Am I wasting my time studying beauty, any happy stories would be welcome

[nenee]

Hi there

My confidence has gone out of the window, with regards to working for myself, as previously I spent thousands trying to achieve my own nail business. I worked from home in my spare bedroom and did extremely well just from word of mouth, but then came the bad news, I became allergic to the acrylic:cry::cry:

I had to stop and have not done nails since. I picked myself back up this year and have decided to become a qualified beauty therapist and not do nail enhancements but manicures and peds instead etc.

The only problem I now have is Im concerned Im going down the same route, Iv been hearing how dam difficult it is, from other therapists and Im thinking of giving it up, as dont want to end up in debt with no future due to the amount of beauty salons there are already.

I want to work for myself eventually so obviiously have to qualify and then have experience first, I dont want to work for others as I so want to work for myself.

How difficult would it be to build a conservatory and set up from home, there are no beauty salons in my village except for a lady who does skin care but she specializes in lazers mainly so there is room for me to offer skin care, waxing etc (she does not offer these)

I need some one to say it can work and it is worthwhile am I fooling myself? are there any beauty therapists out there who work from hoem and do well:!:

nenee

 

[lilacm]

Of course it can work! I myself have a salon but my sister works from home doing beauty (mainly waxing, facials & massage). She has a baby so only works part-time but she is almost fully booked most of the time and doesn't need to advertise anymore. She has been building up her client base for the past couple of years as it does take a little while.

However you might be better working in a salon at first till you have enough experience to work on your own.

DON'T GIVE UP!!!!!!

 

[Emo]

Hey, sorry to hear that, such a shame after building up a good business, now u feel your back to square one. A friend of mine has recently set up a treatment room in her house and like u was worried about the cost.
She built a small extention onto the back of her house and although it cost her a bit, she is delighted now thats she done it and her clients apparently were over the moon as some of them myuch prefer the quietness of her house compared to her going to see them.
I think u should go for it, especially if there is very little else in the area. U would be amazed at the amount of people that would benefit from it!
Just make sure u sort out your insurance and are in line with all the health regulations.
I'm sure there are therapists that find it hard to establish themselves, but if u don't give it a shot, you'll never know and then it could be too late, someone else might beat u to it! Good luck!

 

[rach_kate]

hey it definately can work it may sound silly but im guessing it was over exposure that caused an allergy; can you not wear gloves?? not sure if you'd tried stuff like that?
also ive been salon based for a few years and now do mobile which i thought would be a pain in the bum but i actually love it!! when i own my own home i think i will have a room for waxing and facials etc but still do mobile nails etc to get out and about a bit!!

keep working hard hun; it will pay off!!!

xxxxx

 

[tinkywinky]

I really wanted to do it, but it's like anything in this life you have to achieve goals sometimes to get what you want.

I think you are a little knocked from what happened, I'm a beauty therapist and have been self employed for 7 years now. Love the freedom of my job, the money when it comes in, the clients who are nice and most of all I like doing the treatments.

If your hearts in it and that's what you want to do then go for it think long term not short and it will help you get you through,

hth's xxx

 

[nenee]

Just wanted to say a BIG thank you for giving me some great feedback, I think I have to give it a try and not think "what if" all the time otherwise I will go round in circles trying job after job which just dont suit me.

Im bored with office jobs and Im fed up being fed up with my career. I get so disheartend with boring jobs i want to scream:grr:

When I go to college in the evenings I love what I do, I get real satisfaction out of it and put 110 % into it, even though I have a 8 month old to contend with all day I still look forward to my mon and tue evenings at college, so it must be for me. Im passionate about the industry and love the feeling when clients love my work, I think thats why not being able to do nail extensions really hit hard.

But this year we are doing a self build house, next to the one we have so Im sure we can add another small room into it and if I dont do the beauty then it can be turned into a study for the next career I want to fail in (only joking lol :lol

What treatments seem to do well from home, what do clients come back for more and more?? Do spray tans actually work without streaking and if so which makes, I presume they would be a good thing to do? I here of loads of people saying they had a nightmare spray tan

Anyway Im blabbing on and on now sorry

Cheers everyone for the pick me up!

nenee
:hug: x

 

[Spray 2 Go]

Hi Nenee

Starting up is always a hard thing to do especially with a young baby, some days you will be absolutely flying and high on the enthusiasm and then others you will feel lower - its normal! If and when you encounter problems there is always a way around them.

When you really want to achieve there will be nothing that will stop you from succeeding in what you really want to do, there are so many geeks on here who also tell you this.

As far as treatments for home salon go, there will be so much advice to be benefit you from the wonderful people on this site, personally I started doing CND acrylic enhancements, which I had a reaction to after some time and had to discontinue this service but continued with manicures & pedicures, especially the Creative SPA range which my clients loved, I also did waxing and spray tanning.

Out of all the treatments, it was the spray tanning which got me hooked and was my most popular service which has since led onto other paths including the creation of Tantrick four years ago.

Keep your chin up, stay positive and reach for the goal you have hun, we're here to share a shoulder when you need it :hug:

All the best

Mandy

 

[nenee]

thanks for that hun! Iv just looked at the tanning and it looks brill, will try and find a salon that does it by me in north wales

 

[tinkywinky]

I must say I can understand you here on the baby front nenee, I have a 7 month old baby and a 3 year old, it is very hard to find enthusiasm and energy - lately I have been feeling like I don't want to work and want to be at home with baby all the time.

You get like this from time to time, but when I get a new booking I get excited so I know I still love what I do.

I have regular clients although not many, as I don't work that often but I enjoy what I do and one day when the kids are older I can grow my business - for now it's a good earner and I enjoy it, it fits in with the kids. The only downside is evenings and weekends, but then you get to spend time with the little ones in the day and spend less on childcare.

Try to do everything as mother's don't we!!

 

[nenee]

Hi tinky winky

Yeh I feel Like I dont want to work and spend all my time with my baby, its a mother nuture thing I reckon, but I also feel Iv lost my identity lately and need a little time for myself, thats why evening college is a good thing to do.

Can I ask do you work for yourself and if so do u work from home? How did you set up if you have, and how did you get ur clients to come there?

cheers

 

[pazzy]

You sound like me when I had my little one. All up...then down.

When your at home you have loads of time to think about stuffyou want to do but then when you have had a bad day you get all down.

I think if you enjoy the beauty - stay with it - its all hard work (but nothing is ever easy!!!) but if you want it - its yours to take.

Some people say 'oh theres no jobs in beauty - moneys not good' but its a nice job...and the jobs wont fall in your lap - you have to go get them...just practice everything you enjoy as much as you can...and you will become brilliant.

Your not wasting your time if its something you want. Spray tanning is good too - but you must practice and swot up on the knowledge (our clients love knowledge)

Good luck.

 

[Pinkerpink]

thanks for that hun! Iv just looked at the tanning and it looks brill, will try and find a salon that does it by me in north wales

Hi, I live in North Wales and have trained with Tantrick and Couture. Perhaps I could come and do you a tan? Thay are fab, NO STREAKS guaranteed, so long as you prep correctly! (I will tell you how)

I did a garage conversion when my daughter was a baby and offered nails. beauty and tanning. People loved coming to me (I have since moved and have to be mobile which I don't think they like as much!), I'm thinking from experience a conservatory gets RED HOT in the summer and F F F FR FREEZING in the winter though, also they don't feel very private.

I' thinking clients will love waxing, tinting, tanning, facials, massage, reflexology, manicures/pedicures and even acupuncture (have I spelt this wrong?)

Good luck and GO FOR IT, be confident, get leaflets out, money off for recommending a friend vouchers, a little magnetic sign on your car, a nice uniform etc etc and you will never look back, never to mention work for somebody else ever again!!:lol:

 

[nenee]

Hi ya

I would love to try the tantrick tan, the last one I ever had was the st Tropez and I ended up with orange hands and streaks on my back, I did have dry hands though maybe it was due to that, dont know about the streaks on the back though? email me with details etc on [email protected] (are we aloud to give email ?? Im new to this)

Im feeling much more positive, and defo will use a room at my house and start just doing a sat and couple of nights so I have time with the baby, but long way off yet till I have qualified.

Im what you call a typical women always thinking years ahead lol:lol:

cheers

 

[tinkywinky]

Hi nenee

I work for myself, have worked in a salon but it was bad money and they treated me poorly so I left.

Yes I definately want to be at home with my baby, I have lost my mojo for beauty - what I mean is I love my trade, but it's the advertising and pushing it to grow that I have lost interest in.

I am quite busy at home with the kids, but I am still doing it, have lots of bookings in, but it is just quite part time. When I do work I love it I have to say!

I work as a mobile therapist; which has its advantages. You can escape the house if you have been there all day and you don't have to set everything up and tidy up at home before

Then again, I've found myself driving round late at night, it doesn't bother me that much but I sometimes wonder why do I do this?

I've always been fairly busy in my work, having used various forms of advertising; leaflet drops were very popular and got me a lot of clients, as did yellow pages. I now have a website and it's my only form of advertising and getting new business; I have current clients that text or re-book frequently.

If I had the energy and time I would defo. get back to getting out and posting fliers, it's cheap easy and you can take your little one for a walk.

You can also speak to Business Link to give you advice on how to advertise, what markets you should target etc etc.

Do you mind me asking where in the UK you are based? Is it country or city?

It may change the way you advertise - e.g. if you are in the country you could advertise in local shops/mags/leaflet drops etc; if in the city you may be up against stronger competition and may have to think of different ways of advertising.

 

[nenee]

Hi ya

I live in a large village in the country but 12 miles from Chester (where there prices are very expensive due to being in Chester)

I think if i start off slowly and only work part-time few eves a week and a sat morning I think that would be more than enough for me, due to my children etc and it will bring in the money too, plus I will be getting my clientelle etc. I really cant face working in a salon with other young girls to be honest, Im 37 and dont think I would fit in due to this, I would be an easy target lol, and I cannot do with the bitchiness that may come with the territory:irked: Im too long in the tooth to be bothered, plus I dont think I could take someone younger than me telling me what to do all day(Iv had years of that and I dont want it anymore), and I no that beauty therapist work dam hard for their money! and if I do work hard I want to reap the benefits not someone else!

I am not qualified for a while yet, so will see how things pan out:lol:

I think in the meantime do my homework and get a feel for the business and look into products and the business side of things too.

 

[tinkywinky]

I never worked in a salon til 5 years into it, hated it and went back to mobile. Start on your own and stay on your own, that's my advice lol!!

 

[Sharkster]

Hey Nenee, glad to hear that your picking up your confidence in your decision to re-train and work from home. We sound like twins, I am 36 and worked in finance for 12 years then got fed up with all the office politics etc so decided to re-train as a beauty therapist 3 years ago. I didn't want to work in a salon long term for the very same reasons that you stated above, also as the money is crap and I've got a mortgage to pay! I set up from home earlier this year and I have never looked back. Sure I'm still building clients and some days I'm busy but some days I've got none but I know it takes time and I'm just so glad I made this choice, it's the best thing I've every done!

Check out a post by Sassy regarding business, can't remember what it's called? I'm new to this site, I'll try to find it for you as I found it really helpfull.

Good luck, keep at it, you can do it!:hug:

 

[nenee]

Thanks for your post, Its nice to hear from someone in the same position as me/age etc but also feels the same about working in a salon

I have worked as a Civil Servant for the last 5 years and I hate it,some of the managers are not nice and then theres the targets and then theres the BOREDOM!! I cannot see myself staying there for much longer it drives me insane.

I am realy hell bent on working for myself and want to succeed but some days when Im tired from juggling the baby, the housework, college etc it does get to me, and then theres the 2 years Iv got to wait, and I am very impatient to say the least, especially as I want it so badly now, then theres my age, tick tock:irked:

Life is for living and taking chances, otherwise it would be boring, but there is a fine line from jumping in at the deap end too, especially when I have a mortgage etc too.

:hug:

 

[beautyseeker]

Cant say I am doing well as I have only just started, but I am very hopeful. I suppose it depends on how much work you want to do. If you want to be very very busy then its going to take a while and you will have to be patient. I would like enough work to keep me busy but not so much I dont have time to be with my family or deal with other day to day stuff, or see my pals, etc.

Dont give up before you have started. It can be very depressing, a pal of mine has had her salon for over a year and its only just starting to give her an income that does not all go back into the salon.

I think that colleges give the impression that clients are going to fall into your lap (mine did). They wont.

Keep on trying and dont give up. :Love: