About ready to give in! :(

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CGritt

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 29, 2008
Messages
279
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Location
Bruggen, Germany
Hi geeks,

Just a moan really as i'm feeling quite down regarding the 'apparent' business i have.

Its a long one i think really but basically myself and a friend work under the same business name on an army camp. She does tan, gels and is studying her mani & pedi, she has all the business coming into her hands, quite a few clients where as i have had 2 clients within 4 months, yes 2!

I offer acrylic, sculpts, nail art, 3d nail art and one stroke nail art.

I just dont have any business and it seems like everyone prefers gel which is fair, each to their own. I dont mean to blow my own trumpet but i dont think my friends nails are that good, i know mine aint perfect but i am VERY critical of my own work and i think my friend runs out of patience after a while on her sets.

She maintains the FB page and has the rights to our website but never updates my areas with new pics of recent nails, she does with her gels tho. Plus it really annoys me that she has used copy right images on these sites that aint her own work! every acrylic pic has been done by my own hand!

She is going to be moving in the summer to a location too far away to have this business with me so i will have to go solo or shut down, i dont know if i should do a gel course to cover these clients? But i can only afford to study with EN at the moment, i would prefer to go nsi as i use these products already (attractions acrylic) but i dont have the money for this as i live in Germany i would have to pay for flight and accomodation etc plus getting stock back via plane.

I'm stuck in a rut at the moment, i prob should just quite while i'm ahead.

Sorry guys rant over :sad:
 
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What kind of gel is she offering if she is only just studying Manicure and Pedicure? Doesn't make sense to me.

If she is about to leave you should prepare to take up the slack when she goes. If you are serious about your business then you will have to find the money to invest.

A gel polish would be a good way of expanding. If you already have a Manicure Certificate it would be worth investigating at all the brands available and contacting your local distributors. The gel polish courses are pretty cheap (certainly in the UK).

I'm not sure why you would be thinking about giving up now, the other tech leaving is a great opportunity for you. Presumably she will have to hand over the Facebook page and website to you aswell.
 
I agree. What is she offering if she is only just doing mani & pedi training now?

Go with a gel polish/Shellac as these are really popular.

If she is going to be leaving, I think it is time for you take over the reins of the business. Don't think about quitting, not if it is something you really want to do.

What type of FB page do you have? If it's a 'like' business page, can you not ask for her to make you an admin also and that way you can add your own pictures, status messages etc and start enticing the clients with the gel polish you are going to be offering (that's if you indeed do choose to do it).
 
Sounds like a strange idea of partnership.

You need to speak up for what you want. Partmerships are supposed to be equal and I'm not sure why you have not pushed this with the website etc.

You are allowing her to take over and do things exclusively that by rights should be joint decisions. I think by being passive you have enabled her to take the pole position here.

If she is going then I'd get prepared to take up the slack. If you can do L&P you can sure do gel. Get some 121 training in Germany!
 
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hi, thanks for the reply so far guys.

she has done the gel tip & overlay course from EN last year (Even though i helped her complete the course as i thought it might help me decide if i wanted to do the same course). She ordered the acrylic sculpt and mani & pedi course from EN before xmas but has just scratched the surface with the courses.

She uses nsi gels now as well as a brand that retails in germany called Jolifin (not together though, as seperate systems)

I also seem to be struggling with the face to face side of things with clients, i feel really nervous and uncomfortable with clients but i dont know why?! maybe it's just me being paranoid of messing up and lack of clients so far. I'm not really at all a confident person.
 
I know it's hard hun, but try to appear confident to those clients you do get in. Just chat about general things; their weekend, plans for the week, a gorgeous bag they have etc.

The more you chat to your clients, the more times you have someone unknown in the better. It becomes natural, you feel at ease and make the client relax and feel pampered.

I think you do need to have a word with her though. Like geeg said, it's supposed to be a partnership and at the minute it isn't, you need to get your name out there and known as well as hers. x
 
hi, thanks for the reply so far guys.

she has done the gel tip & overlay course from EN last year (Even though i helped her complete the course as i thought it might help me decide if i wanted to do the same course). She ordered the acrylic sculpt and mani & pedi course from EN before xmas but has just scratched the surface with the courses.

She uses nsi gels now as well as a brand that retails in germany called Jolifin (not together though, as seperate systems)

I also seem to be struggling with the face to face side of things with clients, i feel really nervous and uncomfortable with clients but i dont know why?! maybe it's just me being paranoid of messing up and lack of clients so far. I'm not really at all a confident person.


Hey lovely, You know one of the things you really need to start and stay in a business is confidence.

You don't have to be confident inside but you sure have to project a confident image to your clients.

And to your 'business partner' - sounds like she smelt the blood and has gone for the jugular. In a very nice way I am sure.

If Geeg says you can do gel if you can already do L&P then that should be good enough for anybody. Get cracking.

You need to have a big talk with yourself and make a decision - and think about this piece of advice I am always offering out 'fake it til you make it' (the confidence that is).

And take control. Don't let anyone control what you do and how you do it in your own business ... partners OR clients!!

If you really really want it its time for a change .. the moment is about to present itself to you with your partner's departure, its up to you to grab it with both hands or somebody else will!!!

Peace and respect

Jacqui xx
 
hi, thanks for the reply so far guys.

she has done the gel tip & overlay course from EN last year (Even though i helped her complete the course as i thought it might help me decide if i wanted to do the same course). She ordered the acrylic sculpt and mani & pedi course from EN before xmas but has just scratched the surface with the courses.

She uses nsi gels now as well as a brand that retails in germany called Jolifin (not together though, as seperate systems)

I also seem to be struggling with the face to face side of things with clients, i feel really nervous and uncomfortable with clients but i dont know why?! maybe it's just me being paranoid of messing up and lack of clients so far. I'm not really at all a confident person.

I would highly recommend training in CND Shellac, you would do well when she leaves with this alone.

Dealing with new customers will all come naturally once you get more experience, you just find out what they want and start a friendly conversation, it will all flow naturally after that, i felt exactly the same when i first started.

If the other lady is leaving soon this gives you time to train in shellac maybe :) and this is your opportunity to spread the word about what you offer.

Hope things work out better for you in the future. Chin up and think positive.
 
thanks guys,

i do try to paint on the smile and confidence but inside i have the butterflies and nerves, just seems like people around here prefer gel or have heard of it more than acrylic. I have even tried promotions on acrylic but had no-one bite.

I really want to take things on further but living no an army camp gossip spreads like wild fire and if i do a rubbish set it will come back on me, also i really dont know what people think of my work as they have only seen my partners and like i said prior i dont rate hers and can see flaws, i dont want to be accociated wth that standard of work, i know my work is far from perfect but i try and try and have come along way in the last year or so i think.
 
I am also a Army wife and lived in Germany last year...I hated it to be honest as i felt overwhelmed to get out there and work on clients, it can turn you into a shy person becuase it's unfamiliar living in a different country. I would say you should honestly consider coming back to the uk for some training with the brand you want to use, alot of companies offer BFPO delivery now(do a little research). you don't have to pay for your flights back if you ask your hubby to get you a trooper flight which is free, your entitled to go home atleast once every posting i believe, although flights are pretty cheap if booked in advance..think I paid around £85 return(including all fee's). if you live a fair while away from the trooper airport then you can get a free bus from the camp your hubby works in. I honestly would not choose to do EN course as you aren't working on people or have a live tutor telling you when you are making mistakes or doing well, some people wouldn't say the course I did isn't the best but I'm glad I went with it over a home learning one...and next I plan to go over to the dark side & convert/train with CND lol. the name is well known,quality products & they have a good support system for their customer's. Lastly don't doubt yourself or your work, let your friend moving give you the kick to do better for yourself & to take on the clients before they go to another tech. There are quite a few girls on the patch I live on who do nails(&other treatments), they aren't all that good either,they are proud of the pics they post on fb even with the red raw bleeding cuticles&surrounding skin.. but I don't let them bother me becuase if they think a set of £10 nails with damage says quality...then let them carry on. it is not profitable for them & I wonder if they all have insurance too. ahh little rant over. hope this helps in some way lol x
 
Listen .. I have just had a look at some of your work and your face painting is amazing .. you have talent and an 'eye' so there is no reason for you to have any confidence issues. My guess is that when your friend has gone, the clients are going to find the difference in the quality of the way their nails look, HUGE. The pic of the nails you posted, although blurry, shows your nails have a very nice form to them ... perfectly more than acceptable as a salon service. :hug:

Not everyone is into the nail art and it really is not normally a large part of many people's business but there is just as much if not more art in a beautiful set of enhancements.

Maybe the emphasis on nail art is putting some off. Maybe someone is telling them that is all you do? If the clients are hooked on gel it is because someone is 'bending their ear' and hooking them on i?! Gel is acrylic too you know! Just a different form; no better and no worse and you can tell clients that.

Relax and don't defend yourself or your choice ... just calmly explain what you do with pride in your accomplishment in your voice and people will pick up on that. All you need is a couple of regulars to flash around some beautiful nails to get the gossip mill churning .. there is no reason at all for anyone to say anything negative about what you do! You are doing just fine with your nails judging by what I can see.

Get some gorgeous nails on someone and let them do the talking for you!
 
Listen .. I have just had a look at some of your work and your face painting is amazing .. you have talent and an 'eye' so there is no reason for you to have any confidence issues. My guess is that when your friend has gone, the clients are going to find the difference in the quality of the way their nails look, HUGE. The pic of the nails you posted, although blurry, shows your nails have a very nice form to them ... perfectly more than acceptable as a salon service. :hug:

Not everyone is into the nail art and it really is not normally a large part of many people's business but there is just as much if not more art in a beautiful set of enhancements.

Maybe the emphasis on nail art is putting some off. Maybe someone is telling them that is all you do? If the clients are hooked on gel it is because someone is 'bending their ear' and hooking them on i?! Gel is acrylic too you know! Just a different form; no better and no worse and you can tell clients that.

Relax and don't defend yourself or your choice ... just calmly explain what you do with pride in your accomplishment in your voice and people will pick up on that. All you need is a couple of regulars to flash around some beautiful nails to get the gossip mill churning .. there is no reason at all for anyone to say anything negative about what you do! You are doing just fine with your nails judging by what I can see.

Get some gorgeous nails on someone and let them do the talking for you!

thanks geeg, that means alot to me :D
 
Listen .. I have just had a look at some of your work and your face painting is amazing .. you have talent and an 'eye' so there is no reason for you to have any confidence issues. My guess is that when your friend has gone, the clients are going to find the difference in the quality of the way their nails look, HUGE. The pic of the nails you posted, although blurry, shows your nails have a very nice form to them ... perfectly more than acceptable as a salon service. :hug:

Not everyone is into the nail art and it really is not normally a large part of many people's business but there is just as much if not more art in a beautiful set of enhancements.

Maybe the emphasis on nail art is putting some off. Maybe someone is telling them that is all you do? If the clients are hooked on gel it is because someone is 'bending their ear' and hooking them on i?! Gel is acrylic too you know! Just a different form; no better and no worse and you can tell clients that.

Relax and don't defend yourself or your choice ... just calmly explain what you do with pride in your accomplishment in your voice and people will pick up on that. All you need is a couple of regulars to flash around some beautiful nails to get the gossip mill churning .. there is no reason at all for anyone to say anything negative about what you do! You are doing just fine with your nails judging by what I can see.

Get some gorgeous nails on someone and let them do the talking for you!

That is the best bit of advice I have ever read :)

Good luck & hope it works out for you

Xxx
 
I agree with Gigi here. I would put some beautiful sets on a couple of folks and let them be your walking, talking billboards. Get your work and your name out there. And for Pete's sake, please, please take back some control of your business. Your partner seems to be calling all the shots and that can't be all good.

Back in the day, I put free sets on several folks to get my name out there. Sure, it cost me upfront but most of these clients came back and brought some new folks with them. They, too, were stuck on the notion that gels were the way to go because they had heard "acrylics damage nails." We all know acrylics don't damage nails...bad nail techs do. We also know that gels are just another form of acrylics. Like Gigi said, if you can do L & P, you can do gel.

Work on your confidence. People can see it in your body language and feel that energy in your touch. If you lack confidence, people feed off of that. They won't have confidence in your work if you don't have confidence in yourself.
 
i gotta say thanks everyone, sending big hugs to u all
 

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