Out of curiosity

[Hands_Only]

How many that are passionate about their profession, research the BIG names in the nail industry?

I mean we know (mostly) who the 'Sweets' are and then there's Gigi Rouse, Sam Biddle, Rebecca Orme, Gemma Lambert, Kirsty Meakin, Denise Wright, the late Tom Holcomb, Doug Schoon to name but a few. But, how many of us actually research our 'Greats'?

I spoke to a 'nail tech' today and as I was chatting away about these folk, she said she trained with NSI and my reply was "oh yeah Denise Wright does this area, I'm doing a conversion with her" and she looked at me and said "sorry who's that" well I was gob smacked. So I then started asking her if she knew of Gemma and Kirsty's work and (my personal idol) Sam, and she didn't know who I was on about.

Such a shame, I love to know who does what and love looking at their work. Sam Biddle has been and idol of mine for years for her designs and that's what made me find out who else the 'biggies' were.

Maybe I'm just a crazy sad nail tech that loves everything about this business, loves to see who I can one day hopefully be up next to and possibly meet. Forget your celebs on tv, I'd love to meet the above folk.

Just wondered what others thought.

Angela

 

[Nishi85]

I do! You're not alone! !! It's nice to have them as role models to aspire to
Sent from my GT-I9300 using SalonGeek

 

[JenBella]

Yep it's something that amazes me when talking to other therapists...names like Gigi, Doug Schoon etc and they look at me like I have two heads.
They don't even know the differences between gel polish and Shellac, don't keep up to date with new products and treatments...they don't even know what Salon Geek is.

Their loss really. I get to indulge my time in learning and knowing and showing my clients I know what I'm talking about.

 

[JuicyLucy]

A couple of years ago I had a pedicure in The Urban Retreat in Harvey Nichols in Manchester. I asked the girl doing my pedi if she had ever met Leighton Denny. She said "Who?" She said she had never heard of him. Really ?

Quote (I just found in about a minute on the internet)
"He soon moved to the ‘bright lights’ of London and opened his own first bespoke salon in the North, soon transferring his team to a premier location in the West End. He then opened the Leighton Denny Nail Studio in Urban Retreat at Harrods and Urban Retreat at Harvey Nichols, Manchester."

 

[Fluffle]

I am always looking at work by the top techs, it is just lovely and gives me drive and inspiration to get to that level one day.

Some techs I know didnt have a clue who was who when I bring them up
saying did you see this this and this. Its a bit of a moment when I think if they are so in to the feild then how do they not know, I knew a few even before I started my training.

 

[Nataliya]

Looking up to our Idols is a drive for passion. These people create, inspire and charge up our own passion. What they do they do not just for themselves, but for us. One day I aspire to be just like one of the Idols, to inspire and share the knowledge with the next generation.

Read forums, subscribe to Scratch, attend all the industry events to be truly in the picture)))

 

[411]

The industries top techs give me so much inspiration to achieve the best.

I always look at their work and learn.

 

[Toria R-M]

i am really new to the nail side of the industry but I currently spend almost every evening on the internet looking on here, researching various people techniques etc because I want my knowledge to be as high and varied as possible.

It is the same in the hair industry, I am often amazed (and often was quite upset about it when I was training) that other stylists dont spend any time researching new/upcoming trends or who is who is the industry. I think I am subscribed to so many hair and beauty pages, emails, websites, journals its a bit silly. But I then pride myself on the fact I am offering certain services sometimes months in advance of other bigger local salons (to be fair anyone is bigger than my one person mobile show)

 

[Alpenrose]

I do. And I read not only Scratch but a few other mags from other countries and do a lot of research on a regular basis.

I often come accross "colleagues" who think I am newbie because even though I've been in this industry for 6 years, I still train. Then they are surprised why I am still training 6 years on and then they comment arrogantly: "Well, I don't really need to do any training anymore, as I've been doing this for 10 years." I usually don't say anything and just smile when they are surprised about my prices (too expensive for them), hi- end products I use, skill level (yes, I am good) and the clients I have (few very well-known names). Just imagine what sort the job they do if they only had basic training 10 years ago?

Their loss, my gain - gives me the competitive advantage.

 

[Nickie]

I totally agree, heck the first book I ever read before even starting my training was Doug Schoon product chemistry one. Its what drives us, inspires us and keeps us moving forward. This industry really is life long learning but I guess there are some out there that just go through the motions, I kind of feel sorry for them not to feel what we do, that excitement and rush.

 

[FingerNailFixer]

It is always interesting that we have our own idea of celebrities in the industry. I am still in shock and awe when I chat with Doug Schoon, his scientific expertise is mid bending. To chat with Sam, Samantha, and Gigi online as colleagues is a dream few non nail friends could ever comprehend. I think an any field there are those content to hold a place and there are those that want to know more than a small corner of the information. I love taking classes still as well, we will never know it all and I frequently invite those who are under the assumption that they know everything to kindly leave the industry as they hold the rest of us back. I don't expect someone to know everyone, but like you I am always amused and saddened when they don't know some of the key greats like Doug, the Sweets, and Gigi.

 

[K-Nails]

I think we owe it to ourselves and the nail industry to aspire to our peers and in doing so we inspire others to be like us.

It's a chain reaction and long may it go on xxxxx

 

[bobbyrazz]

I have no idea who Gigi is.

As if :hug:

I was actually quite pleasantly surprised when I added Doug Schoon on Facebook. He messaged me when he accepted and we spoke a little while about charity fundraising (I had a picture as my "cover photo" of when I did the Race For Life) and he is quite passionate about that too. It was so nice that he took notice. Lovely, lovely man