I had finished having my babies and childcare was so expensive it wasn't worth the stress of the rat race to carry on....I was a bit lucky though as I managed to wangle a redundancy package to keep me going for a while. I still don't make vast amounts of moolah....yet....but I'm working on it!

weezie -
the ppl that are running salon tat are doing really well, then yes, they should obviously reflec that IMO.
BUT, in reality it doesn't always happen.
Like I said when I worked in a factory, some of the engineers had HND's and the company was winning best factory awards and industy weekly awards and such like, each year they were announcing record profits and million pound months.
Yes, I said million pound months... the factory was Stanley, the ppl who make Stanley knives and a like.
People STILL worked for that cr@ppy wage (I did) and STILL stayed, I was there for nearly 10 years!!!

So, if people will work for it then that sets the industry standerd.
Morally harsh but that's business... the biggest overhead is wages in most places (not just salons).

I agree though, when we eventually open another salon we will need a manager.
That manager if we want to keep them will have to get offered some sort of insintive... being financially better off will come with the job.
BUT compared to a office manager, or a sales manager at a car show room etc - even the managers wage will be reletivly low.
It's because it's a desirable industry to work in and the choice of fully qualified employees (eg my GF was has NVQ2 and NVQ3 plus about 10 other certificates and college courses... she was on £5.05 and hour for 3 years).

Like with the industry I will be entering with personal training, I will be on minimum wage... I accept this as I will be working in an environment I love and the amount of people doing the same provides a massive fully qualified labour pool.

Hopefully when you are sucessful you will take the moral high ground...and you will be rewarded in heaven

All I can say is your staff are your business.Yes there are lots of beauty therapists out there,but not many GOOD therapists.

If you want your salon to be successful then you need to pay your staff as much as you can afford.How long do you think any therapist will stay at your salon on minimum wage????I wouldn't even work for that for a day let alone any significant amount of time I can tell you now.

If you start losing your staff,which I guarantee you will sooner rather than later,then you will need to employ more staff,then give it a bit of time and your new staff will get restless also,who do you think this affects?Your clients,why???because clients dont like having different therapists every few months.It's a sign of bad business sense.

Large staff turnover stirs gossiping and bad vibes,your business will suffer and then well....you may think twice about thinking that we have a glamourous job such as air hostesses,and that we all want to be a therapist whatever the cost,because this is RUBBISH.

Our job is hard work,we are the reason people like you have a businees,as I said without us you wouldnt have a business.Maybe you should show some appreciation.You say you cant afford to pay your staff anymore than minimum wage yet you talk of opening another salon and getting a manager,who....will be on a better wage than your therapists.Mmmm.I cant say anymore,cause this makes me angry.Exploitation is what springs to mind.

I think before you start thinking about opening another salon you should perhaps think about giving your staff a decent wage.

I dont mean to sound mean here but it annoys me that we are not given the wages we deserve and work so hard for. When I have a salon,I will definately give my therapist as much as I can afford,the harder she works the more she will get,after all without a good therapist your business is nothing,lets face it.

I am not saying pay the earth,but pay more than the minimum wage for Gods sake,how much is that btw,or is it that bad I dont want to know????

well said babs! I have to say that i wouldn't get out of bed for minimum wage, it shocks me that an employer would openly say that they pay their staff minimum wage because they can't afford anymore when at the same time talking about opening another salon. One word springs to mind...GREED!!

I second Everything you have said Babs.
I love what i do but when you are feeling exploited its not all about the job and anyone only takes so much.A beauty business is only as good as its therapists, the businesses that survive and become increasingly successful like any business are the ones that look after their staff and recognise their hard work and let them share in their profits by providing good working conditions and decent wages.

BABS -

obviously you didn't read the post... I said my GF worked for 3 years on minimum wage.
maybe you owe me an apology for jumping the gun?
my GF is a good beauty therapist... she worked for min wage.
the 3 girls in her old salon STILL work for min wage - so are they all no good?

we don't plan to have high staff turnover... again READ the post, I said very clearly we would have to offer and insentive beyond and including financial.
I know people scan read but considering how you went off you really should have read the post first.

if you don't think working in a salon is a desirable job then I think you need to think again.

it's probably one of the most popular vocation's there is.
as an real life indicator, why not phone you local college and find out how many spaces they had empty last year, and the year efore and the year before.
Then do the same and speak to the engineering tutor and ask the same question.

Yes, we would open another salon and yes, we might not be in a strong enough position to give anything but the going rate wage?
I don't know your background but I can tell you salons don't make as much PROFIT as you think... it's MY income as well - I have a family I have to support.
You need to get realistic if you think salons are gold mines or something.

Tell me...
You have just said when you have your salon you will give what you can afford, what if you can only afford min wage?
What are you gonna do?


To all who think opening more is a bad idea...
Why?
If you are making a small profit, then you open another up and make another small profit.
Then 2 small profits together might provide your family with a better income.
What is so bad about that?
Again... how much do you think a salon profit is?

Oh yes.... an you mention GREED!!!!

Did you miss the part where I put I was going to be a pesonal trainer and I would be on min wage as well - just to supplement our income????

You ALL need to get of your high horses and realise that just because we run a small business doesn't make you instantly rich.

And i would reply if you look after your staff they will look after you if you have a reasonably paid hard working enthusiastic experienced therapist she will make more money for you than one that is just out of college looking to go after a year to a better paid job.

No, you are sooo right it definately doesn't.
I will be working in this industry for a while before I ever get rich...IF ever.
BUT I get clients who say "why do you work here in this room for yourself?"
"Why don't you work in one of those flashy salons and earn megabucks????"
People don't realise just how hard it is to be successful in this industry.
Nail techs? They are ten a penny.
GOOD nail techs.... a different story.
I hope to be one of the good ones and still have my little room, my own space, and run my little business.
LITTLE is a very small word but it means a lot to me.

Caterer.com - Job details for Beauty Therapist (De Vere Group - Village Leeds)

Wages after a quick job centre search.
manchester = 10k year
middleton = £6 an hour
manchester = £6.50
whitfield = £meets min wage
disley = £6 per hour
warrington = £11500 year
ACCRINGTON = £5.50 per hour
standish = £meets minimum wage
thorbury = £5.35 per hour
SHEFFIELD = £5.50

I think that speaks for itself.

Great post.
A down to earth person.
This is true, we struggled ourselves geting enough money together just to open.
I won't tell you the hours my GF is putting in.

Of course it would be ideal if we could pay a very experianced employee and have enough money to pay them a good wage... but how do we generate enough money to do that, we only just scrape through as it is.

Judy who posted above is obviously trying just as hard.
TBH I am fed up of people thinking that you are loaded just because you are self employed - it just isn't like that and if you think it is you are really in for a shock when it comes to the crunch.

As Judy says... to some of us in this industry a little does mean a lot.
Put yourself in our shoes... I came from a factory and the whole rat race cheaper faster quicker environment, now I am entering the low paid but nice environment of the health industry... it's not a great wage mut to me it's worth it just for the quality of life.
My GF is exactly the same... she left a salon run by a harsh managment style to our easy going place and it's like a huge weight off her or a cloud from over her head.
One small step on the face of it... one huge leap in our hearts and minds.

It's just the same for other people.
Thus supply and demand driving wages down.
People WANT to work in salons - most I have met certainly don't do it for the money anyway.

No most young people don't do it for the money but as you get older with more responsibility you have to either change career or go out on your own.I dont consider i am away with the fairies i have worked from both sides.What i am saying is if employers have a good therapist or want a good experienced therapist they need to be prepared to pay them a decent wage.That therapist will then generate them money.

Ive read most of the replies on here so far and im appalled at the low rate people are getting despite most of them getting proper qualifications. It does make you wonder. What are employers thinking of? A good business is made up from good staff. Without good staff you dont get good clients and repeat business. Work takes up most of our lives so think on employers and treat staff with more respect and reward them for their efforts. They will make your business better.
Im about to reduce my hours from a well paid living as a self employed accountant. A couple of reasons for this that i wont go into abd its not all about money but i do think i should get paid for giving a good service and for my training hence expertise( when ive got it) Its a pampering experience clients will pay for it. Come on employers sort yourself out. And i do know what im talking about as i see lots of accounts etc and i know about profit margins etc and how much the boss makes out of the employees.
Treat people the way you want to be treated or as the saying goes the people you meet on the way up you are sure to meet on the way down.

Quote when we employ we will be paying a minimum wage.

Yes Jom I can read perfectly well thankyou,and this is your words not mine.You said this about your employees not just your girlfriend.

I stand by everything I say and will continue to stay on my HIGH HORSE because I damned well think I should not because of you in particular but people that want something for nothing.

Oh and by the way,you may have a family to support but so have a lot of therapists,its not easy for them either you know,working an 8 hour day,doing maybe 5 full body massages(deep massages at that)and for what???Minimum wage.Its not for me mate,never .