Do I stay self employed?

[Tjo]

i need some advice.

iv been self employed beauty therapist since January 2012, in July i started renting as room in a large chain hair salon, but sadly this did not work out, as i couldn't put posters up and was located out the back and pretty much ignored, so i left in October.
I was just looking around to see what was about when i found a salon renting a room in a different town, went to see them, they are really nice and started working there the start of December.
my takings were not to bad for my first month, but January and February i have been so quiet, to the extent iv done about 5 treatments.
I love the styles/owner who i work with but am thinking i really need somewhere who will employ me.

I have no money left what so ever so advertising is difficult.

what would you do would you stick it out or call it quits and look for an employed position

thank you

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[Wonda]

I'm sort of in the same boat as you ..... i know it takes up to 2 years for any business to start to make a profit, but i'm 6 months into working for myself & i'm really struggling.

I'm renting space in a salon, i only pay per set thankfully, so if i dont work, i dont pay which is working out well since i only had 3 clients last week, i only paid £15 as a pose to some places i'd still have to pay a full weeks rent, so i'd be out of pocket.

I've said to the salon manager, instead of me sitting in the salon on days & not having any clients, i'll be on call somewhat, so if someone comes in & wants nails, to call me & i'll be there within 30 minutes for 2 of the 5 days the salon is open, the other 3 i will be in as normal.
I've had to do this as just sitting there all day with no clients is starting to seriously stress me out & that's affecting my health.

However i'm also starting to wonder if i should go back to another job to get some money in & only do the salon on a Saturday.

I'm not really offering much advice except to say that your not the only 1 who's in this position.

 

[xxx]

I have been self employed since November in a busy hairdressers and business can be slow at time but had a small group of loyal clients that followed. I very rarely go home or leave if I have no one in, I sit at reception that way the hairdressing clients can recognise me and just get my face out there, I do my own nails an make sure they are pristine, I do designs on colour pops and upload them to Facebook. Most people that walk on from the street for an appointment want it then an there from my perspective.

There is a thread on how to advertise your business and more ways to get your name out there. Gumtree, free listings, social media, do some offers? Do a social media competition? You need to keep plugging away.

You can't get yourself down about it or you will just get chewed up and spat out by competitors and if your hearts in it then you will make it work! I know it can be hard. HTH

 

[Tjo]

im in the salon 3 days a week, my nails are always done

Iv studied the advertising thread and used a lot of advice on there.

We are an out of town salon so don't get many walk ins

iv followed my dream but sadly my heart won't pay the bills

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[xxx]

It's a shame. If there's no passing trade and your out of town, you've done all you can then, I think you've answered your own question. Good luck with what you decide to do. X

 

[Wonda]

im in the salon 3 days a week, my nails are always done

Iv studied the advertising thread and used a lot of advice on there.

We are an out of town salon so don't get many walk ins

iv followed my dream but sadly my heart won't pay the bills

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I'm the same as you Tjo .... i've got the Facebook pages, Yell listing, Gumtree listing, website, search engine links, when i'm in the salon i'm always ready for a client, chat to the hairdressing clients about what i do, have nice nails (do them every other week), loads of designs/colour pops & still i'm struggling to make ends meet.

The only thing which has got me new custom really is word of mouth & the occasional passer by. But at only having 3 clients last week, i'm also wondering if it's better off finding something else & only doing this as a weekend thing.


I'm having the month of March being on call for Tuesday & Wednesdays, then going back into the salon for Thurs-Saturdays but am using the time off to see if i can drum up new business with leaflets in local shops with £5 off offer for Friday Gelish manicures & see if there's anything more i can do. Failing that i will be resorting to the back to full time office work & Saturday in the salon.

 

[Tjo]

something else i have failed at.

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[Wonda]

something else i have failed at.

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Again .... i feel the same.

However, i've learnt that it's not that we've failed by any means ... it's hard setting up a business especially in this economy .... think of it as how much you've learned in the last year, more knowledge is never ever a failure.

That knowledge can always be put to use again at some point when you feel it may be a different outcome.

I certainly wont be giving up doing nails even if i get another full time job, purely because i've put too much time & money into giving it a go.

 

[essentia]

Just my opinion but this is what I learnt in my younger days renting rooms etc in hair salons -

If the salon is out of the way or not busy - you will have to work harder to get clients in and know you are there
Clients are coming for hair services not beauty and I found only a small % converted to both
You have to have a decent amount of capital to start up and keep you going for at least a year if not longer
You have to have set hours when clients know you will be there

I know some therapists may do well renting rooms this way but I never did - better off renting your own standalone business or doing mobile or from home.

Don't flog a dying horse.

 

[miss_hkrs]

Unfortunately i was in the same situation and had to revert to my old career in an office. I took a good 18 months off from beauty, i completely fell out of love with it because of the situation.

I've now only just after a year and a half just started to do treatments properly and charge for them! I work full time in admin and do treatments for friends and family at weekends from home.

Personally i won't ever do it again, i really enjoy my job now i work in Education so it's very fulfilling and i get to enjoy the odd treatment without the stress now.

Such a shame after so much time, money and energy you'll get there though eventually!

 

[Tjo]

i don't feel i will ever get there.
Time is running out

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[Steph86]

Tjo- Hey hun, don't be too down. What days are you there? Could you be cheeky and ask for a lower rent whilst you haven't been busy? They may understand and want to keep yoù, the worst they can say is no.

Secondly, could you get a part time job n fit appointments in around that? Just so you have a set wage coming in at the moment. It would be such a shame to give up right now, march is nearly here that's when I really pick up for hols etc!

Can you do a mothers day package and advertise it in the hair salon - a poster next to the mirror the client sits and looks in?

I am mobile but work 1 day in a salon and I am a carer part time tues, thurs, fri, sat so my appts are mainly evenings which suits my ladies who work full time. Do you offer a late night? An OAP day (maybe file n polish or mani/pedi offers for them)? Do you have pricelists printed? Could you deliver them around the surrounding area's of the salon? Advertising but just costing you your time.

The fact you had a good Dec despite being new sounds promising. Jan/feb are usually a lot slower. I take my hols in Jan xx

 

[Tjo]

i have just discovered that i can only earn £3500 (on top of my partners wage) a year before i lose my tax credits, which would be over £10,000 a year loss, most of which goes on my daughters nursery fees.

So whilst i feel i want earn more and progress myself, unless i can earn £10,000 plus, then im actually worse off

maybe i should hold fire until my daughter starts school in September.


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[Steph86]

i have just discovered that i can only earn £3500 (on top of my partners wage) a year before i lose my tax credits, which would be over £10,000 a year loss, most of which goes on my daughters nursery fees.

So whilst i feel i want earn more and progress myself, unless i can earn £10,000 plus, then im actually worse off

maybe i should hold fire until my daughter starts school in September.


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Sorry to sound nosey, and I don't want an answer just something to think about... Is that 3,500 til april? Then from april til sept you could earn 3,500? As after sept u won't have nusery fees? Just a thought with tax year ending and Sept not being too far after april xx

 

[Phoenixnails]

I assume the £3500 will be take home pay not turnover, so if I were you, I'd keep going and put any earnings into advertising more, so that when your daughter goes to school you are not starting again from scratch. I think that as other geeks have said, your main decision might be whether to stay where you are or work from home/ go mobile. I think I'd give it a while though as it might just be a post-Christmas quiet period. Given December was good, it sounds as though your place has potential.

You are NOT a failure - people constantly have to revise their business plans. Richard Branson has had projects that didn't work out and no-one thinks he's a failure. I do understand how you feel though. I've set up working from home but have been doing another job as well which is very time-consuming and not hugely profitable either, so I'm not getting time to promote my nail business and have had no customers yet. I will be quieter after March though so have decided on a relaunch then.

I don't know what system you use but I saw on here that some geeks have had success with nail biters courses using Shellac where people pay up front for a series of appointments over a couple of months. I'm going to try that and promote pedicures with a "get your feet in shape in time for summer" campaign.

Hope this helps. Let us know how you get on.:hug:

 

[DivineByDesign]

You are most definitely not a failure, you just need another path to get to your goal. I work in a little village salon, renting a space for my nail desk, paying a fixed rent. I started last April when I was 6 months pregnant. I too wasn't earning enough to pay my rent, let alone materials, but I stayed at my desk regardless. The previous nail lady used to go home if she had no one and missed out on so much potential business. People can be spur of the moment and don't want to wait for their nails done. I use CND products, and Shellac is a great way to bring in the business. The course "Shellac Brings Them Back" is a great price, with materials you are looking at a couple of hundred to get a basic set up but it's definitely worth it. You need a brand that is recommended and respected (CND Shellac, Dermalogica, HD Brows etc) as you can reap the benefits of all their advertising. I bought nail displays off eBay, and if I had made myself available for 5 hours, I would be at my desk for 5 hours doing Shellac/Rockstar nail pops. I also bought the shellac marketing pack and price lists from vista print. When clients were in for hair, provided the stylist wasn't with them, I went over, gave a price list and shellac brochure. Explained about it being a 14 day polish and I have a special offer on. You need to come across as enthusiastic and passionate, even if that day you are not feeling it. By the time my little boy was due in June I had started building up a regular client base from the hairdressing clientele. Consequently, I didn't want to lose the hard work I'd put in so I worked until my due date and was back 2 weeks after the birth. Since then its gone from strength to strength. Word of mouth is where most my business comes from (I'd say 90%) and the rest from my Facebook page. Honestly, it can be done, I now have to run a waiting list for cancellations and its not a year yet since I started the business.

There were times when I thought it might have been a big expensive mistake, but I persevered and changed tactic. Everything I earn goes back into my business as I am expanding it constantly and that keeps bringing new clients but I'm fine with that. It's part of my 5 year plan. You also need a good name and recognisable logo, so you become recognisable as a brand. Put your logo on everything and leave business cards wherever you go. Even if you don't get a client from it, your brand is becoming familiar. I spent hours and hours "creating" my brand. Knowing what I was about, and always doing things that fit into my 5 year plan.

You can do it, really you can. I did it at a time when I felt snowed under having a baby, moving house, with 2 children at home (one if whom is disabled) and a husband on shift work, but I just kept my eyes on my long term goal not the immediate moment, and never ever take your foot off the peddle. When you are not in the salon, be on Facebook/twitter/Pinterest. Yes it is a hard time to set up a business, so don't be ordinary, be special. People always pay for something special, look at S2, their popularity meant at PB, there's a queue 90 mins long to buy the products. You want clients to feel like that about you but it will take hard constant work initially, then just keep your foot on the peddle ticking over.

You can do it hon, you really can, i know you can, because if can do it, then you can do it. Big hugs xxxxx

 

[Looksatfoxes]

3 yrs ago I left my part time employed job in a salon to go it alone and rented a room and nail space in a hair salon. The salon is on an estate out of town no foot fall but after 3 years my turnover is between 34-36k I work 60 hrs a week and I'm 85-90% full. I had excellent salon experience before going self employed (3yrs) and had a good reputation! I wouldn't even of considered going self employed without salon experience. Nearly all my work is recommendation but in the beginning I sat there and only did an eyebrow wax but I got my face known in the area and to the hairdressing clients I would offer complimentary treatments to clients having colour work done. Now I'm looking to expand and open my own salon and employ people. Hard work dedication experience and talent passion I think are some of the ingredients to success. Good luck on what you decide but January / February are the worst months and your first 3 yrs are the worst

 

[Divine h & b]

Have u thought of doing a taster day so you do free mini treatments for the salons clients ie mini mani, mini facial give out a 10% off voucher for each person, they enjoy the taste and book in!

 

[Tjo]

thank you for all your suggestions.

i think using high named brands is a good idea, i use cnd, i think i will save for hd brows and Kim lawless training.

i will plough my profits into advertising.

i will make this success full.

thank you

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[DeLaFemme]

thank you for all your suggestions.

i think using high named brands is a good idea, i use cnd, i think i will save for hd brows and Kim lawless training.

i will plough my profits into advertising.

i will make this success full.

thank you

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If the mind can concieve it, the body can achieve it.

Looking forward to hearing about your success in the future x

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