif.