Do you close your business to go on holiday?

[Gizmo100]

Closing salon for going on holiday

Can I ask when you are a one person business what do you do when you go on holiday? – I have a room in a hairdressers I open just on a Friday and Saturday (only opened 6 weeks ago)as I have another job in a different profession that brings in my main income – will maybe do it full time when my client list builds up – sometimes my Fridays and Saturdays are full but not at the same time in fact one Saturday I had no bookings and no walk ins. Do any of you get another beautician in to cover your shop for you? I know it’s not good business sense to close and my business is doing quite well but I have the opportunity to go away but I need the Saturday off – is this business suicide to do!! Many thanks

 

[Boopsie]

Hi,
I do close mine, I know it's not the best for any new business that may appear whilst I am away, but the hairdressers always do their best to steer an appointment for the following week which works most of the time (although there will always be the one's who want appt there & then) and of course all my regulars are aware of when I go. I do go the same week (yes!..just ONE WEEK!! lol) every year though which I find helps loads because they automatically know which week without asking dates!!
It is very difficult to begin with, but you'll get there XXX :hug:

 

[FlawlessBeauty]

Yes, i work on my own and i close when i go on holiday. I wouldn't feel comfortable having anyone else in my room.

I just try to steer the clients to an appointment before or after my holiday. I let everyone know i'm going and i'll work extra hours before or after if they really need me to.

Nobody has ever given me any problems and if i didn't take a holiday i'd burn out and start to resent my job. I much prefer to take a break and continue loving it!

 

[angel fingers]

i book my clients in 3-6 months ahead so that they can be planned round my travel dates when i'm teaching or holidaying.

i dont do walkins and i rarely take new clients as i'm usually pretty booked up.
so i'm not really missing any business. if clients cant wait for my return for some reason, i put them i touch with other local techs that can look after them. they always return though, ive never lost 1 client doing this.

its important to have a holiday. your work with be the better for it.
the whole point of being self employed is that you are in charge of your own time. just planm ahead as much as possible so as to cause the least amount of inconvenience.

 

[Martin Duffy]

I close when I'm not there, but I let my clients know months in advance & book them before & after. It's amazing how busy you become when you say those immortal words "I'm off on holiday for two weeks"!! The weeks before & after fill up in days!

 

[VHunter]

Yes, I close my business for time off. I closed it for 2 weeks for my wedding. And I closed for one week vacation this summer, and closed it for ummm 6 days last xmas/new years (3 days each holiday).

I usually add on a few extra hours leading up to the closure and on the first week back from the closure.
In the beginning, I worried and even worked on xmas & new years eve and never took summer vacation.

NOW I take vacation. I earned it as much as the next guy.
And to those that gripe... ah well, if it's such a problem, find another tech.
But most appreciate me and agree that I deserve/need a vacation as much as they do and they don't squawk about my time off.

I'm sorry, but nails/hair aren't a necessity, they are a LUXURY.. and it's not the end of the world if you have to go a little longer between infills. Heck, I go 3-4 weeks sometimes because I havent time to do my own.

:hug: