On August 5, 2011, Uptown Tan in Geneseo, NY will be co-hosting a networking event with KeyBank’s Key4Women called “The Truth About Sun Exposure.” The event will comprise of refreshments and a fifteen-minute presentation given by Uptown Tan’s owner LuAnn Popham. Key4Women is a networking group exclusively for KeyBank member businesswomen, and each month these women participate in networking events hosted by a different business in order to get a broader sense of the local community.

“I hope this raises awareness,” said Popham. “I see people feeling guilty about tanning every day. I want to dispel the rumors and give people the knowledge they need to make informed decisions about tanning.”

Popham has been in the tanning industry for 10 years, and has been sole owner of Uptown Tan for the last year. She hopes that since her tanning salon is the largest in her county, the Key4Women event will help spread a positive message about tanning through the New York community.

“We’re a small town, so everyone talks to each other. I want to help people feel comfortable and healthy.

Popham relies heavily on the materials provided by SmartTan.com to help her clients see the benefits of healthy tanning. A few weeks ago, the Livingston County Press interviewed her about her salon and the tanning industry. Because Popham knew this material so well, the article was able to show her community the positive side of tanning – a nice change from the sun scare tactics we’re all used to seeing.

When asked what advice she would give to new or struggling salon owners, she said, “Think outside the box. Create a knowledgeable client base by promoting healthy sun. It’s all about relationship building, making people feel comfortable.”

To visit Uptown Tan’s website please click here.