How you going to do it…?

We all want to be successful don't we? I have yet to hear of anyone say I dream of being homeless and eating scraps. We all dream of a better brighter future, maybe more money, more fame, more recognition….oh the list could go on.  Seriously ask your self, are they just dreams, wishes and hopes or are you prepared to do something about it?

I hear the same complaints come out of my own mouth as they do from others…"I don't have enough money", "I have no time", "My house is falling apart"" I wish I could get a better car"  "I need a better brush" 'I wish I could go on that workshop and learn those skills it would improve my business".  Come on tell me that at least one or more of those statement doesn't resonate with you.

Over the past few months I have had to look at what and why I am doing the things I am doing, what is working, what is not and more importantly what I can do to make my own dreams come true.

One thing I have to look at is where I can make short term sacrifices to achieve my long term goals…..!

Ok ok... I am trying not to delve into the whole self help speak…but basically without the cliche…..
What am I prepared to give up…..to gain a few more hours, to spend more time on a new project or new learning... "what am I prepared to give up to afford that course which looks like it will give me some techniques in the salon and on my clients…make me more money and allow me to go on more workshops!" "What am I going to give up to afford that brand new brush I saw advertised."

So what are you going to give up……? 

When I came to make my list of three things,  I did have to scratch my head…..I am so busy being busy I was not sure I had anything left to give up.  That said…I did manage to find areas I could change and put into practise last week! What a difference….!

Here are my sacrifices...

1. I got up earlier….I already get up early and work out every morning. I changed my routine and have moved over to a more intensive and shorter workout…..ouch! But it saves me 30 mins in the morning and by 6.30am I am finished and in the office with my protein shake. Breakfast is no longer a long protracted affair, before I would work out at 6, finish at 7….shake and cool down…shower and then office by 8.30!  By 8.30am (when I normally get to the office) I have completed an hour on my own education and checked my emails and Facebook messages. I then take 30 mins out to shower, change grab a coffee and I can get started on my project list with a clear mind.

2. I made more calls and did things as soon as they came up…..this reduced my to do list by half.  I hate calling people and would rather email or message them to get the answers. It is not a case of not wanting to chat…but in my mind I thought I would take too much time……nope! they are just as busy and keen to get of the phone as I am! In stead of adding to the list which had become a massive cloud of doom, it did not task too many of my grey cells in the process either,  I think I saved time not having to  look at my list and wondering what I meant when I logged the task...checking the emails to clarify and then make the call or reply. I didn't just call, I emailed and messaged on the go too….this meant for most of the time I managed to hold a conversation with someone and still requested changes on the website to be completed, ordered materials and even booked a hotel. lol

3. Spending money is not something I 'love' to do…who does? But I do know the difference in spending and investing which are too different things. I wanted to go on a great business seminar, which would cost me £197 ….ok not a massive amount in the grand scheme of things and I was able to afford it…but the thought that that money could be spent on stock or materials, advertising and so forth, was always in the back of my mind.  I needed to invest and improve my learning in order to grow and be more successful and make more money. So my sacrifice…..eat out less! We used to save time and eat out at least 4 or 5 times a week, lunch, breakfast or dinner, which costs a lot!!!!  This did mean more time in the kitchen, but that hour at the end of the day is quite therapeutic and it give me a chance to switch off and reboot. I found that the kids and John would help out as well, and it turned into family time.  Bonus!

Don't get me wrong…it is not easy, and waking up at 5.45 is tough…but it is ultimately a small sacrifice to achieve the things I want to….

My results last week; well I can not believe how much more I achieved, I felt more energised and earn more in the process!

I would love to know what 3 things you can sacrifice to achieve your long term goals and dreams…..if you have yet to set your goals and dreams…well now is the time.  Give yourself a reason for waking each day.

Guess what! Did you know? OMG…….. Gossip!

These are not just what we think of the NEW Be Creative Pigment collection, these are the names which sum up these mesmerising pigments perfectly. 

These pigments literally move with the light. Tiny particles of pigments which reflect the light, gives us the thinest possible glitter effect. Applied like you would pigments, this sits beautiful within your design nails, on  top of gel polish or in nail art to lift it. With no bulk! 

This collection will turn heads, stop you in your tracks and be just plain distracting. Worn over a dark colour or paler shades, the looks are endless and possibilities, limitless. 

The most frustrating thing about this pigment collection is that you have to see it to believe it. I cannot take a photo which will do this pigment justice…the nails literally move under the sun light. We brought this unique collection to you now, because we wanted to take advantage of the mesmerising effects they have on fingers and toes.  

USE WITH GEL POLISH & POLISH

Sparkle has a whole new meaning with the party pigments, they are thin, and ‘affect’ the nail colours beneath it; bringing it to life. These nails are set to rock your world and combine them with your favourite polish you can breath new life into tired nails. either tap or sprinkle the glitter of the nails randomly so they stick to the wet polish or inhibition layer of your gel polish, use a dry brush to lightly press it for a more dense coverage and bigger impact. of add small amounts with a smaller size 0 detail brush. 

This glitter pigment collection is fine enough to be able to scratch into the coverage and show off the colour under neath. creating another quick design option suitable for the salon and your clients.

USE WITH OTHER PIGMENTS

Don’t stop there, brighten up the ‘brights’ and add a little extra sparkle to your chameleons with this collection. Either mix together the two powders or apply directly to the nail. 

USE WITH NAIL ART

Have you wanted to add glitter to nail art, but had to layer on the top coat to achieve a smooth surface and then you end up loosing all your hard work and fine detail in the design. The glitter in this collection will let you jazz up, and make you nail art shout out…without adding bulk. 

The inspiration behind the collection!

Gossip 

This is a holographic gold glitter, finer than sand, this is the only glitter which you can apply and it will sit flat. used with ‘Guess what’ or ‘OMG’ you can custom make your look so it is different every time. no pre mixing, just pick up a try brush and gently tap the glitter so it falls into the wet inhibition layer. 

OMG

seriously silver this glitter will have you saying ‘Oh My Gawd!' every time you look at it. My favourite this is another holographic glitter that is so fine it will add not thickness to your nail application. 

Guess What!

A secret weapon, this is a green gold glitter pigment. applied over a dark colour it will give you a green shade with a fine gold accent. but when you use it over a nude, white or paler colours you will benefit form a subtle gold glitter. 

Gasp! 

This is a blue pigment, similar to the chameleon, when applied over a darker shade you benefit from an intense blue which is enhanced by the blue glitter particles, so fine they add little bull to your nail application. 

XOXO

because you will love using this Lilac pigment, applied over a dark colour you will get a more intense pink, but this is the most beautiful glitter pigment over a white or light colour. the glitter in it simply dances of your finger tips like tiny fairies. 

Did you know? 

We have been asked for black, and now we have it, with a little extra. a fine semi opaque pigment this black is laces with a fine sliver of silver. as the black pigment sits over a dark colour you will find it adds a different dimension to the colour, but the application of this pigments over the primary is so easy. the finer particles means you can work it over the lightest colour and it will create a perfect Ombre. 

right now this is a collection thats hot! get yours today here. 

K.I.S.S the nail.....

We see these wonderful creations on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest  and think yeah I can do those, or we might look at them and weep at the complicated design and think I could never achieve that. We are artists, designers and creators of all things beautiful, and of course we are professional self doubters.

The question is not I can't do this, it should be, 'how can I create a nail design for my client which is one step ahead of my competition and does take any more of my time. How can I make money providing nail art?' 

There are three simple steps to making designs work for you, to help you turn a profit and stop the ever growing head ache of finding new and inspirational looks to stay ahead of the game. 

1. K.I.S.S - Keep it Simple Sexy. Seriously too many times we over complicate the process or design because we think it is not enough or too easy. Step back, look at the clock...tic tic tic toc every second is costing you money. So simple dots, and swipe of the nail art pen and viola your client will stare at you in wonder, and post her nailagram pics instantly with pride. The complicated stuff can happen in your own time, when your relaxed and confident you have earn your pennies. 

2. DUPLICATE - did you know the same design can be done 10 times over and look completely different every time. Use three shades of the same colour on your design, now do it again with 3 shades of a different colour; pinks, blues, greens, greys....(wink wink). Now line them all up in a row, pop a little ticket saying with the price, and your customer just needs to choose the colour she prefers.

3. NEVER APOLOGISE FOR THE PRICE - so we have a design, which might actually take us about 10 extra minutes on our service, (if you used the be creative pigments, you could slash this service time by a third...just saying), Now your thinking half way through the treatment, I need to charge her an extra £5.00 or £10 for 10 mins work.......! Your training, the time it has taken to come up with the design and the exclusivity of you and you alone being able to offer it is what they are paying for, yes you could pop a few gems on and create a fade with pigments in your sleep, but she is happy enough to pay for that little bit extra. Wouldn't you?????? 

There is one other thing you can do to, arm your self with a fist full of deigns, quick, simple and very effective, these will wow your clients and have them comping back for more. 
Are you in Dorset? This Monday we have a class for all your Dorset techs.....inspired designs which will turn you a tidy profit, a day guaranteed to help you and your business grow. 
 Visit this link to book and find out more information.  - 

Want some free training?

a few months ago now..... we launched our Be Creative roadshow, the main aim for us was to give people an opportunity to attend a central location and learn something new they could take away with them and use in the salon the next day, to find our more about our amazing products and meet myself and my team of very talented artisans. 

Well....this proved a lot harder than we thought.....

...it seems providing a free days worth of education, demonstrations and practical sessions doesn't mean people will come. The previous roadshows have been a success, but we still get requests to visit areas not on the list, I need to mention putting an event on like this might be FREE to those attending but it is not for us, the time and effort not to mention the cost to arrange it is ridiculous and not something we take on board lightly. 

I apologise from the bottom of my heart that we have not been able to visit your area, and I hope if we are supported we can in the future. The invitation is open to join us in London this Sunday we would love to see you there.....please come and take advantage of the many things we have to share with you....for free. 

Let me tell you more about whats on offer on Sunday....

Visit with our Artisans and watch some demo's, I will also be there creating some nails using the Be Creative range. We have a try me table - this is where you can get your hands on the products, and have a little one to one personnel tuition with the artisans.  of course there will be a little shop,  original sugar and their Mani cam, so strut your nail stuff down the 'original' and first Mani cat walk....

The whole day will be a lot of fun, full of information and inspiration......and so much much.

and the best bit 

Yep seriously we are not charging you a penny, we want to share with you our products, give you the insight to how the nail art pen works and let you see how amazing the pigments are...

We know sometimes you just can't make it to  class or even afford one, this is our way of making it happen. We are not planning to attend the bigger shows this year, so we have put on a roadshow around the country to give you a taste of just how amazing this range is, and how talented our artisans are. 

Please come and visit us, this is an open innovation , Can't get fairer than that! I look forward to seeing you there. For more information visit THIS LINK , don't worry about parting with your pennies for a refundable ticket, just pop along and have some fun. 

The empty pickle jar.

I have just got back from my 7 day holiday in a log cabin in a forest not far from my home and had some time to ponder and think about what is coming up for Jealous Cow and the Be Creative team. 

Feet up, hot tub surfing and a little glass of pink or three, (check out my holiday snaps) and I have come to the conclusion....I need another holiday!  Don't we all? I count my blessings, this is the first break I have had in 2 years and the holiday before that was 12 years ago....seriously need to re-assess my priorities. I watched this cool film on you tube the other day, I had read it before, and thinking about it i am sure i have written a blog post about it too, but the film summed it up perfectly, and I thought I would  share it with you as well. 

CHECK IT OUT HERE

I have said it before and will say it again, the advantages of todays technology, and accessibility and access people have to you and your business is amazing, and very handy, but it does put a strain on the person running the business and the individual trying to make it work. The larger companies and organisations have an infer structure and a closing time in place, because they are not at a point of growth, they have established their business network and move forward from there..  But for us trying to grow a new or small business, maintain customer service, and come up with innovative solutions to common problems well it is just darn hard to switch off and say its closing time.  Yes I am talking about my own business but this relates to the nail techs, even if your mobile, in a salon or working from home, there is a fine balance between being available 24/7 and enjoying the down time. 

Those 'to do' lists will never be complete, the requests will never end and the feeling of not doing enough, well quite frankly that is because your a mother, wife and daughter (if your a man and reading this, wow thanks for joining, and it applies to you as well, except the wife and mother bit) 

I battle daily with the guilt of not getting things done, with the constant voice in my head telling me I have failed, and then saying eat a cake! ???????? yeah I know....what can I say that is another post entirely. 

What I am trying to say is if it doesn't get done it doesn't get done, that person asking to have her nail fixed at 11.30pm or a certain someone requesting you organise an event 2 miles down the road from one that has been arranged, stands alone in a crowd of others, all trying to fight the same battles as you. The one person wanting you to do something away from what you should be focusing on, needs to be popped on hold and wait in line.  We hear this little voice in our heads tell us  it will only take a moment....... then we spend a lot of our time and energy pandering to the problem or new direction...instead we should just say NO.  Like the voice in my head which tells me to eat cake.....that cake is not a quick fix it will spiral me down a path of regret, stress and more work trying to get rid of the extra lbs. Just say NO, I can't do that right now, but I shall pop it on the list. 

http://abstract.desktopnexus.com/wallpaper/1419024/

So nail warriors go forth armed with the knowledge that you are doing enough, that you can only do what you can in the hours you have set aside for that particular role, spend time with your family, and don't feel guilty, go and make those yummy apricot and pecan nut power bars with the freedom you have done enough (yes that is on my job list for today), and enjoy a few hours to yourself....because you have earn it and deserve it. 

NAIL ART TRENDS FOR 2014

Last year we had an abundance of nail art and expected a down turn to the popularity of this self expression in 2014. Looking at  Pinterest, We Heart it and Instagram awash with images of nails in the media, on celebrities and  ‘nail selfies’,  it seems we are in luck this year as the nails are still set to be #trending. 

The trending nail fashions right now vary from a nude with minimal fuss and artistic flair, to the brights and golds. But hey. Don't let that stop you filling those finger tips with what ever takes your fancy. 

NUDES

From simple slivers of colour on nude nails (as a nudge in the direction of a french manicure) and the half moon manicure are still around, each year we see a variation; using colour, eliminating colour or adding texture and sparkle in the luna. But a simple white half moon on a nude base is another great look seen on New York fashion week for spring 2014. 

EMBELLISHMENTS

Embellishment is the new black for 2014, with more elaborate designs and adornments, from skulls, Swarovski covered hello kitty faces, bows, bows and more bows, and lest we forget crowns and tiaras. Watch this space as we take texture to the next level. 

MINIMAL CHIC

As a direct contrast to the above Minimalist chic is what we can except from this years nail art, taking the nail art pen and drawing horizontal line straight down the middle of a block colour, adding optical illusions to the nail with shapes and angles. Working with black and white and separating the designs with block colour. 

OMBRA & GLITTER

Subtle ombre blends and fades, using two shades of the same colour is another re worked look to suit this seasons colours and set the trend. Adding a fine glitter and shimmer as a subtle go to for a evening out is in high demand.

Adding a metallic effect with silver foil over the tips of the nails, over a shimmer nude or pink gives you a less tacky look.

MATTE VS GLOSS

The battle between high gloss, sheer nails and Matte still rages and I think there is still fuel in nail art looks that are rocking the Matte effect. Yet it seems a collaboration between the two have formed and working a look using both shows us a great effect. 

A clever look is to add shimmer to a dark colour and then finish with a Matt top coat, creating depth and dimensions. 

Colours are far from understated, bright, bold and a 'hey look at me' attitude. Pastel's have grown up and become muted natural shades and if your looking for nails to work with those clean white fabrics then dark nails will do it; forest greens, blacks and rich blues are a perfect companion, as long as they are perfect and chip free. 

I hope you enjoyed this blog post  I would love to hear from you, please leave a comment below.
Sam