How much money do you think is possible to make off nails as a business?

[foxy_princess]

I've seen nail technicians in the 6 figure salaries! Is it possible? How can we increase our prices effectively without losing clients? Nunis nails charges well over a hundred dollars per set of nails, im guessing he gets 5 clients a day on average (he takes 2 hours to do a full set) not to mention people pay him for online lessons, 1 to 1, business promotion etc

He is my inspiration and I hope to be as successful as he is one day. He's been a nail tech for 3 years and has already opened his own salon in florida

I feel like salaries arent discussed enough on this forum. Whenever I look up nail technician salaries it always says its around 22k for a starter nail tech and 35k for experienced ones. Im pretty sure these days with all the skilled people its now much much higher. I feel like we are really underpaid and we work very hard til we literally break our backs. Women are happy to pay £115 for a full head tint, cut and blowdry but when a nail techs prices are over £20 they try to haggle us down? This is unfair especially since it takes longer to master nail extensions, and our equipment costs considerably more


Please let me know your thoughts on any of the above I mentioned lol I love these sort of discussions

 

[sighthound]

Well.....he does work 12 hour days and seven days a week! I, however, am not prepared to kill myself with long hours in order to make more money
I am booked out until next year (aside from a few one-off appointments), so I am doing ok

 

[squidgernetball]

I think you can make money doing many treatments but a quick squizz through some threads on here will show it isn't easy. Building up a client base takes time and effort.

Salaries often aren't discussed as many techs are self employed. Many will be charging £20 for a full set of nails some more and some less. You only have to flick through to find posts about shellac nails for a tenner along with many other treatments at way below their value.

Employed techs are looking at a starting salary of about £6.50 an hour. Many salons want a nail tech, not a nail super star, so you would have to go self employed if you were hoping for the equivalent of $100 for a set of nails.

Vic x

 

[MeenaTech]

Although in Ontario fda regulates it, many of the small cheap nail shops are charging way less and using improper unhygienic practices and "powder gel"

Educating your clients I believe is the way to build a trust that keeps them coming and paying what you ask

 

[foxy_princess]

Although in Ontario fda regulates it, many of the small cheap nail shops are charging way less and using improper unhygienic practices and "powder gel"

Educating your clients I believe is the way to build a trust that keeps them coming and paying what you ask

I definitely agree with this. If you show them you care about the health of their nails and hygiene and make them aware how unsanitary some places can be more people tend to come back. Also having a particular signature style I find helps.

 

[pure]

There are surely too many variables to be able to answer this accurately. How do you compare a mobile tech who uses warehouse products to a salon owner and employer with large overheads to an award winning nail tech or a session tech or a tech who has made a name for themselves in the media and who only services celebrity clientele?

It will not only depend on where you work, but the products you work with and your skill level. We all know it doesn't matter how dedicated we might be but some have a natural flair and an eye for shape and design that no amount of education can necessarily equal no matter how determined and hard working you might be.

Turning out a set of good quality salon nails is something we all should be able to achieve, but to produce truly stunning, ground breaking, innovative work each and every time eludes most of us. But it's those who can who will be able to earn the big bucks.

ETA : I think you'll also find that the ones earning the six figure salaries don't do it from behind their nail desk most of the time, it'll be in the media, whether mainstream or online. Or they're producing their own product ranges etc

 

[ch-ela]

I'd definitely take any figures of earnings with a pinch of salt. People like to exaggerate how busy they are and how much they earn. I think you need to find the right people that value what you do and charge accordingly. It might take a little longer to build up a following, but the chances are they will be more loyal. There are some nail techs with extraordinary talent and I am sure they will earn well, but I have also seen techs that charge quite a lot and seem busy, but their nails are not all that. I guess it's how you sell yourself.

 

[foxy_princess]

I'd definitely take any figures of earnings with a pinch of salt. People like to exaggerate how busy they are and how much they earn. I think you need to find the right people that value what you do and charge accordingly. It might take a little longer to build up a following, but the chances are they will be more loyal. There are some nail techs with extraordinary talent and I am sure they will earn well, but I have also seen techs that charge quite a lot and seem busy, but their nails are not all that. I guess it's how you sell yourself.

Sorry but I needed to go back to this, ive seen techs with amazing talent too but clients often don't want nail art. How can we encourage people to go beyond a French set? I personally wouldn't even bother with white tips when I start working. Mastering pink and white is the way to go

 

[sighthound]

Sorry but I needed to go back to this, ive seen techs with amazing talent too but clients often don't want nail art. How can we encourage people to go beyond a French set? I personally wouldn't even bother with white tips when I start working. Mastering pink and white is the way to go

I find the opposite actually here. No-one wants French - well perhaps an occasional client does, but 99% of my clients get art or something a little different.

Also,I have never used white tips (aside from my training) as I always sculpt anyway.

 

[foxy_princess]

I find the opposite actually here. No-one wants French - well perhaps an occasional client does, but 99% of my clients get art or something a little different.

Also,I have never used white tips (aside from my training) as I always sculpt anyway.

Where are you based? Do you have clients who love nail art because of location or because you promoted it well and clients now come to you for it?

 

[Maz101]

I have clients that specifically come to me because of the nail art I do, but I also do one colour gel nails with no design. It's hard work to build your clients up and get a name for yourself, takes time and effort. Everyone starts at the bottom. I know I did and now I have my own salon.

 

[sighthound]

Where are you based? Do you have clients who love nail art because of location or because you promoted it well and clients now come to you for it?

I am in New Zealand. I have promoted art I guess, and I have a screen running constantly in the salon with around 600 pics of my work and these contain a lot of art/feature nails etc. My clients watch it and tend to use that for inspiration and say "Oh I like that. Can I have that?" etc.

 

[kirstie1980]

Im sure if our nails lasted 6-8 weeks like foils do in our hair, we could charge as much as that. Calculate the cost to the client in a 8 week span. In 8 weeks my clients have had a full set, refill ×2 and rebalance×2 that costs them more than a full set of foils in an 8 week span