How do I...?

[Jindalee]

...make a dazzling entry without falling over?

Hello everyone. I wandered in via Google and thought I'd make a little announcement (lest I be thought of as *gasp* a Lurker) and that is-

I'm new!

I received my qualification as a nail technician recently and having attended night school while working during the day and, having spent the $$$$, racked up as many manufacturer-related courses as my wallet would let me, going to the various expos and reading as much material I could find, I'm ready to open my own salon.

Or am I?

One thing I have discovered in my short but shiny time in the nail industry is that there's not a lot of consistency in it. From products, to qualifications, to practices to standards...it's all different. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it's confusing for the newcomer. (I'm wondering how you all coped when you started!)

Here's the drum. A little salon property has become available in my area. Formerly a hairdressing salon, it has space, equipment and it's quite feasible for me to set up a nail and beauty business on site. Rent is $160 per week. Meanwhile, I have a small foyer at my place measuring 2.1m x 2.4 (7'x8') with polished floorboards, double french doors, shutter windows and a phone and cable connection. There is no water source there but I could compensate this by installing a portable sink. It's well lit but it is small although, if I economised with the type of storage and shelving I used, I could fit a beauty bed in there and install a runner from the ceiling so as to fit a curtain across the bed to achieve some level of privacy or I could concentrate solely on the nail side of things which I could do quite comfortably.

Should I stay or should I go? (Insert the drum beat here if The Clash comes to mind - haha). I'm torn. The property for rent is a rare opportunity and yet perhaps it would be best if I work from home and build up my experience, perhaps concentrating on one aspect of the business first before expanding.

I would love to hear from anybody - particularly those who own their own businesses or remember quite clearly what it was like starting out. For the record, I'm petrified but I realise it's do or die. I've been told my work is good (and I passed the gruelling testing phase at college) and I have good organisational skills. But when I think of getting clients in and running a going concern (which I have always wanted to do!!), I freeze up and think, crapola, what do I do?

Eek. Am I drowning here?

 

[PLAOH]

First of all hi and welcome.

Open a salon or stay at home? I would say there are pro's and cons for both. I currently go mobile and work from home. At the mo this suits me and my young family. It also means I have no rent to pay out when the appointments drop off and it goes quiet.

On the other side it is a pain trying to keep the house so clean :lol: (unless you have a seperate entrance to this room) and it is much harder to advertise (don't think the neighbours would let me put a sign across the front of my house :smack: ).

It always takes time to build a good business, but if your nails are good, you will do it. I probably haven't helped much but good luck anyway.

Lou x

 

[geeg]

Hi there and welcome to the nail geek site.

My opinion on this issue is this.
You're just starting, so you are thinking small. I think you should be thinking bigger and go for the salon property. The rent is very resonable and I think you would outgrow that home space very quickly and wish you had taken the salon. When I started, every property I took was too small within a year and a half of opening!! Moving a business is expensive.
Also I think you need to consider client exposure. A salon has much more exposure than your home, which will take more of your time and $$$ to market.
You sound to me like you really want to go for it as business so this is my advice.
Go for the salon and don't miss a good opportunity.

 

[ValencianNails]

Welcome Jindalee
For me personally... I would go for it... I'd love my own salon, you don't get the opportunity to have a place at good rent very often.
Like Geeg said... make sure the premises is big enough.
Good Luck and let us all know how you get on.
x

 

[Jindalee]

Arggh! That means stepping outside my comfort zone! Haha. It is a good opportunity, I'll admit and one that deserves to be taken.

Thank you for your welcoming, ladies. I've been on site for two hours now, sucking up all the information, ideas and tips... I most certainly will provide an update as to how I'm faring.

 

[Sassy Hassy]

Hi Jindalee, and welcome!

I've been self employed for nearly 4 years now, always with the intention of having my own salon. Did 2 years from home / mobile but actually missed working in a salon environment. At this point I decided I had to look for premises or rent space in another salon, and in the end the chicken suit won and I opted for the latter. Oh how I wish I hadn't! I've always wanted my own salon and that is what I should have done, and it is something I am looking into at the moment.

So if that is your ultimate goal then go for it NOW and step out of your comfort zone. If the property is the right one, you'll only regret it. You know the saying - you have to speculate to accumulate!

(and yes I did sing those words ala The Clash!)

 

[Sarah Lou]

Hi and welcome to our happy little geek family,

I agree and would also go for the option of the salon, it would give you the space you require and also the passing trade which is so important.

I currently run my business from home I have a designated room but as my clientele is now growing FAST I need to look int getting a salon.

Its one of those situations, I'd say go for the salon imo

 

[wondernail]

Hiya

I used to be mobile but have just taken the plunge and gone into a salon (i rent a space). The difference is amazing in just 1 week I have more clients than I ever did mobile.

Of course there are more worries, finding the rent, paying phone bills, etc...

But I can highly recommend the salon route and get as much advertising and exposure as you can...and you won't look back!!

 

[Kim Lawless]

For all the reasons stated above, I think you should go for the shop. I can tell by the way you write that you have a brill personality. In my opinion, that's equally as important as doing a good set of nails....................as far as running a business in concerned.

GO FOT IT. Good luck. xxxx

 

[Jindalee]

Thank you again for your kind responses. I did put an offer in for the shop and after some tense negotiations, the tender with the most capital landed the space so I missed out. Admittedly, this was a disappointment but I have kept an ear to the ground regarding smaller spaces and a few things have turned up so the next month should be interesting.

Meanwhile, the list is growing steadily. I now have a full book for Saturdays and my Christmas in July party is booked out. So, I'm okay but, I think you're all right - I do need a salon!

Woohoo?

 

[Jindalee]

And I'm still looking! Waaaaaaa!

:smack:

 

[wondernail]

Have I read this right...a Christmas in July Party???? What is this it sounds interesting!!!

Thank you again for your kind responses. I did put an offer in for the shop and after some tense negotiations, the tender with the most capital landed the space so I missed out. Admittedly, this was a disappointment but I have kept an ear to the ground regarding smaller spaces and a few things have turned up so the next month should be interesting.

Meanwhile, the list is growing steadily. I now have a full book for Saturdays and my Christmas in July party is booked out. So, I'm okay but, I think you're all right - I do need a salon!

Woohoo?

 

[taintz]

Jindalee welcome to the forums from a fellow Ozzie.

Now in your situation I would definately keep looking for a salon space as I believe you have a serious Home Insurance problem you probably hadn't thought of by having clients in your home.

That problem being if your home is broken into then your Home Insurance is not valid - Something my OH who is in Insurance told me when we looked at setting up a room in our house.

The reason being that when you operate a business from the home inviting people in then they cancel the insurance
A scarey thought.

Now where in Oz are you???
Will you be going to Sydney Expo Next Month?

 

[Jindalee]

Methinks your OT may not want you to set up a room in your house :green: Thank you for your concern but your information is way off the beaten path. Should I bear the misfortune of being broken into or flooded or set on fire or vandalised, my home and business contents (which includes stock, car and portable as well as fixed items) are jointly insured for all manner of situations via a policy I took out tailor made for home businesses when I set mine up.


The reason I may need salon space relates to a Council issue, not an insurance one. If my business expands and I need to hire staff, my local council will not permit me to hire more than one as long as my business remains in my home.


I'm located in Brisbane and no, I'm not going to the Sydney Expo. Been to a few, though.

Angela, a few people have asked about CIJ! I'll create a new post on the topic.


Cheers,
J.

 

[taintz]

Methinks your OT may not want you to set up a room in your house :green: Thank you for your concern but your information is way off the beaten path. Should I bear the misfortune of being broken into or flooded or set on fire or vandalised, my home and business contents (which includes stock, car and portable as well as fixed items) are jointly insured for all manner of situations via a policy I took out tailor made for home businesses when I set mine up.


The reason I may need salon space relates to a Council issue, not an insurance one. If my business expands and I need to hire staff, my local council will not permit me to hire more than one as long as my business remains in my home.


I'm located in Brisbane and no, I'm not going to the Sydney Expo. Been to a few, though.

Angela, a few people have asked about CIJ! I'll create a new post on the topic.


Cheers,
J.

OH was actually first in with the suggestion being that we would have to do MAJOR renovations to even create an entry for people I never thought of it.

The information is definately correct (after 16+ years at the top end of Australian Insurance he knows his stuff)
But it looks like your business insurance will cover you (mine wouldn't)

 

[jnail]

Hi there


Jindalee - fellow Aussie's - Geeks
Great to hear you're enjoying the site n all things nails.


So many things to take into consideration when venturing out of home salon
into commercial premises.
My insurance also covers home moblie & salon space.
My worker's comp covers me for 5 part time employees which = 3 full time.


A suggestion I would offer is maybe put feelers out for say a Massage Therapist - or Beauty therapist a couple of days a week building from there.


You could offer space - maybe enabling you to aquire a larger premises. Without bigger overheads.


All of you would have your own ABN - Insurance's - Workers comp etc.Operating separately but under the same roof.


Works well if you all get it clear from the start - all on paper -all want the same goals.:wink2: .


All the best
XX J XX

 

[Jindalee]

I in no way do I mean to be rude, Taintz, but the information you provided was and remains incorrect so either you've misinterpreted or he doesn't know his stuff. I don't know how to put it any other way than that, I'm sorry.


Insurance and Council requirements vary between States and Territories and this has an impact as to how a home based business or hobby is run. What may apply in one area of Australia may not apply in another. A good and quick example of this would be to note the big differences when trying to register a car in New South Wales and Queensland. If your insurance doens't insure you for the purpose you want it to then it's just money out the window. I work from a foyer in the front of my house. You can't get any more basic than that. It's small but it's comfy and it's all insured.


As for me, I don't want to employ anyone at this manageable level of clientele, I don't need to. In any event, I wouldn't be able to continue conducting the business as it stands due to Council regulations and if I did employ someone the type of insurance I would need for them would depend on how they were employed; ie employee or contractor.


As I do not currently employ anyone and work for myself, the only worker's compensation related insurance I am invited to take on is Workplace Injury insurance. This is not a compulsory insurance. So, basically, I don't need WorkCover. My home insurances covers any accidents I or my family or a visitor might have anyhow.


Depending on your circumstances, in addition to not requiring worker's insurance, you don't even have to have your own ABN or register for the GST. And it all works well because I got my facts straight right from the start. Honestly, with all the misinformation flying around out there it really does pay to shop around, talk to people and get some advice from a business coach/adviser. It's all part of the planning process.
:green:

 

[DNA]

Hello from another Aussie

I can't offer any advice as I'm just starting out myself. But I will say good luck, sounds like you know what you want - go for it!

 

[taintz]

I in no way do I mean to be rude, Taintz, but the information you provided was and remains incorrect so either you've misinterpreted or he doesn't know his stuff. I don't know how to put it any other way than that, I'm sorry.

As I have previously stated Jindalee he is at the TOP of a MAJOR Australian Insurance company - he deals with every state. There is no misrepresentation - IF you found a company who will back you then fantastic. Most will not. And your general house insurance won't cover your clients and your business insurance wont cover your house. - That's a Fact that can't be denied.

Since you have found an insurance that covers both obvioulsy you are safe.

I really don't know why you would shove advice back in my face that comes from a position of concern for yourself and from someone with an enormous amount of experience.

I would normally leave it but I want to stress to other's that it is important to properly insure yourself.

 

[jnail]

Hi there


Jade who is the company I can get my broker to speak with him.
Would I be able to get his number from you STRICTLY BUSINESS of course.
AM feeling I need clarity on this one


Chill pill Jade.....



XX J XX