Advice needed from the experienced

[Salzgirlie]

Hey everyone,

I think I will answer my own question while typing this but your thoughts / advice will be gratefully received.

After having kids, I have decided to pursue my passion and am currently studying to be a Beauty Therapist. At the same time, I have done my spray tanning qualification and have set up a mobile tanning business. I am also working 15 hours a week in a supermarket to keep an income coming in, have a 2 and a 3 year old as well as a husband who works full time.

I thought setting up the business would be easy but I was so wrong! I am always working and I have only had 1 practice client at the moment (more booked in). I am up at 6 getting the boys ready and try to fit in some marketing throughout the day. Every week at college we have a test about what we have learnt the week before and last week I failed as I just did not have the time to revise.

I am thinking of just biting the bullet and cutting to 10 hours split over Sunday and Monday, freeing up the rest of the week for revision and tanning. Then I thought of leaving all together as that may help me drive the business forward.

All I know is I cannot keep going like this. When you all started did you have other jobs?? Or did you go in at the deep end??

There is no doubt in my mind that I have made the right career choice, I just also need to learn to juggle! xx

 

[souz]

sounds like you are doing too much!! but i think you knew that lol

why dont you commit time to your course, your job and your family for now, hopefully leaving time to study. then once you are qualified you wont have college or study and build your business up....having said that if you can afford to leave your job and work on your business instead then your business will get off the ground sooner!!

good luck with whatever you decide and well done for getting this far xx

 

[bobbyrazz]

sounds like you are doing too much!! but i think you knew that lol

why dont you commit time to your course, your job and your family for now, hopefully leaving time to study. then once you are qualified you wont have college or study and build your business up....having said that if you can afford to leave your job and work on your business instead then your business will get off the ground sooner!!

good luck with whatever you decide and well done for getting this far xx

What she said

 

[JoJo1980]

Totally agree with Souz.
I would put the business set up hold until you have qualified.
When I bought my salon I had an 18 month old, a 6 year old, a husband and a cottage to rennovate. I literally pinched my nose, held my breath and jumped in.
I dont advise it.
I now have another 2 year old and Im still rennovating the cottage!
My point is, you will always feel out of your depth when you are starting a business with small kids, no matter how much you take on. But I think it's imporatant to be realistic a prioritise.
Spread yourslef to thinly and no one gets a proper taste
xxx
p.s I was lucky with the business, my husband took over the housewife bit, I couldnt have done it if he didnt :o xx

 

[lissy00]

I agree with all of the above. I also think that your supermarket job will be invaluable after you have qualified and starting off in business. Your bread and butter money so to speak, and then you can gradually cut your hours down.

When stresses got to me with my other job, own beauty career, teaching job and teaching qualification, I jumped ship on my other job and also gave up renting a room somewhere one day a week so I could just concentrate on clients at home, teaching job and teaching qualification.

Was biggest mistake ever, as a month later, teaching job were making cut backs and all us part timers were without work! I really wish I had kept my other job ticking over as bread and butter money, but we don't have a crystal ball.

So just baby steps with your beauty career and concentrate on giving your all to your qualification so you can get most out of the experience. And most importantly, have fun learning your new skills and spending time with your family.

Take deep breath and all the best xx

 

[tranquility 77]

Also if you are on the tills, you can use the opportunity to talk to customers about your spray tan, nails, that you will need to wear to promote yourself.

Sent from my HTC Desire HD A9191 using SalonGeek

 

[laurakate]

Hey everyone,

I think I will answer my own question while typing this but your thoughts / advice will be gratefully received.

After having kids, I have decided to pursue my passion and am currently studying to be a Beauty Therapist. At the same time, I have done my spray tanning qualification and have set up a mobile tanning business. I am also working 15 hours a week in a supermarket to keep an income coming in, have a 2 and a 3 year old as well as a husband who works full time.

I thought setting up the business would be easy but I was so wrong! I am always working and I have only had 1 practice client at the moment (more booked in). I am up at 6 getting the boys ready and try to fit in some marketing throughout the day. Every week at college we have a test about what we have learnt the week before and last week I failed as I just did not have the time to revise.

I am thinking of just biting the bullet and cutting to 10 hours split over Sunday and Monday, freeing up the rest of the week for revision and tanning. Then I thought of leaving all together as that may help me drive the business forward.

All I know is I cannot keep going like this. When you all started did you have other jobs?? Or did you go in at the deep end??

There is no doubt in my mind that I have made the right career choice, I just also need to learn to juggle! xx

I was so stressed when doing my nvq2 because I was also working 3 days a week, doing another makeup course at college and finishing off my degree.

In the end changed to a more local job with less hours that was more local to me.

It sounds like at the moment, your priorities are to get qualified and stay in employment whilst getting experience in the industry (all whilst looking after your kids). Maybe a way to achieve those goals in a way that takes up less time on a week to week basis would be to seek a job in the beauty industry. Perhaps it could be working in a spa or on a retail counter to begin with (I've found these companies more keen to take on people who are still studying in my experience) and then you could work on your business later after having gained money and experience working for someone else....that way you'd have your job, your course an your children to think about whilst reaching your goals rather than having work and beauty industry as two conflicting interests.

Hope that helps and keep going because it does get better

 

[Salzgirlie]

I was so stressed when doing my nvq2 because I was also working 3 days a week, doing another makeup course at college and finishing off my degree.

In the end changed to a more local job with less hours that was more local to me.

It sounds like at the moment, your priorities are to get qualified and stay in employment whilst getting experience in the industry (all whilst looking after your kids). Maybe a way to achieve those goals in a way that takes up less time on a week to week basis would be to seek a job in the beauty industry. Perhaps it could be working in a spa or on a retail counter to begin with (I've found these companies more keen to take on people who are still studying in my experience) and then you could work on your business later after having gained money and experience working for someone else....that way you'd have your job, your course an your children to think about whilst reaching your goals rather than having work and beauty industry as two conflicting interests.

Hope that helps and keep going because it does get better

Thank you so so much. Really good to hear that and brill advice xx

 

[RedAdmiral]

All the 'ginuea pigs' needed to complete a beauty qualification will become your first clients. Look after your family and yourself. There is no way you want to be 'failing' tests each week. Don't stress yourself out. when you are qualified not only can you tan your clients but preen and pamper them also.
Take the time to learn, practice perfectly then when you are qualified go out into the industry and smash it!

 

[Salzgirlie]

Got 79% this week (60% is a pass) so cutting back the hours has helped. Thanks everyone for your advice xx