"THE ONLY PLACE WHERE SUCCESS COMES BEFORE WORK IS IN THE DICTIONARY."
--VIDAL SASSOON, HAIR STYLING GENIUS WHO REVOLUTIONIZED THE BEAUTY BUSINESS
You don’t become a nail tech overnight. It takes time, patience and persistence! Our very own top dog, Greg Salo, breaks down his years of nail industry experience and shares what the road looked like when he first set out as a nail tech and what it looks like now as a world-renowned educator. Come discover what it’s really like to make the journey and learn a few things that helped Greg overcome his own nail game struggles.
BACK IN THE GOOD OLD DAYS
Crowds would mob trade show booths and that’s where Greg first saw the power of a rock star nail demonstration. He made the important connection that he needed to get into nails, get licensed, and understand personally the language of nails so he could effectively communicate about his own products. Greg’s nail journey began in the late 1990s. The nail industry and the world itself was still deeply enmeshed in the traditional means of operating. Trade Shows, VHS/DVDs, acrylic systems, nail tips and hand-filing were the order of the day. Competition nails were the hot ticket. Gel was still an unrefined nail innovation just coming over the horizon. There were less readily available resources for a nail tech to further explore and hone their technique. Social Media and YouTube, two of the most vital current day conveniences for the professional nail tech, were non-existent. Instead, a recent nail school grad would have to put some serious effort into finding the right nail professional to act as a mentor and further supplement their skill set beyond offering basic manicures and pedicures. Thank god for Vicki Peters and access to private instruction. It was the only way to learn more. Not at all like it is today where anything you want to learn is online and one click away. It took a lot of initiative and follow-through to get to where we are today.
WOULD YOU RATHER HAVE TALENT OR PERSEVERANCE?
There is talent on one hand and perseverance on the other. To really succeed in nails, you need a lot more than talent alone. What you really is need perseverance. Back in the day, “reverse application” wasn’t a thing. I was completely ignorant and the E-file/Drill wasn’t a thing either. The most crucial technique to master was how to create a perfect smile line with sculpted pink and whites; along with knowing how to sculpt a free edge by hand. There was a real struggle in the beginning with my concept of how nails were supposed to be done. I didn’t know how to use forms; so I used tips. I got lost in my own head, a fabrication of my own imagination because the education resources were so hard to come by. Hard to believe but it took at least two months of practicing everyday to really get that technique down for just one nail. Just getting that one perfect nail sculpted was important to Greg’s role at Young Nails as an attention grabbing sales technique to use in demonstrations at classes at beauty schools and trade shows. The goal for me was to be able to create a flawless first impression to get our product into people’s hands. The survival of our business depended on it.
EPIC FAILS REQUIRED
My first demonstration was to a room full of 18 year olds at Glendale High School and I completely choked. I was super sweaty and super nervous. I couldn’t even complete the demo. I actually had to hand the brush back to the instructor, ask her to finish the nail for me, and left the room. I was completely terrified and it is something I will never forget. Today I look at that as defining moment in my understanding that failure is just a part of the process. It’s a stepping stone to learning how to do nails. No matter how much you may want to avoid failure, the part that matters is whether you can find a way to move past it and keep going. The beginning for everyone is always a struggle. I hope there is some comfort knowing that.
LIVE AND LEARN
When I think about how long it took me to really master that holy-grail-perfectly sculpted nail, I’d say it took me a full year to get it down to a point of feeling comfortable enough for the trade show demos. Even to start feeling comfortable doing a full set, it took another year beyond that. That didn’t mean I could do a salon set either. I’m a perfectionist. It just meant I could do a set of ten nails instead of just one. The next hurdle after that was to get my speed up. I was proud of that accomplishment as a nail tech even though what I could do was still a really slow set without an electric file! It was progress. Now I’m comfortable with being uncomfortable. There will always be the next hurdle to get better at what you do. Stay curious and always welcome that beginner’s uncomfortability; eventually with many repetitions of discomfort it starts to feel natural. Repetition is the mother of all skill! It’s like a muscle and the dexterity you need to build if you are doing nails and holding someone’s hand and then applying product. That’s a real physical thing. You have to learn that on your own.
Today, I can get out and demo to a crowd of thousands in an auditorium or to a room with 40 students at our OWC. There is still the distinction of creating nails for different audiences. When I demo, I have to pump people up, get them excited and teach something meaningful. I have to really be able to communicate that. Even if you’re a genius nail tech, doesn’t mean you're great at instruction. When I do a set for someone, like on a shoot or in collaboration with a fashion brand; there is something unique to that and also being able to communicate in a more intimate environment. First you learn the technique; then you have to add in the ability to chat while you’re doing it. There are different levels. Especially as a nail tech in the salon, the “therapy” comes with the territory when you have a client in the chair. You have to engage even though you wish you could just keep your head down. You just have to keep going.
It’s taken me two decades to get my thinking and my technique to where they’re at today. That’s 8,030 days of practice and persistence with many moments of struggle and failure sprinkled in between. If you’re struggling, you’re on the right path. If you’re struggling, find a way to keep going. If you’re struggling, you are not alone. Reach out to someone and ask for help. "The difference between who you are and who you want to be is what you do." -- Anonymous
**This is an adaption from our YN Biz Talk playlist on YouTube, “BIZ TALK: WHAT TO DO IF YOU ARE YOU STRUGGLING WITH YOUR NAIL GAME!”
Follow our YN YouTube Channel and click here to watch the full discussion here: