How many hours a week do you work?

[wendy217]

Hello all
Could anyone help me with a question about working hours when you are starting up. I am realistically going to work from home but there is also a great opportunity to open and hair and beauty salon near me. The problem I have is that I've got a young family, ten year old, eight year old and seven month old and a husband who thinks its going to take about sixty or seventy hours a week and not allow any family time if I have a salon. I know it is going to be very hard but over time I would like to build a business that my daughter could come into if she wanted and also something I could sell at some point (hopefully a few years away). I know I can't sell a mobile or home based business but could work more hours to suit my family. I just wondered what anyone had to say about it. All thoughts appreciated. x

 

[Elegance Nail Tech]

Hi there,
Im in a really similar situation, I have 2 young children and I work from home and mobile....but Im hungry for more new clients and new business.
I have mixed feelings about it, whereas at the moment I have no outgoings and Im completely flexible and my existing clients like it his way...I sometimes feel like I could do with a base and be able to have set hours, instead of coming home from work at 10.30pm....
It would be great to hear other opinions.
H x

 

[BABSann]

I think it is difficult with young children,however it would depend greatly on how good a support network you have IF/WHEN things go wrong with the kids,i.e sickness etc,how will you feel spending so much time away from the kids,especially when so young?It's something you need to really think about before taking the plunge.How will the kids feel and your husband about you being away so much?
Businesses take a lot of time and devotion,perhaps now is not the best of times to think about doing both jobs.If you get very busy you will have less and less time to spare with your family.
It's a hard one as I said earlier,some mothers do all the hours Godsends,have young families and thrive on it.For me I worked around my children when they were younger.Each to their own though.:hug:

 

[Lynne Baker]

I work easily 75+ hours a week. That's not all treatment time; it's admin, ordering, washing, cleaning, training, researching, website management, marketing, answering queries etc.
I try to take Sunday off, but if it's the only day a client can manage I work that too.
I've been a theatre sister and an IT Programme Manager in a former life and I can truthfully say I've never worked as hard as I do now. My destiny is in my hands and I wouldn't have it any other way.

 

[leonnib]

Hello all
Could anyone help me with a question about working hours when you are starting up. I am realistically going to work from home but there is also a great opportunity to open and hair and beauty salon near me. The problem I have is that I've got a young family, ten year old, eight year old and seven month old and a husband who thinks its going to take about sixty or seventy hours a week and not allow any family time if I have a salon. I know it is going to be very hard but over time I would like to build a business that my daughter could come into if she wanted and also something I could sell at some point (hopefully a few years away). I know I can't sell a mobile or home based business but could work more hours to suit my family. I just wondered what anyone had to say about it. All thoughts appreciated. x

i worked mobile for a few years then opened my salon. i still do mobile though also..
i also have young kids.. 2 year old and 3 month old so i know how you feel about being away from them..
i was very unrealistic about the time you need to devote to the business and even when im home im working i probably work about 60-70 hours..
in the salon i have staff so not there always but mobile is very busy..
what i do is have one very busy work im out everyday sometimes till 11pm.. either in the salon or mobile
then the next week i have three days off and im at home with my partner and kids.....

i think its hard to limit your hours tbh.. but being mobile its alot easier to work around you kids..
in the salon if you have trustworthy staff you can have set days where your not there and they manage it.. if your working alone it will be harder unless you dont open every day... when i started i didnt open sunday and tuesday.

 

[WAX inc]

hi. im a lone parent with my own salon which i opened 8 years ago. i started with no money just a bank loan and £63 left in the bank the day i opened.i took a risk but didnt have anything to loose if it went bottoms up .my kids( all girls) were 4 , 12 and 13. i dont have a support network or any family to help with the kids at all and it was hard but not impossible. i had to work 70 hours a week for the first 5 years or so. A nanny was a must. now my older 2 girls run the salon with me. we dont get holidays together unfortunately but i wouldnt swap it for a normal job. 2 years ago i decided id worked hard enough to have a break so i cut my hours to just 10 a week and had a fantastic easy life for 18 months untill the recession hit so now im back to 70 hours a week lol. im at the stage though now where im looking to relocate and open another salon and leave my daughters to run this one. i wish id had more time for my kids along the way but we seem to be together 24/7 now so no harm done and they know it was all so they could have a better life in the future.

 

[melons]

Hello
Its tough,
I am not super busy so not earning enough to warrant a child minder.
I rent space in a hairdressers so have to be mindful of their clients. (If I owned it it would make life easier) sometimes I have to take my two with me, they are quite good but get bored and trail through a few times.
Tomorrow I have to wizz home to get them off school bus to wizz back to do my last 2 ladies.
It would be so much easier at home!!!
I really wanted the next level, being in a town etc with passing trade but its a real juggling act.
I work Sundays, Bank Holidays and evenings.
:Grope:
Mel

 

[persianista]

I spend 65 hours a week on client appointments and about 15 hours a week on paperwork and admin.

 

[essentia]

I think your Husband is right about the hours and then some. The problem is when you have children. I take my hat off to those with 2/3 kids who do it. I am an older mum of one but I feel really tired some weeks. It is not just the clients as has been mentioned but the admin, orders, website management etc, etc. I feel so guilty some days as the 2 men in my life sometimes never get a supper til late in the evening. My Husband is also doing an MBA on top of a demanding job so it really feels tough sometimes. You still have to do the Mummy things as well like checking school work, taking them swimming so think about it long and hard as it will be difficult but if you can find a happy balance, have all bases covered and decide it is for you then go for it..:hug:

 

[persianista]

I don't have kids, have a hubby who cooks and does the house, and have permanent staff in my salons. Can barely cope with giving the persians a brush through, let alone look after kids and cook meals. I have no idea how people combine running companies with house and family.

 

[jotommo]

ive worked 46 hours so far this week and its only thursday, i work til saturday so loads more to do.
us women just find a way to multi task, i also have young children and thankfully a great hubby to help out,
its your dream follow it!!!
i look at it that if i don't work the way i do my kids dont have the holidays/ nice clothes and a great future.. and sundays are my day for complete family time, no buts......... also i make sure if i dont get them up and ready for school i always make sure i'm there for bath and bedtime,,, xx

 

[tigi]

I have four kids, oldest is late teens, little one is 2. I work 50-60 hours in the salon. and then around a further 15-20 hours at home, ordering, brochures, web work, research, mail outs and handing out flyers etc............... i know it sounds a lot and it is, but its only on average and although i never time for my self etc, i know one day itll all come back to me .

My name is tigi and im a workaholic..............

 

[FlawlessBeauty]

Wow i think i'm being lazy, lol.

My appointment/ salon hours are 40 hours per week, which is average for most jobs. However i do spend quite a bit of time on paperwork, stock take, ordering, advertising, just improvements in general, but it is impossible to determine the time this takes because i am always distracted by salon geek, lol!

I consider salon geek to be research! Ha ha x

 

[wendy217]

Hmmm. Very interesting posts. Perhaps I am being unrealistic about the amount of work required. I had no idea I would need so much time on admin.You ladies are very dedicated but I'm sure you all have fab businesses to show for it. I don't want to miss out on my little one doing all the lovely things they do, so I think that perhaps I need to keep dreaming of the salon for a couple of years and make the leap a little bit further down the line. Husband keeps telling me I can't have it all!! One day I will..
x:lol:

 

[jotommo]

Wow i think i'm being lazy, lol.

My appointment/ salon hours are 40 hours per week, which is average for most jobs. However i do spend quite a bit of time on paperwork, stock take, ordering, advertising, just improvements in general, but it is impossible to determine the time this takes because i am always distracted by salon geek, lol!

I consider salon geek to be research! Ha ha x

it is research lmao............
i wouldn't be where i am today without the advice in here x

 

[jotommo]

Hmmm. Very interesting posts. Perhaps I am being unrealistic about the amount of work required. I had no idea I would need so much time on admin.You ladies are very dedicated but I'm sure you all have fab businesses to show for it. I don't want to miss out on my little one doing all the lovely things they do, so I think that perhaps I need to keep dreaming of the salon for a couple of years and make the leap a little bit further down the line. Husband keeps telling me I can't have it all!! One day I will..
x:lol:

maybe wait another few years , maybe till he/she gets the afternoons free at nursery then go for it,,, dont do it if your heart isnt in it 100% .
if it is?? you'll go far xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

[jo1983]

Hello all
Could anyone help me with a question about working hours when you are starting up. I am realistically going to work from home but there is also a great opportunity to open and hair and beauty salon near me. The problem I have is that I've got a young family, ten year old, eight year old and seven month old and a husband who thinks its going to take about sixty or seventy hours a week and not allow any family time if I have a salon. I know it is going to be very hard but over time I would like to build a business that my daughter could come into if she wanted and also something I could sell at some point (hopefully a few years away). I know I can't sell a mobile or home based business but could work more hours to suit my family. I just wondered what anyone had to say about it. All thoughts appreciated. x

I work from home! I do treatments everyday and during the evening I do all my admin, marketing, website updates, cleaning ect.
I probably start everyday at 9am and finish up about 1 am. But it is paying off!!!! I have regular new clients to my business and due to my customer service 80% of my clients rebook!!!
It's long hours, and I dont have any kids, but it is totally worth it! xxx

 

[Bombalurina]

This thread has opened my eyes a little too...I currently work anything up to 70 hours a week, though my situation is a little different to others mentioned here. I work full time (40 hours a week) for a beauty company, and the rest is time spent running my mobile business evenings and weekends. This is about to increase slightly too!

My partner does the same; works full time, and runs his own personal training business evenings & weekends...we also find the time to go to the gym 3 mornings a week (He goes 5 times a week!). If we didn't live together, we would never, ever see each other. Luckily we have a great relationship which is all about give and take, and supporting one another. If he's having a busy week I'm pleased for him that his business is going well - and if i'm home before him, I will sort dinner etc. He does the same for me.

My days start at 5.30am, and sometimes I don't stop until 10pm, never mind organising lunches, and cooking dinner! Cleaning & washing (and washing up!) are done at the weekend, and answering emails, making phone calls is fitted in wherever I can throughout the day - my Blackberry is a Godsend and without it I wouldn't have a business.

I don't have children and I don't run my own salon (yet!), but I hope that working all the hours I do is going to help prepare me in some way for being completely self employed. I see is as something I HAVE to do in order to be successful later on. It's nice to see that other Geeks are in the same boat, I must be on the right track, surely?!

 

[kelly_s]

Its great to see the dedication people have for their businesses! I work around 80+ hours a week with my salon from managing it to training staff paperwork etc and I also work as a consultant, not enough hours in my week most of the time but I love it. Saying that I don't have a partner or family, don't know where they would really fit at the moment lol.