Getting sick and tired. Please advise

[nixnewcastle]

Hey geeks. I've got my own salon and there is only me. Im finding it really really tough and im finding im starting to lose the passion for doing it because im never away from the place. I'd love to take some time off but is it professional to just close the salon for the day with no notice? also what about the calls i miss?

Im just feeling overwhelmed with it all and need a good break. I dont think i can afford to take someone on just yet although what is minimum wage these days and how do you go about finding a good member of staff?

 

[jotommo]

hi
i had a shop for 4 years and sold it when i had my son as i was working solo and hated working such long hours and not being able to just go home when i was quiet... it sucks...
i did want to take another member of staff on but couldn't afford it really,
i sold the business to a lady that took on another girl, and it proved a great move as more people came as they knew they didn't have to wait for an appointment with just one person, sh now employs around 4-5 and is really busy,
i do wish i'd took the chance and took someone on to help.
maybe you could take someone on for 1 day to start? or 2?
then assess it in month or so?
x

 

[lucelasticx]

My advice would be to close on sunday and monday and have a break! Also put call divert on the phone so you dont miss any calls on the monday .Take someone on for a trial period even having a junior would ease the load!

 

[leonnib]

like lucelastix said sunday and monday is good too close as alot close on mondays anyway..
and call divert
i would try someone for 1-2 days a week just to start

 

[Aphrodites]

i dont know what the laws are but.. can you take on a trainee and offer discount rates with her until she's qualified and pay a basic salary or something?

Sounds good to take sun and mondays off, this is what my village salon does. They are the only one and there is no competition in the village and noone seems to mind.

There's no point working yourself into the ground. Take a break. Divert your phone and turn your phone on at 5pm on your day off and phone them back.

 

[mrs o]

Take on a work experience or junior girl and start building a Team.

Its hard working on your own- i know i did it for years,but you need to delegate and renew your enthusiasm for the business.

We always feel that no-one can do the clients as well as we can,but thats not true. Get an enthusiastic person to help you out,and you will a big difference in your life and business.

 

[MissConfused]

it's such a shame that you are loosing your passion for it! i know you only earn money when you are there but god good if you carry on the way you are then you will make yourself ill and end up hating your job -both of which are far worse than missing a few calls/appointments by taking a day off. at the end of the day people can always leave a voice message or send you an email that you can then choose to reply back to in your own time. you're only human at the end of the day.

x

 

[Ange1Dust29]

Hey geeks. I've got my own salon and there is only me. Im finding it really really tough and im finding im starting to lose the passion for doing it because im never away from the place. I'd love to take some time off but is it professional to just close the salon for the day with no notice? also what about the calls i miss?

Im just feeling overwhelmed with it all and need a good break. I dont think i can afford to take someone on just yet although what is minimum wage these days and how do you go about finding a good member of staff?

Hi Nix

I know how you feel on this one. All I can suggest is on your days off or holidays is to use an answering service to take your calls and to book clients in.

As for staffing, you could take on a trainee. There are pro's and con's to this like being able to pay them a lower wage to having to spend more time to teach and show them how you want jobs to be done in your salon.

If your worried about wages, what about taking an experience therapist on on a percentage basis. They will want to work hard to get the clients in so they can earn a decent living but also you don't have to worry about tax and national insurance as they would have to pay their own.

HTH
Carla-Jane

 

[nixnewcastle]

Hi Nix

I know how you feel on this one. All I can suggest is on your days off or holidays is to use an answering service to take your calls and to book clients in.

As for staffing, you could take on a trainee. There are pro's and con's to this like being able to pay them a lower wage to having to spend more time to teach and show them how you want jobs to be done in your salon.

If your worried about wages, what about taking an experience therapist on on a percentage basis. They will want to work hard to get the clients in so they can earn a decent living but also you don't have to worry about tax and national insurance as they would have to pay their own.

HTH
Carla-Jane

Thats a good idea. Im not sure how much to pay someone though? Does anyone know what the wage is for each age group?

 

[Velveteen]

When I recently took a weekend off to go to Sydney for an expo, I employed a virtual assistant to field calls and remind people I was closed. Worked like a dream and ended up taking more bookings which I kinda didn't expect. I now hire a VA two days a week and the outlay is worth it.

Taking on a therapist on a % basis means you're contracting and this means you're working via another person's business which also means you can't delegate hours you can only ask. If you're happy with that then fine but it's something worth remembering when considering this.

Me, I've recently taken on a student from a nearby college under a training contract. This means that I can lawfully take her on as a trainee, she is insured by the college, I supervise her work and liaise with college staff for development and training. When she qualifies, I will probably take her on as a team member. My business is going well and at present I can afford to do this. She is a lovely young lady, is very enthusiastic and what she lacks in skills base she makes up for in attitude (which I reckon is 90% of the battle anyway).

Going via the college means that I have landed someone that has been vouched for, is insured, monitored and doesn't cost me $$$$.

An avenue worth considering perhaps.

 

[nixnewcastle]

When I recently took a weekend off to go to Sydney for an expo, I employed a virtual assistant to field calls and remind people I was closed. Worked like a dream and ended up taking more bookings which I kinda didn't expect. I now hire a VA two days a week and the outlay is worth it.

Taking on a therapist on a % basis means you're contracting and this means you're working via another person's business which also means you can't delegate hours you can only ask. If you're happy with that then fine but it's something worth remembering when considering this.

Me, I've recently taken on a student from a nearby college under a training contract. This means that I can lawfully take her on as a trainee, she is insured by the college, I supervise her work and liaise with college staff for development and training. When she qualifies, I will probably take her on as a team member. My business is going well and at present I can afford to do this. She is a lovely young lady, is very enthusiastic and what she lacks in skills base she makes up for in attitude (which I reckon is 90% of the battle anyway).

Going via the college means that I have landed someone that has been vouched for, is insured, monitored and doesn't cost me $$$$.

An avenue worth considering perhaps.

I've had a girl contact me who has just finished her 1st year btec at college and is looking for work. How would i go about doing that with her?
The only thing i worry about taking someone on and not paying them is them not turning up or not being reliable because they're not being paid

 

[angel fingers]

When I recently took a weekend off to go to Sydney for an expo, I employed a virtual assistant to field calls and remind people I was closed. Worked like a dream and ended up taking more bookings which I kinda didn't expect. I now hire a VA two days a week and the outlay is

velveteen, can you please explain what you mean by a 'virtual assistant' i havent heard this phraze before ?

 

[Mandita8601]

Yeah, whats a virtual asst?
There shouldn't be a problem with a trainees attendance if she goes to college too. She will have to prove her attendance to the college as it will be part of her course. If she doesn't attend she'll lose her bursary

 

[sarahpoppy24]

Hello, I have been feeling the same way recently, I have actualy started to become quiet strange in my personality outside of work, I know I have done this to myself and I feel I should be graterful that I am busy. My mum printed off the article on something called burnout and I read it and it scared me into doing something about it, reluctantly I am not taking any more clients on at the moment now as Im mobile and cant employ any one and will be refering new people to another tech that i am friends with, not ideal but I cant do anything else. Sometimes I feel I cant take a day off because otherwise the work will build up so much that the next week will be so hectic lol!!! And if I turn off my phone than when I turn it back on then I will have more work with all the call returning etc. Reading this back I can see its rediculouse what I have been doing, I have now decided to take 2 fulll days off a week and stick to it. Just thaught id tell you I have been feeling the same so you are not alone in the way you are feeling, hope that you find some one to help you out. Sarah xxxxxx

 

[Fuzion]

A virtual assistant is basically. A receptionist who looks after your business from another site, your calls are answered by them, they can make appontment, pass on messages, ie, you're away.

It is what it says on the tin, an assistant who isn't really there, but they are a real person not a recording! I'm thinking if having one next time I go away, that way clients won't b ringing me whilst I'm away, leaving messages on my mobile that are to expensive to retrieve, all those things will be sorted and u won't miss new customers.

I do know someone that does this, pm me for more details