Dear Readers,
Another volume of ist Magazine is now history – we begin our 16th with this issue. I usually use this space in our anniversary issue to thank my dedicated and talented team for continuing to produce a publication we can all be very proud of; this year is no exception. Awards are nice and we’ve received many, but the truly gratifying thing is the continued support of our loyal readers and advertisers. Thanks for another great year!
We were happy to bestow awards on many individuals and tanning product makers with our 9th Annual Industry Choice Awards – check out their expressions of thanks on pg. 82. I want to thank the thousands of salon professionals who took time to cast their votes and recognize excellence in our industry. I encourage you to email the 2012 winners and congratulate them. If you don’t currently use or sell their “Industry Favorite” products, now is a great time to give them a try.
JK-North America received Industry Choice recognition for 2012, and a veteran member of their team is in our Industry Close-up this month. Lynetta Pilkinton of JK-Light is one of the industry’s best customer service providers and she really knows her sunlamps. It’s another great close-up story by John Ribner – you only find this kind of article in ist Magazine.
More tan biz coverage exclusive to ist is our “Industry Happenings” feature – lots going on right now. You can find an event calendar at istmagazine.com. Our team has produced many events for our industry and it takes a lot of work and considerable resources to do so. Bottom line: the training and education offered at these regional trade shows, large or small, can really have a positive impact on your business. Our Sun is Life® Training and Certification is being offered at several expos; last month, over 40 salon operators completed Sun is Life certification at Four Seasons’ event in North Carolina, and over 50 completed the online course in the week following the event. It’s a great time to get your team ready to do their very best this busy season – visit sunislifetraining.com.
Sun is Life continues to grow – we’ve quickly gained support from many industry leaders, including the most recent sponsor, Light Sources. I urge you to support the companies that are supporting quality industry training and education. I’m also very excited to announce the addition of the Sun is Life webinar series for 2013 – the first two will be presented this month! We’re making our comprehensive salon operator training program even better with webinars focused on proven, everyday management tools. You can find more info on pg.100.
Helping you do business better is what we’ve always been about … since 1997! There’s tons of content in this issue worth checking out – including the columns by our esteemed group of contributors. My thanks to them, as well, for helping to make us the industry’s most read publication. The season is kicking in and early sales reports for both products and services are up around the country, with many operators planning to expand and upgrade equipment. You can find all the info you need right here in ist Magazine; if there is anything you think we can do better, please feel free to email vince@istmagazine.com.
Thanks for reading!
