..You guys, I'm troubled. I hate to read about the despair some of you are going through right now. Not to take a single solitary thing away from any of your personal experiences, because each of us has a unique situation..but just wanting to float some thoughts out there for consideration.share some empathy.offer some hope and inspiration. So, with good intentions, I want you who are struggling to take a few minutes to think about some things. I'm going to be as honest and straightforward about a few things as I can..not meaning to start a flame war.just wanting to stir some of your creative juices! So.get out a pad of paper.and a pen.and make some notes. OK?   Having said all that, what if I say to you, If your clients are unmotivated to come to you for their nail services..are YOU unmotivated to have them there? Are you tired? Burned out? STRESSED OUT??? Geee..I wonder how fun it would be to sit in my chair if that's what I offered up? Let's take a look at our sister, Pam.she has openly and bravely shared with us shutting down and her courageous steps to rebuild. (Pam, I so admire you!!) For those of you who don't know her yet, she has set aside the drudgery of struggling to build everyone else's business at the cost of her own.and gone to work as an employee, responsibility free, and making money again! This is totally frosty.she's taken lemons, and made lemon sorbet! Let's look at Maggie, who has reinvented herself.yet again!  Magz.you KNOW I love you and you know how I've lectured, nagged, tweaked and hammered at you to finally, FINALLY raise your expectations of yourself, your clients and YOUR PRICES!!!  You who had defended your stance at the top of your lungs now embrace your new position equally volubly! I'm so proud of you I could pop a tip off! Look at Genie down there in Alabama (up there.from me!) She's shared some of her personal difficulties.and she's dug in there, refreshed her outlook and is actually enjoying her clients again!   Amy-look at you! Out there in Colorado and in a completely different place and space in your heart, mind and spirit!  You rock with your specialty clientele! Alice, who's moved salons when she needed to. Diana who evaluated and made changes. I could go on and on naming people who have been in this family for years.all of us have taken knocks. Some of us have dusted our knees off and gotten on with doing the good work we know we can do..some have moved on to other challenges.  I say to you.changing careers.doesn't necessarily fix anything. Each and every career has challenges!  Think about why you would want to walk away from a career and try another one and do it for the right reasons. Do it because it's in your heart and you embrace the change fully. Don't do it just because . That's all I'm saying about that. Those of you who are writing from various depressed parts of the country, I am sad to think that you are bowing to the media reports of bad economy .all it takes is one headline for use actually HAVE one! But the most important thing of all right now is that bad economy.or not.recession.depression..all of that DOES NOT MATTER. We are in an industry that is recession proof.   I say that with all belief. IF you look back through Nailpro and Nails yearly summary books, both of them report that numbers of services, numbers of technicians, prices paid per services.ALL are growing numbers.  This means GROWTH. History has proven that in tough times, people will PAY for a little bit of feel good.and those of us in the industry who are offering that to our clients will prosper. However, if you don't believe me, go to your state board and ask them about numbers of applicants in our industry. I'd rather see you use your energy elsewhere.but if you're the sort of folks who need to see stats, then by all means.get the stats! But don't make decisions _base_d on tabloids and journalistic license! Get some facts! Then decide. Now, if I have intrigued you at all..get that pad of paper and start writing!!! Make a list of the things you love about doing nails.the things you hate.the things you avoid.the things you can't wait to get to.huh? Wha? There's nothing that you're eager to delve into?  Hmmmm..could there be something meaningful there? Maybe it's time for some personal development? Need a class? Or perhaps just a big Spring Clean??? How can you enjoy your space.when you look around and see piles and boxes and bits and pieces of products that you *know* you'll never actually use but feel guilty about throwing out??? C'mon.I know you're a pack rat!!! We all are!!! Lololol  GET RID of that stuff! Find it a happy home! Donate it to your local beauty school!  Whatever.  Find a way to lighten up! Feel good about your space! Find a way to get enthusiastic about *something*!!! That may be the only thing setting you apart! Your clients can just about find a competent technician anywhere. We've spent years on this list saying that NSS shops are not our competition, but quietly, while you weren't paying attention and were taking your clients for granted, the savvy NSS salons have improved their understanding of what clients want and they've gotten smart about sanitation. And using better products. And marketing. And oh.all the things that used to set us apart. There is a whole niche of salons now who are offering economical services.that ARE NOT NSS! They offer what we've stubbornly refused to stoop to!  They have earned the right to their clientele.just as we *used* to earn ours. Do not mistake what I'm saying.I fully believe there will ALWAYS be a market for the specialty (boutique, if you will) salons. There is a certain woman who wants what she wants.and is willing to pay for that. If that is your target market.then you need to cater to that person and they'll find you. IF, however, you are not setting yourself apart from the average salon that caters to the person who just wants a quick, easy nail service then you will have to fight fiercely to earn every client!  In my humble opinion, you're gonna work way too hard and not make enough money doing this, but if it's your thing.by all means, go for it. Just be AWARE. Be present and participate in your path.don't knock along by default! Knowledge is power. Examine your knowledge of yourself, your strengths and your business..and gather your power around you. To those of you out there prospering in these so-called hard times .keep doing what you're doing..only refine it to the art that I know you're capable of. To those of you our there struggling, take a hard, eagle-eyed look at your clientele. Make sure you're meeting their needs..I would be willing to bet a full set that if you don't have a healthy book after 6 weeks of true service to your clients.then you are not meeting their needs. If you're not.change things! Geno Stamporo says If you always do what you've always done, you'll always have what you've already got. It's on you. With Joy, Karen Hodges Key West

GREAT....wonderful post ...as usual Karen....no chemo brain yet!!  LOL!! I am so chomping at the bit to really work again.....I can't wait to create my nail studio.... but...I am in the planning stages until around May..but I am saving your post...because once again, at the age of 52 i will be basically starting over...with a few diehard clients that will wait, once again, for my return.  But I want to make it cheery, nice, soft, efficient and profitable! oh well I am rambling .....it's the steroids... great post... Pati - Ukryj cytowany tekst -- Poka? cytowany tekst -

Karen, Karen, Karen.  Girl, you truly are one of the wisest, most giving people I have ever had the pleasure to say I am acquainted with.  (BTW, thanks for the kind words regarding moi).  You always nail it on the head!  No pun intended.  Here you are going through your own verion of hell and as always your concerns are about US and how YOU can HELP US!  For the disheartened:  I want to pass along a tidbit regarding the industry.  One of the latest department of labor blurbs lists Cosmetology as one of the top 3 (that's THREE!) occupations of the future!!!!!  I say the future is NOW! As you said; we are in a unique position to help make people look and feel better about themselves.  People are ALWAYS ready and willing to spend their hard earned $$ on that!  It's all about service: he or she who provides the best (perceived) service or (value) gets the loyal (repeat) client _base_. now, for my personal update to you all: 1.  State board came into the salon yesterday (my day off).  what management relayed to me was; inspector very impressed with how clean my nail station was and commented very favorably in regards to the three pedicure thrones.  Whew!  I have been working so extra hard on cleaning and keeping clean the three spas (a challenge to be sure with 27 people using them - so, I was personally very pleased that they passed her eagle eye inspection.  Our inspector is EXTREMELY tough on whirlpool spas because she personally acquired a nasty flesh eating infection from a less than clean one that she foolishly put her tootsies into.  Why she went to an NSS salon for a pedicure is anyone's guess, but she did, and paid the price with some nasty scars on her legs. 2.  On the personal home front:  I am not having much luck finding an apartment to rent due to my bankruptcy.  oops!  So, I am looking at houses to rent by owner.  Had to use the money I have been squirelling away today unfortunately so that my daughter could have an emergency root canal.  After all that she has been through the past year I couldn't say no.  I have faith that it will all work out in the end. 3.  My clientele at BEauty Brands continues to grow, each paycheck is better than the last.  My commission rate this paycheck will be at 59%.  4.  I revisited a technique we explored a few years ago.  _embed_ding money in acrylic for a client's trip to Vegas.  I posted some pics on my myspace page.  Check em out under the album en_title_d Vegas  .  Sorry, not the greatest photos but you get the idea:   http://www.myspace.com/illusionssalonpeoria gotta get some sleep.  Have a truly fabulous week everyone! Pam Peoria, AZ - Ukryj cytowany tekst -- Poka? cytowany tekst -

Pam, I couldn't find your pictures..when i went to where it says view my pics...it says i must be logged in to view them...am I doing something wrong?  I never go to myspace..... Pati - Ukryj cytowany tekst -- Poka? cytowany tekst -

  Karen, Karen, Karen.  Girl, you truly are one of the wisest, most giving people I have ever had the pleasure to say I am acquainted with.  (BTW, thanks for the kind words regarding moi).  You always nail it on the head!  No pun intended.  Here you are going through your own verion of hell and as always your concerns are about US and how YOU can HELP US!   For the disheartened:  I want to pass along a tidbit regarding the industry.  One of the latest department of labor blurbs lists Cosmetology as one of the top 3 (that's THREE!) occupations of the future!!!!!  I say the future is NOW! As you said; we are in a unique position to help make people look and feel better about themselves.  People are ALWAYS ready and willing to spend their hard earned $$ on that!  It's all about service: he or she who provides the best (perceived) service or (value) gets the loyal (repeat) client _base_. now, for my personal update to you all: 1.  State board came into the salon yesterday (my day off).  what management relayed to me was; inspector very impressed with how clean my nail station was and commented very favorably in regards to the three pedicure thrones.  Whew!  I have been working so extra hard on cleaning and keeping clean the three spas (a challenge to be sure with 27 people using them - so, I was personally very pleased that they passed her eagle eye inspection.  Our inspector is EXTREMELY tough on whirlpool spas because she personally acquired a nasty flesh eating infection from a less than clean one that she foolishly put her tootsies into.  Why she went to an NSS salon for a pedicure is anyone's guess, but she did, and paid the price with some nasty scars on her legs. 2.  On the personal home front:  I am not having much luck finding an apartment to rent due to my bankruptcy.  oops!  So, I am looking at houses to rent by owner.  Had to use the money I have been squirelling away today unfortunately so that my daughter could have an emergency root canal.  After all that she has been through the past year I couldn't say no.  I have faith that it will all work out in the end. 3.  My clientele at BEauty Brands continues to grow, each paycheck is better than the last.  My commission rate this paycheck will be at 59%.   4.  I revisited a technique we explored a few years ago.  _embed_ding money in acrylic for a client's trip to Vegas.  I posted some pics on my myspace page.  Check em out under the album en_title_d Vegas .  Sorry, not the greatest photos but you get the idea:   http://www.myspace.com/illusionssalonpeoria gotta get some sleep.  Have a truly fabulous week everyone! Pam Peoria, AZ - Ukryj cytowany tekst -- Poka? cytowany tekst -

Beautiful nails, Pam!!! Michele _________________________________________________________________ Climb to the top of the charts! Play the word scramble challenge with star power. http://club.live.com/star_shuffle.aspx?icid=starshuffle_wlmailtextlin...