I'm Depressed!!!

[Anne Roberts]

Hi all,

I am posting for some moral support! I qualified in August - the day I moved house! Moved to a town with 3 salons doing nails so decided to offer a different service and go mobile. I really pamper my clients (sorry, customers, my 10 year old says 'clients' makes me sound like a prostitute!). The half dozen I have are lovely - even got a male 'customer'. They all recommend me to their friends and family and business is picking up but it is slow.

Last night He who thinks he must be obeyed came home from work and told me he thought it was time I stopped 'playing around' and got a proper job!

I've just spent two hours in the job centre looking at 'proper jobs' and got thoroughly depressed. I love working on nails and really don't want to give up so soon. I tried to explain that I have read other posts on the site where even salons are slow but he isn't really listening.

Does anyone have any ideas on how I can convince him this will work but it is not gonna happen overnight? All he can see is how much I have spent setting up. As I am trying to build a client, sorry customer, base I have been charging 'model' rates and planned to increase the prices after Christmas but with things being so slow I'm wondering about this.

Had a call from a lady today who says that £20 for a full set of gels or acrylic sculpts is too much! I have checked out the competition and the average seems to be about £30. Is she winding me up, should I bother to see her or not?

Sorry to whine but as I said, bad day:cry:

Anne

 

[MINKUS]

firstly:hug: chin up

I take it your hubby wears the trousers in your household then !

Just tell him....with nails...you can earn way way more than working for someone else...when you've built up your client base...tell him its early days ...give him a bit of a deadline....say if its not proving profitable by....march...you'll take his advice.

Or....get a part time job somewhere....you may meet lots of potential customers in with the bargain!

£20 is too cheap ...but like you say it depends on areas!

Good luck !

Amb x

 

[PenelopePitstop]

firstly:hug: chin up

I take it your hubby wears the trousers in your household then !

Just tell him....with nails...you can earn way way more than working for someone else...when you've built up your client base...tell him its early days ...give him a bit of a deadline....say if its not proving profitable by....march...you'll take his advice.

Or....get a part time job somewhere....you may meet lots of potential customers in with the bargain!

£20 is too cheap ...but like you say it depends on areas!

Good luck !

Amb x

Also tell him there's no point giving up now especially as you have spent so much money on setting up! Like amber said work to a reasonable deadline, i'm sure by then you'll have clients flooding in.

i do nails in the evening for an extra wage boost, find it works really well.

try not to get depressed, think of it as a challenge and win it!!

XX

 

[Jennykins]

I agree with Amber....give yourself a deadline....that way it will also give you an incentive to do all you can to draw in clients.

Getting a part time job is also a great idea....back in the day when I first started out I used to work for Dior 2 days a week in a House of Fraser store, I used to have some cards in my pocket and always ensured my nails were done beautifully so when anyone asked about them I could hand them a card, after a while I was even taking my filofax with me to bok clients when they wanted to make an appointment straight away.
If you find its a little slow to start with on the client front don't forget that working in a beauty/fragrance department in a larger store there are always loads of ladies working on other counters who like to look good! Yu could chat to them about doing their nails!!

Having a part time job may even help to keep your hubby quiet!!

Big Hug :hug: Hope you feel a bit better.....with all the great people on this site i'm sure it'll help you to cheer up!

 

[Anne Roberts]

Thanks so much, I did originally say 6 months but coz its near Christmas and I've been spending(!!) even more money he's getting twitchy!

He likes to think he wears the trousers and I suppose I let him think he does but then don't all men. I make all the right noises! Its his 50th birthday this month (what a fossil) and I've booked a surprise weekend away to Venice for January with NO CHILDREN! He thinks I'm planning a divorce - think he needs some reassurance that I actually listen to what he says! He'll get over it I'm sure.

Anne

 

[louisehartje]

Hi Honey

I have just pm'd you - but you never said about this!

£20 is way too cheap for Deeping - Peterborough salons and mobile charge at least £25 and some go up to £40!!!!

Listen, I am here for you, said in my pm we can meet and so on.

It is hard to start from scratch, I am working in a boring job in the day until I have enough customers to ditch the day job.

I guess you have three choices - take on a part time job until the nail business picks up, advertise like crazy and prove your hubby wrong when you get loads of clients, or go round the salons in Peterborough to see if they need anyone. There is a new nail bar opened in Parnwell called Palm that were looking for people - that was a couple of weeks ago and I do not know if they are still looking.

anything I can do as you don't know the area, let me know!

 

[Mrs.Clooney]

Sounds like you are having a really bad time. It's also tough when you have moved home and surrounding feel a little foreign. Maybe your hubby is feeling the financial strain at the moment. The cost of moving is expensive to say the least, plus you have a new business which equals financial outlay and Christmas shopping can lighten the pocket. Perhaps he is just feeling the pinch now. Minkus's idea is good. A 6 month deadline sounds reasonable and after the new year, the financial squeeze may have eased off. Chin up and continue to offer the excellent service that you do. Your good reputation will spread like wild fire and you will be the talk of the town.:hug:

 

[looby4444]

hi hun

Firstly...breath!

i have one exactly the same at home...they just dont understand, but they're men and they think nails are the things on the end of your fingers that pull bogies out!

keep at it and dont let anyone grind you down, explain how unhappy you would be in a boring office job (i can vouch for that!)

follow your dream and go for it, they smugly say i told you so when your rich and famous!!

seriously though, put a business plan together and maybe some advertising ideas, let him know how determined u are

go get em hun!!!!

lou x

 

[talented talons]

I think you have done well so far to have some regular clients already, it can take from 1 -2 years to really get a great client base. This is the same in virtually any business, so to give up now would be more of a waste than carrying on. I would also get a part time job to supliment your income till you start getting the money rolling in. All business's are slow right now, so you have to take this into consideration.

It is hard especially as you have just moved, but stick with it and stay positive, you will succeed, STAY POSITIVE.:biggrin:

 

[emma&nails]

my other half said the same i had only a few clients (customers)as you, MEN they don't understand all the running about it takes to find new custom???? i dunno what you should do maybe find a area not too far away and try a salon good luck with whatever you decide emmax:wink2:

 

[smiler13334]

Hi Anne
Firstly welcome to the site, it great init!!

Pmsl - My daughter used to say the same thing when I said 'clients' my Mum and Nan nearly fell on the floor when I told them I do a good hand job! LOL

Most men worry about 'money' especially when we spend it. Reassure him that business is picking up and you need his encourgement and back up, not criticism. You love your work and enjoy it which is a dream come true for a job. It is a gradual process building up a business with loyal clients - sorry - customers and an amazing achievement when you have.

Sit him down and have a good talk you may be surprized!

Good luck, Take care xx

 

[Anne Roberts]

Sat the hubby down when he came home from work and made him read some of the posts on here!

He admitted - grudgingly - that maybe he was being to hasty! Wow you lot are good - lol. I am writing a business plan and some leaflets to drop round some of the houses locally. I applied for a part time job in a school - 3 hours a day and told him I'd give both part time work and nails a go for 6 months and we could review it again then! Hope he's happy now - he should be, I just sent him to the pub with a signed late pass!!!!

Thanks all for the support.

 

[~shelley~]

lol - pleased you are getting sorted xxx

 

[Rachel Mary]

I have given myself three years to establish a customer base. That is when my youngest Torin starts school. If I have not made a real go of it by then then I will look for something to help pay the bills and keep on keeping on.
So in the meantime I keep on improving and learning from all you wonderful geeks out there!!
xxxx