Topics Of Education For Independent Practitioners Options

[Douglas Preston]

Hi friends,

For those of you who are independent practitioners or plan to be one day I am currently compiling a program for the Salon and Spa Expo in Las Vegas (January, 2012) with a focus on independent practice and business. I'd be very pleased if you would offer suggestions of titles/subjects for classes that you feel would be of the greatest value to your career goals. This important information will help us shape the presentations to best suit our target audience—you!

Please know that is often very difficult to get feedback on questions like these and so planners are forced to guess about the preferences of others, usually wrong guesses, too. So, please speak up (and write up!) to help us help our very overlooked segment of skincare and beauty professionals. Without visible participation there will be fewer and fewer companies that will bother to take our needs seriously. Many thanks!

Salon and Spa Expo

[SpaNancy]

Hi Douglas,

I think one of the main points to discuss might be how to keep the engine running (*copyright me, via now - LOL) - But seriously, it is a good point. How does someone, who is solely responsible for making and keeping their business running, keep up their energy, motivation, stay-up-to-date, etc.? It's not always easy.

My first thought,

Nancy.

[Douglas Preston]

Hi Douglas,

I think one of the main points to discuss might be how to keep the engine running (*copyright me, via now - LOL) - But seriously, it is a good point. How does someone, who is solely responsible for making and keeping their business running, keep up their energy, motivation, stay-up-to-date, etc.? It's not always easy.

My first thought,

Nancy.

Hi Nancy,

Sorry I missed this important question! Keeping the career fire lit is always an issue for most of us that have been doing something for years, even something we really like doing. Routine, business demands and other distractions will often dull our original professional enthusiasm as the mind struggles to discover newness and inspiration in the midst of daily appointments and responsibilities. It's critical that we find a way to take a time-out and recharge our energies and creativity as often as possible. I've always found trade events to be a good source for that, but, there is a massive difference between fatigue and sheer boredom. Many spa employers are faced with demands for new equipment and products by technicians who seem to need a way to reignite their interest in their work. That's not a good path to follow. For the rest of us we only need a new idea or fresh perspective to suddenly put our pot back on boil, and it can serve to accomplish for a long time, too.

Even these boards can sometimes fail to deliver the purpose for which they're intended. For example, since posting this topic it has received many, many reads and yet only one response—yours. This is disappointing for those that take the time to set up and manage these sites and for those that hope to learn something from them. Participation is everything in a community forum and yet we can't force members to read or comment.

I've served for years as a career mentor for spa owners and estheticians, and much of the relationship is in providing some needed re-excitement for my professional clients. That can take many forms, from challenging one to increase their public outreach to creating a new treatment that's truly one's own, generating both elevated professional drive and client desire. Whatever excites the individual is the way to go!

Feel free to write to me anytime you sense the need to build up steam. I can probably be very helpful to you in that goal!