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Mani-fique!

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Hi all :)

Can anyone give me a rough idea how much I could expect to earn just doing manicure and pedicures, working from home?

I know its a bit of a unknown as it depends on all sorts of factors but if anyone can help?

I live out in a village, do not have transport (hence the reason for working from home) and am not qualified to nail extensions.

I am thinking of going back to work fulltime in my usual role of office administrator (yawn) as neccessity dictates so I need to know whether it is worth me sticking with the mani/pedi business or putting it off for another year.....

Tamm
 
Hiya, like you said it does depend on all sorts of factors like how many clients you can get through your door for instance!!
I have been trying to establish a mobile business for the last 6 months or so and it is soooooo hard! I have put ads in papers, leafleted for England and bored everyone I know with the topic of conversation!!! Still very little business came from all my efforts.
Once you get your client though it really pays to try and get them to have the more deluxe treatments, which for little more effort you can obvioulsy make a bit more dosh!
Have you thought of maybe training in `Treatment Manicures`? I looked into it and Natural Nail Care can be a big thing aswell.
Whatever you decide I hope it goes well and if youre determined enough I'm sure you'll make it happen.
 
No one can give you a realistic idea of what you can expect to earn.

What you need to know is how much you have to earn to make your home business worthwhile.

Then you need to work out how many clients you will need to reach that target and realistically can you get them to come to your home on a regular basis to receive your treatments?

My honest feeling is no you can't for the following reasons.

1. Are you offering a fantastic enough treatment in fantastic enough surroundings that is different enough to entice clients away from other local beauty salons? In other words, is what you are offering worth it to them and are you in an area large enough to support the business you need to have?

2. Manicures and pedicures are a voluntary services which means women come when they feel like it rather than because they have to. It can be very seasonable and you are at the mercy of their whims.

3. Can you afford the time and the money necessary to get you and your business noticed in your area and to get people excited enough to come to you?

Brutal as it may sound, and it may not be what you want to hear, I fear this may not be the right time for you.

On an optimistic note, I would over the next year learn the art of nail Enhancement services and slowly build up your reputation as a manicurist/pedicurist in your spare time so that you do not need to rely on it for your sole income. When you offer enhancements, Clients must return regularly to you for to maintain their nails, so at least when offering this service you have a guarantee of the clients regular appointments (providing you do a great job, of course). also if you build up a great reputation, clients will travel far and wide to come to you in a home salon environment.

I hope I have helped to give you some perspective. I try to always be encouraging and supportive and inspirational if I can, but this is real life and we all have to eat and maintain our homes etc. and I wouldn't be fair in just offering false hope for the sake of sounding nice and encouraging. If after considering all the above points, you think you can do it then of course go for it ... but I think you need to offer more.
 
TC said:
Hi all :)

Can anyone give me a rough idea how much I could expect to earn just doing manicure and pedicures, working from home?

Tamm

Hi Tamm,

When I first started I wanted to only do natural nails - as some of my nail tech friends will tell you, I used to spout about never let those enhancements darken my door - all the horror stories about enhancements damaging the natural nail etc etc. - uninformed as I was then LOL.

I did manicures and pedicures for a year and as Geeg says they are very ad hoc, it is still seen as a treat and not a necessity.

I had so many calls for enhancements that I took the decision to either have a business or not. I researched the companies and decided to train in L&P.

I had all the jokes about having to change my name to "Not so Natural Nails" LOL.

I am glad I did it as I now do more manicures than I did in the early days. I have several nail biter clients who started with enhancements then went on to grow their nails underneath and now come for regular manicures.

The funny thing I have noticed though is that with enhancements they have to come and spend the money regularly for maintenance but some people who then start having manicures (less money than maintenance) all of a sudden develop cash flow problems LOL.

It is not a good ideal to limit yourself to only doing one service, you need to try and always be able to say "Yes" to the client when they call and ask "Can you do" - well within reason LOL depending on how strange the request is.
 
I do lots of pedicure work, but this is because most of it is based around offereing gel colour on the toe nails. This way the client MUST return for maintenance. There may be other salons in the area doing it, but they have not made it very obvious. I charge a premium for the gel - it is very profitable.

I find setting gems and things into the gel gets great comments from people (on my own toes or client's toes) and often buys a new customer.

Also I am going to target men over the next month. I hope that the "mobile" angle will be attractive to the sort of man who wouldn't go to a salon.
 
I think that this is a case for a business plan or some such - do you really know that your area can support you? Do you know how many ladies of which age and of which life-style live in your area? You can find loads of interesting local statistics on website - census material is fab! You have obviously got a couple of good things going on -but as Gigi said, you need to consider if that is enough.
Presonally, I would try and get a part time or job share position in something else and then work on your business the rest of the time - that way you have a financial buffer until you get established.
I work job share currently and as soon as my son goes to school i will be looking to use the other half of my time establishing myself in the area.

Ruth :D
 
Well you've all definitely given me something to think about. :(
Thanks Geeg for giving me such a frank opinion. I'd rather someone be honest then just give me false hopes. It actually means that I can see ways to work round my difficulties which in turn means that as much as your advice renders my little business impractical at the moment, if I work at my boring office job for a while and train in nail extensions then the future is more promising.

I realise now that working from home is a problematic one if you are only offering manis and pedis. It makes sense that voluntary treatments won't necessarily bring as much success as necessary treatments (i.e nail extensions)

I must admit I'm feeling a bit fed up about it all but no business venture is free from teething problems I suppose. :( I'm just starting my pedicure course, so at the moment it all seems futile as I can't afford the Creative nail extension course just yet (which I want to do).

I was hoping to beable to get away without go into employment but I guess I'm gonna have to in order to ultimately do what I really want. Even if it takes another year for me to even start, its better than giving up and forever being in a job I hate.

I just feel a bit flat about it now but I've taken all your comments on board and be a bit more patient and organised.

I hadn't thought about looking at censors for my area!!! Good idea. I'll let you know how I get on!

In the mean time I will keep my hand in as it were and 'potter' doing my treatments gradually building up some sort of client base until I can offer something that will bring them to my door time and time again.!!!


Thanks guys :D :( :( :( :(
 
I know exactly how you feel as I'm in the same predicament!!
The only way to get through it, is to not loose site of your dreams.
Enjoy doing part time nail work where you can find it, the experience is well worth it and you never know you may find yourself with a few regulars.
Just build up your knowledge and keep training and one day like me I hope we can be doing our stuff n lovin it!! (& stuff the office work more importantly!!!!)
Be patient (not easy I know!!) & good luck ;)
 
Hiya

Thought I would post this link here so that you don't need to go searching!

www.statistics.gov.uk

It is where you will find loads of statistics about your local area - think its in the neighbourhood statistics bit

This is probably worth a nosey even if you aren't setting up a business yet - makes interesting reading! OMG I can't believe I just wrote that statistics could be interesting!!!!! Someone shoot me now! :oops:
 
Thanks Ruthie :D I took a look at the censor for my area and you're right! It makes very interesting reading!!!

It gives me more of an idea what potential clientele are about anyway!!

Thanks.

Tamm :D :D ;)
 
ruthie said:
OMG I can't believe I just wrote that statistics could be interesting!!!!! Someone shoot me now! :oops:

:gun: ...consider it done Ruthie ;) :rofl:
 
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