cant afford!!

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Kimberley0699

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 25, 2004
Messages
149
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2
Location
Leeds UK
Well its decided... I definately cant afford to go and work in a nail salon to gain more experience/get my times down. I went for an interview today. Although the manager there was very nice etc etc, they could only offer me £4.50 an hour which would not rise for a few months (and then lets face it... prob. wouldnt rise that much) and that was to work a lot more hours than what im doing now.

Its such a shame as there doesnt seem to be anywhere that could pay me a wage that I could live off. At the moment im in a well paid admin job. I feel frustrated that I have paid all this money for my training etc and salons only offer this low wage.

Looks like I will be off to find more victims to practice getting my times down on and keep doing nails on the side of my other job from home.

AND!!! (sorry to rant but I NEED to!!).....

Ive been doing nails on evenings at a gym. The manager there (who has now left) was lovely... invited me to come in and have a table whenever (Im best mates with a girl who used to work there - she got me a table doing nails at a well being day at Xmas, and thats where I met the manager). This table is free of charge to me appart from I give a manicure as the prize to the achiever of the month.

So ive been going in since Xmas, 2 evenings a week (the busy nights), promoting myself like crazy, leaflets, price lists and even discount leaflets all over the place. Been airbrushing etc the receptionists' nails so members can see them (then thrusting a card in their hands). I have tried everything and only have 1 regular customer for a manicure each week.

The worst bit is, I know that I am good at what I do, but its just SO slow, especially when I work full time too. I know I have got a really good deal but feel like its becoming a waste of time.

I FEEL LIKE QUITTING .... please can anyone give me some advice???
 
Kim, Whay are you classing as slow?
 
about 2 and a half hours... I know its not THAT bad (it used to take me 3 so im going in the right direction), but its not wonderful!
 
hi hun i know how you feel about the pay and stuff , i cant afford to work in a salon either(even though i would love to ) but with my childcare costs it would be a waste of time me going to work!!! it is just a pit fall in this industry we love our jobs but the pay is pants lol , that is why i just work for myself , i can work round my son and hubbys shifts so most of the time he can have him which granted isnt much coz i hardly have any clients , i have put an advert in yp and it comes out in dec so am hoping that gets me some , but dont give up i kow how frustated u must feel but it will b worth it in the end , :) love dee
 
Hiya - I know exactly what you mean - I'm currently a nail technician in training but work (luckily) part time in a secretarial role. I'm quite well paid for sec/admin work, and I know that even if I was to work full time in a salon, it still wouldn't match what I take home now for part time hours. This just isn't feasible! I know how frustrating this is - please don't think you're alone! My plan is to start up mobile or from home on the side and gradually build up my business until such a time as I can afford to drop the office job altogether.

The issues of getting your speed down - everyone on this site always say to concentrate on your getting your quality right and the speed will come with time/experience, so how about investing in a nail trainer - you can get second hand (excuse the pun!) ones for around half the brand new price either via someone on this site or Ebay?

Keep your chin up and hope this helps (I know it's not much help, but wanted to let you know you're not on your own!) HTH xxx
 
Cheer up honey! I am in exactly the same boat! I gave up a very lucritive secretarial career at £15+ per hour + perks only to find that my best offer to date was £6-£6.50 per week working for Nails Inc based in Debenhams in Oxford Street. Well, I feel that cleaning jobs pay more and it is a total insult to be offered such paltry sums. There is no way I will be working for anyone other than myself if that is all that can be offered - Central London too!

I will am looking at going back to secretarial work on a part-time basis until I build up a decent enough clientelle.

Hopefully, all this hard slogging, the ups, the downs, will all pay off eventually! Keep going - please don't give up!
 
Ooops! The offer wasn't that bad - it was £6-£6.50 per hour!
 
thanks guys.

I am very happy with the quality of my nails, and I know thats the important thing.

What does everyone think about this gym? Is it worth me bothering, i really have tried!!

Also its annoying as I have my airbrush and theres onyl me and a select few of my friends that are hooked on it. Everyone else likes the nails, but wants french manicure.

I need a brain-washing device!!
 
2 1/2 hours Kim is good. At the end of the day the client wants quality nails, not those that have been rushed. I take anytime upto 3hours! Now that's bad!!! Mind you, I've only been doing nails since April so I guess I've a long way to go. How long have you been doing it Kim?
 
I started my course in feb and finished in June. Think thats one thing I have been lucky with - I have taken to nails really well which I think is why this whole thing gets me down so much. Its just heart breaking to sit all night in that gym and get no interest.
 
I can imagine how you feel ! I'm quite lucky in the respect that I have family and friends who have their nails done quite regular. Gives me the practice if nothing else. I'm also lucky that I gave up my job 2 years ago to have my daughter and fortunately could afford to stay off (even if it means my husband working every hour!!!). It gives me the time to do nails on an evening so I can get enough practice to then start mobile in time to come....

Try not to worry hun...all good things come to those who wait :)
 
Im doing a leaflet drop tonight around my area so everyone needs to keep their fingers crossed!
 
Keep us informed...
 
Hi there. Not sure if anyone has mentioned this in this thread, but have you thought about working in a salon part time (ie. an evening or so a week, or one day at the weekend), as well as do your full time job, just so you get the experience? That way, whatever you earn on top of your full time job will be a bonus. I know it means giving up your evenings and weekend or part of, but if you look at it in the long term, it is just a stepping stone towards your goal.

Jeni
 
Hi Kim

I would keep your contacts at the gym, even if it is only 2 evenings a week...it may be worth your while as they are not charging you for the cost of renting a table, also you are keeping up with your skills.

It is frustrating trying to get a client base....I know, as I've advertised in 3 local papers here on the Costa del Sol for about 4 weeks now and my 'phone isn't exactly 'red hot' LOL!! In the meantime I'm worried that I may forget the skills I was taught..at the mo I'm about doing a set of tips with L&P in about 2.5 hours and I'm worried if I don't keep doing nails at least once a week I will lose the speed I've gained. So hang on in there...don't give up the table at the gym.
 
Kimberley0699 said:
thanks guys.

I am very happy with the quality of my nails, and I know thats the important thing.

What does everyone think about this gym? Is it worth me bothering, i really have tried!!

Also its annoying as I have my airbrush and theres onyl me and a select few of my friends that are hooked on it. Everyone else likes the nails, but wants french manicure.

I need a brain-washing device!!

Kimberley, you are in the wrong situation! Free table or no free table, your clientel is not building there which proves you are in the wrong place.

Of course wages are low for nail technicians. The technicians are not shouldering the financial burdons of the salon owners, and the bills must be paid. It is not insulting, it is business and if you were employing someone else in your salon you would do the same because you would have to, otherwise there would beno point in employing anyone.

Working for yourself is always the better option, of course. You need to be properly renting space in a busy salon that will drive the customers to your door. A salon where the standards are as high as yours and have the sort of clientel you want. Hair salons are a wonderful opportunity and most hair salons would love to rent space to a nail technician but it must be the right salon.

You could start off by doing Saturdays and some late nights and work your way in to a full time situation. At some point you have to have the courage to let go of the day job and go for it. Most people who do this wish they had done it years before.
 
toodles said:
Hi there. Not sure if anyone has mentioned this in this thread, but have you thought about working in a salon part time (ie. an evening or so a week, or one day at the weekend), as well as do your full time job, just so you get the experience? That way, whatever you earn on top of your full time job will be a bonus. I know it means giving up your evenings and weekend or part of, but if you look at it in the long term, it is just a stepping stone towards your goal.

Jeni
mmmm, i'm thinking along these lines. if working at the gym is not getting much response, you would be better off going into a salon, even if you just go for work experience and are unwaged, you won't be any worse off . you will benefit from the free training and the practice will be invaluable. it might seem like a step backwards at the moment, but it will pay off in the end. i think after training it was about a year before i felt comfortable in the job and thought i knew what i was doing [most of the time !].most salons will want you to do a full set in 1 1/2 hrs before they will pay you reasonable money. once you have a bit more experience you can then re-launch yourself at the gym or wherever, in the meantime maybe your regular can come to your house?
 
Thanks again everyone.

I think that when the lady from the salon calls me back I will throw in the just saturdays idea and see what she thinks.

I actually did a set of l&p tonight on a paying friend and so havnt had chance to do my leaflet drop (will do it tomorrow - I have the day off)!! Just what I needed actually as she (and I) were really pleased with the nails. She also told me how well the last set I had applied had lasted as did another friend who I did a holiday set for.

I think that tomorrow night (my 1 regular!) at the gym may just be my last although I will try and make other arrangements for Susan - the only one thats kept me returning! Like Geeg says, its just not the right place. Either that or maybe go down to one night a week for a while and keep on plugging myself.
 
make sure you leave some leaflets there though so you dont miss out on any possible future business, and make sure you carry on doing your mates nails so she can be living proof of what good work you do.
Kimberley0699 said:
Thanks again everyone.

I think that when the lady from the salon calls me back I will throw in the just saturdays idea and see what she thinks.

I actually did a set of l&p tonight on a paying friend and so havnt had chance to do my leaflet drop (will do it tomorrow - I have the day off)!! Just what I needed actually as she (and I) were really pleased with the nails. She also told me how well the last set I had applied had lasted as did another friend who I did a holiday set for.

I think that tomorrow night (my 1 regular!) at the gym may just be my last although I will try and make other arrangements for Susan - the only one thats kept me returning! Like Geeg says, its just not the right place. Either that or maybe go down to one night a week for a while and keep on plugging myself.
 
Dont worry I will, I also hve a friend who gets a great deal - I airbrush her nails for free and send her out with business cards! Im always giving out my cards at the slightest hint someone is interested (always have my nails looking fab). Even pull em out in the supermarket for the checkout girls!!!

You see... I do try!!
 

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