EXPERT ADVICE
AI is changing the beauty salon game: here’s how it can help you stay ahead
Richard McCabe, aka the Lifestyle Salon Coach, shares how artificial intelligence can benefit your beauty business… Love it or hate it, AI is changing how businesses work – and that includes salons. Just like past tech revolutions, if you jump on board early, you’re more likely to come out on…
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A beauty business coach’s guide to goal setting for 2025
Beauty business and mindset coach, Zaara King, offers up advice for the new year… It’s time to consider how you wish to make your mark on the industry over the next 12 months. You get to choose how you show up, what you offer clients and how you make a…
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Why nail technicians should enter the Scratch Stars Awards: tips from a nail competition maestro
Bespoke nail artist, Jiak Hing, who has won the Scratch Stars Gel Polish Stylist of the Year accolade for three consecutive years, shares insight into the competition, what to expect on the day and the benefits of entering. Why did you decide to enter the Scratch Stars Awards? To…
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New year, new you: How nail businesses can plan for the year ahead
Session nail stylist, salon owner & educator, Marie-Louise Coster, shares her tips for reviewing the last year and preparing for the next, in order to achieve success… Here we are again, another year gone and a new one in front of us full of opportunity, possibility and hope. It is…
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4 updates to make to your beauty business in 2025
Kim Ford, global business & beauty education expert, shares ways to make the most of quiet spells to improve your business long-term… The beginning of a new year is a great time to focus on business administration, such as updating operational and legal documents, and to consider if your marketing…
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Introverted nail techs: how to grow your skills & clientele comfortably
Do you love the creative aspect of being a nail professional: perfecting enhancements and getting arty, but find it challenging to converse with clients and colleagues? You’re not alone. A need to recharge after client interactions or feeling most comfortable in quiet environments are signs of introversion. The word ‘introvert’…
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I’ve been a beauty pro for 30+ years: here’s how I set boundaries with clients
Session nail stylist, salon owner & educator, Marie-Louise Coster, shares her experiences with boundary-pushing clients… I imagine most of you went into the nail/beauty industry to make people happy. I also imagine that you expected clients to be grateful and courteous at all times. I don’t suppose you imagined that sometimes…
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2025 nail business planning: expert tips for new year success
Belinda Price, OPI UK&I education and capability manager & owner of Nailspa, Scratch Stars Nail & Beauty Salon of the Year 2024, shares advice… During the busiest season of the year for most nail and beauty professionals, it can be hard to see past 31 December. But as the dust…
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If you’re a nail technician, you may have come across the term, ‘3/32-inch shank size’, when shopping for E-file bits. But what does this measurement mean, and why is it crucial to understand it for a seamless nail filing experience? The shank size of an E-file bit refers to the…
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Scratch Stars award-winner 2022 & 2023, Clare Woodcock, founder of Surrey-based mobile beauty business, The Nail Club, shares key ways to raise your profile as a nail pro… You’ve got your business up and running, you have a handful of loyal clients and you feel confident in your work. Now,…
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Nail artists, Carys Munro and Elsie Tate from South Wales, share top tips for attracting and retaining a diverse range of nail clients… No one should feel out of place or like an inconvenience when they walk through the salon door. It is important to create a welcoming space for…
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Mike Waldon, general manager at salon management software company, Salon Manager, shares how to ensure your business is prepared for the busy spring and summer months… 1. Clean up your stock. Before spring, you should take some time to get ‘out with the old and in with the new’ and…
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Does your business cater to all ages of client? While you may know that your business is welcome to all, is this clear to others – and are you missing out on the benefits of treating mature clients? “It is incredibly rewarding to treat older clients, because having their nails…
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Every nail professional needs insurance; whether working from home seeing just a few clients each week, on a full-time or self-employed basis. I’ve heard some nail techs say that they don’t have insurance as they only see a few regular clients, family members and friends for appointments. These techs still…
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