Dear Readers,
It’s hard to believe that I opened my first tanning salon over 38 years ago – I still have a passion for this industry that has not only supported my family, but also gave me the resources to start a land development company, a publishing company, a design agency, and much more. All from an industry that most of my colleagues, bankers, accountants (and even family members) believed would be a fad.
Over the last several years, I’ve rarely spoken with someone who has been in the industry as long as I have. Product providers have come and gone; major mergers and acquisitions have left fewer companies to provide the tools we need to operate our salons. One industry leader that has helped us all grow by providing top-quality and technologically advanced equipment is Ergoline, and I’ve been proud to offer over several hundred of their units in my salons. My sincere congrats to everyone at Ergoline and the JK Group on 30 years! Be sure to read Joe Schuster’s interview with Hans-Juergen Kreitz and Brynn Scarborough.
When we set out to publish each issue of IST, our entire team – including writers who have 35+ years of experience – shares a common goal: to help you succeed. Our staff has more than 140 years of cumulative expertise; more than any tanning publication, printed or online. Right now, thanks to our major sponsors, Devoted Creations and Argo Networks, we offer free business analyses to a select group of salons … visit www.istmagazine.com/bsp for details. This is a great tool and a perfect time of year to utilize it.
Busy season finally came and is still going strong! We rounded up some of your fellow salon pros to share their tips for thriving through the summer season. And, Schuster is always looking for media coverage of indoor tanning, which is typically negative. He summarizes one such article that he read while catching some rays in Florida. Read “Reflections from the Beach”.
I’ll leave you this month with thoughts about what I consider one of my greatest successes: developing a ground-breaking training and certification program. Since August 2014, Sun Is Life® has had over 17,517 unique online visitors to learn and take the industry’s best training. IST understands that salons struggle with high staff turnover. So, right now, you can certify up to ten members of your team for a full year for only $99. I’m happy to report that my salons are up in sales and net profit for the first time in five years – and the key is training. Get on board with Sun is Life!
Hope you’re having a great season.
