"I can't afford it". Thoughts?

[mum]

There are many 100's of threads on here that include the phrase "I can't afford it". Now for any new business this is fine as it takes a while to add new products/services. When running a business though (however small, even just 1) if there is a new service etc to add there should be money set aside that is added to all the time for 'investment and growth' purposes. Remember, training, new products and services are investment in your business (that may be just you). If there is something new then you should work out how much investment is needed and how quickly you are going to recoup that, put it back and go into making some profit.

That's the business way of doing things.

The point of this thread and request for 'thoughts' is about the others who say "can't afford it but how can I do it cheaper?". They are the ones that are NOT running a business and will end up paying twice or 3 times and maybe never make a profit on the investment. Then often as not wonder why they can't get clients or earn enough to leave a salaried job.

My advice would be that if you want to do something then do it as best as you can and if your business can't afford it then start an 'investment fund' that will be able to afford it.

You may just be 1 mobile or home salon nail technician/manicurist but that is still a business. Run it as one and stop playing at 'nails' by seeing something new, thinking 'I want that, I'll try to buy it off ebay, I don't need any training, it's easy!'

Thoughts?

 

[peartree]

Wow! Well said and hadn't thought of it that way... I've got to admit I'm one for saying I can't afford it yet!
I want a successful business
So think I'll b re looking at the way i do things and what i say...Although I am one for doing courses but I tend to do the one and two day ones and then go away and practice.. Which is sometimes hard when u need advice and don't really know who to ask??

 

[louie6]

I have to agree with you mum

When I orginally wanted to train,I knew that I would have to put the money aside and save to be able to do my training,once I had completed my course,I then put money aside to buy everything I needed for my home nail salon,i.e station,re-decorating,then when I decided that I wanted to bring in Shellac,I knew what the start up cost would be and worked my butt off in over time in my 8-5 job,to put the money aside to bring in Shellac,but I brought in the whole system,now unfortunately there is no shellac training in my area,so with help here and the sweet squared girls and practice,not easy but I'm there,and I would have loved to have gone for a shellac attack,I'm now doing brill shellac sets,I've never had any problems whatsoever as I've waited until I had all the money I needed to bring in the full system.Now I'm doing my CND Conversion in Bristol on the 15th and again,I've saved my butt off to put the money aside for everything I need to do my conversion and for the day,so now I know I'm going there not needing to worry

I would never consider getting anything off fleabay,especially products etc,I've started the way I mean to go on,I want my business to be professional and I want people to know I've worked hard for it When it comes to working my way to masters for my L+P,I know I will need to do it bit by bit,but I will be putting the money aside on a weekly basis to ensure that I can afford to do the training Anyway that's my thought and just my opinion xx

 

[JERSEY JOCK]

Totaly agree, I work alone from my home and I see it as a professional business, I'm not just playing at nails and my clients appreciate this....my clients often tell me that my set up is more professional than some of the salons in town............professional but also relaxed and friendly just the right balance........my clients also love that I invest in all the latest products and are always excited to try something new and never get bored always something new to try, I'm never going to be a millioniare but I earn a good living love my job and my ladies.......... One client got a voucher to a 5 star spa for a pedicure but said after that she would always rather come to me, isn't that great................:Love:

 

[Sweetcheeks]

I like the idea of starting an investment fund! At the moment my business just pays for new training/products as and when but that makes a lot more sense! x

 

[shedunlop]

I think it is exactly what you have said and that is there is a difference between those of us who run as a business and those who just want to earn a bit extra or want to play at it.

There are many girls/boys who start out, maybe as single parents, and that makes things difficult to be strict with yourself and finances when there is always something else you need the money for. I think what needs to be understood is that it doesn't matter how small the amount is that you set aside, just that you do set aside some and then choose new treatments wisely by seeing how popular they are going to be and any pitfalls there may be before jumping into them. Also choosing profitable treatments first with a fast return rather than things that take much longer to learn and be good at. :wink2:

 

[mum]

Wow, you girls certainly fit into my first paragraph! I hope the ones that fit the last para (who probably won't post) are reading and learning from you. :biggrin:

 

[Planky1]

I like to think I have a good business head and my head screwed on. I have a budget to open a beauty room from home and am costing every little thing into it down to nail wipes! I have also budgeted in the first 4 months of repayments on my loan so that the pressure is off slightly during my first months of trying to build a clientele. According to my costings, there will be a little bit left over and this will be going into a "pot" for ongoing training/initial stock replenishment. Following advise from yourself Mum and others on here I am also re thinking my training for now so that I have more money to train and purchase the necessary equipment to give me a good start in just a few things rather than use up my budget doing loads of courses I don't need to at the moment. The nail and beauty industry has moved forward immensely since I first trained 5 or 6 years ago, so I know that I will need funds in place all the time to train and stay current year after year. It's exciting

 

[shedunlop]

I like to think I have a good business head and my head screwed on. I have a budget to open a beauty room from home and am costing every little thing into it down to nail wipes! I have also budgeted in the first 4 months of repayments on my loan so that the pressure is off slightly during my first months of trying to build a clientele. According to my costings, there will be a little bit left over and this will be going into a "pot" for ongoing training/initial stock replenishment. Following advise from yourself Mum and others on here I am also re thinking my training for now so that I have more money to train and purchase the necessary equipment to give me a good start in just a few things rather than use up my budget doing loads of courses I don't need to at the moment. The nail and beauty industry has moved forward immensely since I first trained 5 or 6 years ago, so I know that I will need funds in place all the time to train and stay current year after year. It's exciting

You are one of the girls I have had my eye on recently. You seem sensible and balanced and I think you will make a big success of your business. :wink2:

 

[Planky1]

You are one of the girls I have had my eye on recently. You seem sensible and balanced and I think you will make a big success of your business. :wink2:

Oh!! Am being watched..... Hehe, thank you very much for saying so, a nice little confidence boost to hear that, really kind thank you :o

 

[Elffie]

Words of Wisdom.

I haven't started my business as I am still in the training process but I have a bank account for my nail business and any spare money I can goes in there. I want to be known from the start as buying the best quality and not scrimping on anything.
I also intend to do one thing at a time, at the moment that's learning acrylics then gels. I want to be able to offer an excellent service and then add to that quality with another excellent service, WITH quality products.

I am still in the early stages of learning but hopefully I have my business head screwed on enough to get myself some grounding for when I am qualified and when I need to or want to bring in a new system.

As yet I haven't worked out my costings but I will be doing so I know I am not diddling myself ..

 

[Dolly6410]

i agree. i started my business last april (2010) and i have gone abit over board with the courses and new treatments on my price list, i'm at the stage where its not i cant afford to do extra courses, but i dont think my heads ready for them, i'm still trying to get my gel nails and acrylic nails under way, and i dont see the point in cramming more knowledge in when i haven't got my brain round the stuff i've already done. but if there is a course i really want to do i'd rather save and buy what i want than make do with what i can afford, i mean a week- 1month of clients and i can normally afford what i want.

 

[BuffyFileSlayer]

Absolutely agree with everything Mum says, professionalism at all times and always the best products and up to date training for my clients. It is 8 years since I started my training and I will never stop, there is always something new to learn and investing in yourself and your business is always the best policy. Excellent thoughts x thanks x

 

[TheNailHouse]

I agree, you have to be prepared to re-invest any income you get into further training and for new and exciting products. I am very lucky in the way that I am not the main earner in my household. I saved any birthday / xmas money I got and used that for my training and since opening my own home salon any earnings I get goes back out to reinvest. I use CND products as I know I have an excellent product and my clients love it as I do. I recently went on a Shellac Attack session and have introduced it to my clients which has really boosted my sales! They can't get enough of it! I bought the rack with six colours, but as my sales come in I will be reinvesting in more colours, etc. x

 

[busybee32]

Excellent thread Mum.
I have to agree with you.
It’s taken me a long time, hard work and money to be where I am now.
Never when I started out did I think I can’t afford this and go down the unauthorised seller route, I saved and saved until I could afford what I needed. Thankfully I have a very supportive husband who did carry my share of the bills for a while when I first started.
But quality and perseverance has paid off.
If this is an industry that you feel passionate about you will strive to be the very best that you can, and make sacrifices if you can’t afford things.
Stop going out, cancel holidays abroad, give up smoking etc etc.
Those who come into the industry wanting it all given to them on a plate and to have a diary full of clients from the get go really need to have a think if this is the industry for them, its not!
Prime example of this is a local salon that has opened up. The owner and the partner have got no experience of the industry whatsoever but have seen that the beauty industry can be a lucrative one for a few, decided that they would jump on the bandwagon.
I had an interview where the partner kept moaning about the profit margin being really small.
I’m sorry but why have you decided to get into the industry with no working knowledge of it yourself.
Needless to say the salon should have been opened in December last year and is still closed with no staff.
It really does grate on me that they think they can start up and have a successful business just like that... It takes years of hard work, expense, training and learning to gain a loyal client base.
This industry people unfortunately think it is dominated by airheads, the beauty industry as a whole has a stigma attached to it.
They don't realise that it is successful business women and men who make it work, what we do we make look easy because we have years of practise behind us.
So to those who think it’s easy, and you will make a quick buck I’m sorry newsflash you won’t, its hard work and an expensive one to be in and you have to be in it for the long haul.
The saying buy cheap pay 3 times is so true in this industry; you should start as you mean to go on.
If you can't afford the best then maybe you need to think about what you can cut back on in your social life etc to be able to afford the best, or save and save until you have the money to be able to start out on the right foot.
With decent training, quality products you will also have a dedicated support network behind you.
If you can suck all that up and think "Hey actually that is what I am prepared to do" then you will be rewarded in so many more ways than monetary value
Jen xxx

 

[hippy-chick]

hear bloody hear!

I think the problem is we now live in a "POT NOODLE SOCIETY" ie instant everything, fuelled by adverts on TV. You know the ones, "Want a new Car? Get one" "got debts, get more debts" "want to keep my with the Joneses, we'll help you overtake the Joneses".

What is the problem with waiting until you can afford things? And whats the problem with saving up for things?

If I want something, I save up. If I can't afford it, I don't get it. When I can afford it, I go and buy it. If I really really want it, I go all out to get it, I push the boat out, work EXTRA hours!

when i was on a low income I used to visit things that I liked, for example, I saw a pair of trainers that I really liked, they were in my size and in the sale. I visited those trainers every week until I could afford to buy them. I run the risk of losing them, but I didn't think of going into the shop and asking them to put them aside just in case I couldn't get the money, why should the shop lose out?

Some weeks I work a lot of hours, some weeks I work a few hours, some weeks I don't work at all. But every week I pay myself the same amount of money regardless. In the bad weather we had in Dec/Jan I took 3 weeks off, I didn't pay myself for 2 of those weeks because I chose to take them off.

A bit of hard work, sacrifice, forward planning and saving is what is needed, oh, and common sense. I don't expect and wait for funding/handouts, I make it happen, but sometimes it takes a bit of time to get there.

 

[An*Gel]

Excellent thread Mum.
I have to agree with you.
It’s taken me a long time, hard work and money to be where I am now.
Never when I started out did I think I can’t afford this and go down the unauthorised seller route, I saved and saved until I could afford what I needed. Thankfully I have a very supportive husband who did carry my share of the bills for a while when I first started.
But quality and perseverance has paid off.
If this is an industry that you feel passionate about you will strive to be the very best that you can, and make sacrifices if you can’t afford things.
Stop going out, cancel holidays abroad, give up smoking etc etc.
Those who come into the industry wanting it all given to them on a plate and to have a diary full of clients from the get go really need to have a think if this is the industry for them, its not!
Prime example of this is a local salon that has opened up. The owner and the partner have got no experience of the industry whatsoever but have seen that the beauty industry can be a lucrative one for a few, decided that they would jump on the bandwagon.
I had an interview where the partner kept moaning about the profit margin being really small.
I’m sorry but why have you decided to get into the industry with no working knowledge of it yourself.
Needless to say the salon should have been opened in December last year and is still closed with no staff.
It really does grate on me that they think they can start up and have a successful business just like that... It takes years of hard work, expense, training and learning to gain a loyal client base.
This industry people unfortunately think it is dominated by airheads, the beauty industry as a whole has a stigma attached to it.
They don't realise that it is successful business women and men who make it work, what we do we make look easy because we have years of practise behind us.
So to those who think it’s easy, and you will make a quick buck I’m sorry newsflash you won’t, its hard work and an expensive one to be in and you have to be in it for the long haul.
The saying buy cheap pay 3 times is so true in this industry; you should start as you mean to go on.
If you can't afford the best then maybe you need to think about what you can cut back on in your social life etc to be able to afford the best, or save and save until you have the money to be able to start out on the right foot.
With decent training, quality products you will also have a dedicated support network behind you.
If you can suck all that up and think "Hey actually that is what I am prepared to do" then you will be rewarded in so many more ways than monetary value
Jen xxx

I feel EXACTLY the same!!

Well said Jeni and great thread Mum.

 

[mixnmatch1]

hi,i am about to start out as a mobile beauty therapist and it is sooo tempting to do more courses but i already have a lot under my belt so i have decided to perfect them before i try some more.
i would never buy off ebay either its not worth it,you really do want to invest in quality right from the start.
i do intend to add minx,shellac and microdermabrasion to my skills but only once i have got the business properly up and running.
planky,you remind me of myself lol,cant wait to start and i really eager lol

 

[mizzy_dizzy]

I've never had a single grant for any of my qualifications , equipment or materials,
When I first did my NVQ I was a single mum of 3 scraping by , I knew I was doing the course I knew how much £ I needed and guess what I did something few seem to do?
I saved up !
The day collage started I had the money in full , where many others acted surprised at the price , and fought to get discounts , grants or instuments , then when they found out they needed to buy a bag for there kits and a folder for there work many pi**ed and moaned some more ,
It was like people expected to be hand fed ,
I've continued to do that through out
Funny enough I still do nails and the ones who moaned through collage don't ,
I think the instant gratification generation is breeding complacentcy , many people don't feel the need to work or sacrifice anymore

I like the idea of the saving fund , I sort of do this , with tips ect
But the other thing is keeping your eye on what is comming , IE ) new shellac colors x6 September / october ,
Then there are no surprise's lol

 

[deanosnana]

I TOTALLY agree with you, mum!

When I see the words "I can't afford..." my first thought is; you can't afford NOT to... My god...for the few extra bucks, get the CND lamp, take the Shellac course, attend the best school, etc.

There's a lot of stuff I can't afford...I do, however, AFFORD the best products and education for my nail clients. They ARE worth it!

Great thread!