To continue on from my last post, I'm starting to look into products from other companies that, in my opinion, better support the Pro nail tech, and looking to replace most of my items that are currently CND brand. In looking through my products (wall racks, retail cabinet, drawers, and closet), I figure I need viable options to replace the following --
1. CND Manicure Citrus Scrub: I'm looking at Cuccio, Qtica, does Footlogix have one (?), and a couple other brands to see if I can find a suitable replacement. My biggest issue is that many scrubs are either sugar or salt; sugar makes for a sweeter and stickier scrub than I want, and salt can be an issue for anyone with any micro cut (which, no matter how many time I tell them not to, people still shave *the day of* their pedi... don't do THAT!). If you have a good recommendation, let me know.
2. CND Hydrating lotion, Citrus: same scent as the scrub... I need to stay in the citrus scent lines, btw; anything else would trigger my husband's migraines (and would turn off not only myself but also my male clients). I like (so far) Body Drench unscented (which I could add cheap essential oil to), Hempz Goji Orange Lemonade (but it's a bit strong for some clients), a lemon one I got from JoAnn Fabrics, and a couple OPI ones.
3. CND Cuticle Away: This is a great softener/eliminator for real cuticle (not to be confused with pterygium, or even worse, hyponychium), but I want a different brand. I'd like to try Be Natural's and Blue Cross. I've use BC in the past; it's watery, but works well... I'd have to get a dropper bottle for it, if that's what I replace CA with. Again, recommendations would be lovely!
4. CND Shellac Remover: I found a good replacement... I'd been using OPI's Expert Touch, too, but for those clients that are sensitive to something in it, I was using CND's. Seems Artistic Nail Design's Remover works just as well. It's about $5 more for the 32 oz, but as rarely as I use it, that's ok.
5. CND Scrub Fresh: Artistic Nail Design's Cleanse is a great replacement here, too, although the smell is a little "chlorine", it's only noticeable up close (and you shouldn't be smelling it like that, anyway!). Pricing for the 32 oz is $2 cheaper, so that makes me happy.
6. CND's Boomerang buffers: Artistic has two different grits for their buffers, and they are also "spray sanitizable", but within Oregon's rules & regs, need to be disinfectible as well (people use these terms interchangeably, but there's a huge difference). This is also important to me when I'm spending the money on them that I do. They don't have the same grit choice (CND's are 180/180, whereas my choices in Artistic are 100/180 or 220/280... and they're 68c more each). Hmmm....
7. CND Cool Blue hand sanitizer: I'm thinking that OPI's Swiss Guard can be my replacement, but am open to other ideas.
Please note, as well -- I was told (but have yet to confirm) that CND will no longer be supporting their Shellac UV lamp (including not making the bulbs anymore). I have two clients I still use my CND lamp on (and I still have a new pack of bulbs, so I'm okay for a while); Shellac pedicure clients who don't like the LED lamp I have (yes, 60s in my OPI LED lamp works fine) for their feet (weird angle, I guess? I don't know; no one else has issues/complaints), but if this is true, they're just going to have to get used to the other one.
This all said, please comment if you have suggestions/recommendations for me about those items listed. Also, looking to sell some miscellaneous nail items. I'll put up a link/pics here this weekend if they don't sell on the FaceBook pages I currently have them listed on.
Thursday, March 31, 2016
Monday, March 21, 2016
The Great CND Fiasco
I thought long and hard about if I was even going to blog about this... it got so much press (negative and positive) that originally, I felt my opinions would just get buried by the louder voices. However, it's been a week, and it's still eating at me...
If you missed it, a fellow nail sister, Michelle, who runs a M-F "Periscope" broadcast as well as a paid content education page, found out that CND ran a promo on Preen.me (a website with pics and video for beauty-related things). From what I've gathered, the promo was for bloggers on Preen to create beautiful sets of gel polish nails with designs, use a specific hashtag, which was, according to CND's later press release, designed to promote CND and drive consumers into the salon for a professional CND Shellac service. Yeah, all well and good, except they sent 50 kits (including CND Shellac shades, their new almost $400 LED lamp, a Shellac base & top coat, etc) to mostly NON-PROFESSIONALS.
According to CND's press release (after Michelle's Periscope broadcast went super-viral... and yes, she did her research before talking about it on air), Preen made the mistake of sending these kits out to non-pros. According to the bloggers themselves, no one asked for any proof that they were pros (I saw one comment in which a non-pro blogger posted a screen shot of the email from Preen... nowhere on it does it ask for anything about them being a pro), and a day or two later, Preen themselves admitted full responsibility. Here are my issues with this -- (1) CND did not ever take ANY blame for any of this, (2) CND not only blamed Preen, but also said in writing that the bloggers misrepresented themselves as pros to get this product kit, and (3) CND didn't even think to do something like this with their EXISTING CND Shellac Certified Pros or Grand Masters (of which, I am both... and have paid over $1000 to learn and be certified; something I *thought* was special).
(1) "Pass the buck" is not a good business model... ever.
(2) No blogger I ever came across in my research for this misrepresented anything. ALL of them were upfront on all of their social media pages; stating that they are not professional nail techs, do this for fun, etc... Every blogger that reviews for companies also always has a disclaimer somewhere about how they were sent the products for free in return for an honest review (or something to that effect).
(3) I understand the huge reach of the Preen website, so maybe the promo should have been that existing CND pros be offered the opportunity to win these kits, which then could have some caveats about how/where to post your masterpieces (even telling us we had to create a Preen account, because you wanted to work with that site, specifically). They could have run an email blast, directed to any current CND Grand Master or CND Shellac Certified Pro, with similar instructions that the bloggers at Preen got, sent out 50 kits to us pros, and the art created would definitely have done what they wanted it to; send consumers into the salons for a professional service. Heck, they could have had some "special winners" from Preen teaming up with a pro in their area to create artwork together! Instead, this huge fiasco where now the bloggers at Preen feel hurt, embarassed, etc and are angry with CND and my friend, Michelle.
My biggest problem with non-pros using professional products is not that it takes business/potential business away from me (seriously, I started as a non-pro... it was a jumping point for me to go to school. DIYers are those who take pride in doing it themselves, not because they can't afford professional services, but because THEY CAN DO IT, and sometimes, better than a pro)... no, it's because they haven't been educated on how to properly apply & remove those products (no, youtube is not the right place for that). I was having nightmares about what happens in six months... those bloggers and whomever they may also do services on (friends, family, what have you) blowing up CND's social media about how "CND Shellac ruined my nails" due to overexposure, improper application, improper curing, and improper removal techniques. THAT's why I'm pissed. You want to give away free product for a promo? Cool. But, this kind of thing can RUIN the small one-person studios like mine... and that is NOT ok.
I, for one, would love to exchange some simple Shellac manicures for the opportunity to work with some non-pros who are really good at artwork. I know that CND asked for the kits back, and (I think) paid for return as well as sent the non-pros who won these kits originally some other CND products (Vinylux, maybe some of the new Creative Play polishes? Not sure... if you're a blogger who is in the middle of this fiasco, will you let me know what you're getting from CND instead?). I can totally see that working in both of our favors... you get a good, quality, professional, and properly trained tech to do your Shellac service, I get to see you do some great artwork, we both get our names/business more exposure by linking those pages to all related posts, and CND gets even more exposure by having a wider audience loving on their products.
So, my current dilemma -- do I continue to #loveCND or do I #burnCND? I haven't decided, but for now, I will not be buying anymore CND products.
If you missed it, a fellow nail sister, Michelle, who runs a M-F "Periscope" broadcast as well as a paid content education page, found out that CND ran a promo on Preen.me (a website with pics and video for beauty-related things). From what I've gathered, the promo was for bloggers on Preen to create beautiful sets of gel polish nails with designs, use a specific hashtag, which was, according to CND's later press release, designed to promote CND and drive consumers into the salon for a professional CND Shellac service. Yeah, all well and good, except they sent 50 kits (including CND Shellac shades, their new almost $400 LED lamp, a Shellac base & top coat, etc) to mostly NON-PROFESSIONALS.
According to CND's press release (after Michelle's Periscope broadcast went super-viral... and yes, she did her research before talking about it on air), Preen made the mistake of sending these kits out to non-pros. According to the bloggers themselves, no one asked for any proof that they were pros (I saw one comment in which a non-pro blogger posted a screen shot of the email from Preen... nowhere on it does it ask for anything about them being a pro), and a day or two later, Preen themselves admitted full responsibility. Here are my issues with this -- (1) CND did not ever take ANY blame for any of this, (2) CND not only blamed Preen, but also said in writing that the bloggers misrepresented themselves as pros to get this product kit, and (3) CND didn't even think to do something like this with their EXISTING CND Shellac Certified Pros or Grand Masters (of which, I am both... and have paid over $1000 to learn and be certified; something I *thought* was special).
(1) "Pass the buck" is not a good business model... ever.
(2) No blogger I ever came across in my research for this misrepresented anything. ALL of them were upfront on all of their social media pages; stating that they are not professional nail techs, do this for fun, etc... Every blogger that reviews for companies also always has a disclaimer somewhere about how they were sent the products for free in return for an honest review (or something to that effect).
(3) I understand the huge reach of the Preen website, so maybe the promo should have been that existing CND pros be offered the opportunity to win these kits, which then could have some caveats about how/where to post your masterpieces (even telling us we had to create a Preen account, because you wanted to work with that site, specifically). They could have run an email blast, directed to any current CND Grand Master or CND Shellac Certified Pro, with similar instructions that the bloggers at Preen got, sent out 50 kits to us pros, and the art created would definitely have done what they wanted it to; send consumers into the salons for a professional service. Heck, they could have had some "special winners" from Preen teaming up with a pro in their area to create artwork together! Instead, this huge fiasco where now the bloggers at Preen feel hurt, embarassed, etc and are angry with CND and my friend, Michelle.
My biggest problem with non-pros using professional products is not that it takes business/potential business away from me (seriously, I started as a non-pro... it was a jumping point for me to go to school. DIYers are those who take pride in doing it themselves, not because they can't afford professional services, but because THEY CAN DO IT, and sometimes, better than a pro)... no, it's because they haven't been educated on how to properly apply & remove those products (no, youtube is not the right place for that). I was having nightmares about what happens in six months... those bloggers and whomever they may also do services on (friends, family, what have you) blowing up CND's social media about how "CND Shellac ruined my nails" due to overexposure, improper application, improper curing, and improper removal techniques. THAT's why I'm pissed. You want to give away free product for a promo? Cool. But, this kind of thing can RUIN the small one-person studios like mine... and that is NOT ok.
I, for one, would love to exchange some simple Shellac manicures for the opportunity to work with some non-pros who are really good at artwork. I know that CND asked for the kits back, and (I think) paid for return as well as sent the non-pros who won these kits originally some other CND products (Vinylux, maybe some of the new Creative Play polishes? Not sure... if you're a blogger who is in the middle of this fiasco, will you let me know what you're getting from CND instead?). I can totally see that working in both of our favors... you get a good, quality, professional, and properly trained tech to do your Shellac service, I get to see you do some great artwork, we both get our names/business more exposure by linking those pages to all related posts, and CND gets even more exposure by having a wider audience loving on their products.
So, my current dilemma -- do I continue to #loveCND or do I #burnCND? I haven't decided, but for now, I will not be buying anymore CND products.
Thursday, March 3, 2016
Nail Shapes
I have, more and more, come across photos where people (techs and consumers, alike) are misidentifying nail shapes. I know; there are a LOT of them.
Short list (seen fairly regularly) --
1. Round
2. Square
3. Squoval (or square oval)
4. Oval
5. Almond
6. Ballerina Slipper
7. Coffin
Longer list (less often seen in the real world) --
1. Stiletto
2. Marilyn
3. Pipe
4. Edge
I know there are more, but generally speaking, these are the norm in my world.
* I can see how round & oval get mixed up... but they should be true to real-world shaping (round are ROUNDED, like half a circle; oval are ELONGATED, like a true oval).
* Square and squoval get mixed up... squares are truly squared-off; straight across the top, and straight down the sidewalls. Squovals are slightly rounded off (it is normal to have your square nails turn into squovals by your next appointment).
* Oval and almond sometimes are confused... they are very similar, but almonds are more pointed (but not necessarily sharp). They literally look like an almond nut, usually done with a softened tip so as to not scratch people.
* Ballerina slipper and coffin are used interchangeably... but are NOT the same! Think about pointe shoes older ballerinas wear; flat toe, but slightly rounded & tapered edge; the ballerina slipper nail is the same. Coffin nail edges are much more defined; flat tip, angled edges, definitive lines (see photo below of actual coffins to get an idea).
* Stilettos and almonds also get mixed up... This bugs me more than other nail shape mix-ups. Stiletto nails are just like the shoe they were named after -- long, thin, tapered, point at the tip.
PLEASE GO TO MY BUSINESS PAGE, IN THE "NAIL SHAPE" ALBUM, TO FIND REAL EXAMPLES OF SOME PROPER NAIL SHAPES (I haven't found good examples of them all yet, but I will; keep checking back)... and use them the next time you go to the salon!
Short list (seen fairly regularly) --
1. Round
2. Square
3. Squoval (or square oval)
4. Oval
5. Almond
6. Ballerina Slipper
7. Coffin
Longer list (less often seen in the real world) --
1. Stiletto
2. Marilyn
3. Pipe
4. Edge
I know there are more, but generally speaking, these are the norm in my world.
* I can see how round & oval get mixed up... but they should be true to real-world shaping (round are ROUNDED, like half a circle; oval are ELONGATED, like a true oval).
* Square and squoval get mixed up... squares are truly squared-off; straight across the top, and straight down the sidewalls. Squovals are slightly rounded off (it is normal to have your square nails turn into squovals by your next appointment).
* Oval and almond sometimes are confused... they are very similar, but almonds are more pointed (but not necessarily sharp). They literally look like an almond nut, usually done with a softened tip so as to not scratch people.
* Ballerina slipper and coffin are used interchangeably... but are NOT the same! Think about pointe shoes older ballerinas wear; flat toe, but slightly rounded & tapered edge; the ballerina slipper nail is the same. Coffin nail edges are much more defined; flat tip, angled edges, definitive lines (see photo below of actual coffins to get an idea).
* Stilettos and almonds also get mixed up... This bugs me more than other nail shape mix-ups. Stiletto nails are just like the shoe they were named after -- long, thin, tapered, point at the tip.
PLEASE GO TO MY BUSINESS PAGE, IN THE "NAIL SHAPE" ALBUM, TO FIND REAL EXAMPLES OF SOME PROPER NAIL SHAPES (I haven't found good examples of them all yet, but I will; keep checking back)... and use them the next time you go to the salon!
Friday, December 25, 2015
Checking In...
Not a whole lot of "new" going on in my studio, but I wanted to take a minute to wish all of you a Happy Whatever-You-Happen-To-Celebrate this season (contrary to popular belief, Christmas is NOT the only "reason the for season"). My immediate family is atheist, so years ago, we changed the term "Merry Christmas" to "Merry Santamas". But, for whatever you believe or don't, I hope everyone has a great day today, a good weekend, and a good start to the new year. OH, and before I forget (in case you haven't been reading very long), I don't do "Resolutions", but I do set goals; usually work-related. This was last year's list, and it looks like I got all of those taken care of (a little easier since I moved into my much-larger room over the summer!). So, this coming year, my goals are as follows:
1. More clients -- my Thursdays and Fridays are pretty open right now... any takers?
2. Sell retail -- I have a cabinet with lotion, top & base coats, oil, files, and more, but haven't sold much. I'm really hoping to get more people to purchase these things from me (remember, when you buy "pro" products from a grocery or health/beauty store, they are not guaranteed by the company; they could be old, knock-off, or mixed. Don't take the chance!).
3. Get my husband to build the window stop for my new portable a/c unit.
4. Floor paint touch up -- there are a few spots that didn't take as well as I wanted when I painted before I moved in.
5. Get a nicely framed SERVICE MENU made and put up next to my mani table.
6. I need a new tech chair, too... :)
1. More clients -- my Thursdays and Fridays are pretty open right now... any takers?
2. Sell retail -- I have a cabinet with lotion, top & base coats, oil, files, and more, but haven't sold much. I'm really hoping to get more people to purchase these things from me (remember, when you buy "pro" products from a grocery or health/beauty store, they are not guaranteed by the company; they could be old, knock-off, or mixed. Don't take the chance!).
3. Get my husband to build the window stop for my new portable a/c unit.
4. Floor paint touch up -- there are a few spots that didn't take as well as I wanted when I painted before I moved in.
5. Get a nicely framed SERVICE MENU made and put up next to my mani table.
6. I need a new tech chair, too... :)
Monday, October 26, 2015
So, You "Forgot" Your Appointment?
It is a glorious Saturday afternoon. The sun is shining and I have finished early for the day. You might think this is a good thing except I did not get paid to go to work today.
The reason I did not get paid was because three clients did not arrive for their scheduled appointments. I don’t know about you but when I go to work, I need to get paid. It is, after all, the main reason any of us work at all.
I love my job. I truly believe I have the best job in the world. I am extremely lucky that my choice of career is one that means I look forward to going to work each and every day. However, at the end of the month there are these amounts of money that disappear from my bank account – bills.
Like anyone else, I have all sorts of life items that requires paying for and try though I might, I can’t put off paying for these things. These are the things that mean my husband, children, furbabies, and I have a roof over our heads, food on the table, and a standard of living that is somewhat comfortable.
Of course, being a business owner, it is not just my house and living expenses that need paying for, I also have all of the expenses of my business that all need paying before I even get a sniff of a wage to cover my own personal expenses.
Three clients not arriving for their appointments in a single day actually means that not only do I not get a personal wage for the day, there is actually a deficit which means that a part of the wage I might have earned yesterday has to go into today’s pot to cover today’s overheads. I went to work today and earned a loss.
I don’t know how anyone else would feel about having deductions from their wages but I’m sure it’s not too dissimilar to how I feel. Pretty darned fed up. I lost over $100 today. I could have filled those three slots many, many times over and not lost that money. That $100 is a very real and personal loss to me.
This week, three other appointment commitments were not met. Three other clients did not arrive for their appointments. That’s a further $100. That’s a very real and personal loss of $200 this week alone. Two of these appointments were forgotten about because they had gone out of town for the weekend and forgotten to cancel their appointments with me. I totally understand the excitement of an unexpected weekend trip. I would love one of those...
I am self-employed. If I am not servicing clients, I am not earning any money. It really is that simple. I don’t get holiday pay or sick pay. Your individual nail appointment worth, for example, $50, may not seem like a lot to you but I’m pretty sure that if your employer deducted $50 from your wage packet, you’d notice it rather quickly. Consider also that the $50 loss is only for one single appointment missed; multiply it by six as I had this week alone and you get the idea of how big an impact this has on a small business. Just one missed appointment per week adds up to $200 per month. That’s over $2400 a year personal loss. I could do a lot with that. Yes, a family weekend trip sounds delightful.
On my FaceBook page, in my salon, on my brochure, and out of my mouth directly, there is a message that says “failure to give at least 24 hours notice to cancel/reschedule an appointment may result in a missed appointment fee”. Please do not be surprised or upset when you call me after missing your appointment and are reminded of this additional charge which will require payment before I schedule you again. You become a high risk client. If you complain about the charge and threaten to go elsewhere then I will wish you well in all future endeavors and hope that your new tech is as good, kind, and diligent about sanitation & excellent customer service as I am. If and when you call me back a year (or two – yes this has happened on numerous occasions) later, that fine will still be on your record card and will still require payment.
It doesn’t matter how much I like you as a person. If you miss a few appointments then you will become a client I cannot afford to keep.
We are an awesome salon. We work hard and we do a great job. I am an awesome nail tech. We are an awesome team. This is why you have chosen us for your beauty needs. Our appointment slots fill up weeks in advance (some of us - months!) and so you can imagine how many potential clients are turned away. Those potential clients would have very happily taken one of the appointments that were missed this week.
If you have an appointment with us, please make sure it is written in your diary, on your calendar, in your phone, or wherever it is you keep your life organized. If your memory is shockingly bad then tell a friend and ask them to make a note of the appointment or set an alarm reminder on your phone/e-calendar.
If, for any reason, you cannot make your appointment then please have the courtesy to call us and let us know. It really isn’t asking a lot.
Incidentally, phoning me on the morning of the appointment to cancel it because you cannot afford it isn’t going to make me drop the fine simply because it most definitely means I cannot now afford something. I’m quite convinced you would have known before that time that finances were tight.
Now that I’ve got that off my chest, I'm going to enjoy a bowl of oatmeal... It's a good thing I like oatmeal because my grocery fund is now nonexistent for next week.
Inspired by this blog Brittany, Dog Groomer, and real events. Side note - I know some of my clients believe that because I don't have a mortgage (paid off when my MIL died and left us a small inheritance), and my husband has a "well-paying" job (I use quotes because they obviously have no idea what he does nor what he makes nor what our expenses are), that I don't *need* to work. It's just not true.
The reason I did not get paid was because three clients did not arrive for their scheduled appointments. I don’t know about you but when I go to work, I need to get paid. It is, after all, the main reason any of us work at all.
I love my job. I truly believe I have the best job in the world. I am extremely lucky that my choice of career is one that means I look forward to going to work each and every day. However, at the end of the month there are these amounts of money that disappear from my bank account – bills.
Like anyone else, I have all sorts of life items that requires paying for and try though I might, I can’t put off paying for these things. These are the things that mean my husband, children, furbabies, and I have a roof over our heads, food on the table, and a standard of living that is somewhat comfortable.
Of course, being a business owner, it is not just my house and living expenses that need paying for, I also have all of the expenses of my business that all need paying before I even get a sniff of a wage to cover my own personal expenses.
Three clients not arriving for their appointments in a single day actually means that not only do I not get a personal wage for the day, there is actually a deficit which means that a part of the wage I might have earned yesterday has to go into today’s pot to cover today’s overheads. I went to work today and earned a loss.
I don’t know how anyone else would feel about having deductions from their wages but I’m sure it’s not too dissimilar to how I feel. Pretty darned fed up. I lost over $100 today. I could have filled those three slots many, many times over and not lost that money. That $100 is a very real and personal loss to me.
This week, three other appointment commitments were not met. Three other clients did not arrive for their appointments. That’s a further $100. That’s a very real and personal loss of $200 this week alone. Two of these appointments were forgotten about because they had gone out of town for the weekend and forgotten to cancel their appointments with me. I totally understand the excitement of an unexpected weekend trip. I would love one of those...
I am self-employed. If I am not servicing clients, I am not earning any money. It really is that simple. I don’t get holiday pay or sick pay. Your individual nail appointment worth, for example, $50, may not seem like a lot to you but I’m pretty sure that if your employer deducted $50 from your wage packet, you’d notice it rather quickly. Consider also that the $50 loss is only for one single appointment missed; multiply it by six as I had this week alone and you get the idea of how big an impact this has on a small business. Just one missed appointment per week adds up to $200 per month. That’s over $2400 a year personal loss. I could do a lot with that. Yes, a family weekend trip sounds delightful.
On my FaceBook page, in my salon, on my brochure, and out of my mouth directly, there is a message that says “failure to give at least 24 hours notice to cancel/reschedule an appointment may result in a missed appointment fee”. Please do not be surprised or upset when you call me after missing your appointment and are reminded of this additional charge which will require payment before I schedule you again. You become a high risk client. If you complain about the charge and threaten to go elsewhere then I will wish you well in all future endeavors and hope that your new tech is as good, kind, and diligent about sanitation & excellent customer service as I am. If and when you call me back a year (or two – yes this has happened on numerous occasions) later, that fine will still be on your record card and will still require payment.
It doesn’t matter how much I like you as a person. If you miss a few appointments then you will become a client I cannot afford to keep.
We are an awesome salon. We work hard and we do a great job. I am an awesome nail tech. We are an awesome team. This is why you have chosen us for your beauty needs. Our appointment slots fill up weeks in advance (some of us - months!) and so you can imagine how many potential clients are turned away. Those potential clients would have very happily taken one of the appointments that were missed this week.
If you have an appointment with us, please make sure it is written in your diary, on your calendar, in your phone, or wherever it is you keep your life organized. If your memory is shockingly bad then tell a friend and ask them to make a note of the appointment or set an alarm reminder on your phone/e-calendar.
If, for any reason, you cannot make your appointment then please have the courtesy to call us and let us know. It really isn’t asking a lot.
Incidentally, phoning me on the morning of the appointment to cancel it because you cannot afford it isn’t going to make me drop the fine simply because it most definitely means I cannot now afford something. I’m quite convinced you would have known before that time that finances were tight.
Now that I’ve got that off my chest, I'm going to enjoy a bowl of oatmeal... It's a good thing I like oatmeal because my grocery fund is now nonexistent for next week.
Inspired by this blog Brittany, Dog Groomer, and real events. Side note - I know some of my clients believe that because I don't have a mortgage (paid off when my MIL died and left us a small inheritance), and my husband has a "well-paying" job (I use quotes because they obviously have no idea what he does nor what he makes nor what our expenses are), that I don't *need* to work. It's just not true.
Monday, September 7, 2015
ROAD TRIP
My nail sister, Michelle, lives & works in Tacoma, WA. She's driven down to my area a few times in the last couple years, but until now, I hadn't driven up to her. I remedied that this past weekend. Three weeks ago, she came down on a Thursday, we had lunch at Bellagio's (my favorite local pizza joint), and spent an hour talking nails/business in my new studio (which she loves). I was supposed to bring her a vacuum I was getting rid of and some sourdough starter; both of which I forgot.
So, this past Saturday, at 830am, my daughter & I packed up the car with the vacuum, some starter in a small cooler, filled up the gas tank, and off we went. I was slightly concerned that I'd have to stop somewhere on the way home, but still in Washington, and fill my gas tank; I haven't done that in close to 20 years. I also get a little antsy driving to new places (although Google's STREET VIEW comes in handy to reduce that stress a little). We stopped at Toutle River Safety Rest Area for a potty break, and if I was in a more meandering state of mind, we would have hung out there a bit longer.
I turned on the voice directions just outside of Olympia; the last 10 minutes were a bit hairy with all the turns and hills... but at 1140a, we pulled in to Washington State University's campus in Tacoma; her salon is in one of their admin buildings. It's a nice campus, too; easy to navigate, lots of parking, and restaurants onsite. We were greeted by Michelle's daughter, Rain (age 20), who took the vacuum from me, and walked us up to Michelle's office. She has a tiny space (a little smaller than mine), but hers is like a wide hallway (set up with two tall chairs for waiting, a small nail desk, a small desk with for sale items on it near the front, a larger desk with her polishes/gel polishes/etc), and has a "large walk in closet" type space in the back that she uses for storage (behind a curtain in the corner) and pedicures.
The four of us walked over to the The Rock Wood Fired Kitchen for lunch (half a block); I'd never eaten at one, and it was better than expected. Michelle told me all about her meeting with (the famous, at least in our world) Tammy Taylor, Rain filled me in on her college classes/plan and personal life, and we just had a nice visit. It was over too soon, though; maybe next time, our nail sister Elyse can join us (she, too, lives in Tacoma) and I can stay longer.
We left just after 1p, but hit a bit of stopped/very slow traffic getting back out of Tacoma, and again in Olympia. We stopped for another potty break at Maytown Safety Rest Area (where not only did they have free coffee, but they had a little snack booth open!). Amazingly, I *didn't* have to stop for gas; I made it there & back home on 2/3 tank! We stopped at the Burger King drive through in Beaverton on the way home; my daughter wanted some chicken fingers for a snack. We pulled into my driveway at 443p; I had enough time to use the restroom again, get myself some juice, change into my "pajamas" (yoga-style pants, socks, and a hoodie), and turn on the Ducks game.
Now that I've made that drive, I'm totally okay with doing it again!
So, this past Saturday, at 830am, my daughter & I packed up the car with the vacuum, some starter in a small cooler, filled up the gas tank, and off we went. I was slightly concerned that I'd have to stop somewhere on the way home, but still in Washington, and fill my gas tank; I haven't done that in close to 20 years. I also get a little antsy driving to new places (although Google's STREET VIEW comes in handy to reduce that stress a little). We stopped at Toutle River Safety Rest Area for a potty break, and if I was in a more meandering state of mind, we would have hung out there a bit longer.
I turned on the voice directions just outside of Olympia; the last 10 minutes were a bit hairy with all the turns and hills... but at 1140a, we pulled in to Washington State University's campus in Tacoma; her salon is in one of their admin buildings. It's a nice campus, too; easy to navigate, lots of parking, and restaurants onsite. We were greeted by Michelle's daughter, Rain (age 20), who took the vacuum from me, and walked us up to Michelle's office. She has a tiny space (a little smaller than mine), but hers is like a wide hallway (set up with two tall chairs for waiting, a small nail desk, a small desk with for sale items on it near the front, a larger desk with her polishes/gel polishes/etc), and has a "large walk in closet" type space in the back that she uses for storage (behind a curtain in the corner) and pedicures.
The four of us walked over to the The Rock Wood Fired Kitchen for lunch (half a block); I'd never eaten at one, and it was better than expected. Michelle told me all about her meeting with (the famous, at least in our world) Tammy Taylor, Rain filled me in on her college classes/plan and personal life, and we just had a nice visit. It was over too soon, though; maybe next time, our nail sister Elyse can join us (she, too, lives in Tacoma) and I can stay longer.
We left just after 1p, but hit a bit of stopped/very slow traffic getting back out of Tacoma, and again in Olympia. We stopped for another potty break at Maytown Safety Rest Area (where not only did they have free coffee, but they had a little snack booth open!). Amazingly, I *didn't* have to stop for gas; I made it there & back home on 2/3 tank! We stopped at the Burger King drive through in Beaverton on the way home; my daughter wanted some chicken fingers for a snack. We pulled into my driveway at 443p; I had enough time to use the restroom again, get myself some juice, change into my "pajamas" (yoga-style pants, socks, and a hoodie), and turn on the Ducks game.
Now that I've made that drive, I'm totally okay with doing it again!
Monday, August 31, 2015
Service Menu Changes!!
For those of you that are current, or future, clients: please note that as of October 1st, 2015, my service menu is getting a revamp! I am adding a few things, and raising most of my prices. It's been two years since I last did so, and I'm the only one who will give me a raise. If you really need a reason, and you shouldn't, here are three:
(1) My new space comes with a higher rent cost.
(2) My product costs continually go up (and rarely do *I* get warning).
(3) My continuing education costs money; whether I'm taking a local class (on a day off, usually) or going out of town (sometimes state) for a weekend event. I continue my education to bring you the best products and make sure I'm keeping up on laws and techniques.
Anyway, this is the updated brochure. Keep an eye out for a lovely, framed, Service Menu to be hung from the wall next to my manicure station soon!
(1) My new space comes with a higher rent cost.
(2) My product costs continually go up (and rarely do *I* get warning).
(3) My continuing education costs money; whether I'm taking a local class (on a day off, usually) or going out of town (sometimes state) for a weekend event. I continue my education to bring you the best products and make sure I'm keeping up on laws and techniques.
Anyway, this is the updated brochure. Keep an eye out for a lovely, framed, Service Menu to be hung from the wall next to my manicure station soon!
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