TIP OF THE WEEK #34 MENTORING
By Vicki Peters 

I thought I would talk about the importance of mentoring in this Tip Of The 
Week because we need to do more of it, all of us. Plus give you my opinion 
of what is wrong with the nail industry. First of all we are not united. The 
tech next to you is probably afraid of telling you her trade secrets because 
you might be better than her and steal her clients, well we need to get over 
that mentality and work together if we are going to survive. The client 
wants service and bottom line that is what we should give her no matter whose 
table she sits at.

One of the biggest problems, and you may not like hearing this, is 
independent contracting. Although I have always been one, it has hurt our 
industry. Independent contractors do their own thing within a salon and 
usually do not work as a team. Sharing, networking and mentoring usually 
does not happen. Where as if you're an employed manicurist the salon owner 
takes an interest and the team spirit flourishes because they are being lead 
with direction for the overall salon success. Most independents think they 
can make more money being independent and only the real successful ones do, 
otherwise when you balance out the at the end of the year, after paying rent, 
insurance, taxes and paying for all your supplies it usually works out to be 
the same. 

We are not a united industry, we don't have a standard in place and we need 
an association that works for us. Until that happens it is up to each one of 
us to do some mentoring on a 1 to 1 basis. If someone had not taken me under 
their wing and mentored me I would have floundered and maybe left the 
business because I needed to be shown how to be successful. The newbies have 
no clue because they only get the basics in school and that is not going to 
change. 

One of the best things about mentoring and teaching I have learned is that 
when I have to explain something to a new tech it teaches me more about the 
issue because I have to think it through. Before I would have just done it. 
The questions I have answered over the years from lesser-experienced 
technicians has forced me to really think and learn for myself. It has 
contributed to my growth as a professional and made me feel good about giving 
back, which we also need to do more. 

My sister Diane on her graduation from nail school invited me to speak at her 
last theory on her last day of school. I spent an hour discussing the 
challenges and what they are going to face when they get into the salon. I 
gave them a reality check on how long it is going to take to build a cliental 
and what they can expect to make money wise. I talked about failure as well 
as success and left them with a realistic point of view so they could be 
successful. I gave them a copy of 20 questions to ask on an interview and the 
pros and cons of independent contracting and being an employee. All in a 
positive manner of course. I explained that I waitressed on the weekends for 
over two years as I built my clientele. And I explained to them that it took 
me the better part of five years before I thought my work was at the standard 
I wanted it to be at. This is information they do not get in school. 

So getting back to mentoring. 
I am going to give you a homework assignment. Take the newest manicurist in 
your salon and mentor her. Devise a program that she can follow and teach 
her. Spend an hour per week on something new. Critique her work and give her 
things to work on and show her how to improve on that technique. Give her a 
progress report. Help her. In the long run she can help you. She can be the 
one to fill in when your on vacation, when she is not busy help you remove 
polish and get your clients prepped when your running behind. And the best 
part is you can sit back and watch her grow and improve as a professional and 
smile with pride. There is no better reward than watching someone flourish 
because you have helped them. Take responsibility for helping others. That 
is something we just don't do enough of. 

I truly feel if you don't give to others in life you don't get anything back. 
It is up to us to help the techs that need it and we need to do it without 
reservation. It will only make us stronger and more secure about our 
business. The clients like us sharing and helping each other; it sets a warm 
work-together tone within the salon that is appealing to them. Plus it is 
the holiday season and the perfect time to share.

DISCLAIMER
Any products mentioned in the "Tip Of The Week by Vicki Peters" is not an 
endorsement of any kind.