Affirmation ... why do so many need it?

[geeg]

I notice as I'm sure we all have ... that in the last few weeks there have been a gazillion threads asking us to look at logos, web sites, salon names etc. and give opinions.

My question is ... why do so many need the affirmation of others to make a decision? Do they not have any instinct for what is good and what isn't? And does this apparent insecurity bode well for a successful future in business?

In running and starting a business people are going to have to learn to make their own decisions and not need to seek affirmation constantly from others that what they are doing is OK. Is it just me?? I just don't get it. I really don't.

 

[Bronzewolf]

No its not just you.
Maybe too many followers and not enough leaders.

 

[Kittensgotclaws]

No its not just you.
Maybe too many followers and not enough leaders.

Well no, thats not fair, i myself have posted a thread about a logo for my business, alot of us on here work by ourselves so have no one to bounce ideas around with, thats where this site comes in as everyone on here is kind of like your co-worker. If we cant bounce ideas or talk about logos etc with each other then who else are we going to be able to talk to?? the wall?? I dont think we'll get much of a result from that now would we? lol :lol:
Jo.Xxx:hug:

 

[mollylolly]

I totally agree.

We all want to produce a leaflet/flyer etc that stands out from the rest.

I produce all my own price lists, business cards, aftercare leaflets, next appointment card, Voucher cards etc. & I have only ever asked a family member to check through my first draft, just to make sure that looking at them from a clients perspective, that they make sense and that they are clear and concise. (as my spelling can let me down.lol)

My stationary is personal to me because I designed it, used photos of my own work, and I am happy with all of the designs, as I have made them they way I wanted them to look and I don't feel that I need anyone else to tell me if they are good or bad.

Sorry if I sound stroppy - don't mean to

Mollylolly

 

[TweezerHappy]

Personally speeking, I'm brand new to business and the beauty world so I'm asking advice/opinions from the professionals.

It worked for me and I'm really grateful. I got help on my name and I think the new name sounds great. I couldn't have come up with it myself and I was asking the opinions from my hubby and friends. None of them came up with anything as good.

 

[Cathie!]

Well no, thats not fair, i myself have posted a thread about a logo for my business, alot of us on here work by ourselves so have no one to bounce ideas around with, thats where this site comes in as everyone on here is kind of like your co-worker. If we cant bounce ideas or talk about logos etc with each other then who else are we going to be able to talk to?? the wall?? I dont think we'll get much of a result from that now would we? lol :lol:
Jo.Xxx:hug:

But the thing is, noone is going to say if they think your logo is pants....well, if they do they will get a backlashing for it as I discovered lol ! These things are always a matter of opinion and everyone has their own opinion. If it's your business and your future, it's ultimately your decision. Ask family members and friends what they think, they're more likely to give you honest opinions, good or bad.

I know 100% about working on your own and that is why this site has always been a godsend to me as I can network with other professionals, sort out any product or service issues and hopefully help a few others along the way. :hug:

 

[Kittensgotclaws]

But the thing is, noone is going to say if they think your logo is pants....well, if they do they will get a backlashing for it as I discovered lol ! These things are always a matter of opinion and everyone has their own opinion. If it's your business and your future, it's ultimately your decision. Ask family members and friends what they think, they're more likely to give you honest opinions, good or bad.

I know 100% about working on your own and that is why this site has always been a godsend to me as I can network with other professionals, sort out any product or service issues and hopefully help a few others along the way. :hug:

Yeah i get what your saying, and yes everyone has their own opinion but at the end of the day this is a forum where people can get together and chat about all sorts of stuff which means that if someone wants to ask an opinion they can, its in the title of the thread, if someone doesn't want to read it then dont click the link. Its the same with everything, i dont get the ezflow vs cnd threads but i dont moan about them because i just dont read them, someone has asked that question and really wants an answer, i dont have an answer for them so i dont post, i move on to another thread. :hug:

 

[Kim Lawless]

I don't mind giving my opinion on logo's. The only trouble is that they all look the same. Is it the same company doing them?

 

[the-male-geek]

I don't mind giving my opinion on logo's. The only trouble is that they all look the same. Is it the same company doing them?

It certainly looks that way to me - hence why I - and I suspect others, stopped opening those threads LONG ago..........

 

[Cathie!]

Yeah i get what your saying, and yes everyone has their own opinion but at the end of the day this is a forum where people can get together and chat about all sorts of stuff which means that if someone wants to ask an opinion they can, its in the title of the thread, if someone doesn't want to read it then dont click the link. Its the same with everything, i dont get the ezflow vs cnd threads but i dont moan about them because i just dont read them, someone has asked that question and really wants an answer, i dont have an answer for them so i dont post, i move on to another thread. :hug:

It all comes back to the old adage....if you have nothing good to say, say nothing....I have plenty of opinions but if they aren't positive, especially about products, I won't post them.....goes against the ethos of sharing experience I guess but that's just the way it is.

I guess the moderators have to read all the threads to moderate the site, so they see them all and can't just read the title and move on.

 

[LadyL]

Geeg My question is ... why do so many need the affirmation of others to make a decision? Do they not have any instinct for what is good and what isn't? And does this apparent insecurity bode well for a successful future in business?

Pretty You This site would not exist without your para above, I believe salon geek was for professionals seeking security, advice and help from others. In the many forums there are many questions about our profession whether it be scientific or business. This was correctly posted as was mine to you earlier. I thank you for that, but I do believe you have a hacker into your profile, as this is not like you Geeg?

 

[MINKUS]

I like to get an idea of how other people 'perceive' myself and business by my advertising......website/bus cards/logo's etc

Like... yes that looks 'clean' or no that's a bit fussy, don't like those colours.

Ultimately, I'll go with what 'I' like but it's good to get a bit of feedback be it good or bad!

 

[tigi]

I think some people just like to have others to bounce ideas off. it can be a lonely existence if you are working alone and i can see why people post up here about such things if they dont have anyone else to ask.

I was once told by a rep selling skincare to ditch my salon name. I didnt listen and I am very glad I didnt. my salon name has made me.

I would say to anyone, if you like it , then go with it!

tigi

 

[redsadie]

I don't really need affirmation, I really do know what I do and don't like. I just post to keep the site going because if no-one posted about 'this and that' or 'do you like this or not' or 'which one do you think is the best', we wouldn't be here.

 

[Bagpuss]

I think that anyone running a business for the first time is going to find they double questions things...need a second opinion....seek advise from those who are established....the confidence to make these decisions alone comes later....just like when we are newly trained...we have questions...we have self doubt...so we ask others...after time we grow in confidence and experience and start to have more self believe and go with our gut instincts.

Jeez i lost count of the amount of times i rang my mum for advise (sometimes on the most silliest of things) when i became a mum for the first time....infact i remember 1 question being "how do i check the temperature of the bath water for baby"...:lol:....Doh !!...but hey we all have to learn somewhere....and even though sometimes we know what we like....we know what we think.....you just want another persons viewpoint....either as confirmation or not.

I can shop for my own clothes, i know what i like....but its far more fun having a friend with me to tell me if my bum looks big or not...

 

[h3llsb3lls]

i'm sure most people probably do ask their friends and family their opinions however they are not going to help us with technical details relative to the industry.....for people who work independently this forum is the closest thing they will get to work colleagues....

lots of people pay a lot of money to companies for business advice when starting out......surely by asking questions on here people can hopefully get some (free) opinions from experienced people who are happy to share their knowledge and want to help others

i have asked opinions on here and had constructive criticism......i don't take this personally but am very grateful that others take the time to post their thoughts........

i can't imagine there are many people who own their own businesses that can honestly say they were 100% confident of its success initially or that they were not a little insecure about it as it is such a personal reflection on them......deciding to work for yourself is a huge decision especially in the current climate and one that offers no financial security.......it is surely a sensible move to make informed decisions rather than rely on instinct alone?

 

[angelnailz]

I notice as I'm sure we all have ... that in the last few weeks there have been a gazillion threads asking us to look at logos, web sites, salon names etc. and give opinions.

My question is ... why do so many need the affirmation of others to make a decision? Do they not have any instinct for what is good and what isn't? And does this apparent insecurity bode well for a successful future in business?

In running and starting a business people are going to have to learn to make their own decisions and not need to seek affirmation constantly from others that what they are doing is OK. Is it just me?? I just don't get it. I really don't.

Interesting thread

I think that if you are 100% confident about all aspects of business from the word go with no insecurity then you would be in a very small minority indeed, confidence grows with experience (just talking from my own journey so far) and just because one at the beginning of their career may need some affirmation IMO does not necessarily mean they shall always seek it, well we would hope not anyway personally, I don't see anything wrong with someone asking an industry professional for their valuable opinion (as long as it`s posted in the correct forum etc) to me thats what this site is all about and hopefully as we all grow as professionals we too can pass on our knowledge/opinions. As for instincts, maybe the 100's of business cards/flyer designs that have been whittled down to a few remaining choices have shown some instincts but it isn't always easy to make a final decision and trust yourself in the fledgling stages of business, after all, these are peoples lives :hug: xxx

 

[Susie H]

The problem Gigi is that not everyone did a CND foundation course.
I am absolutely serious on that. I had an evening course that took place over 6 weeks with a break between week 5 and 6 so as to allow for the rebalace growth.
One of our homework assignments was to produce a service menu. Which we all brought in the following week and we spent half the lesson looking at what had been brought in, this gave us all the chance to really think about the name, type font, layout, prices etc.
I have since found out that a great many courses out there do not cover this very important aspect of the business.
Web sites are another matter, quite often the reason peeps want everyone to have a look see is not to have pages of 'oh that's lovely' but to have the site road tested before it goes live, so spelling and grammar mistakes can be picked up, links that don't work and so on.
And yes, I totally agree with you, if someone needs their hand held, every step of the way then no I don't think they are ready to go it alone yet and I also think that they should look at attending a business development course because then they will gain confidence that they know what they are doing. Being a talented tech is great but being a savvy business person is the only way to make the dream a reality.

 

[number1kitty]

Have to say starting a buisness up alone is a very lonely and mentally challenging thing to do. My family have always been there and I do personally know what I want and how to achieve it. But theres been times when my staff have gone home and I have felt crap! Your family might all come from other buisiness's or may never have run there own business so where do you turn to for advice.

I only really found this place after I sold my salon and the internet was far from as big as it os today and business advice was hard to find. Today its so easy to google everything, but then if your a member here you should be able to ask like minded people from the same industry and with the same passion that you regard as friends to give you feedback or advice when needed.

Its far better to ask advice than make expensive mistakes that could cost you your business. I am lucky to have had the upbringing I had as beauty college create beauty therapists NOT business women. None of us are taught or given advice on how to manage and set up a successful and viable business. I have what is deemed a good network of business's in my family but very few can help or assist in this industry as many think its a 'hobby'. So it dosnt matter who we are, I think we all at some point during our business need advice. Be that from our bank manager, accountant, suppliers or from forums.

Kate

 

[Annie23]

tbh I avoid the threads about logo's and naming for my salon for two different reasons:

Logo's - like Kim and Derek I think all the logo's look the same, every time I have opened up one of the threads in the past it makes me want to tear my hair out. Coming from a graphic design/reprographics (printing) background I just don't get how alike they are. I have wanted to say this sooooo many times but for the sake of keeping the peace I have kept my mouth shut just my honest opinion

I designed my own logo a few months ago and quite clearly stated that it was a rough draft in the first post, the amount of criticisms I got for the design was high. I dont think anybody bothered to read "rough draft" but I took it in good part because I posted so it was my responsibility to take the good with the bad. However, by the time I had completed it most people liked it, and guess what it was all my own design, ok I come from the industry but I still felt proud of what I achieved.

Naming Salons - I don't appreciate threads asking for help to name a salon, it took me well over a year (yep thats how long I thought about it, so a bit of forward thinking needs to come into play) to finally come up with my salon name (when I finally get to open it) and I don't think that people should ask this question. Again just my opinion. Its their salon therefore its their responsibilty to name it or if they can't get a professional to help you. By professional I mean a company that helps to promote new businesses, sorry the job title escapes me, if you can't afford it save up! You might say well I can't afford that, well if you want to be a success it costs money and sacrifices have to be made, perhaps you should wait until you can afford it. This may seem harsh but business is harsh.

I know that this post is going to be unpopular and usually I dont post responses like this, but I have felt like this a long time and now finally given a chance to speak my mind.

anne xx