Is this a conflict of interest?

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domenico913

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Hi Everyone. I work at a nail bar that offers natural mani and pedis and gel polish. My natural nails are in horrible shape even a few of my clients commented so I decided to have acrylics put on. I have them very very short and thin where you can't even tell they're acrylics. The owner of the salon flipped out on me. Since we don't offer acrylics I shouldn't were them. Told me I would not be advanced or get any pay increases if I wear them and was really mad I had them done locally in fear one of our clients would see me there. I tried to explain that it very different markets. Acrylic clients don't come to our salon. We are what we are and they are what they are were not competing because it's a completely different market. Am I wrong?
 
Hmm whilst I see and understand your point of view I do think you should be promoting the brands and treatments that your employer offers. If you have a client in whose nails are in poor condition how do you help and advise them? Do you have specific products or treatments you would recommend? Whatever it is that is what you should be practicing on yourself so you can "Look at the great results on my poor nails!".
 
I can sort of see your bosses side of this. What if a client thinks your nails look amazing and wants to know where you had them done so that their nails can look like that? As a client I would think that you are going elsewhere because you think the other salon is better/uses better products/has better methods. Ideally you should practice what you preach and I'm sure if a client came in with bad nails you wouldn't advise them to go elsewhere and get acrylics. Just my honest opinion.
 
I totally agree with what has been said.

As a salon owner, in a salon that only works on the natural nail, I would also have a problem with this. If a client came in with your nails, I wouldn't send them to the acrylic salon up the road, I would show them all the amazing things we offer to help them grow long, strong natural nails.

Use your nails as a before and after, and show what can be achieved.

Sorry!

Vic x
 
I wouldn't call it a conflict of interest, but you are wrong, I think.

You should have done your place the courtesy of a consult. It sounds as if you made the decision to get acrylics without asking them what they thought or giving them an opportunity to manage it. It sounds as if you felt that they weren't capable of helping with your damaged nails, and that isn't a message you should be putting out there. If they looked at your nails and felt that acrylics were the right choice, fine, but you didn't even give them a chance.
 
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I'm with those who have posted above. If I went to a natural nail only salon as a client and my therapist had chosen to have acrylics rather than use their own natural nail products to improve them, I would assume that the therapist didn't believe that the products and treatments worked.
 
I agree with the above. As a therapist you should use and sell the products/services you provide.

sorry! X
 
@domenico913 I don't think going elsewhere is bad tbh, can I ask you why you felt acrylic was best for you as opposed to gel polish? What is the nail techs work like who you "should" have had your nails done with? I see it from both sides of the coin :)
 
Hi Everyone. I work at a nail bar that offers natural mani and pedis and gel polish. My natural nails are in horrible shape even a few of my clients commented so I decided to have acrylics put on. I have them very very short and thin where you can't even tell they're acrylics. The owner of the salon flipped out on me. Since we don't offer acrylics I shouldn't were them. Told me I would not be advanced or get any pay increases if I wear them and was really mad I had them done locally in fear one of our clients would see me there. I tried to explain that it very different markets. Acrylic clients don't come to our salon. We are what we are and they are what they are were not competing because it's a completely different market. Am I wrong?

Hey there Dominico913... Some brilliant come back advice from the OP's... I do think your boss could have handled the situation in a more productive way, but if your own natural nails are in dire need of some love and attention, use your place of work and products... to get you there. Someone wisely said (Squidgernetball?) use yours as a 'before and after', brilliant advice.

Liquid and Powder nails may 'mask' the problem, but they will not 'solve' the problem. A natural nail solver to the consumer like RescueRXx can and will help solve problems as well as a professional product like IBX. Your boss should know about products like this because your salon sounds like the perfect place to use natural nail style problem solvers for professional natural nail help.

Hope this Helps
Love & Respect
Samantha Sweet
 
I totally appreciate where you're coming from, but do agree with most here.... I had a similar issue. I only work with natural nails in my business but had gel overlays put on my own nails a year ago because they were in such a weak state. It was only after I had them done it occurred to me that I was sabotaging my own business & clients. I then brought in IBX, which, along with some excellent nail treatments, rescued my own nails and gave me the opportunity to promote natural nail health & growth to my clients. I actually attracted a lot of new nail clients through it & increased my retail profits by selling the products I was (and am!) using. As far as I'm concerned, whether you run your own business or work in a salon, you are a walking advert for your salon and its services. I'm still kind of cross with myself.... I feel like I cheated on my business & my clients! ;)
I hope you manage to smooth it out with your boss. Cx
 
Thanks for all the feedback. I do understand the owners point of view but we do not offer any other services other than mani, pedi and gel polish. We offer nothing in regards to treatments or product to help with short damaged nails. We don't even sell a nail strengthener. I just feel as if acrylics and natural nails are apples and oranges. Should a hair stylist not wear extentions if it's not offered in her salon. I'll probably not have them done again to keep the peace but I just didn't see the big fuss.
 
Thanks for all the feedback. I do understand the owners point of view but we do not offer any other services other than mani, pedi and gel polish. We offer nothing in regards to treatments or product to help with short damaged nails. We don't even sell a nail strengthener. I just feel as if acrylics and natural nails are apples and oranges. Should a hair stylist not wear extentions if it's not offered in her salon. I'll probably not have them done again to keep the peace but I just didn't see the big fuss.

Next time, just go to them and ask them what to do about your nails, if they suggest acrylics, you're off the hook. But give them a chance first - that's what colleagues and professionals do.
 
Gel polish can be better for you nails in some ways, but I do see your point, I had nail techs in house and my colleague used to go elsewhere too, never bothered me really tho, as for extensions for hair I'd probably be raging if my staff went elsewhere for them! But then I would do my best to give them exactly what they wanted even if it was a method or brand I diddnt currently stock, my nails have come along tremendously from using gel polish :)
 
Also, we have five employees and two others are wearing acrylics and had them before me. If my employer had a problem with employees wearing acrylics I should have been told at the time of being hired. When you permit other employees to wear acrylics and do not have a policy regarding it I think it's wrong to threaten me financially doing behavior you're allowing. My employers statement was "ya know you won't be advanced of get any raises if you're wearing those". Actually no I didn't know that because you as my employers never told me. For something she obviously feels so impassioned about I would think she would have a policy in place.
 
I have to say that for a salon that doesn't offer acrylics or gel, you don't have much in the way of alternatives. I would be furious if my staff had gels or acrylics on as we specialise in the natural nail, but to do that we offer treatments for challenged nails. I can't believe your salon don't! I agree that none of it sounds very fair!

Vic x
 
Also, we have five employees and two others are wearing acrylics and had them before me. If my employer had a problem with employees wearing acrylics I should have been told at the time of being hired. When you permit other employees to wear acrylics and do not have a policy regarding it I think it's wrong to threaten me financially doing behavior you're allowing. My employers statement was "ya know you won't be advanced of get any raises if you're wearing those". Actually no I didn't know that because you as my employers never told me. For something she obviously feels so impassioned about I would think she would have a policy in place.

I understand how you feel - you got blindsided. You had no idea that this was an issue. But you also have to realize that your boss got blindsided too - you walked in with a product obviously from another salon (competitor or not). You feel like if this mattered so much she should have told you explicitly, and she doesn't understand why you don't know something that seems so obvious. You don't know why or how the others came to be wearing acrylics, perhaps they asked and got permission. But now you know - so ask, consult, collaborate. Be professional about it.
 
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Could you wear the gel polish your salon offers over the extensions? That way you are still promoting the product used in the salon, try and maybe speak to your employer about it as maybe she would be ok with this solution even for the time being until you have your own nails back to normal?
 

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