Feeling disillusioned about home salon

[Lovebeauty14]

Hello Geeks,
Well I've had my home salon since April this year and to be honest with you? I'm not enjoying it and feeling very disillusioned.

I am getting clients, I went full out in the beginning with advertising, etc, and have some good word of mouth clients, and have already established regulars but I'm just feeling really dispondant about the whole thing.

I hate how much it intrudes on my home life. I have clients ringing at all times in the evening on my business mobile, leaving answerphone messages, asking to ring back then and there, often on Sundays in the evening. I have perverts asking for tantric massage and not taking no for an answer, and trying to extend the phone call when I say I don't do it. It makes me sick I get so many of them. I have clients asking for a treatment, and then turning up with their whole extending family all expecting treatments, along with all their children trashing my room and I've had people randomly knocking on my door asking for leaflets and then looking really surprised when I answer the door in my normal clothes with toddler en tow. It's my home, it's how I live when I'm not working .

I find it impossible to have regular working hours as I have clients wanting day time appointments, which is fair enough, but not enough regular clients to arrange and afford childcare without getting in debt, as the none guaranteed amount of clients is too much of a risk to arrange expensive childcare. So then I try and do evening work and then I don't see my husband all evening, and it puts a strain on our relationship as he's in the military so all the time together we get is precious as he's in a front line and goes away all the time. Coupled with that him going away all the time makes it even more difficult as it makes evening appointments awkard too as if my toddler wakes up it doesn't look very professional to have to deal with him.

It just intrudes so much on my home life it results in my house no longer being a haven, and I feel like I can't wind down in the evening.

I'm already re writing my CV to upload to one the the top cosmetic brands so I can work in my local department store on the make up counter as at least doing that I can go home in the evening and forget about work, and enjoy my home life. And then in the future once my son is at school I can apply to work full time in a salon, as to be honest with you, I'd rather take less money and less stress than having the intrusion on my home that I currently have a the stress of running a business. Maybe I'm just not cut out for it?

I think I've also taken on too much at the moment. I have a toddler, a puppy, a husband that's about to get deployed (again), a business and am undertaking further training as well. I feel like my head is going to explode.

Your thoughts would be appreciated. :sad:

 

[happyfeet]

First of all honey smile-breathe-repeat.

Second start by giving yourself and your clients some rules. Write out a list of rules you will follow... for eg:

switch off mobile phone at 7pm
keep phone switched off on sundays
Write salon rules which in turn you will tell your client- only the client to be present, no children, appointment only etc etc.
Set strict salon hours that you operate- teach your clients that whilst your flexible you are only available this this and this day- no exceptions

Theyre a just a few off the top of my head. Control your business don't let it control you lovey. One of the beautiful things about being self employed is you get to make the decisions of how your business is run. No job is stress free, whether youre self employed or an employee it can all get on top of you so give yourself a break honey

If you havent done so already write a business plan, order your thoughts and in turn order your business.

I can only imagine with your husband being deployed that too will add to your stress and worry lovey.

Get organising hun, you can do this, it just sometimes takes a bit of time to find your feet.

Love n hugs x x x

 

[Jen889]

First of all honey smile-breathe-repeat.

switch off mobile phone at 7pm
keep phone switched off on sundays
Write salon rules which in turn you will tell your client- only the client to be present, no children, appointment only etc etc.
Set strict salon hours that you operate- teach your clients that whilst your flexible you are only available this this and this day- no exceptions

I agree!! when i first started my home salon i was going crazy, i felt the same as you until my OH told me to set ground rules and everything has changed! It's sooo important to set ground rules like the above. my clients now know that my days off are sunday and monday, i DO NOT answer my phone i simply call them back on tuesday morning. i close at 5pm during the week and saturday at 3pm, i DO NOT answer my phone after those times. i do get people who complain but i simply tell them the following:

If they were calling a big spa, would they get a hold of someone working there at all hours?? no, when the spa is closed it's closed. and this is how it should be with you, your allowed to have a life!

For the perverts, you get them its normal especially if you do massage (not sure if you do) i have read that a lot of geeks don't advertise massage even if they do it as it keeps the perverts at bay and some free advertising sites seem to attract them as well.

Hope this helps!

 

[Lovebeauty14]

Thankyou Happyfeet.

It's so stressful having all this all on my plate it's nice to share and get some new opinions on it.

I'm gonna have to sort out some kind of work hours that do suit me and are good for clients.

What do I do about the dirty massage calls? My website is clearly not a massage parlour website yet still they persist. Sorry but it really sickens me and when my husbands away i find it really creepy, as some of them are drunk and i'm scared they'll come around. I wish Google Maps didn't require a house number. Is it the fact that I do Full Body Swedish that they think it's THAT kind of massage? Should I take it off my menu?

 

[Lovebeauty14]

Thankyou Jen889 too. Will take massage off my menu.

 

[Beautygirl1977]

I can relate to some of this. I was feeling the same until I moved out of my mums and my salon is still there.
I still get calls/texts at all hours as I use my personal mobile for work. It's easier for me this way as I am friends with lots of my clients.
I agree with all of the above though. Wish I had set some ground rules! I now have colouring books and pens for my clients kids! I want to stop it but feel it's too late for me.
Like the others say u can do this!
Don't know how to stop people Turning up though! My poor mum gets it! X

 

[PixieBeauty]

I also think if you turn your phone off evenings & weekends it won't matter about the pervy calls as much...they will be easier to shrug off in the daytime & somehow we feel more vulnerable at nighttime so it's a bonus if you're not able to pick them up

I think you'll be able to get on top of this hon with a few simple rules. It does sound like you've got a lot on your plate.

When is your me time? It sounds like you have a lot of stress & time on your own is very important, not being a mum, wife or therapist just you xxx

 

[sammygrey]

I really feel for you, it's very hard switching off when you're self employed - never mind when it's all happening in your home!

Could you have a sign with salon opening hours near your front door as a not so subtle hint - once you've gotten strict with yourself and set the hours. You could have it in a frame like restaurants have to display menus so that you could change the sign whenever you need to and add offers or ground rules if you need to.

 

[happyfeet]

Thankyou Happyfeet.

It's so stressful having all this all on my plate it's nice to share and get some new opinions on it.

I'm gonna have to sort out some kind of work hours that do suit me and are good for clients.

What do I do about the dirty massage calls? My website is clearly not a massage parlour website yet still they persist. Sorry but it really sickens me and when my husbands away i find it really creepy, as some of them are drunk and i'm scared they'll come around. I wish Google Maps didn't require a house number. Is it the fact that I do Full Body Swedish that they think it's THAT kind of massage? Should I take it off my menu?

Youre welcome lovey.

With regards to the perverts.... I'm pretty sure there is a section on google maps where you can show part of your address. Im opening my home salon soon and registered my home address on google maps and was able to just show part of my address, i think the town and postcode, so no actual house number. Log in to your google account/map section and give it a go lovey.

When they call just put the phone down, don't engage in conversation in as much as don't even tell them to pixx off just give them the proverbial finger and let them hear the hang up sound. I had a disgusting email on my fb page the other month describing what someone wanted to do with my toes- ugh- well it would have been an even bigger ugh for him if he knew the state of my un-pedicured toes! I jest but it wasn't pleasant but you know I could get upset by it (which i did to begin with) but then i realised what a sad act this guy was and realised i had to let it roll of my back. When i worked in a call centre the calls were endless its not nice but we laughed in the end its so tragic. Failing that get a whistle they'll be nursing busted ear drums instead!

Love n hugs x x x

 

[Lovebeauty14]

Thankyou.

I have changed my website now and have taken the massage page down. I've also changed my opening hours and got a no child policy up.

Thanks for all your nice replys. I really don't know how I'll manage when my hubby goes away for two months in a weeks time but I suppose I'll just have to cope and do the evening hours.

 

[zm85]

It can be really intrusive! I didn't like having people come to my home so switched to mobile work because like you i just couldn't wind down in the evening and would have clients calling at all hours, its hard but you have to be strict! You have done the right thing by changing your hours and having set rules hopefully you will start to enjoy it and it will be easier to manage when your husbands away I hope things get better for you!

 

[Jen889]

Thankyou Happyfeet.

It's so stressful having all this all on my plate it's nice to share and get some new opinions on it.

I'm gonna have to sort out some kind of work hours that do suit me and are good for clients.

What do I do about the dirty massage calls? My website is clearly not a massage parlour website yet still they persist. Sorry but it really sickens me and when my husbands away i find it really creepy, as some of them are drunk and i'm scared they'll come around. I wish Google Maps didn't require a house number. Is it the fact that I do Full Body Swedish that they think it's THAT kind of massage? Should I take it off my menu?

I had to put my address in but once i got verified (they send a stupid postcard in the post to confirm the address is real and so are you ) i promtly removed the address and just put my town and i moved the pin about a block or so away from me so people can get the just of the area but not know where i live exactly.

also a good thing to have is on all you advertising (leaflet, website etc) right near your address/opening hours in bold letter *By Appointment Only* this is what i do for my home location and it stops people from just showing up to my door. i also don't a permanent sign for my business outside my home, i put a sign up for my clients only. once they have arrived i remove it and i allow 15min in between each client which is perfect to finish and replace the sign for the next client. i found when i had a permanent sign i did get a few people coming for "walk ins" and such. a big pain when you have three dogs who go crazy at doorbells!!:lol:

 

[essentia]

Just want to add that I know how you feel! It took a while for my home studio to take off but now I do not get time to answer all calls and emails - it eventually gets too much for one person and often in a home environment it is difficult to take on extra help. The impact and intrusion becomes an issue. I even have a message on my phone to state when I work, which helps a bit but the general public expect everything instantly - we live in an instant world. I am due to move soon and hope to separate the business out from home life but I know it is difficult.:hug: