Help and Advice needed please!

[swanner]

Hi guys.

I need some help, advice, inspiration please! I have recently completed learn at home acrylic nail course and have been 'practicing' on myself and my daughter and my niece.

When i completed this course I realised that I was no way near confident enough to treat a paying customer so Ive been buying DVDs etc showing me again how to do it confidently and confirming what i do alread know deep down that I am performing the treatment correctly.

The thing is Im still not confident and I cant find anywhere locally that I could go and watch for a day or have extra training to help me and my confidence.

I also asked around my local salons to see what products they used and why as there are so many out there that I am thoroughly confused and in most of my salons I was met with fairly rude technicians who said that they would not share thier 'secrets' with me!! I did explain that I have no intentions of working full time as a nail technician, wish I could but just cant afford to give up my job at the moment, that i was currently looking to just make families nails more attractive and was NO competition to them. One technician said that if i wasnt prepared to go full time I shouldnt have trained! I answered that if my children would live on fresh air then i would!!

Basically guys I am wondering why I bothered training , i love creating nails and would love to learn gel and wraps and nail art but its so hard to find anyone who is willing to help me.

Can anyone out there offer me some tips please?

Sorry to go on, just feeling fed up tonight.
xx

 

[Bagpuss]

How many sets have you done...??

It takes a lot of practise before you even begin to feel confident in your work...I can sort of understand the points of the other nail techs (although not there rudeness) they have probably spend alot of money and time on their training.

It sounds to me like more and better training would help...(DVD's cant really teach you...or give you confidence) thing is, better training is going to cost more money....and is it worth it if you really only want to do family....??

I personally wouldn't encourage someone to pay £££ for great training if they weren't serious about making this there profession.

However...i understand totally about the money and giving up work...I was in the same boat...so to start with i did nails in the evening and at weekends....then still did my "normal" job until i had built enough clients to be able to leave and do nails full time.....would this be an option...??

If you can see this as a new career then i would go full steam ahead with some good training behind you.

Hope this helps. x

 

[swanner]

Thanks for replying Angie

Im sorry I was waffling and didnt explain things properly, I meant that I am not in a position to give up my job yet, and yes I meant when I am more able I would like to have evening or weekend clients.

I am quite happy to train as much as I need to to gain experiance and understanding of the profession, I realise that it takes years of continual work and endless patience to be able to produce beautiful nails that you see out and about. My dilema is that i am in cornwall and there does not seem to be a lot of training about.

x

 

[loubylou]

You can phone all the well known companies and ask if they have any trainers in your area,
Creative, 0845 210 6060 (sorry i don't have the numbers for the others)
OPI
NSI
Ezflow
they usually do but until you get into the world of nails it is hard to know where to find them,
the other problem that you have is that a lot of the companies do not recognise the qualification that you have just earned so you would have to start with a foundation course if you want really good training hth :hug:

 

[Poshfloss]

Aw Hun,
Don't be put off, we all have to start somewhere.
Maybe try to rent salon space one day a week or start a little salon from home, fitting it around your family, make some special offers. You will soon pick up some clients.
DVD's are great, but they don't give you any confidence on a real person.
I know how you feel, I had not done any nails for about 3 months, other work commitments, then opened my home salon, whoa!! But did my 1st set and was away again, happy to do any now, I have only been trained 18 months.
Wish I was near to you you could practice on me all the time, just love having m nails done.
Go for it, you can be a sucess. Good luck and lotsa luv x x x :hug:

 

[swanner]

Thank you guys, just getting up this morning and seeing your answers made me feel better.

A home salon, hadnt thought about that yet as I didnt think I knew enough but maybe i should be planning one and seeing how it goes.

Insurance.....cant work without it, Ive seen in Scratch several companies for £30 ish a year, is this about right, it seems very cheap.

x

 

[geeg]

Confidence comes with experience. No amount of watching a DVD or a 'live' technician will give YOU the experience you need to feel confident.

You can't be a shrinking violet and become a nail technician. You have to be bold and brave and just do as many people as will let you. You know yourself if you have done a good job by how the nails are lasting when people return to you for maintenance.

Don't be surprised at the reaction from salons or technicians either. They are trying to protect themselves from what they see as amateurs and hobby techs and part timers who (whether you like to hear this or not) have done more to damage and undermine the credibility of our industry in the UK than any other single thing apart from distributors who sell pro products to anyone (with or without training).

 

[Doorie]

I am training for 2 yrs now, had my foundation course in 2006 and since then been training here and there in Europe with the best ppl I can find (and have more training sessions on their way)

but I never trained with a dvd, or at home, I practiced at home before trying it on clients. I'vealways had a real person behind me telling me how to hold my file, how much product was needed to cover this zone, and so on. you can never have that without the person of course.

imo what you have to do now is ask yourself what you really wanna do. are you sure you wanna be a nail tech then, and, are you sure there is a market that you can create in your area, etc etc etc.

then decide, with your income, what remains at the end of the month, save it for nails, train as much as you can, get yoour name in every company around, so you know when they set up events, etc... allow one hour/one set per day that you have to do using one rule: do one finger after the other, and when you've finished one, you have to do the next one even better, tracking what went wrong. after a while, go for speed, etc. discipline and you're there

 

[Bagpuss]

Insurance.....cant work without it, Ive seen in Scratch several companies for £30 ish a year, is this about right, it seems very cheap.

x

Yes its sounds about right.

 

[Poshfloss]

Hi Hun,
Take advice from Geeg, She really knows best. If you ever gat a chance to see her demo go along, it is so worth it.
You have to decide to go for it now, or you will never do it. If you love nails you will get so much joy from seeing your nails improve and the reactions from your clients.
As for the home salon, mine is just my smallest bedroom, luckily it is on ground floor. I am happy if I get just a couple of clients a week or 20. It costs me no more to run.
It is a busy time with my hubby's business at the moment, but as soon as that slows down I will be full steam ahead with my baby salon.
You can run yours to suit your family, but you must build up your confidence.
Yes you must make sure you have insurance, good deals to be had in Scratch magazine.
Best of luck, lotsa luv x :hug:

 

[champagne]

I dont know anything about home learn/distance learn but I completed a CND Foundation and went straight out there and did it......

I did most sets at night and the weekend to begin with & I was shattered.

My nails wernt perfect but i believed that they were good enough to sell and the clients were and are still very happy...I got myself a room and set up.

Ive cried, got angry, felt rubbish but I pick myself up and get on with it.

You have to have a great deal of confidence in yourself to get you anywhere near being a success.

If you want it bad enough you will get it ....Ive only been doing this for approx 3 motnhs now & i havent looked back.

If your heart is really in it it will work !!!

Good luck xx

 

[geeg]

I dont know anything about home learn/distance learn but I completed a CND Foundation and went straight out there and did it......

I did most sets at night and the weekend to begin with & I was shattered.

My nails wernt perfect but i believed that they were good enough to sell and the clients were and are still very happy...I got myself a room and set up.

Ive cried, got angry, felt rubbish but I pick myself up and get on with it.

You have to have a great deal of confidence in yourself to get you anywhere near being a success.

If you want it bad enough you will get it ....Ive only been doing this for approx 3 motnhs now & i havent looked back.

If your heart is really in it it will work !!!

Good luck xx

:hug: I did exactly the same as you (only 20 years ago :lol.

I think if you wait to be confident, you never will be.

 

[swanner]

Thank you all again for time in replying and your comments.

I am not able to commit full time to nails but I am able to commit part time and I want it to be more than a hobby. I am taking my time learning the trade as I know how awful it is to have your nails ruined by someone else.

My nails were ruined when I went to America, when i soaked off the nails after three weeks mine were almost paper thin and the technician i saw said it was because the tech in America had used MMA. If it had been in this Country I would be going back and having a few words as I am not happy to say the least.

I feel that although i cannot become a good full time nail technician, with time, I can become a good part time technician as I do care about my work and my clients nails etc.

Any comments, words of wisdom, anything at all is always welcome.

Thanks again

Ant x

 

[geeg]

Thank you all again for time in replying and your comments.

I am not able to commit full time to nails but I am able to commit part time and I want it to be more than a hobby. I am taking my time learning the trade as I know how awful it is to have your nails ruined by someone else.

My nails were ruined when I went to America, when i soaked off the nails after three weeks mine were almost paper thin and the technician i saw said it was because the tech in America had used MMA. If it had been in this Country I would be going back and having a few words as I am not happy to say the least.

I feel that although i cannot become a good full time nail technician, with time, I can become a good part time technician as I do care about my work and my clients nails etc.

The technician who told you that information was unfortunately incorrect.

MMA does not ruin anyone's nails.

Using drills on the natural nail, harsh files on the natural nail, and incorrect removal by you or a nail technician is what thins and damages (fortunately they are not ruined) nails.

MMA is not a desirable product to use on nails, but in itself it does not damage them.

 

[swanner]

And this was in salon in my local town who I assumed knew what they were talking about!

Thank you geeg for explaining that, Ive been cussing the MMA for weeks now! The tech I saw in America did use an electric drill for all file work that did get very hot on my nails!

It saved her a lot of time but I think I will stick to my hand file!!

Is it ok if I upload some pictures later of nails that I have done for your comments?

Ant x

 

[sknight]

And this was in salon in my local town who I assumed knew what they were talking about!

Thank you geeg for explaining that, Ive been cussing the MMA for weeks now! The tech I saw in America did use an electric drill for all file work that did get very hot on my nails!

It saved her a lot of time but I think I will stick to my hand file!!

Is it ok if I upload some pictures later of nails that I have done for your comments?

Ant x

OOH we love seeing pics and it will help everyone give you advice, just remember it is all constructive so even if it seems bad its good, does that make sense???

 

[Rach]

Maybe there are some other geeks in your area, that you can meet up with and chat about nails!

 

[Doorie]

NEVER blame an e-file! it's not the e-file that is the problem, it's the lack of knowledge of the tech holding it!

I have to work with one in salons and I NEVER hurt anyone, and I'm sure many geeks here do the same.