Scott Nichols didn’t literally write the book on running a tanning business, but he probably could. After providing monthly articles to Smart Tan Magazine for several years, Scott says he’s actually considered compiling his pieces into a book. Even so, hundreds of pages of articles can hardly scratch the surface of what Nichols has learned in almost 25 years in the industry.

Over that many years, you’re bound to learn a lot, but Scott has been maximizing every opportunity to learn and grow from the start, when he picked up Smart Tan Magazine as a college student working in a salon for the first time. From that point on, he’s continued his pursuit of any and all knowledge and advice that might help him improve as a business operator.

In part, his enthusiasm is probably driven because he’s learned how valuable a lesson can be, whether it comes from a book, personal experience, a mentor, or an industry peer. Years ago, Scott received some advice on structuring memberships from a fellow salon owner. “That was a multimillion-dollar conversation if you want to measure it over 10 or 20 years,” he says.

Scott’s continued pursuit of progress and willingness to share everything he’s learned have made him of the most valuable members of the tanning community. So, in this article, we’re focusing on what Scott believes are some of the most valuable lessons he has to share.

Click here to read the entire article in the latest issue of Smart Tan Magazine online.