Driving into work today I realized that most people are already in the holiday spirit- the highway was empty.

With only two days until Christmas, and with next week pretty much devoted to watching Avatar and other movie releases, there isn’t much going to be happening on the business side.

I will say that we received thebeautybook 2010 Spring edition the other day and it looks fabulous. You will be receiving your copy early January and if you’re new, you can register for a free copy on our website.

This will be my last blog of the year so I would like to close up the year by saying thanks to those who follow this nonsense. It reminds me of the radio announcers who figure out something new to say everyday. With millions of blogs, Twitters and Facebook posts, it’s a wonder anyone has time for any of this.

Have yourself a very happy holiday season and most importantly, may 2010 bring us optimism, good health and a few more consumers into salons and spas.

Today is our last day of business this week as we gave everyone off tomorrow and Friday. We even gave a directive to our CFO, Shawn, to stay out both days!

Be good, be happy, be safe and be back in 2010.

Happy Wednesday!

Three days until Christmas. Wow, has this month flown by. In fact, the days are starting to get longer now.

The much anticipated day of the year is fast approaching. Only three days left to shop and if you are shopping online as most people are, today is your true last day. In fact, online shopping is only second to discount stores for where consumers are spending this holiday season. Online shopping is up 13%.

So what beauty products will be under the Christmas tree this year? For sure fragrances will lead the way. However, I think machines such as Clarisonic, Tanda and Crystalift will be wrapped up in record numbers. Gift sets will also be among the leaders.

In the manicure category, I am seeing a lot of OPI color and mini lotions going into stockings but not sure about under the tree. Blow dryers and irons are also popular this season especially those under $100.

What do you think are the most popular items?

Happy Tuesday!

With all the holiday chatter going on, it’s easy to forget that in only two weeks, it will be 2010. And while New Year’s resolutions will be made and broken, now is the time to think about what you can do to make a difference.

I received an email from my sales GM, Kym R. and truthfully, I don’t think anyone including me could say it better in how to make a difference. Below is an exert of Kym’s email to her talent. I think it rings true for most everyone. Enjoy.

Seasons Greetings !!!!!

I thought “FINISH FIRST” was an appropriate title for my last team message in 2009!!!!

Here’s what I’m thinking we must  do to MAKE IT HAPPEN in 2010:

· The secret to being number one…is being number one!!!!

· You have to motivate yourself to learn more, do more, and be more than anyone else!!!!

· More importantly…you have to PACE yourself to deliver your BEST to your team and our customers!!!

I read this quote in a magazine a few years ago and it’s stuck with me:

“The Finish Line in LIFE is always moving so you constantly have to improve your product, your service, and yourself.”

We know what happens when we aren’t at our BEST…someone else will sneak up behind you and pass you by!!!!

How can we be our BEST…it starts with Motivation!!!!!

1. Be enthusiastic about your work..it’s contagious

2. Practice all your verbal and written communication skillfully

3. Connect with and cater to all your customers…thank them for their loyalty and business

4. Do what you say you’re going to do – DELIVER

5. Work until you finish the job

6. Be on time…better yet be a little bit early

7. Present and Dress  for Success

8. Be organized and strength focused everyday

Happy Friday!

About 25 years ago, Solar Nail was launched as the first acrylic with a story that made manicurists excited with glee. Solar Nail changed the nail industry overnight as thousands of manicurists took classes to learn how to do sculptured nails. It’s was made Creative Nail famous.

Fast forward 25 years, and something as exciting as Solar Nail is coming to the nail industry. Forever Natural is the first polytech to launch and already excitement from manicurists is incredible that have learned about it.

Polytech is a new technology much like acrylics, gels, wraps and soak-offs preceding it were. What makes polytech so exciting is that it is so simple to use and the results are spectacular.

Polytech is applied like nail polish and cures in a 36W UV lamp for 90 seconds. One coat is all it takes. No chipping, no peeling, no nothing, just a beautiful finish that lasts and lasts. It actually allows women to grow their own nails. And the look of it is so dynamic, many women will opt to wear it natural (the basis of the name for Forever Natural).

But polytech has a second benefit and that’s for women that wear polish. Polytech acts as a superior bonding agent, far superior than the nail plate itself. So when polish is applied using the typical base coat, polish, top coat method, the polish stays on 2-3 times longer. It’s like magic.

The final benefit of polytech is its removal process. Sine only one coat is applied, it removes easily with acetone (polytech remover is coming out later in 2010) in less than 5 minutes. However, if removed in a two week period, it easily buffs off.

The Industry Source will launch Forever Natural exclusively mid-January. More information will be available at forevernaturalnails.com in a couple weeks (the site is being worked on).

If you want to be first to receive Forever Natural, you can place an order for the starter kit ($49.95) and you will receive free shipping and priority status. Call 800-362-6245. With polytech, 2010 is going to be fun!

Happy Thursday!

With two weeks left of 2009, how about some insight into what you think the best pro beauty products are. Allure has their list, it’s time to have our list!

Nominate your best brand:

Nail Polish

Top Coat/Nail Hardener

Gel

Lotion/Creme

Hair Dryer

Flat Iron

Shampoo (any type)

Conditioner (any type)

Hair Oil

Hair Mask

Hair Color

Tanning Lotion/Creme

Self Tanner

Pedicure Treatment

Happy Tuesday!

Last Saturday TNG held its annual meeting to review 2009 and share our strategy for 2010. it was fun, inspiring and best of all, there was a touch of optimism that 2010 will be a year we want to remember.

One of the highlights of the meeting was the sense of community. These are the toughest of times. Yet in only 48 hour advance notice, our talent donated more than two pallets of non-perishable food items to Forgotten Harvest.

Moreover, I learned that TNG adapted two families in need. In both instances, generous donations were made on our talent’s behalf to assure a merry Christmas for them.

And finally, collectively we raised more than $100,000 for the American Cancer Society in 2009, the 8th straight year we raised at least over $100,000.

What makes this more remarkable is that none of us at TNG are "fat cat bankers." While we live in a depressed state and look outside and see gray skies, we still have an inner well-being that keeps hope in mankind alive and well.

Happy Monday!

Yesterday’s blog on trust certainly didn’t set any records for posts. Serious topics seldom do. So today I’m going back to the tried and true: Food!

I love condiments and so do most people (my oldest son hates them however). In days back, it used to be easy to buy jam and mustard. Smucker’s strawberry jam. What else? French’s mustard. What else?

Today when you visit your local Kroger, there are more than 200 varieties of jam and more than 100 varieties of mustard. Mind you, both go on a piece of bread.

But there’s a point I’m coming to. In one documented test, a supermarket put out two sample tables of jams. One table had 5 assorted flavors and the other table had 25. With an equal number of people stopping at each table, which table do you think sold more jam?

If you guessed the table with 25, you were absolutely wrong. Researchers who studied this experiment came to the conclusion that when people are given too many choices, more often than not, they opt not to make any choice. Research proved that offering less selection yields greater sales.

Think about this for a moment. Burger King and Wendy’s have always advertised "Have it your way" suggesting you can doctor up your burger anyway you want it. At McDonald’s, you get it the way they want you to get it. McDonald’s wins every time.

You buy a dozen bagels or donuts. The typical number of choices is 20-25. Invariably, you pick the same assortment each time you buy them. That is why most shops produce 80% of their volume from only 20% of their selection.

We are now in a period of opposite voracious consumption. Less is the new more. Think about your offerings in the salon/spa. Too many? Most likely.

In the end, when it comes to jams, I love these five in order: Strawberry, Blueberry, Raspberry, Marmalade and Apricot. When it comes to mustards, I really only like three: Dijon, French original, and Buttercup Honey.

Jams and mustards. Now there’s something worth talking about.

Happy Thursday!

In the never ending "polling" business, one of the latest polls that came out was that American’s trust of anything hit a new low.

Now these results are very interesting considering the fact that more American’s socialize online than in real time and isn’t everything you read online true?

They don’t trust product reviews because they think they are rigged to sell the product. They don’t trust product ratings because they think the seller makes more money on 5 star rating products than 3 star rating products. They don’t trust what companies write on Facebook and Twitter since they think its for the own company’s good. And this is just online data.

They don’t trust the government, elected officials and now they don’t trust Obama to deliver on the economy and health care although now they trust Obama on the Afghanistan issue. This is strange indeed because Obama wasn’t elected because of his foreign affairs expertise.

Now they don’t trust Tiger and most likely other athletes. They don’t trust banks and other financial institutions. This poll didn’t mention if they trust family members. But I wonder…..

Trust is an interesting word. It’s printed or engraved on every piece of currency and has been well before we were born. In fact, "In God we trust" is actually the official USA motto and has been since 1956 although it was used way back in the 1850’s. Perhaps it’s a good thing the motto wasn’t "In people we trust."

What is trust? Is it important in 2009? People bought Crest, Tide and Jif because they were trusted brands. Today people are buying generics because they are cheaper. People trust the stores they buy from more than the brands they purchase.

Or do they? Kroger is the largest supermarket in the USA. Most likely more American’s have the Kroger Plus Card than any other membership card in their purse or wallet. But Kroger’s sales are down and its customers are shopping at Walmart, Target and Aldi. Where’s the trust when you need it?

For sure, trust is earned. It takes hard work and plenty of time to earn it. And in a flash, all the hard work and time could be worthless over one incident. But in today’s world of reality TV when people will do the strangest things to get attention, trust is out the window and 15 minutes of fame is in no matter the price to get it.

Here’s what I know: Trust is part of our credo which includes honesty and integrity. Without all three, what does one really have?

Happy Wednesday!

There are clubs for virtually everything that cater to frequent visitors willing to pay the privilege to be a member.

Golf, tennis, fitness, yoga, travel, airline, hotel, dining and other service establishments depend on membership for their existence.

Members are more loyal, spend more money and even brag to their friends which spurs more business.

So why not emulate this concept for salons? Most salons have regular clientele that visit weekly, bi-weekly, monthly and in this economy, less often.

Membership would give clients an incentive to frequent the salon on a regular basis since they are paying for it anyway. Members would also spend more money since they would receive member-only discounts on retail and they would also spend more money on other services.

Salons can offer different levels of membership. Perhaps a manicure membership: good for one manicure a week. Or how about a mani-pedi membership? The VIP membership package can include unlimited hair cuts, color, mani’s and pedi’s. In this category, specific days of the week would be required utilizing the slower times of the week. And even if members don’t pay for services, they would still tip creating another income stream for talent.

Salons can even have a member-only lounge with WIFI, coffee, soft drinks and a relaxation area.

Pricing would be annual and would be paid in one payment at signing or monthly auto payments. Clubs know that members never use the facilities as much as they think they will so earnings selling memberships is better than selling day passes.

For a few smart salon owners, this might be a good idea for 2010.

Happy Monday!

The government announced today the first decline this year in the unemployment rate to 10%. November car sales inched up to the 10.9 million level from 10.5 million the month prior. However, retail sales were down suggesting more promotions and markdowns coming.

While the news is up and down, the fact that Christmas is coming in only 3 weeks is dead on. I can’t believe it. In fact, I still can’t believe that Thanksgiving was a week ago today. Time is marching forward.

Christmas still means gift giving and even though 2009 has been the toughest year on record, gifts will still be bought.

What better way to get into the gift giving mood than deciding what gifts to buy. Based on bebeautiful stats this season, anything that "plugs in" is hot and skin care gift sets are also hot.

So let’s have some fun and figure out the list.

21. Sweater

20. Shirt

19. Socks

18. Underwear

17. Scarf

16. Gloves

15. Jeans

14. DVD

13. CD

12. Electronic game/WII

11. Fragrance

10. Make-up kit

9. Skin care kit

8. Boxed candy

7. Thing that "plugs in"

6. Anything Apple

5. Jewelry

4. Gift card

3. Flat screen TV

2. Cash

1. Donation to someone in need

What does your list look like?

Happy Friday!