I rarely have a rant but feel like having one now!
What is ruining our industry are those 'technicians' who will NOT pay for good and on going training! The 'messers' and the 'it looks easy, I can do it' and those that think a short course is enough without taking their craft seriously and making sure they know and learn as much as there is to know are what are ruining our industry! Just reading posts on here just shows how little so many 'professionals' actually know! It is frightening.
I think I can safely consider myself to be a professional but I work with the most powerful influences in the consumer market. I also regularly read the posts on this site. Every beauty journalist I know, every celebrity, every female that has ever experienced the services of a professional nail technician has a bad story to tell!! The questions and the answers I so often read on here demonstrates the lack of knowledge and understanding which could explain the bad experiences.
Instead of stressing on what the discount salon is doing or what is being sold in retail outlets or how much some amateur is charging concentrate on being better than anyone else! This takes investment both in time (learning and reading) and hard cash (as many great courses as you can find)
There are a very few brands who will always be pro only and who keep their faith in their customers while providing the best education there is (and we all know who that is!). There will also be others who have great products and good training who will end up selling retail. BUT they gave the first shot to their pro customers! What happens? Their 'pros' struggle and have problems!
The success of the professional industry is not about stopping discount salons, banning MMA, licenses or moaning about products being sold to anyone! Business is business. The only winners will be those who can do what they do better than those around them!
Take it from one who has fought this battle for years! Since 1987 as a professional and since 1996 in the most pressured and back-stabbing life as a nail technician there is!