E-filing expert and educator Robert Munkel has been doing nails for 20 years, and he has been honing his skills on the e-file ever since a shoulder injury 12 years ago left him unable to perform hand-filing motions. "I hurt my shoulder pretty badly, and I had to switch to e-filing because my shoulder just couldn’t hold up to hand filing. I was even worried I’d have to stop doing nails, but I got really good at using the e-file, and pretty soon I was making sets even faster than before."
In March 2012, Miss Professional Nail vice president Mike Vo installed the first executive board of the Vietnamese-American Nail Association (VANA), a non-profit organization designed to represent the interests of the professional nail industry.
According to NAILS Big Book 2006-2007, only 4% of nail techs in the United States are men. While this is definitely the minority, we have a number of high-profile male nail techs. NAILS executive editor Hannah Lee asked six prominent male nail techs for their views on being a guy in the industry. They offer history, advice, and opinions on how it feels to be the minority.
In February, established salon Cali Spa moved into a two-story location in thriving northern Fort Wayne, Ind. The affordably priced salon not only hired additional nail techs, but also brought hairstylists, massage therapists, and estheticians onto their team, with the hopes of expanding into a one-stop beauty shop.
Whether you’re a new nail tech just coming out of school or have been in the industry awhile and are looking for some direction, one of the best ideas is to find a mentor who will show you the way.
