Dear Down Under:
As a salon owner myself I have to say I look for employees like you who love to do nails. That love for the industry is something that you can’t train a person to have. And by you taking the time to write this letter and look for help, it shows me the commitment you made to the industry.
As far as your salon owner goes, she is the one who needs to be retrained and learn better management and communication skills. There is no excuse for putting another person down in front of customers.
If you don’t feel the owner/employee relationship has been permanently damaged and still can be repaired, then you should try talking to her about how you feel in a calm professional manner.
Good luck to you and I hope that this situation doesn’t discourage you. As in any industry you will run into good and bad management. Try to stay positive and professional and you will be successful.
Veteran nail tech Shari Finger — owner of Finger’s Nail Studio in W. Dundee, Ill. — fields reader questions in the areas of salon management and workplace politics. If you have a question for Shari, e-mail it to judy.lessin@bobit.com.