Читать книгу Death by Manicure: The Case of the Poison Polish - Dr. Robert T. Spalding Jr. - Страница 6

Athena was a strong advocate for social networking groups on the Internet. She firmly believed that without it she would not have been anywhere near as successful as she’d been. Part of the reason that she had been so successful came down to the simple fact that she embraced modern technology and used it to its full potential. Some people refused to move with the times and didn’t want to work to become computer literate, but Athena knew that a stubborn attitude could be the kiss of death in being successful in business.

Her Glitzy Tips line of nail coating had the most awesome reflective shiny finish that regular polish could never achieve. It was applied with a special glue and topped off with the fastest drying top coat in the industry. This product was so versatile it could be used in layering techniques with acrylics and gels and in place of regular nail polish. When the “no-chip” guarantee was factored in, Athena knew that her clients had one of the most user-friendly fashion forward products to ever hit the industry. It also really opened people’s eyes when it was unleashed onto the public. And better still, the Glitzy Tips foil coating lasted two weeks on natural nails and four to six weeks on toes.

It wasn’t just women who’d been on the receiving end of Athena’s “Glitzing.” She had done male rock stars that loved the ‘Black’ and ‘Black and Chrome’ variety, ideal for heavy metal group members. For singer Toya TrueLove’s album, Athena created a unique design that Toya debuted at a Dodgers baseball game. Athena added a nice list of celebrities to her resume as she travelled from LA to New York creating Glitzy Tips for the entertainment world.

Athena had a wish list of famous ladies that she would love to work on . Anyone from First Lady Michelle Obama, Madonna, Pink, and Oprah, to name but a few on her lengthy list. There was no doubt that the publicity generated from working with a celebrity was good for her business, but Athena’s list was not built around who could do the most for her. It was more to do with meeting people that she admired. She never compromised her ethics, which also included not testing her products on animals.

Athena was passionate about her profession and truly loved what she did for a living. Providing this service and sharing her experience with people was what she loved, and she didn’t show any bias, be it the girl next door, or a celebrity that she was working on. Athena was a ball of energy and some people weren’t quite sure what to make of her. She would sometimes sport outrageous nails that had cut outs in them that had been fashioned with hole punches. She was never frightened to experiment with a new design or try something that might have seemed totally crazy. She had an unbelievably inventive and creative mind coupled with passion and determination to get others on board with whatever project she became involved in.

With a contagious zest for life, Athena was one of those people who lived life at 100 miles an hour, and for those who couldn’t keep up with her, it was simply their loss. Those lucky enough to be in her circle of friends found it energizing and motivating to know her. Her enthusiasm could best be described as infectious. She was also a warehouse of ideas, marketing tips and business knowledge, but most of all she was a visionary talent. Her quest for knowledge and self-improvement meant that she was always willing to learn. She maintained momentum by asking for advice, taking notes in others’ classes, looking for those additional things that would take her to the next level.

Athena was not afraid of a challenge and usually wouldn’t even hold her nose before she jumped into a project or idea. One of the sayings that had stuck with her was one that her high school teachers had used – "If you want to learn to swim, the best way is just to dive in.”

If she saw a goal, she used the laws of attraction and the power of positive thinking, and like a dog with a bone didn’t let go until she had achieved what she set out to do. This was how she was able to land work with celebrities. It was not simply by accident or good fortune. Celebrities usually only dealt with the people who were at the top of their trade – after all they could afford to be picky about who they did business with and Athena knew that. What was Athena’s secret to landing celebrity clients? Her theory involved offering a product like Glitzy Tips that put her ahead of the competition. And the competition was hot; there was no doubt about that. Athena’s mentality was that she must not be afraid of rejection (a trait that was essential to many businesses) and remembered that she couldn’t get to the moon if she didn’t reach for the stars.

But if anyone considered Athena to be a one-trick pony, they could be assured that her talents were not limited to just manicures. She also offered safe and secure medical pedicures. Offering services that no one else wanted to do might be a dirty job to some. Taking care of sick people’s feet, those of the elderly, or those with fungal or post-surgery needs had become her passion. Serving a person with severe psoriasis made her happier because she knew they really needed the care she could give them. She also understood that these were people no one wanted to touch because they thought they were contagious or just down right disgusting.

Athena’s unique certification was the first real change the industry had seen in over 35 years. Athena had become certified and had received the education to work in a podiatrist’s office right alongside the doctor. Athena was known for taking doctor referrals such as diabetics who needed serious foot care, but with a gentle, knowledgeable approach, was paramount to a diabetic’s health and something that Athena championed. As a sign that it was being taken seriously, schools were now picking up this course and including it in their curriculum, especially with the heath risks associated with pedicures all over the news. Consumers were beginning to catch on and were welcoming, even demanding a new breed of Advanced Nail Technicians.

As Athena sat down amidst the well-meaning applause and pats on the back and shoulders from her competitors, she drew in a deep breath and reflected. It seemed like only moments ago, not hours when she parked her car somewhere outside in the convention center’s huge parking lot.

Her dash from her car quickly turned into a more dignified walk as she regained her composure, she remembered. She flashed her entry pass to one of the security guards. He quickly thumbed through a huge list and made a little mark next to her name to indicate her arrival.

“Thanks, Miss Elliott, you can go right on in. Enjoy the show,” said the guard with a smile as he ushered her past, but not before she slipped one of her business cards into his shirt pocket. If anyone had asked why she had done that, she would have no trouble admitting that it was not strictly for professional reasons. He had captured her attention and she wanted it noted.

She remembered ambling along the red carpet outside and into the building. She had done this before, but it always seemed to get more impressive every year as the stakes got higher and the industry pumped more funds into the show. Although the thrill of attending her first could never be replicated, the excitement of this particular show was with her.

Inside, there was the usual buzz that goes with the biggest beauty show in the United States. Inside it was a hive of activity. There were beautiful models sashaying up and down a long white catwalk at a rate that seemed like one every two seconds. These models weren’t showing off the latest in haute couture, an observer would soon realize, as every so often they would pause to flash their shapely hands with their gloriously long painted nails at the admiring audience.

The acrylic nail competition that followed was very competitive, Nails magazine and every other beauty magazine writer and photographer were scrutinizing this year’s high fashion in nails and highly styled hair of the models. Athena glanced in on the activities for a few moments and then looked around for the booth that she was going to be occupying. Her role was to talk to people, do their nails, and answer any questions they may have concerning her products and her particular techniques. She was also nominated for several awards but she tried not to let the excitement of that interfere with her booth work.

Cameras flashed as photographers captured hundreds of pictures of the models. Some of the male photographers who were new on the scene couldn’t believe they were actually being paid to watch all these stunningly beautiful women. The main stage featured the latest industry fashions and trends and was the show’s home of the top guest artists. With appearances and instruction from industry icons it was the perfect opportunity to learn from the best – names like Paul Mitchell, TIGI, BED HEAD, Tabatha Coffee, Redkin, Matrix. With guest artists of this stature the bar was always set very high, indeed.

It was all very interesting, but Athena’s real interest was in Nail World. Most all the major nail polish companies like Creative Nails, ZOPIE Nail Care, Bright Elegance and Symphony Nail Care, Identity Nail Systems, Hong Kong Glaze, Starz Nailz, Venniccio Spa System and Ez Grow were present and correct. There were also dozens of lesser known and even a few completely unknown companies represented. It was an excellent opportunity to get a foot in the door of the beauty industry.

With an extensive offering in all aspects of the craft, The Pinnacle Show Orlando rolled out courses in electric filing, acrylics, gels, airbrushing, French manicures, embellishments to natural nails, as well as business savvy operation and client management. The International Education segment also featured classes taught in Vietnamese and Spanish. Also presenting were BND, Precision Tips, Lubar Nails, DORLEY Beauty, Vicki Meters, MediNail Learning Center, Le Splat Nail Care, Doug Spoon, Jim McGoogle, Old Nail Systems, Odessia Nail Systems, T and T Nails, Ibiddy, EbyanFlow Nail Systems, Symphony Nails, Medipools, DPM Beauty Business Consultant Group, China Glaziers, ALCN, Bristrio, and many more.

This show was to the cosmetics industry what Oscar night was to the film industry and the glitz and glamour was broadly comparable.