Meet Ashley!

Meet Ashley Evanson, a recent graduate from Cameo College of Essential Beauty in Murray, Utah. So why is Ashley such a remarkable person? Not only is she incredibly driven, intelligent, and accomplished; she is the 2010 winner of the Nuts and Bolts Business Student of the Year Award for Esthetics! By reading her answers to the following interview questions, it is no surprise that Ashley won the prestigious award and that she is destined for a mountainous career.

NaB: What made you decide to choose a career in Esthetics?
Ashley: I’ve always been drawn towards the beauty industry, plus I have this bizarre love of grooming other people, and esthetics seemed to fill both of these squares.

NaB: Did you ever consider any other careers? Have you worked in any other industry?
Ashley: I have a BA degree in journalism and worked as and editor and writer at a magazine. Actually, this job is what helped but me through esthetics school. I’m planning on graduate school in the fall.

NaB: How has the knowledge you’ve learned from Nuts and Bolts helped you to reach your goals?
Ashley: I wasn’t fantastic with the business aspect of esthetics, and Nuts and Bolts taught me what it means to be a businesswoman. I know how to work hard and I’m extremely competitive (with myself, mostly) and Nuts and Bolts taught me how to channel those qualities into a productive, successful businesswoman.

NaB: What is your favorite cornerstone or lesson that you’ve learned from the Nuts and Bolts training books?
Ashley: I liked the phrase “Work smarter, not harder.” It’s easy to get caught up in the little details and worry about accomplishing things that might not even matter in the big picture. Working smarter cuts down on my stress level, and I actually become more productive.

NaB: What are some of your long-term goals after graduation?
Ashley: I want my different educations to collaborate; being an editor/writer in the beauty or health department of a magazine would be an ideal job. I would love to write about skin health, beauty, and the “latest and greatest” from the esthetics world.

NaB: Who has helped inspired you at your school? (team leader, coach, teacher).
Ashley: I think I was inspired a little bit by everybody at my school. I’m not sure I can pick one person who was my inspiration, but the advice and examples from all of my teachers collectively became my inspiration.

NaB: What advice would you give to a brand new esthetic student?
Ashley: I would tell new students to always be looking for opportunities to learn. Don’t be content with learning the bare minimum; being an excellent esthetician requires going above and beyond. Don’t sit around waiting for opportunities to come to you, they rarely will. You have to get up and create your own opportunities. This alone can make all the difference in what kind of esthetician you become.

New Videos!

Check out these new videos from Stewart School in Sioux Falls South Dakota, as well as from Guy's Academy in Shreveport, LA!

Recognition Ceremony Highlights

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Check out this slideshow with photos taken
during the Nuts and Bolts Recognition Ceremony

NaB National Business Students of the year

Nuts and Bolts Training Company is proud to Present the winners of the National Business Student of the year award Competition

Introducing the 3rd, 2nd, and 1st place winners
for Esthetics and Cosmetology

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The Winners along with their Coaches, School Owners, and
the President and CEO of Nuts and Bolts, Jim Yates

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Ashley Evanson
1st Place Esthetics
Cameo College of Essential Beauty

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Pauline Diamantis
1st Place Cosmetology
Brio Academy of Cosmetology, Torrington

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Kayla Skaggs
2nd Place Cosmetology
Honors Beauty College

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Julie Fulcher
2nd Place Esthetics
Evergreen Beauty College, Everett

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Pamela Duncan
3rd Place Esthetics
Brio Academy of Cosmetology, East Hartford

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Rachel Chambers
3rd Place Cosmetology
Evergreen Beauty College, Everett

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Best Of Mission Roaming NabCam

How inspiring!

Here is an absolutely inspiring letter sent to Jim Yates from Roberta, a Nuts and Bolts Team Leader at Bellus Academy of Beauty and Spa in Southern California. Take a moment to look at the photos and read about how she has helped to spread positivity as well the Nuts and Bolts lessons in "Embracing Change" around the world.







Hi Jim,
I'm writing you to let you and Robert know how far around the world the Nuts & Bolts training has gone!

I'm Roberta Archer who you met several times at Bay Vista in National City. I'm now working at Bellus Academy of Beauty and Spa and continue to teach Nuts & Bolts ENTHUSIASTICALLY!

I recently took an extended vacation period, going as a volunteer to help bring creativity into the schools in Tanzania, Africa. It was a dream come true for me and a very exciting adventure.

My first week was just listening and learning and taking pages and pages of notes in many meetings with my friend Audra Dimambro of Winds of Africa. After listening for many hours, I hoped I would have a chance to speak to the teachers and share with them some of the life lessons I have learned.

One quote that I often repeat is, "It's better to be prepared for an opportunity and not have one, than to have an opportunity and not be prepared." (Whitney Young, Jr.) So even though I had no idea exactly what awaited me, I wrote down several things that I have learned along the way that I thought would be relevant. Then the opportunity came the next week as I was dropped off in the bush to live without running water and electricity, near the Masai Village at Engikaret School, a government school with about 600 children. This is what they call "the bush." I stayed with a beautiful lady who gave up her bed for me. She cooked our meals on a tiny coal burner and I ate stiff porridge and goat and what ever they gave me. It was very good and I learned to eat with my fingers. Each morning two young girls would bring us huge buckets of water on their heads! for our baths and cooking, etc..

I met and shared with all the teachers each afternoon for about 2 hours. I began my workshop with some of the principles from Embracing Change that have stuck in my head, using the Wheel of Change as a tool and an outline for the Team Building theme I was tracking. Also, the lesson on the 6 common FEARS was so appropriate for their situation at this time of change in Africa. I used several of the quotes that have meant so much to me and my students. The teachers were so receptive and vulnerable.

I later had the opportunity to visit another school, a Vocational School where there are about 30 young people, 75% of whom are orphans. I had the privilege of living and eating and sleeping with them in their tiny dorms.They are learning tailoring and computer skills. So once again, since it seemed word had traveled and my coming was anticipated, I got to share with the teachers in this venue in a small village called Bomang'Ombe.

In both places, these hungry people took notes like mad and shared both in English and Swahili how my lessons were so helpful and something they had never heard before. Before I left, they told me they hoped I would come back next year and see that they had put these principles into action!

Needless to say, I fell in love with these precious people and of course, it's all about the children.... I have attached a few pictures just to let you see a bit of what I experienced. I had a lovely young man who is an awesome teacher himself, translate for me and made it a wonderful team teaching experience.

So, I just want to say how thankful I am to you for the years of experience and training you have given. It has gone much farther than you probably anticipated and in quite a circuitous way to the opposite side of the earth. Isn't that wonderful?! I just thought you should know! Blessings to you and yours!... and have a wonderful Christmas and a very Happy New Year! Roberta

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:



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.