Hi guys

I'm not sure if this is in the right forum, but it is business related so......

I currently have a room (rent free) in the back of an established hair salon waxing and tanning. The owner let me have it so I could establish myself after I was made redundant in August (I know her from old). I provided my own couch wax pot and accessories for both this and tanning including tent etc. I'm quiet most times except the odd brow wax/lash tint and on the last/first weeks in the month when people have been paid.

I am also one day off qualifying for my Creative Nail Foundation course and have my own nail station and kit (I wouldn't be doing nails in this salon as her daughter already does them and there's no room for another nail station) I get full use of the phone and card machine (without charge) and if any bookings come in the girls take them for me if I'm unavailable. In return I help out as a junior, washing clients hair, drying, straightening, and doing general housekeeping like sweeping the floor, tidying hair stylists workstations, booking in new appointments, doing the towels, washing up etc. August I took £500, September just under.

Now the owner is opening another shop in my town and has had it all kitted out with a separate beauty room, tanning room at the back and a lovely space in the main salon enough for two nail stations. She asked me if I would like to go up to the other salon when it opens as then I would be able to offer all 3 service myself, to which I agreed and I would take all my equipment, including my own nail table which I have at home but it was unclear as to whether she would want any rent from me as she obviously would have extra overheads.

Today we were just chatting and she said that as she was going vat reg, with the new salon, she would like me to work for her as an employee on the same school hours and 9 - 2 on a Saturday that I currently do, for 14K + company car (as she doesn't drive and I assume she can write it off for tax?). We haven't thrashed any fine detail out yet as it was, for me, totally unexpected and although the steady money would be good for me and my family (I'm not entitled to job seekers) I'm not sure I want to actually 'work' for anyone again as I can come and go when I need to and don't have to answer to anyone anymore but the regular money at this current time would be very welcome and a huge relief.

My question to you (sorry I didn't realise it was going to be so long!) is what would you do? Would you snap her am off and say 'can I start tomorrow?' or would you continue as you are?

I would want to choose my own products as I'm sure she would let me because she's a hairdresser not a beauty therapist and I wonder as I want to further my knowledge by going on various other courses, whether she would pay for these or would I have to?

Any feedback is very much appreciated and thanks for listening

I would make a list of the things u want out of it & get one from her and meet in the middle....

Make sure you are both absolutely clear on what each others needs are .....

If you take up the offer make sure that you have something in writing...

So often these things go wrong because things have been left out or misunderstood.

Good luck x

hey hun sounds like a great offer to me, i would try and find a sit down time with her after you have had time to think some more write down these questions and ask her as an empolyee she should provide trainning but there is no says that that has to happen so if you want it you'll have to ask and sell the benefits of it to her. you could also ask what the alternative is if you dont take her offer and want to stay self empolyed ie rent ect. then once you know your choices you can make a more informed decision. I think you need to have further disscussions. :@) hth

My initial questions would be if you are using your own furniture you need to ensure this is noted as yours in case you ever wish to leave, you need to check out the tax situation with having a company car, think about the benefits she will have to offer by law some pension scheme and also what will be the sick pay situation full pay of SSP.

Go over all the finer details and look at the things like products training, maybe you could do a deal like she gives you the day off paid but you pay course fees.

I hope it works out for you

Thanks for all the replies guys it's really given me something to think about

I was talking about it today to a therapist friend of mine who is self employed and she also works for a well known portrait photograph company on a self employed basis too. The difference with the other work she does (photos) is that although she's self employed, she has a contract with them and just invoices the company at the end of each month for the time she has worked and any leads or deals she has. Slightly different I know, but this would give me the flexibility I would want as a self employed therapist but also the security of knowing I'll be paid for the hours I've done. The only thing I'm a little confused on though is who would get the profit from the treatments I do? I assume the money I make would go to the salon owner, then I would just invoice her for my time? She would still pay for products used etc and I would pay for any training courses I want to do?

Do you think something like this could work in our industry?

Many thanks.

Sarah. xx

I think you would have to agree a percentage with the owner. look at price list take off product cost ten agree what percentage you both get out of the profit on each treatment, and send this as an invoice. or agree an hourly rate you would be happy with and invoice that. It could work hun but you just have to make sure everything is set out in writing so it is crystal clear where you both stand :@)

Thanks for your reply Donna , it's certainly something to think about and something that needs to be right for both of us first time! I think it can work, but like you said it needs to be crystal clear.

Thanks again. x

I have had therapists work for me on an hourly basis. I paid them £10 an hour and they basically invoiced me at the end of every month. However there are implications as those therapists also had to work for other people to get out of the holiday pay and sick pay implications.

I would bite her hand off, it will give you time to build your reputation and client base more and then when you think its viable go self employed again. Especially in the economic crisis now. You never know she may want you to go self employed again!

xxx

Thanks for this hun

The thing that's still bugging me is the flexibility issue. I know she's quite flexible, but that was the whole point of me taking the bull by the horns when I was made redundant and doing this self employed rather than going to work for someone else and having to ask all the time. It's Christmas soon and my little girl has different things coming out of school, like plays and Christmas events at the church etc, I don't want to have to ask to go to these things. Also, I want to be able to run my own diary, which I'm not sure I'll be able to do as I've a feeling we will be getting really busy, and I know if I only do 2 sets of nails on average a day, being s/e I would earn more (even paying rent) than if I was employed.

Oh, I was so sure 10 minutes ago, but writing it down now, I don't know!!!!

Also, I have my own clients who I have brought to the salon (not many but they are mine) and clients who have been introduced by the salon to me (whilst having hair done etc). If I decided to take her up on her offer, then decided to leave and resume s/employment, who's clients would they be?

I would bite her hand off, it will give you time to build your reputation and client base more and then when you think its viable go self employed again. Especially in the economic crisis now. You never know she may want you to go self employed again!

I think after re reading this, you are right, I could stay and see how it goes. I need to speak to her tomorrow really and let her know what Im thinking. Write it all down and see where we go from there.


Oh, how hard can this be?!!!!

Thanks guys

well I would say as at the mo your self empolyed I would mention the client thing and say that if you go empolyed you would like to have it written that xy &z are your clients your bringing to the business and that if for any reason it doent work and you go back to SE you will be take xy&z as they are who you bought to it hth hun. x

If you ever wanted to open your own salon in the future, would there be restrictions as to how close to her you could set up?

For example, some salons state in their contracts that you wouldn't be allowed to set up a salon within 8+ miles and you can't advertise locally - even if you're mobile.....

This was the deciding factor for me and the reason that I avoided getting salon experience in my town.

Just something else to bare in mind?

Employment shouldnt be hard with the hours issue. Many employers have flexible working weeks. Ask how many hours she requires you to do a week. If its 20 and you need 2 hours off one week then ask her if you can do and extra couple of hours the week before of the week after giving you the flexibility!

This client thing about who they belong to is hard to enforce. If you want to open somewhere else you might not say be allowed to approach the clients you had but theres nothing stopping you say putting an A5 leaflet through their doors saying xxxx formerly of xxxx has now opened xxx!

Do whats right for you, but i think first you need to have a talk with this woman and iron out your questions. Write a list of answers that you want and when you get the answers just ask that they are written down and signed by you both to protect each other!

xx

Thanks guys