Dear Readers,
Happy Spring!
Of course, I’m writing this letter in March, so I’ve probably just invited the wrath of Mother Nature upon us here in the Great White North. For those of you who had a rough winter, I hope things are warming up – and warming up in your salons, too!
Here’s a great idea for a short, but important springtime trip that’s also an amazing opportunity for you to support our industry – and YOUR livelihoods. Mark your calendars and plan to join the Indoor Tanning Association in Washington, D.C. on May 21-22 for the Industry Summit. I attended the event in 2011, and will be there again this year. I encourage you to get involved, as well. You’ll be joining others who care about our industry’s health and future, and meeting with members of both the House and the Senate to discuss issues that are important to the tanning business as a whole, including the Tan Tax. Find more details about the “Capitol Hill Fly-in” in this month’s “ITA Update”.
I attended the ITA Board meeting in late February, and can confidently say that the ITA is stronger than ever. The group is committed to representing all industry sectors and our common goals and interests, communicating with Washington and Congress, repealing the Tan Tax and combating attacks by our detractors with a unified message for our industry. Support YOUR industry organization – visit theita.com for more information.
A key component of the strategy for creating more professional industry standards is, of course, salon operator training and certification. I’m happy to say that Sun is Life Training & Certification is growing steadily, due in large part to our new director, Tony Brown. The testimonials are pouring in from salon staff who have completed the classroom training and/or online certification program, and are realizing great results. It’s time to equip your team with a real knowledge base that is NOT about making health claims to salon clients. Sun is Life is now the leading choice for salon operator education! If you haven’t done so already, visit SunisLifetraining.com and join those of us in the tan biz who are on the right road.
No stranger to training is the gentleman in this month’s “Industry Close-up”: Heartland Tanning’s Director of Major Accounts/Corporate Trainer, Gary Meunier. He’s known by many in the industry, and Ribby’s story has some fun and heartwarming details about Gary’s life. This IST feature gets great feedback, and it’s one I truly enjoy reading, as well.
As always, there’s a wealth of content in this issue; if there is anything you’d like to see in your ist Magazine, please let us know.
With the warmer weather comes those seeking a responsible tan … let’s make it a great season!
