Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Business Student of the Year presentation ideas

The Nuts and Bolts Business Student of the year is just around the corner!
Part of the application process to enter this contest is submitting a visual presentation.
Here is how it's stated in the BSY guidelines:

Additionally, entrants will be required to prepare a presentation of how they plan to use
the teachings of Nuts and Bolts in salon /spa life when they graduate. Entrants must
prepare a 3-5 minute visual presentation on video. StoryBoard and/or PowerPoint
presentations are acceptable media. Judges will review the presentation and award points
for the following:
Content quality % 10 points possible
Clarity of information % 10 points possible
Innovation used in the presentation % 10 points possible
Overall appearance of the presentation % 10 points possible


Some students may choose to present their ideas on a "storyboard" display which can be found at most office supply stores or craft stores, like Michaels. Here is an example of a blank one:

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Below are photos of an assignment that students from Cameo College in Murray, Utah were given. Similar to the Business Student of the Year contest, they had to use storyboards for their presentations. Hopefully these will give you some inspiration for your presentation. Good luck! If you have any questions regarding the contest, you can contact the Nuts and Bolts team here.
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Cameo Storyboard 1DSCF2923

Thursday, October 1, 2009

New Videos up on NabTube!

Be sure to check out the latest videos from Eveline Charles Academy and Hays Academy on Nabtube!


Friday, August 28, 2009

Fashion Bloggers=Great exposure!



This video was sent in from Avenue Five Institute in Austin, TX. A local Fashion Blogger came through the salon and later posted a video of her new haircut on her blog. What a great way to gain exposure to new clientele!

Bloggers, especially ones who write about fashion, have the ability to expose otherwise undiscovered fashion designers, boutique shops, and of course HAIR STYLISTS! The web is such a great tool for marketing yourself. Kara from AvenueFive Institute can use this video in the future to show off her skills to new customers or even salon owners.

In general, those who follow (or consistently read) fashion related blogs are more in-tune with current trends in the fashion industry. A great way to get younger or more style-conscious clients in the salon would be to pair up with these bloggers!

If you are unaware of any local fashion bloggers, try doing a google search for "Fashion blogs" and your city. Chances are, with a little research, you'll be able to find someone nearby who you can contact. Maybe there's a special going on at your school's salon that you can offer to a potential blogger. More often than not, these internet-savvy bloggers are looking for new and interesting ideas to write about. Why couldn't they feature you?

Here's another fashion blogger (who I follow religiously!) called The Glamourai who wrote an entry about her favorite stylist "Lenny" in New York. She even mentions a special: tell him that you're a fan of her blog and receive $25 off your visit at the salon! Now there's a great idea!


-Melissa Loschy

Thursday, August 27, 2009


Our Student of the Month is Sara Overton and she comes from Capri College in Cedar Rapids, IA and was nominated by Chris Fiegen.

"I wanted to submit a student for recognition for her outstanding achievements. Her name is Sara Overton, and she attends Capri College in Cedar Rapids, Ia. In july, Sara shattered our all time production record with a total sales and service of $2026.47. This was with $478.14 in retail sales, and $1548.30 in services. In june she exceeded $1,000. She had a 100% increase in one month. Wow! Our previous single month record was a little over $1300. She has not yet even completed her N&B training, but has taken it, and her attitude to a whole new level of success. She is an outstanding student who really deserves recognition. We are extremely proud of her and her accomplishments. (we even have to get a new plaque for the $2,000 club!)"

Sara sent us a testimonial about Nuts and Bolts, and here's what she had to say:

"I decided to become a hairstylist after having worked as a salon coordinator in an upscale Aveda salon in Cedar Rapids. My owner sent me to class after class for salon operations, business building and great customer service. It was then that I fell in love with the beauty industry. I chose Capri College because of its great reputation in Cedar Rapids, and my owner said it would be a great place to get my education. When the Nuts and Bolts program came to Capri I was inspired by your words, but I thought the last thing I needed to participate in was another “customer service” class. I thought I all ready knew everything I needed to know and I was just going to school to get my license, why waste time with this program. I am grateful that our director and staff urged me to take the program. The first day of the program I felt as though you were talking right to me and I knew Nuts and Bolts was like know class I had ever taken before. I realized that the attitude I first had about the program was exactly the trap that most stylists fall into, and that if I continued down that path I may be successful for a little while but it wouldn’t last. The program taught me that I will never stop learning, and that clients want to hear about the new things you have learned. I could go on and on about all the doors the program opened up for me and all the ah ha moments! It has helped me change my thinking and shown me how to take customer service to the 5 star level. When I began implementing all of the tools I learned on the floor, the first month my totals doubled and I was just short of making the thousand dollar club! In the second month my retail sales helped me reach the thousand dollar club, I made it a goal to hit fifteen hundred dollars by the third month and ended up making over two thousand dollars in service and retail in my third month! Not to mention my tips were great! I will continue to use the tools from Nuts and Bolts to be successful in this industry, thank you for the opportunity, I am so glad to have taken advantage of it!

Congratulations Sara!

Friday, July 24, 2009

Lovely words

A huge thank you to Mindy Chandler from Capri College in Davenport who sent an incredible testimonial to Jim last month. Here is what she had to say:



"My name is Mindy Chandler and I go to Capri College in Davenport Iowa. You recently came to my school and spoke to all of the student body, which you did very well I might add! :) You see the reason I am messaging you today is because the things that you covered and the material in your program really spoke to me! I remember when your program first started out at this school many students, (and I regretfully ) thought of the program as a waste of time:( Till one day shortly after you had came and spoke to us, I was scheduled for a pedicure. I went up to the desk, read my clients name out loud in a professional manner, introduced myself, and took her back to the spa area. As we sat down I realized that she was a part of a group of girls that had came together. I then proceeded to fill out the traveler without really explaining anything, just going through the motions so I could get the service started. Well the pedicure went great, and the woman was very nice, but you see when we got to the end of the service my client announced that she was going to pay for all the pedicures. So when I gave her the ticket she simply looked down at the paper and asked me about all the information that I had wrote on the paper. She asked "Were you supposed to tell me all of the things that you wrote on this!" WELL, there I was, looking and feeling like a fool! I told her that I wasn't going to lie,that yes I WAS supposed to tell her all the things that I wrote but because I was in such a hurry that I didn't taken the time with her that I should have :( She then proceeded to tell me that the girls in her group are her employees and that she sold insurance, and she is always trying to get her girls to up sell, and how important it was because if I would have discussed that paper with her that she would have bought anything that I would have tried to sell her, that she has more product at home then I do on my back bar, because she is a sucker for retail! Well you see at that moment the light officially went on :) I totally realize now exactly how important all the things you were saying and how valuable the information in your program really is! So I would love to tell you how much I appreciate your time and effort that you have given to educate others! You see my intention on coming to cosmetology school was to open my own business, and now you have put the fire back in my heart to do what I Love, and what I love is hair and business! THANK YOU! I plan on opening a salon around my area and would love to get some business advice and information on the process of doing that from you! I am just not sure on where to start! What I do know is that all my stylist will be Nuts and Bolts certified, and my salon will be based on your program and ideals! Thank you So much for putting the fire back in my heart and tools to do something about it!
Sincerely,
Mindy Chandler"

Thursday, July 16, 2009

Congratulations!


Congratulations to
Heidi Bjorklund
of Stewart School
and Katie Wadsworth
of Cameo College

They are the first official winners of our iPod Giveaway!

There is still plenty of time to win!
You can still send your videos, photos, testimonials, or join the mailing list in order to be entered into our next raffle, which is August 1st!

C-H-A-N-G-E

Continuously Having A New Growing Experience

Mayra Colon-Pettway is a Nuts and Bolts Student at Brio Academy School of Cosmetology in Hamden CT. Here is her story about Embracing Change.

"My name is Mayra Colon-Pettway and I am senior at Brio Academy School of Cosmetology in Hamden CT. I’d like to share with you my opinion of the Nuts and Bolts program; an integral part of my education and preparation towards achieving my personal, financial and career goals.

As a freshman I was learning both cosmetology theory and the Nuts & Bolts training. One of our assignments was to sum up in 500 hundred words what we had learned up to that point.

What was most evident to me then and remains constant now is change. I thought to myself,” How can I best describe change to myself and to others”? I came up with Continuously Having A New Growing Experience. This sums up for me every challenge, every obstacle, every victory, and every single thing old and new that forced me to grow as a person, as a parent and spouse, as a dreamer and entrepreneur. Change is without a doubt always on the go. You can’t stop it. It goes on with or without you embracing it.

I was tickled pink taking the Nuts & Bolts program for many reasons. I have worked in the corporate sector at least twenty years and I’ve learned a few things. Some of my experiences were enjoyable and some were not but I learned them and kept them and used them as needed. Nuts & Bolts included most of the things that have taken me two decades of work experience to attain and summed in up in four cornerstones.

It’s an awesome program that exposes you to key points on how to improve your personal life, business goals and financial success. As you go through the different topics you begin to C.H.A.N.G.E. Before you realize what you are doing this program allows you to expand your way of being and challenges you step by step, point by point to apply these new and sometimes scary changes to your way of life. Let’s face it not everyone likes change but Nuts & Bolts is not drastic. I would describe it as a subtle yet exciting way of growing; one topic at a time until you complete the program.

I enjoyed the Nuts & Bolts training as it refreshed me on some of the topics, gave me new ways of approaching different situations and it gave me a new level of confidence in what I am doing with my life and my goals. Nuts and Bolts should be a part of every class in every school."

-Mayra Colon-Pettway, Brio Academy School of Cosmetology, Hamden, CT.

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Videos are EASY

I just wanted to share again how easy it is to create a video using your digital camera's Movie Mode. Here's an example of a great video sent to us from Stewart School using a simple digital camera.


There is no editing necessary in order for your school to be featured on NabTube! We added the title card after the video was sent in.



Here is another example of a video sent to us from the Co-Founders Jim and Rob from the Team Leader Training at Capri College in Cedar Rapids, IA. This is exactly what we're looking for!
Please email us (Melissa@nutsandboltstraining.com) if you have any questions about how to upload a video file from your camera to the computer.

Have a great day!
-Melissa

Monday, June 22, 2009

Thank You!

We would like to personally thank all of the students, school owners and team leaders from the schools who have sent their videos, photos and testimonials to the NaB Team. It has been so much fun looking through all of your content! Here are the wonderful schools who have participated in our search for great content!
  • Stewart School, Sioux Falls, SD
  • Cameo College of Essential Beauty, Murray, Utah
  • Eveline Charles Academy, Edmonton, AB, Canada
  • Capri College, Iowa
  • Guy's Academy, Shreveport, LA
  • Evergreen Beauty and Barber College, WA
  • Bellus, San Diego Beauty Academy, CA
  • Eric Fisher Academy, Wichita, KS
  • Avenue 5 Institute, Austin, TX
  • Honor's Beauty College, Indianapolis, IN
  • BJ's Beauty and Barber College, Tacoma, WA
You can find all of the great things these schools have sent in on nablounge.com
Don't forget the iPod Nano giveaways! You can enter by signing up for the mailing list, or sending in content. Find out how you can enter as many as 5 times by sending your photos, videos and testimonials. If your name is picked in one of our bi-monthly drawings, you could win your very own Limited Edition Red iPod Nano!
Have a wonderful week and stay tuned for more of what's new at NabLounge.com
-Melissa and the Nuts and Bolts Team

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Dear Nabby

One of the cool features of nabLounge.com is the advice, or "Dear Nabby" section. It's a place where you can go and read industry related questions submitted by Nuts and Bolts students and answered by Robert and Jim of the NaB team. It's also the place to ask those questions! You can remain anonymous, or you may include your name and school. A few students from Stewart School in Sioux Falls, South Dakota have already sent in some great questions that can all be read on the Advice page of nablounge.com. Here is a GREAT featured question and answer:

Q: How can you make it sound less pushy when you are suggesting services to your guests?
-anonymous, Stewart School, Sioux Falls, SD

A: Suggesting or recommending services is such a natural part of the conversation with your guest. If you are worried about being “too pushy” then take a look at the motive behind your recommendation, and ask yourself these questions.
• Is my recommendation going to make the guest look and feel better?
• Will the benefit out way the cost in their eyes?
• Am I sincere in my desires for the guest?
If the answer is YES,YES,and YES, then the recommendation is a good one, and not pushy at all. Remember that your job is to recommend, not sell. It doesn’t matter if they don’t take your recommendation.
-Robert Hall, Co-Founder of Nuts and Bolts


*Don't forget to visit the advice page and send us a message if you need advice on any topic relating to the salon industry! It is our pleasure to help.

Friday, June 12, 2009

Ipod Nano Raffle!


Hello! Happy Friday everyone.
I just wanted to let you all know about an exciting opportunity to win a free IPOD NANO (Red)! There are 2 different ways you can enter to win.

1. Sign up for the NabLounge mailing list.*
Be the first to find out about exciting new additions to the site, like new contests or giveaways! By signing up, you are automatically entered to win a brand new limited addition NaBLounge Red iPod Nano. Drawings are done once a month. If you signed up within that month, you are eligible to win. SIGN UP NOW!
*Must be a valid email to win, and must be a current student enrolled at a nuts and bolts school.

1. Submit Videos and Photos*
Every 2 weeks starting July 1st and ending August 31st, we will be giving away a limited addition NaBLounge Red iPod Nano. Every time you submit a video or photo, your name will be automatically entered into the drawing. (Your name can be entered a maximum of 5 times per drawing). Any questions, email Melissa@nutsandboltstraining.com
*Must be a current student enrolled at a nuts and bolts school in order to win.


Don't forget to check out all the sections of NabLounge.com!

Sincerely,
Melissa

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

NabLounge is Live!

We are now proud to announce that NabLounge (phase 1) is officially live! You can visit it here. Click through the sections to watch videos, look at photos, read advice, and enter to win an ipod nano!



The purpose of www.nablounge.com phase 1 is to provide a place for our students to go to learn, share, and have fun!

There are some wonderful fun and exciting sections:
  • PHOTOS: pictures submitted by nuts and bolts member schools
  • NABTUBE: videos sent in from students, schools, and from the Nuts and Bolts team
  • NEWS: what's new at Nuts and Bolts and interesting industry news
  • TESTIMONIALS: The place where students talk about how Nuts and Bolts has helped them
  • ADVICE: questions submitted by students are answered by Rob and Jim
  • SCHOOL FINDER: An interactive map of North America where you can find nuts and bolts member schools as well as sassoon connection member schools.
On behalf of the Nuts and Bolts team, I hope you enjoy this incredible tool, NabLounge.com. We built it for you!

-Melissa

Friday, May 29, 2009

NabLounge is on it's way!

Hello everyone,
We are so excited about the upcoming launch of nabLOUNGE. The site has really taken shape and we'd like to take the opportunity to give you a sneak peak at a couple of the sections including NabTube as well as the photo page.


PHOTOS
________________________________________________________
The left is the player, and the right column is a list that shows
a small image of the video and includes a description.


NABTUBE
________________________________________________________
Albums are arranged by school. This sleek album view makes
browsing through photos easy and interesting.


Thank you to all of the schools who have contributed so far with videos, photos, and testimonials. You have really helped to make nabLOUNGE fun and interesting.
It's not to late to submit! Keep sending us your content in the form of videos (can be from your digital camera!), photos, and testimonials. Please email Melissa@nutsandboltstraining.com with your content or with any questions you may have!

-Melissa

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Owner Conference call

Today we had our School Owners Conference call at 9:30. The discussion was very active and we came up with new ideas for the Nuts and Bolts business student of the year contest.
Jamie went over a few items with NabLounge and asked school owners to continue sending us content.
-Melissa

Thursday, May 14, 2009

Hello!

Hello everyone! Welcome to the NabLounge Blog.
We are going to try our best to keep this blog updated as much as possible!
In order for you to get to know us better, the blog will always be updated by someone from the Nuts and Bolts Team who will sign their name at the end.

-Melissa