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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Salon System educator, Lisa Stone, who achieved a meditation qualification after using the practice to support her mental health, shares how mindfulness techniques can be used in your beauty business… We can spend so much time and money on ensuring our outward appearances look and feel great, that we forget…
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Experts at employee engagement software company, Weekly10, have collated nine top tips for businesses to support staff during tough economic times… 1. Focus on employee engagement When employees feel connected to their work, peers and company mission, they’re more likely to find meaning in their work. They feel like they…
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Scratch explores five ways to entice clients into the nail space & reward their loyalty… 1. Find your USP “As a nail tech or business owner, consider what you have to offer the client,” advises Claire Howard, Lecenté educator. “What is your unique selling point?” For example: Do you work…
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Scratch Stars Mobile Nailist of the Year 2022 & finalist for the category for 2023, Clare Woodcock of The Nail Club, shares pricing pointers for mobile nail pros… Mobile pros: you offer a premium service, so charge for it! Gone are the days when manicures were add-on services in hairdressing…
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The importance of footcare can be overlooked, particularly during colder weather when feet and toenails tend to be tucked into thick socks and closed-toe footwear. But footcare services are not just beneficial for pedi season – foot and toenail issues can arise at any time of the year and treating…
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Salon expert and business coach, Liz McKeon, has launched her 2023 Staff Training Programme, How to Double Your Retail Sales, Rebookings and Referrals Within 30 Days. Noting the importance of retail sales in the salon as a source of income after gaining 70% of her salon’s turnover from retail and…
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