ist magazine August 2022

From the Publisher

We’ll Get Through Another One!

Publisher Vince Lorraine Editor In Chief Vince Lorraine Managing Editor Sherron Barden Assistant Editor Peter Hinterman Editorial Advisory Sherron Barden

Dear Readers, There’s one thing you can say about our industry: it has certainly evolved over the last four decades, and the evolution continues! But while much has changed, one thing remains the same, and that is the closeness and camaraderie between members of the tanning community. Those relationships are definitely a benefit of choosing this business venture. This was evident once again at the recent salon operators’ retreat hosted by Heartland Tanning, also celebrating their 40 years in the industry. Check out the details and photos on p.14-15. Later this month (August 16), JK Products & Services will host Experience Ergoline “Summer Conversations,” a free virtual event that will focus on taking advantage of the slower season to improve, update and add value to your existing services and salon guest experiences. Register at experienceergoline.com. In today’s uncertain economy, tapping into these business resources is a great idea. Another resource that can elevate your practices and profits is the Sun is Life® Training & Certification program, available online 24/7. Employee training is the focus of Gary Lipman’s “UK View” column (p.38) in which he makes a great point: your staff, if properly trained, can be an “army of influencers” who can promote the responsible UV tanning services you offer! Read what program graduates have to say about Sun is Life on p.40-41. And, check out the Salon of Distinction profile (p.18-19), our monthly feature highlighting businesses that equip their staff with the tools to succeed by investing in IST’s affordable training. Of course, we couldn’t offer this award-winning education without the support of Devoted Creations and Four Seasons, both Diamond Sponsors since the beginning over a decade ago. It’s time to level-up your team performance ... what are you waiting for? As always, our expert contributors Melissa Damiani and Lisa Saavedra offer tips for working smarter and enhancing revenue during the slow season. Yes, we’ll make it through another one! Thanks for reading,

Staff Writer Joe Schuster

Graphic Designer Hailey Worrell

Graphic Designer/ Web Developer Jonathan Boedecker

Accounting/Circulation Kim Davis

Senior Account

Executive Terese Allen

Contributing Writers Grant Cardone Melissa Damiani Gina Jaeger-Morris

Gary Lipman Lisa Saavedra Leif Vasstrom

HOW TO REACH US 5152 Commerce Rd. Fl int, MI 48507 810.230.1735

fax 810.230.1115 ist magazine.com

INTERESTED IN ADVERTISING? CONTACT VINCE@ISTMAGAZINE.COM

August 2022 | Volume 26 | Issue 7

IST Magazine ISSN#2329-8545 (USPS 023149) is published monthly by IST Magazine, Inc., 5152 Commerce Rd., Flint, MI 48507. Canadian Mail Agreement #41971515. Periodicals postage paid at Flint, MI and additional offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to IST Magazine , 5152 Commerce Rd., Flint, MI 48507. For back issues, inquire for availability. Editorial Correspondence: Address product information and inquiries to: Editorial Department, IST Magazine , 5152 Commerce Rd., Flint MI 48507, phone 810.230.1735. To authors, photographers and people featured in this publication: All materials, articles, reports and photos published in this publication are the property of IST Magazine and cannot be used without written permission. The opinions and conclusions recited herein are those of the respective authors and not of IST Magazine . IST Magazine is not responsible for returning unsolicited manuscripts, photos or other materials. Every effort will be made however, to return rejected manuscripts, etc., if they are accompanied by sufficient first-class postage, but the publisher will not be responsible for loss of any such material.

If there’s something you’d like to see in your IST, please email vince@istmagazine.com. Vince Lorraine, Publisher

Copyright © 2022. All rights reserved. Printed in U.S.A.

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Contents August 2022 Volume 26 • Issue 7

30 ASA News 32 Lync IT 34 Monthly Motivation 36 Notes from the Road 38 UK View

COLUMNS 6 From the Publisher 12 Industry Watchdog 14 NEWS: Heartland Event Coverage

IN EVERY ISSUE 22 Showcase

52 Health Newsletter 58 IST Contributors 59 Distributor Contact Cover images by oneinchpunch / stock.adobe.com

Contents August 2022 Volume 26 • Issue 7

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16

18

22

34

44

FEATURES 16 7 Questions with ... Kristin Jackson

18 Salon of Distinction Coast á Tanning Resort Bethlehem, GA 42 Get the Facts! with Sun is Life® Training

44 Seven Steps for Promoting Employee Engagement 52 The Underdog Effect

Marketing Director Heartland Tanning

Industry Watchdog

Dropping the Ball – Again By Joe Schuster

E njoying some web-surfing during the dog days of summer – or “Days of the Dog Star” as the Romans put it – a time of stagnation as Sirius sits near the sun near the end of July marking the hottest days of the year. The Romans had a way of putting things out there, for sure. Hey, they also could be said to have invented fast food by distributing food in the streets for folks on the go. Nice! But I digress. This month’s topic surrounds the question, “is skin cancer hereditary?” Well, the Huron Daily Tribune took a piece from the “Sav vy Senior” (featured periodically on NBCs "Today" show) which took a stab at answering it on a forum. The start of the response is spot on: “highest risk are people with red or blond hair, blue or green eyes, fair skin, freckles, moles, a family histo ry of skin cancer and those who had blistering sunburns in their youth.” The same info is presented in IST

Magazine 's Sun is Life® Training & Certification course. However, he then moves on to the oft stated “avoid exposure to the sun between 10am-2pm” mantra. Oy! Picture a family of four, beat down by inflation, crazy-high gas prices and road rage, finally arriving at a beach or lake vacation destination. Then, Mom and Dad announce, “Kids, it’s 10am – seek shade! Every one huddle under the rented beach umbrella for the next four hours!” The question posed was about the link between heredity and skin cancer. Missed was the fact that melanoma can develop on areas of your body that have little or no exposure to the sun, such as between your toes and on your palms, soles of your feet, scalp or genitals. Missed was a statement of reality. For about 7,500 people – mostly elderly – melanoma will be fatal. One death is of course, one too many; but in perspective, that’s .000022% of our population.

It was a great opportunity to share that one still can be at risk of developing melanoma with zero UV exposure, which goes back to an swering the question posed. Nope, that ball was dropped (again). Let’s provide folks with prag matic suggestions on UV exposure. Realize that the sun’s intensity is high on most summer days and to use and reapply proper SPF, as opposed to avoiding the sun on your hard earned vacay. For fun, type “John Candy Sum mer Rental sunburn” into your web browser. I’m often reminded of him in this classic movie when discuss ing the beach and UV. If you have time, give it a watch. Loaded with grins, especially the bit on an errant toss of a flying disc ... enjoy! 

Team IST searches for erroneous, suspect or negative reporting by the media that adversely impacts the tanning industry. Reports such as these have plagued tanning businesses for decades. Although the media sources will seldom admit a falsehood and print a retraction, IST offers these well-crafted responses to the negative reports that can be shared with your customers and potential customers, alike.

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News

“As long as Heartland continues to get the support of salon operators and manufacturers, we will continue on with this format and top it each and every year!” Tammy Reed Vice President of Distribution

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second annual “Mind Your Business” Owners and Opera “Plans are already underway for 2023 Heartland Presents – Mind Your Business 3!” Reed concluded.  Mind Your Business 2 Owners Retreat Continues to Impress In today’s environment, Heartland has been committed to helping salons through these summer months with profitability and continued education. Heartland recommends that you join the “Heartland Presents” Facebook group and mailing list to take advan tage of the savings and stay informed about upcoming podcast events.

L EE’S SUMMIT, MO – The tors Retreat left attendees with only one question: When is the next one? Heartland Tanning’s industry event brought salon owners and tanning product manufacturers together with a winning combination of network ing, fun and relaxation. This year’s event was again held at the Elms Historic Hotel & Spa in Excel sior Springs, MO allowing attendees to enjoy the venue’s amenities during the pool party, paranormal tours and mak ing s’mores, as well as offsite excursions during the Poker Pub Crawl. This year, networking opportunities were ex panded to two days and concluded with a “Studio 54-themed” party celebrating Heartland’s 40th anniversary.

“It brings us so much joy to host this unique event for the second year,” stated Tammy Reed, Vice President of Distri bution. “We have been hosting shows for over 25 years and have observed the need for it among our salon partners over the last several years. We all work so hard in-season, so we knew we needed 1) an event that forces us to have some much needed relaxation and downtime, and 2) an organized networking opportunity for salon owners, manufacturers and Heartland staff without the pressures of buying something. As long as Heartland continues to get the support of salon operators and manufacturers, we will continue on with this format and top it each and every year. We absolutely love meeting new people, putting faces with names and visiting with our loyal, wonderful customers!”

About Heartland Heartland is a family owned and operated tanning product and equipment distribu tor serving salon owners nationwide for 40 years. Visit heartlandtan.com

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Feature

Q. How d i d you f i nd your se l f wor k i ng i n the t ann i ng i ndus t r y ? A close friend worked for Heartland Tanning and was always going on about it being a family business, how much she loved the relationships she had with her customers and that it was the best industry to work in. About five years ago, I was working in the medical field and feeling pretty beat up, so I left it for a business support rep position with Heartland. I soon learned that everything my friend said about it was true! Q. Wha t / whe r e wa s your ve r y f i r s t j ob? At age 16, I was a dance instructor at the Expressions in Dance studio in Raytown, MO. Q. How wou l d you r f r i end s de s c r i be you ? They would say “strange” but I like to think they mean “unique.” I often randomly quote movies or song lyrics during conversations and am also obsessed with folding laundry. QUESTIONS WITH. . . Kris in Jackson MARKETING DI RECTOR HEARTLAND TANNING

Q. What is one of your “pet peeves?” Admittedly, I have several; however, I would say the biggest is when someone misspells my name in a com munication when the spelling is also my email address. It’s not a hidden detail! It’s right there in the email! Q. Do you hi t the snooze but ton in the morning or wake up immedi atel y? SNOOZE! Alarms are only a suggestion, right? Q. What ’ s something people would never guess about you? That my “mini-me” daughter is adopted! I love it when people say she looks just like me.

Q. What are you mos t exc i ted about i n your l i fe r i ght now?

My daughter will be starting her senior year of high school. It’s exciting planning everything but honestly, if I had a “rewind” button, I would keep her with me forever. 

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Salon of Distinction

COASTÁ TANNING RESORT A Five-Star Experience BETHLEHEM, GA

S alon owners often inquire about how they can be featured in IST as a Salon of Distinction. Answer: It’s simple! Take either the online or classroom version of our popular Sun is Life® Salon Operator Training & Certification course and you’ll have the opportunity to be randomly chosen. Each year over the past decade (or more), I’ve had the pleasure of teaching salon staff the classroom version of our SIL certification program at select industry events. It’s pretty cool when one of those that I have personally trained is selected – even cooler when it’s a salon from the area where I live! Mo Makkani had several of his staff take the training to begin his run with the Sun City salon chain (now Coastá Tanning Resort) in Metro Atlanta. A very enthusiastic group to say the least, they were selected to join this illustrious group. Read on!

salon, to provide our guests with a “five star resort style” experience. We offer additional spa services alongside tanning in an environment where our guests can tan, relax and rejuvenate. After being presented with over a 100+ possible names, we landed on Coastá Tanning Resort which encapsulates a getaway to a luxury resort on the Amalfi Coast or coastline of Santorini. IST: You told me you enjoyed the Sun is Life Certification course and I recently had the opportunity to train some of your staff classroom style at an industry event. What insights did they gain? How important is it to have a staff fully trained with Sun is Life? MM: Sun is Life is an excellent resource for training any new employee

IST: Mo, every salon owner has a story about how they came to the tanning industry. I know you are involved with other businesses and recently acquired a chain of salons in Metro Atlanta. Tell us about it. MM: With years of experience in fitness & health, we saw tremendous potential in the tanning industry. Anyone who has operated a successful gym knows there’s a lot of money to be made from offering relatively low-cost memberships,

even with sizable investment in equipment and other overhead.

IST: How did you choose the name for the salon re-brand? MM: We hired a branding company to reimagine the tanning industry. Our goal was to be more than just a tanning

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RUNNING THE SHOW AT COASTA’ TANNING RESORT ARE (L-R) DAVID COLLINS, COO; JOHN DiLORETO, CEO AND MO MAKKANI, CFO

CO-OWNERS ■ Mo Makkani

■ John DiLoreto ■ David Collins NUMBER OF STORES ■ 9 YEARS IN BUSINESS ■ 30+ (as Sun City Tanning) STAFF ■ 70+ across 9 facilities UV TANNING UNITS ■ 100+ OTHER SERVICES ■ Hybrid Tanning Systems, ThermiSmooth Skin-smoothing, VersaSpa Sunless, Custom Airbrush Tans, Cocoon Wellness Pods, POLY Red-Light Therapy, Massage Chairs LOTION BRANDS ■ New Sunshine Exclusive BEST-SELLING LOTIONS ■ Designer Skin Triple Threat, 16 Karat Rose Gold and SuperNova MOST POPULAR TANNING PACKAGE ■ All Access SOFTWARE ■ Tan-Link TRAINING ■ Sun is Life® Certification ■ New Sunshine Product Training ■ Tan-Link Training

or manager. It covers best business practices, customer service and how to professionally represent our business to the public. IST: Though you’re not new to business ownership, what has been your biggest challenge as a relatively new salon owner? MM: Not surprising to any owners who have spent at least one full year in the tanning business, the “seasonal lows” or downturn in tanner traffic are more than just notable challenges. We were determined to implement a business strategy and offer additional services that would help our stores drive revenue during the fall and winter months. We have seen revenue grow substantially comparing the same months year-over-year! IST: Social media or website: which has the bigger influence for marketing purposes?

MM: While social media certainly is a major contributor to our brand awareness and lead generation, our website is (currently) a bigger influencer. We have some strong call to-action click-throughs on our website that have created tremendous results. Investing in SEO and lead conversions using your website as the gateway pays big dividends! We generate thousands of leads annually with good conversion rates at the store level. IST: What are your goals for Coastá Tanning Resort in the next 1-3 years? MM: A big part of the next phase is the coaching, mentoring and teaching across the business levels – to be able to mentor our current staff and just interact with guests. The plan is to acquire a couple more “homerun” locations locally for the corporate office and continue to grow the franchise side to bring Coastá “coast to coast!” ■

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Showcase

Tell ‘em you saw it in IST MAGAZINE

2.

1.

NEW!

3.

NEW!

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DEVOTED CREATIONS 1. Halo Beam Cream™ Light Spectrum Enhancing Moisture Mask • Complexion Perfecting Golden C • Powerful Superox CTM • Hyaluronic Acid + HA producing Hyalufix™ • Glowing Light Ehancer X50 PhotoGlow™ • Vegan Collagen • Plant Based Stem Cells • Apple Cider Vinegar • pH balancer • Multi-use formula • Celestial Clouds Scent MSRP $56.98 1.7oz

3. Frosé Fantasy™ Satin Softening Daily Moisturizer • Ultra-Blurring Moisture Lock Technology • Electrolytes • Champagne Extracts • Super Fruit Smoothie Blend

2. White 2 Bronze™ Coastal Blue-Hued Dark Tan Enhancer • Color-Correcting Agents • Sea Buckthorn Berry • Skin-Detoxifying • Anti-Orange Technology • Anti-Aging & Firming • After Tan Odor Eliminators • Aquamarine Coastal Cool Scent MSRP $49.98 8.25oz

• Vegan Collagen • Aloe Leaf Juice • Vitamin C • Frosé Fantasy Scent MSRP $26.98 18.25oz 

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Tell ‘em you saw it in IST MAGAZINE

5.

6.

NEW!

4.

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SUPRE TAN Snooki Collection 6. Shimmering Body Moisturizer • SoftChic™ Moisturizers w/Coconut & Sweet Almond Oil • Vitamin-enriched Skin-conditioning Blend • Lightweight Body Shimmer • Vitamins A, C & E • Skin Nourishing Oil & Extracts • Gluten Free & Vegan • Pink Berry Scent MSRP $26 16oz 

TANOVATIONS ™ 4. Chronic Color™

SELFIE SUNLESS 5. Color Lust Bronze Rich Dark Bronzed Color Self-Tanning Mousse

Natural Botanical Bronzer • Indoor/Outdoor DHA-Free • 675 MG CBD Isolate Cannabis Complex • Quad Tyrosine Blend • BB Crème Formula • Color-Correcting • Hemp Seed Oil Hydration • Tattoo & Color Fade Protecting • After-Tan Odor Eliminators • Dazed Dragon Fruit Hemp Scent MSRP $77.95 13.5oz

• Vegan Collagen • Color Correcting • Fast-Drying 7-Day Formula • Organic DHA + Instant Bronzed Color • Melactiva Melanin Stimulator • Anti-aging Green Tea • Mandarin Mimosa Scent MSRP $28 7oz

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Tell ‘em you saw it in IST MAGAZINE

8.

NEW!

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DEVOTED CREATIONS 7. Metaphoria™ Infinite Auto-Darkening Iconic Bronzer • Extreme DHA, Natural & Instant Cosmetic Bronzers • Violet Flower • Prebiotic Blend • Ceramide Complex • Sugarcane Derived Squalane™ • Slimming & Collagen Perfecting • Anti-Orange Technology • Antioxidant Resveratrol • Cashmere Blend 24 Hour Hydration • Tattoo & Color Fade Protecting

PROTAN ® 9. Beaches & Créme™ All-In Intensifying Serum

HEMPZ 8. Truly Rose™ White Bronzer

• Dark Intensifiers including Tyrosine • Oolong Tea & Mushroom Extract • Shea Butter • Tattoo ColorShield Technology™ • Aloe Vera • Vitamins A, C & E

• Clear DHA plus Natural Bronzers • 100% Pure Natural Hemp Seed Oil • Collagen Blend of Essential Oils, Butters & Extracts • Aloe Vera • Erythrulose • Jasmine • Vitamins A, C & E • THC, Paraben & Gluten-Free • 100% Vegan • Jasmine & Rose Scent MSRP $90 13.5oz

• Silicone & Paraben-Free • Odor Shield Technology • Sweet Summer Days Scent MSRP $32 8.5oz

• Lunar Escape Scent MSRP $159 13.5oz

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ASA News

AnOunce of Prevention By Matt Russell

IN

2012, I was asked by a num ber of industry members I had worked with for years if I would be interested in

why so many tanning salon owners do not support the ASA. Having spent decades managing associations for our industry, I’ve come to believe that most of us view funding our industry’s association to be something that only the biggest, most successful salon groups should do. After all, don’t they make more money than a smaller salon operator? This is why the ASA set a membership dues structure based on the number of business locations. If you’re a single-salon operator, your dues are ten times less than someone who owns ten locations. That’s fair, isn’t it? Another reason salon operators have told me they can’t join is that business isn’t great at the moment, and they need to wait until things get a little better. Salon operators need to consider what business would be like if the ASA wasn’t able to maintain a healthy presence in Washington, D.C. and state capitals. Imagine ridiculous restrictions placed on your equipment or an under-21 ban being passed in your state. Yes, business could and would be a whole lot worse. Keeping tanning salons protected requires a well-developed plan, credible scientific research, targeted industry data, strategy development and a team of seasoned professionals to deliver this information to state capitals and Wash ington, D.C. This is no easy task. Yet, ASA has been highly successful in defeating the vast majority of regulatory attempts made against our industry over the past decade. Attacks on our industry continue as under-21 bans are being entertained by several states right now. These attacks are highly coordinated efforts from very in fluential and well-financed organizations and are difficult to stop. Though ASA has the plan, the science and the team to get

the job done, we need more resources if we are to succeed against the attacks from our much larger opponents in the future. Some salon owners have come to appreciate that without the ASA and their efforts, indoor tanning businesses would be suffering We’re all familiar with the famous Ben Franklin quote: “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” For tan ning salon business owners faced with business-closing regulation attempts every year, this couldn’t be more fitting. Keep your business healthy. Join the ASA today.  About the ASA Founded in 2012, the American Suntanning Asso ciation is committed to defending and growing the industry through a detailed and proactive plan directed by an all-salon board and executed by more than two dozen management and consulting teammembers who specialize in this type of work. more than they could imagine.

helping develop and organize the first as sociation created specifically for tanning salon owners. As the CEO of Smart Tan, I had decades of first-hand experience defending tanning salons, combatting federal and state tan-ban attempts, combating negative publicity, and educat ing the masses on the truth about indoor tanning and UV light. I had also compiled a mountain of resources and infrastruc ture to help move our industry forward through this new vehicle. As I worked with the original group of organizers and eventual board members to establish the organization, we all came to recognize how important it was that our association had one singular objective: to protect and promote tanning salon businesses. So, the American Suntanning Association was born and to this day continues to fight for tanning salon owners all over the U.S., stopping attacks by anti tanning groups and educating lawmakers, researchers and the world about our scientifically-supported position. Since that time, salon owners have told the ASA team how thankful they are for what we do for their businesses. ASA President Melinda Norton regularly receives standing ovations at conferences and trade shows when salon owners hear about the work being done to protect their livelihoods and futures. Some salon owners have come to appreciate that without the ASA and their efforts, indoor tanning businesses would be suf fering more than they could imagine. So, this brings me to the real purpose of this message: To try and understand

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Lync IT

By Melissa Damiani

ne of the most vital members of your team may not be a “who” but rather, a “what.” A premium

Software will quickly become a component of your team that you can’t live without.

software solution will prove to be an operations manager, security guard, administrative assistant, customer ser vice manager, equipment maintenance supervisor and even a coach! As a business owner, you simply cannot fulfill all of these roles on your own, nor can the most superb member of your staff – so why not employ a single software product that can? Doing so will allow you to let go of some of the daily operational items so that you can instead focus your time in other areas like analyzing your data in order to make true data-based decisions. And, if taking a peek now and then to make sure that your employees are clocked in as scheduled or that your daily sales goals are being met gives you peace of mind, you can rest easy knowing you have a tool that allows you to do so. Imagine possessing the ability to set the rules for your business, and auto matically enforcing those guidelines by using a system that allows you to config ure parameters that are in line with your operational policies and procedures! A solid software program will also empower your team to do their jobs effectively, while limiting access to sensitive areas. The ability to track and monitor employees’ activities is essential to ensuring the security of the organiza tion you have worked so hard to build.

Yet another great way that software can aid in the effectiveness of your organization is by motivating and inspiring friendly competition amongst team members through displaying up to-the-minute performance rankings. Having these metrics readily available enables staff to maximize their selling potential while they still have time to do something about it (and of course, increases your profits, too!) So remember: software, like any other business asset, is not an expense, but an investment in your future – and will quickly become a component of your team that you can’t live without. ■

Are you and your staff constantly spending unnecessary time on data entry or manually creating reports? Do you shudder at the thought of filing client contracts, or even worse, locating one when needed? These essential yet cumbersome tasks should and can be handled electronically! Superior customer service is key to the success of any organization. How you and your staff respond to customer issues is imperative, and software can help to ensure a quick and efficient resolution by allowing employees to easily escalate and communicate customer concerns to the appropriate individual, while also creating an electronic log of activity. Have you or your maintenance person ever arrived on location with a part to repair a unit only to find that you’ve got to run back out to get a replacement part for a separate facility issue, all because you didn’t see that Post-it note left by an employee on the front counter the last time you were on site? Providing your staff with a method of submitting maintenance issues to you electronically, that can be viewed anytime/anywhere, is sure to minimize the occurrence of these frustrating situations while also improving efficiencies.

About the Author: Melissa Damiani is the Sales Manager of SunLync Software, Inc. a member of the JK-North America group of companies. With the company since 2002,

Melissa has served the organization in several capacities, and has extensive knowledge of all aspects required to deliver robust salon manage ment software solutions that are designed to enable measurable growth within its users’ ever-evolving business models. Call Melissa at 866.SUNLYNC x3 or email mdamiani@sunlync.com.

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Monthly Motivation

The Six Secrets to LivingYour “BEST LIFE” By Grant Cardone

The Six Secrets

Y ou’ve heard the saying “Living My Best Life” but what does that really mean? That saying will mean something different to whomever says or hears it – but to me, living my best life means having prosperity, abundance and freedomwhile also doing what I can to make a difference in the world. To me, having the opportunity to change people’s lives for the better is one of the most important components of living MY best life. I am where I am today because I took risks, made difficult decisions and put in the work. That’s how I achieved the personal and professional growth in order to become the successful person I am today. TO LIVE UP TO YOUR FULL POTENTIAL, YOU MUST CONTINUE PERSONAL GROWTH. THIS REQUIRES YOU TO WORK ON YOURSELF EVERY DAY. Setting goals is a big part of creating success for yourself and being able to live your best life. If you want the large house, the expensive car, exotic vacations and designer clothes, you have to consistently incorporate the four core components of personal achievement into your life:

1. HAVE A VISION. Have a dream and goal in mind that you are actively pursuing. 2. SHOW LOVE. Be open to connecting, creating growth and offering support to like-minded individuals. 3. MAINTAIN THE RIGHT ATTITUDE. Remain upbeat and outgoing so that you can project positive energy within yourself and to those around you. 4. NEVER STOP LEARNING. Continually educate yourself to keep your mind filled with valuable information which leads to new ideas. 5. ESTABLISH A ROUTINE. Set a daily action plan to stay focused and on track with your intentions. 6. GUARD YOUR INTEGRITY. Stay true to yourself and the people around you. To succeed and achieve your goals, you have to practice your routine and keep yourself motivated. To live up to your full potential, you must continue personal growth. This requires you to work on yourself EVERY DAY. ■

About the Author: Grant Cardone is a New York Times bestselling author, the No. 1 sales trainer in the world, and an internationally renowned speaker on leadership, real estate investing, entrepreneurship, social media and finance. His companies have annual revenues

Desire – WANT to be the best. Determination – NEED to be the best. Dedication – COMMIT to being the best. Drive – Be OBSESSED with being the best.

exceeding $100 million. Forbes named Mr. Cardone #1 of the “25 Mar keting Influencers to Watch in 2017.” He regularly appears on Fox News, Fox Business, and MSNBC, and writes for Forbes, Success Magazine, Business Insider , CNBC, and Entrepreneur. He urges his followers and clients to make success their duty, responsibility and obligation. He cur rently resides in South Florida with his wife and two daughters.

I encourage you to dream big – but first, you need to focus on YOU. It’s important to gain complete clarity of what you want, what your mission is, and constantly carry out the following actions:

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Notes from the Road

Think Outside THE BED! By Lisa Saavedra

S weet, sweet summertime! The weather is warm, your customers are out on family vacations and spending their time away from the sa lon. This season has historically created less salon foot traffic, as well as being known as the peak time when tanners cancel or freeze their memberships. By thinking outside the bed, you can maximize profits with the guests who are still coming in – even if there aren’t as many of them.

things like tan lines, fading and generally showing more skin every day tend to increase the need for at-home sunless products created to build, blend and maintain their tan. Make sure you have a wide range of products that meet your customers’ needs for tan maintenance, whether achieved indoors or outdoors. The summer slowdown can be chal lenging; but try to look at this time as an opportunity to sell items you wouldn’t typically sell during other seasons. As with any retail products, education is key. Many manufacturers offer training for your team so they can confidently sell these types of retail items, especially when they have fewer opportunities during the slow season. 

If your salon guests plan to be outdoors enjoying the sun, there is no reason why they shouldn’t be buying professional suncare products from YOU to use inside and outside the salon. Another easy sale is a tan-extending moisturizer – everyone, tanners or non-tanners, should be using a mois turizer after they shower and after sun exposure. We all know the importance of using salon quality after-sun moisturizers as they help prolong the life of your tan,

Try to look at this season as an opportunity to promote more of the retail items you wouldn’t typically sell .

as well as replenish lost moisture. Having a fun selection of summer moisturizers will entice guests to purchase these much-needed items from you as opposed to buying them from a big box store. I always recommend placing a tester bottle on the front counter; when customers can smell and feel the product, they are much more likely to purchase it. Sunless, Sunless, Sunless! So many sunless tanning brands offer a wide vari ety of retail products to help build color. With your customers spending more time outdoors and less time in the salon,

When I say “think outside the bed” what I mean is to think of revenue generators beyond your traditional indoor tanning lotions. There are so many other items you can offer in your salon to increase your retail sales despite the lower number of people utilizing your tanning services. Below, I will discuss a few of them. The first thing we think of in the summer is getting outside into the sun – are you selling SPF products? Do you have a good selection of indoor/outdoor tanning lotions? These are retail items that should be placed front and center.

About the Author: As Director of Brand Development for Devoted Creations’ family of brands, Lisa brings 17 years of industry experience, knowledge and

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enthusiasm to all aspects of the business, including social media, product development, training, customer relations, public speaking and marketing strategies. Lisa worked at the salon level managing a large chain of salons, which infuses her sales training and brand concepts with real world experience.

Lisa has been chosen the IST Magazine “Person of the Year” five times.

Commit to Your Tan

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Training is Our Route to Influence By Gary Lipman

I am a great believer in continuing professional development (CPD). Well-trained staff are an integral element of a successful tanning salon business, indeed any business, and professional tanning salons worldwide recognise this fact. There are many reasons why this is so, from the obvious of ensuring cus tomers are screened and provided with the correct information about tanning

We need an army or even a tsunami of trained young people creating and posting videos on TikTok and other social media platforms that promote the responsible way to UV tan and debunk the common myths about indoor tanning – as well as encouraging lotion sales, special offer take-up and any other marketing initia tives a salon decides to communicate. Young people are influenced by informed young people to whom they can and want to relate. We know con sumers are confused and fed up with the mixed messaging about tanning. So just think about it for a moment: we have a ready-to-go global network of potential influencers employed within our salons! We simply need to get them communi cating with some consistent messaging and information and then let us see if we cannot change the anti-tanning narrative. I am serious about this and I know others in our industry are, too.  Are you on board?

seems clear that development and career opportunities will be improving within our industry and, as such, the training and retention requirement will become even more significant. As we will all know, it is expensive and time-consum ing to replace good staff. With UK unemployment currently hitting a 50-year low and vacancies outnum bering job seekers for the first time in living

Think about it for a moment: we have a ready-to-go global network of potential influencers employed within our salons!

memory, now is perhaps more than ever the time when we as an industry need to focus on how we attract and retain good staff. Investing in training benefits not only the employee but also the business, not least because trained staff are much better equipped to deal with any challenges they may face in the salon. Training will encourage employees to feel challenged to grow and when this happens the result is they are more likely to find their job more fulfilling and less likely to leave. But I believe there is another very good reason why we should also be encouraging and training more young people to work in tanning salons and that is consumer education. And this outcome benefits all – consumers, salon staff, tanning salon businesses and the industry as a whole.

responsibly, through to an important but perhaps less recognised business benefit of encouraging staff retention. Tanning salon staff turnover in the UK was undoubtedly more of an issue many years ago, before the UK Sunbed Association (TSA) was formed and when the industry was less professional than it is now. I have no doubt it will remain an issue for those operators who still resist investment in their staff training and employee welfare. Whereas traditionally, the majority of tanning salon owners in the UK and Ire land have been and to this day remain single-site businesses, we know that for the vast majority of new salon start-ups in the UK, the intention is to grow a multi-site business. So going forward, it

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About the Author: In the tanning industry since 1982, Gary Lipman is Man aging Director of the UK sub sidary of Ergoline, and runs Ergoline Plus, the exclusive

distributor for a wide range of sunless products & spray systems. He is also Chairman of the UK’s Sunbed Association & a European Sunlight Asso ciation member.

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S un is Life® Certification is the factual information salon staff throughout the continent can rely upon to combat incorrect or negatively-biased informa tion about indoor tanning. Throughout Of course, as responsible owners and staff (especially Sun is Life grads) know, professional salon operation includes cleaning and sanitizing every tanning system after each session. If you haven’t invested in the super-affordable and acces sible Sun is Life Training & Certification program yet, it’s a great time to make it happen. Check it out at sunislife.com!  C’mon, Man! By Joe Schuster It’s a great time to invest in the super-affordable and accessible Sun is Life program! tanning industry’s premier training program because it is supported by seen acquired bacterial infections, warts, and herpes infections from tanning beds.” Really? Can you share how you ascertained that the herpes simplex virus contracted was the result of contact with a tanning bed acrylic and not via person-to-person contact? Oh, let me Cancer Foundation claims that approxi mately 10 million people tan on a sunbed each year. That number was considerably less than during the ‘80s and ‘90s, but let’s use it in this example: 10 million x 45 years of indoor tanning in the U.S. = 450 million people. If Dr. H’s statement were correct, wouldn’t there be an incredible epidemic of herpes traced to contact with a sunbed? C’mon, Man!

guess; it’s because not one person you asked said they had any sexual relations with an infected partner? Well? We’re waiting ... but I’ll cut to the chase. She did not offer any substantiation for her declaration. Read more from her at Why Your Tanning Bed Might Give You Herpes | YourTango Well, let’s check in with the CDC for their stance: “You will not get herpes from toilet seats, bedding or swimming pools. You also will not get it from touching objects such as silverware, soap or towels.” Read more at: STD Facts - Genital Herpes (cdc.gov) Let’s put this into perspective. The Skin

COVID, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) was clearly involved in getting factual information to the masses – a challenge for them as new information seemingly surfaced continually, sometimes counteracting what was previously stated. However, they do a solid job on many fronts. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Exhibit A: a question answered in the Sun is Life program supported by information supplied by the CDC. The question is “Can you get herpes from a tanning bed?” Well, Dr. Mary Jane Hackenbush (name changed to protect the innocent, apologies to Groucho Marx) says “you can.” She states in a recent article ... “I’ve

Get the Fac t s Wi th

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The Underdog Effect: 5 WAYS TO OVERCOME & WIN By Darren LaCroix

2. DECIDE TO BE ALL-IN.

What’s your favorite underdog story? Why did you root for them? Whether it is a small company up against a big company or dynasty sports team against the Bad News Bears, you know the stories. You’ve probably seen it countless times in every sports history, from the Pirates defeating the Yankees in 1960 to the 1980 USA Olympic Hockey team. Hollywood even makes movies about the lovable underdog. Legends are made because the odds are stacked against them. Have the odds ever been stacked against you? Perfect. Here are five ways you can win as the underdog: 1. TAP INTO THE “UNDERDOG EFFECT” The odds against you can be an asset. Ever wonder why people root for the un derdog? More importantly, how can you get people to not only root for you, but come alongside and actually help you? When the odds are stacked against

you, the crowd is rooting for you. It’s in your DNA. People are programmed to want to help, even people you may not know. People who have money, contacts and skills that could help you beat Goliath. When they see your undogged persistence, they are inspired and will use their assets to help you on this seemingly unachievable win. Get their attention; that’s an asset! Get your story out there and tell it in a compelling way. The bigger your challenge, the more compelling your story. The more compelling your story, the more people will come alongside you and help. Even unexpected people of influence or people you don’t know may pitch in and help. Make sure your story includes all the ways the odds are stacked against you. If your Goliath is known as a bully, even better. Get your story on the news, industry magazines, social media and the papers, any way you can.

What is the Underdog Effect? In telligence is something that people love, respect and want more of. You’ve probably heard of EQ, Emotional Intelli gence. Many people are talking about AI, Artificial Intelligence. Now you’re about to discover A.I.I. The Underdog Effect. A.I.I. stands for All-In Intelligence. When you are all-in, you think and decide differently. It is because the odds are against you that people not only root for you, some will even come alongside you and help. To take advantage of the underdog effect, you must decide. But this isn’t just deciding you are going to win; this is getting every single person on your team to make an all-in decision. Once you “burn the boats” and you make an all-in decision, perspective changes dra matically. You think and act differently. You feel differently. Like parents caring 

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4. HAVE AN UNEXPECTED STRATEGY. This can be a game-changer. Here are a couple of famous examples. In the movie “Rocky II”, Mickey, Rocky’s trainer, had him tie his left hand behind his back and trained him to box right-handed. Mickey did this for Rocky to protect his blind spot. Also, Apollo Creed (the champion) trained expecting to fight a southpaw. Surprise! Midway through the fight, Rocky says, “no tricks” and reverts back to boxing lefty again. Yeah, it’s just a movie, but what if you could use that idea? In the story of David and Goliath, Go liath was a massive, unbeatable warrior. David was a young sheepherder. He was not a seasoned warrior, never mind an equal match for Goliath. David did not try to fight Goliath sword for sword. Instead, he used a different weapon, a slingshot. Think about this though: It was his weapon. It was one he used for years protecting his herd. The one that came naturally to him. The one that gave him confidence. Using a slingshot allowed him to attack without being in the range of being struck by Goliath’s sword. What “unex pected strategy” can you implement? 5. BEAT THEM AT THEIR OWN GAME. What if you meet your opponent where they live? What if you out trained them? In the inspiring true-life story of the 1980s USA Hockey Team, as portrayed in the movie “Miracle”, the coach, Herb Brooks, didn’t pick professional all-star hockey players from the NHL. Nope. He didn’t even choose the most outstanding college hockey players. He chose the best ones that would work together as a team. He trained his team to play a different style of play based on flow – to play like the style of the Russian Hockey team that was considered to be unbeatable. In the film, Coach Brooks decided to train them on this new style, but harder than they had ever worked. He chose the players who would train that hard. What if you out-trained your competition?

for their children, there is nothing they won’t do to protect them. What stops you from committing to a dream or challenge like that? Us. We do. Enough is enough. If one team member is not all-in, it affects the whole team. If one team member is all-in, they can inspire others to follow their lead. 3. STOP WORRYING ABOUT THE “HOW.” Knowing exactly how is optional. The exciting part is that you may not know how and it’s OK! Embrace it. When we are kids, we dream like rivers flow. We never worry about the “how.” Why does this concern us so much as adults? Because if we can’t see the entire path, we don’t want to start the journey. That is not how successful underdogs win! They don’t worry about tomorrow; they focus on what they can do today, right here, with what they do have. Underdogs win when they move with purpose even when they don’t know what tomorrow will bring. Improvisation is an essential underdog skill. Having the ability to adapt and overcome each obstacle is part of their secret. They welcome mistakes because they are fully aware they can learn, adjust and re-engage. This becomes a huge advantage because the Goliath has a success strategy that they stick to. They are less likely to have to adapt because they usually win. So, their “adapting” muscle is not as strong. If you are the underdog, build yours! It can be a huge advantage. you, some will even come alongside you and help.” “It is because the odds are against you that people not only root for

Make no mistake, the mindset with any of these strategies is critical when you are the underdog. There was a line delivered by Coach Brooks in the film that sums up the mindset. Just before the game where they faced the Russian hockey team, their Goliath, Coach Brooks said, “One game. If we played them ten times, they might win nine; but not this game. Not tonight.” Don’t be a hobbyist; be a lobbyist for your dream. Yeah, some people don’t like lobbyists, but when you are all-in, you won’t care what other peo ple think. You don’t have time. Focus. How about you and your team living your own underdog story?  Which of the ve ways will you use?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Darren LaCroix, founder of Stage Time University. com, is the only speaker in the world with a CSP (Certified Speaking Pro

fessional), an AS (Accredited Speaker), and a World Champion of Public Speaking. He is the author of the book 17 Minutes to Your Dream and co-host of the “Unforgettable Presenta tions” podcast. Through his live workshops and StageTimeWorkshops.com, he helps good pre senters become UNFORGETTABLE.

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Accelera ing

Performance Seven Steps for Promoting Employee Engagement By Kate Zabriskie

“They’re here, but they’re not here. My staff isn’t committed, and it’s obvious to me and our customers. We’re in trouble.” “To say that initiative is lacking is an understatement. My staff doesn’t think beyond the basics. If they hit a wall, they stop. The idea of looking for a window never crosses their minds. Frustrating!” “Maybe it’s them. Maybe it’s me. Our team just goes through the motions. I wish there were a magic formula to get people focused and motivated.” While there isn’t an instant solution for increasing enthu siasm, focus and initiative, there are steps any leader can take to orchestrate success.

Step One: Communicate the direction. It’s hard for people to reach a

destination if they don’t know what it is. Whether you call it mission, purpose, or something else, employees need to have a solid understanding of the organization’s “why”, the team’s “why” and their own “why.” Leaders who promote engage ment regularly connect day-to-day tasks and expectations with the bigger picture. Work on creating clear lines of sight. For instance, “Debbie, we’re here to service members. Everything we do should help our members get the most from our conferences. As the regis tration clerk, it’s important for you to accurately register members and send their confirmation documents within two days of receiving a request. Our goal is timeliness and accuracy.”

Step Two: Delegate responsibility and authority.

Once people know the direction, good leaders give them responsibility and the tools they need to execute the plan. Will everything be done exactly as the leader would do it if he or she were to take on the task? Doubtful. However, great leaders know when to step in and when to stand back and let others own their work. “John, your job is to manage customer returns. While I have guidelines for you to follow, you can decide and then let me know how you will organize your work.”

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