What are we missing?

Our Beauty Community is extremely fortunate to have so many mentors from not just all over our Country, all over the world.

There is certainly no shortage of trade shows, retreats and classes. In fact there is no shortage of any education if you count Utube, IG and other forms of social media.

---

What’s missing, in my opinion is the knowledge and/or ability to effectively communicate. This lack of knowledge stems from lack of confidence and lack of motivation. I fear, this will affect the future of our Industry, if not our world.

---

I suspect the reason for this is how since covid, many have eliminated the need for human contact. Some outside of our industry is still struggling to getting back to the office, working with their peers and settling into a normal schedule. Normal as we knew it before Covid.

Within our Beauty Industry, the shortage of attendance at “in house” classes opting for on line education instead is creating a shortage of available classes.. Advancement in Technology has taken away the one thing that is most primary, most important to our Industry is the ability to communicate with others.

---

In the past, I have spoken or written of the harmful affects eliminating in house classes would cause. Let’s talk a bit now, about what it takes to build a class.

1. The idea of a class begins with YOU. It is the many request we receive as Distributors or Mfg’s which begins the process.
2. Homework; there is a lot of work which goes into developing a class. Even if the class is already developed, there is still managing, organizing, marketing work involved with every class.
3. Cost involved. There is an educator who should get paid for his/her time. There are workbooks, certificates and other class materials needed to be printed. There is usually always product involved.
4. If it’s a travel class there is cost of travel, hotel, food and time away from our daily jobs.

It’s understandable that any date chosen will not work for everyone. However, what I see missing is the lack of effort which is taken to attend a class. The classes are requested and then come the reasons why they won’t work.

I can only speak for myself when I say…. if I were interested in a class, I would go through hoops to make it work.

---

I also understand, the cost involved as a Technician to take a class. The cost of the class, possible travel etc.  Yet, when I look at  other parts of our Industry “like hair” and/or other industries all together, the prices to attend are far more than what is charged in our Nail Industry and we have 1/2 the attendees. Those classes are always booked.

It reminds me of our tools. Our AngelFeet file has a suggested Salon cost of $82.95. The pushback on the prices of these files Is insane. I try hard to understand how the #1 tool used in our Profession is dissed as being too expensive.

So my question is, how would you feel if your hairstylist started cutting your hair with a pair of plastic shears purchased from the dollar store? Don’t laugh. I know many Technicians who purchase their foot files from the dollar store. 

---

Communication is so important. It keeps our brains constantly functioning. We learn new things. We grow. We listen, we share. Communication is the beginning, the middle and the end of our Salon service. It is most, if not everything about this Industry.

However, we cannot become better communicators if we are not constantly learning. We also can’t become better communicators if we become learning hermits. We can’t form relationships, at least healthy ones and we can’t expect others to understand us if we can’t communicate.

---

In my classes this year, I have been talking a lot about your 30 second commercial. A big part of communicating is learning how to listen as well.

I can’t tell you how many times I have gone around the room of attendees in my classes and asked for their 30 second commercial, only to want to throw a stick.

Tell me who you are, where you are from and why you chose to take this class.

• We can barely hear the person speak
• They tell us their whole life history
• They are too embarrassed 
• They talk to “me” not the group

When I see this I just cringe. THIS is the beauty industry. An industry where we make others feel good and look pretty. We should feel good and look pretty and this should be expressed in our 30 second commercial.

The timid responder makes me cringe because I hear the lack of confidence. How can you have confidence in your skill if you can’t have confidence in yourself?

The talker makes me cringe. Are you talking “all about you” with your clients. It’s NOT about you…it’s about them.

We are missing some very key elements. These elements need to be addressed and people need to take notice. If not, our Beauty industry will end up like our world is going to. No effort will be put into making things better. Communication will completely stop and technology like AI will take over the world including our industry.

---

I am amazed at the opportunity of classes available. A lot of classes involving nail art, bling and blang. Classes which, unfortunately don’t bring much return. None the less, they are part of our industry. There are now a plethora of classes involving foot care. Far more than when I took on the niche of feet in the early 2000’s. I personally think the market is getting saturated. Education is not a bad thing, so good for our Industry because years ago there wasn’t a whole lot offered in the foot care nor nail care arena.

However, as educated as many of the Technicians I know are, they still lack in confidence. There is a sense of uncertainty and there is a whole lot of mis-information which “followers” are following because of it.

---

Are you missing the “confidence” ingredient? Do you have a strong powerful 30 second commercial? Do you struggle with recommending retail? How about communicating with that bossy, late, demanding client…do you struggle with the right words? Do you struggle in raising your prices?

Stay tuned…Centre For Beauty is going to help!

CJ Murray, President