Do I jump now or should I wait till I'm pushed?

[Gill Bailey]

Help! I'm in a real dilemma. Have been working in a salon for 6 months as a nail tech, have been very happy, really like the girls but the problem is the owner (hair dresser). She seems hell bent on ruining her business by bad time management i.e. keeping customers waiting 1/2 - 1 hour for their treatments, not paying utility bills on time & consequently getting cut off, she is now telling clients all about her money problems & how she is struggling, which obviously is very unprofessional and does not portray a confident & positive image! We've already had 2 visits from bailiffs. The two other girls are not confident that the salon is going to survive the way the owner is going on and we are now worrying about turning up for work one morning to find the locks have been changed on the doors and we are locked out and all our personal equipment/tools/products are inside & we won't be able to get them. Does anyone know how we would stand legally on this aspect?

In the meantime I've approached another salon who is interested in me moving there to rent a desk. She wants me to pay 50/50 and she supplies the products. I want to pay 35% with a ceiling of £40 per day and I supply my own products. I think 50/50 is too much - what do you think? I'd really appreciate quick replies as I've got to let this new salon know by Friday, 6th July.

I'm not sure whether to sit tight and stay where I am or leave and go to this other salon.

 

[Jacqui'snewnail]

I would get out while you can personally. If you have all stock and kit inside that shop I wouldnt risk losing them.

I agree 50/50 is too much, I would renegotiate that figure.

Good Luck - hope it all works out for you.

Jacqui

 

[Zo Zo]

This is a tricky one. I would say a contingency plan is definitely in order and you are right to be looking into your options. I also think 50/50 is too much, but also, I would be unhappy about the new salon supplying the products because (i) they might want to change brands or cut corners to reduce overheads, and (ii) you might run out of things. I personally would rather be in control of the products myself.

However, also consider your other options as there must be other options, not just where you are now and the 50/50 salon

 

[Minipig007]

I fully agree with the above comments. It is very difficult to prove in a place of work what belongs to the company and what belongs to the staff. I would immediately start taking all personal belongings home with you when your finish, so that you have piece of mind that there cannot be any misunderstandings in your absence.

Furthermore, the 50/50 split on the basis of the provision of products would be a little excessive, and if you would prefer to supply your own anyway, i would use this as the backbench for a renegotioation of the offer. Perhaps you should make an appointment to meet with the manager. I would draft up details of your products, how much they cost, cost per treatment, and ask the manager to provide a breakdown of things that s/he would provide, for e.g. utility bills, laundry, customer refreshments, receptionist ect. What you need to be able to do is place a value on what you bring to the business, and what the business brings to you. You can then use this information to negotiate a split that is agreeable to both parties. (well, this is how i would do it anyway).



HTH's

 

[Gill Bailey]

Thank you for all those very constructive comments, most appreciated. I'd be very interested to hear from anyone else if you can add to these comments.

 

[rouge]

If I were in your shoes I would be seriously looking at any other option available. I would find it extremely difficult to work in such an atmosphere. It sounds like the owner doesn't care too much about her business, which I find very odd. However, it is your livelihood she is messing about with, not just her own.

I would certainly be taking my equipment home with me each night. It may be a pain but it's better to do that than to run the risk of losing it all.

If you can negotiate better terms with the other salon it's worth making the move. Jmho!

 

[bexi]

if u do leave u must be careful about approaching clients from the salon as some kind of written constent may say you cant do this.

I agree with all the other comments.

If u dont feel that 50/50 is fair why sell yourself short? I'm sure this isnt the ONLY place you could work, keeo your options open, then u have another negoticating option.

Good luck xxx

 

[Little Angel]

Hi

What's this other salon like?? Can you see yourself working happily there??

Ask for a meeting with your prospective new employer and try and negociate better terms. Depending on how well the meeting goes will give you an incite as to how things will be.

Please do get your terms and conditions down in writing, even if its only a typed up piece of A4 that you both sign, clearly stating your responsibility's, what she is paying for and yourself etc.

EG you are supplying products will that be everything from desk rolls to hand wash, towels, files etc?
utility bills?
Advertising?

If the salon your in is in such a bad way as to be having baliff visits i would jump ship personally.

HTH

 

[Minipig007]

Please do get your terms and conditions down in writing, even if its only a typed up piece of A4 that you both sign, clearly stating your responsibility's, what she is paying for and yourself etc.

Totally agree with this. It was what i had also thought of but forgot to say.

I agree with the others about looking for other opportunities though - "don't put all your eggs in one basket".

 

[tinkywinky]

I'd get out if I were you. I once worked at a place and the bailiffs came in, told me to turn the laptop off and took that and asked me for my company car keys. I was left stranded. We were then expected to work for this man who was in very bad debt and had left us without the basics to work. He also didn't pay us and I had to take that further. Strange bloke.

She's putting people off going tell them she has money problems.

I jumped ship when a similar situation happened to me. Best thing I ever did. Very stressful at the time but I look back & dont regret it now.

Hths' xxx

 

[tonilee]

If I were you I would get out now chick it would be awful if you lost your equipment and it sounds like the owner wouldnt care. I worked 50/50 in a salon and to be honest it totally didnt work, she was reluctant to buy products and insisted I looked for cheaper ones I could never get my point accross to her and in the end it exhausted me and I left. For me it was the best thing ever did but I guess thats just my experience. hth chick good luck in whatever choice you make x

:hug::hug::hug::hug:

 

[Gill Bailey]

Thanks for your thoughts everyone. You are confirming what I've been thinking, just get as much of my gear out of the salon and into my car boot as quickly as possible. I just don't want to let the owner see me doing this as she will become suspicious. She's a real strange person, we think she could be a manic depressive, one minute she's laughing and joking, life and soul of the party and then she's claiming she's depressed and is on pills.

My stomach is in a knot just thinking about the whole business, last night I hit the bottle!

 

[rouge]

Thanks for your thoughts everyone. You are confirming what I've been thinking, just get as much of my gear out of the salon and into my car boot as quickly as possible. I just don't want to let the owner see me doing this as she will become suspicious. She's a real strange person, we think she could be a manic depressive, one minute she's laughing and joking, life and soul of the party and then she's claiming she's depressed and is on pills.

My stomach is in a knot just thinking about the whole business, last night I hit the bottle!

If she asks you about it tell her you have clients to do in the evening. If they're your products you can do what you like with them and there's nothing she can do.

 

[1999judy]

TBH I'd get the hell out of there asap.
x

 

[Susie H]

Yep, I agree with everyone else I think your idea of how to split things at the new place is more realistic and leaves you in control of what products you use. As for getting your stuff out, just tell her you are restocking with a different brand, thats assuming you are a sneaky mare like me and can lie with a straight face:green:
Oh and from what I've seen on the telly, if the balifs go in, they take everything of value and you then have to provide receipts to prove the stuff is yours to get it back. But thats just from that program called beat the balifs , so it could be wrong

 

[Rosey]

You should definately get your belongings out. I personally would tell her straight that as she has made it clear that the business is financially in trouble, then you have made the decision to leave immediately and take all of your personal belongings and products with you. If she is a bit unpredictable then take someone with you, also handy to have someone there to help you take your belongings away.Confrontation is always uncomfortable, but you are doing this for the right reasons.

Once you are out take stock of the situation and look at your options. You may be able to negotiate at this other salon, or if that doesnt look good then start approaching salons etc, or go it alone! I like to think that these things happen for a reason and that this is a way of opening a door to a great opportunity for you. Just sometimes you have to look hard to find the opportunity. :hug:

 

[Gill Bailey]

Hi girls,
Well I've started to get my gear out of the salon and feel a lot better about it already. Will continue to get the rest out this week (when she's not looking - I'm a coward!!). the other salon where I had been hoping to go to hasn't worked out as they wanted me to do just acrylics. I wanted to continue doing pedis/manicures/waxing and indian head massage. It would be a shame not to continue doing that if I'm qualified - a waste of my skills.

I'm going to start looking around at other salons and take my cv in, obviously not giving away the name of the salon I'm in at the moment!

 

[Gill Bailey]

Hi girls,
Well I've started to get my gear out of the salon and feel a lot better about it already. Will continue to get the rest out this week (when she's not looking - I'm a coward!!). the other salon where I had been hoping to go to hasn't worked out as they wanted me to do just acrylics. I wanted to continue doing pedis/manicures/waxing and indian head massage. It would be a shame not to continue doing that if I'm qualified - a waste of my skills.

I'm going to start looking around at other salons and take my cv in, obviously not giving away the name of the salon I'm in at the moment!

 

[weegirl]

It is awful hearing stories like this. I was a chartered accountant for years, and fortunately these stories are few and far between. She sounds like she hasn't got a lot of brains, you would be well away.

As for your personal products, keep all receipts for these. If the insolvency practitioners/baillifs etc call in, that stuff can't be retained, you can demand it back by law. Unfortunately as these people have already gained access, it is easier for them to walk in again, especially if she has signed a WPO (walking possession agreement). If it happens again, you have the legal right to take what is yours with you, they can only take what is hers. I know these people can seem threatening, I have heard stories about people getting removed from premises and their very coats being left behind but baillifs are bound by laws and you can insist to take your personal items. Unfortunately there are debt collection agencies out there that you may not want to mess with, but if you have evidence that the gear is yours, you will be okay.

It would be easier though if you got it out first as there is a whole process to go through to get it back, you could be out of pocket buying more in the interim period.

 

[emazing beauty]

I would personally jump ship now !! If shes getting balliffs round thats not a good sign - baliffs will take anything so its not worth losing all your equipment to them and it sounds to me as if the business wont last too much longer anyway especially if shes not paying the bills, its no way to run a professional salon.
50/50 is a little too much - i would try to negotiate that figure and if you cant -surely its better to maybe go mobile (if you have all your own equipemt etc) until you can find other employment? I would not risk losing my job or my equipment to a badly run salon
Emma
x