It has been a tough October for me. First, I lost one of my techs. Even though business slows down around this time of year, I still need to find a replacement. It's been three weeks, I've interviewed three new nail techs, and, I hate to say it, but I’m still looking! When hiring someone, usually I would conduct an interview and see if she fits in with my salon, but I had a reverse case in which the tech wanted to interview me and see if we fit in with her. That did not work out so well.

At the beginning of October's second week, I was in a terrible car accident and totaled my SUV. My children were in the hospital, and my puppy was in the car too and got so scared that the puppy ran away from the accident scene and was missing for two weeks.

I couldn’t focus on work, all I did was cry and search the woods, plus post ads hoping to bring my puppy home. Miraculously, someone found my puppy. I am also grateful that the kids weren’t seriously hurt, I am fine, and I know I can get a new car. But still, I was depressed.

Thanks to my co-workers for being there, taking care of clients, and helping the salon make it through a rough few weeks without my having to do any damage control when I came back.

Which brings me back to my original point -- if you have a foundation of good skilled technicians, good team members who can work well together and understand and care for each other, then your job as a boss becomes much easier. I always appreciate each of my staff members, and I don’t take them for granted. Our job doesn’t end at being great nail techs. It’s about building a family!

— Tina, Polished Nail Lounge, Richmond, Va.