When we walk into the salon each day, do we know what our schedule is going to look like before we even check it? Do we know if we are booked solid? Or do we pray to the “nail gods” wishing and hoping that we have clients on our books today? Do we say to ourselves, “I hope I have a couple of clients on the books so I can make enough to buy my lunch today.”? Do we dream about walk-in appointments to supplement our income? Do we yearn for the day when our emotional status doesn’t depend on how our books look? Do we have a plan of how we’re going to be successful nail technicians or do we just wing it and hope that we’ll be able to pay our bills each month?

Most of us went to nail school because we thought it would be fun to do nails. We wanted to be creative and do something we loved. We wanted to make our clients look and feel great about their nails. We desired a flexible schedule to accommodate our fun, going-out-nightly and sleeping-in-late lifestyle.

After receiving our license, we would walk into the salon with a smile, ready to show our creative side. We were armed with nail strengthener to get those short nails to grow long. We had all of the tools we would ever need to do nail art. We were going to sculpt with acrylic and create beautiful pink-and-white French nails. We were going to paint the world with pretty toes. We thought all we had to do was provide a good service and we would be booked for life. Everyone would want standing appointments with us, wouldn’t they? After all, we are licensed nail professionals!

Well, the truth is most of us started out with this intensity and frame of mind. The days of walking into the salon and stumbling upon a successful career are over. It just doesn’t happen overnight. Nobody told us that that we would have to WORK on our books and BUILD a business. All of the sudden, we weren’t doing nails for fun any more. We were doing nails to make a living. It took a while, but we have realized that we have to work on our job and make it become a career. It takes more than just being licensed and there are many other licensed nail professionals out there. What will make us stand out above the rest and become the best?

Do you ask yourself: Where do I start? I wonder how I will get my clients to rebook? How do I get my client to do the spa pedicure? More importantly, how do I offer them the spa pedicure? How will I build my books so I will be booked solid? How will I get my paycheck to be more consistent?

Weekly on the Coaching Blog, we will be tackling some of these tough questions. I will be coaching Sandy, a nail technician from Walla Walla, Wash. We'll walk through the steps of building a business, giving you and Sandy tools that can be used daily. Follow along, whether you're a new nail tech or a seasoned technician whose books are stagnant, this is for you. Stay tuned as we learn how to stand out above the rest and become the best!

— Jill