For the poor girl's sake, I am not going to include her contact info, but check out this post I found on our local Craigslist:

"Hiiii(: My name is Ashley i am 17 years old && im looking for anyone around my age who can teach me how to do nails! I have alot of friends who love getting there nails done at awful prices so i would really love to learn to do something that would make me money && Also itd be something i love doing! We could set everything up at my house if needed && We could share customers if ud like!"

OH- EM- GEE. The stuff people put on the Internet! How does a professional respond to this? Where do I even begin?

On one hand, I don't want to discourage someone from learning the trade, especially if it's something she's going to end up loving! What if this young lady is the next hot name in nails? On the other hand, somebody has to explain how it works to her, right?

I mean, seriously. Does she not understand that licensing is required to do nails "for compensation" in California? That means that if she's getting paid — even in trade — she needs a license.

And "awful" prices? If your friends are paying "awful prices" why would you want to do their nails? "Awful" to me suggests that they are paying very little for their nails, but I bet "awful" to Miss Ashley means that they are paying $50+ for fills — cuz that's what rockstars are going for in these parts. And I'm sure she's thinking she could be charging her friends half of that and that she'd still be making sweet money for a high school student.

I can't really talk too much smack, because I started doing nails when I was 15. By the time I was 17 I had a handful of friends who didn't mind slipping me $10 or $15 to do their nails ... and I didn't get my license till I was 22. BUT, by the time I enrolled in my manicuring course at 21, I'd also figured out how much those products were costing me, especially without benefit of the professional discount.

I really want to respond to this gal. I want to explain why professionals are charging those "awful" prices and I want to explain to her why she shouldn't just invite anyone off the street to teach her to do nails. I want to explain why it's not that easy. But mostly all I can do is slap my forehead and shake my head and laugh hysterically.