I need some advice please! (Long,Sorry!)

[aj1]

really need the opinions of my fellow techs. I have been in my home based salon 2 years this September. I am doing quite well and very pleased with all the aspects of running my own place, however enhancements aren't going over very well at all. I have only one regular that has been with me since opening and she is a real problem ski jumper client. I have had a few other ladies but none that stay long enough. I had one with me for months and then poof she disappeared.

I am really contemplating giving up doing enhancements, today was the tip over the edge for me. I tried to sculpt my 14 year old today and tried to extend her beds with the cache pink by Amore (since she is a biter) and then do the white. I think they looked "ok", but not good enough, The cache pink didn't cover what I wanted it to. I tipped her instead and I used the white gel also by Amore and when I went to shape the nail, the white was worn off on most nails( the nails were thick) the more I filed down the white the more the white was fading. Maybe I should've blended the free edge of the tip?

When ever I get a call about either doing a fill or a set I literally panic, I don't want to do it, I am very tense and scared, I feel my confidence is way low. I am not a negative person and I feel I have done really well for myself in this business,and with the right techniques and experience I could do ok with enhancements.


I don't wear enhancements myself, I know most of you will say I should, when I did it never helped my business at all. I have absolutely no body who wants "free" enhancements for the sake of me practising and my 14 year old who is willing is very figety most times.

I guess what I am trying to say without writing a book is should I give up doing enhancements, is there hope for me, how long does it take in a home based business, people think I am too expensive and I am priced as low as one of the salons in my town but not as low as the orientals in my town, and they are everywhere! I don't want to give up but what other choice do I have with my lack of experience.

I really need some help, this doesn't help my blood pressure being so down, but I think maybe closure is what I need, thanks to all who read this!

aj

 

[Classy Claws]

In my personal opinion - I feel that you should not offer a service that you are not comfortable or competent in - if you are interested in it I would book a 1 2 1 and get your skills back up... but in all honesty if enhancing nails just doesn't 'do it' for you then whats the point?

 

[michelle g]

I agree i think if you are not comfortable doing nail enhancements, then this is why
you are not busy with them, you are not encouraging people to have them, (if that makes sence?) have you got a nail trainer that you could practice on? if not might be
worth purchasing one! once you get your confidence there will be no stopping you.

 

[littlegrohl]

You dont learn it once and then be completely competant concerning enhancements.. Its a never ending practise!! Get a hand trainer if you can.. ( I dont have one but i would like one) I advertised on a forum i am on for hand models as im about to do a 121 conversion using a different product.
Chin up mate.. if its not for you then drop the service.. but an acceptance is required that.."It wont happen over night.. but it will happen!"
there are some fantastic tuturiouls on here that may seem pretty straight forward.. ((Considering we have all done the courses)) but i tell you.. i have fine tuned my skill factor 10 fold from just looking at the way i do it from different perspectives!:green:

 

[Sals]

I felt like this about 6 months ago and just stopped. I continued to do my own and a few friends. Now everything seems to have clicked and I can't wait to get going again. I'm also planning on doing some 1-2-1 training when money allows. HTH

 

[pure]

TBH reading your post it almost sounds as though you want to be given permission to just stop, forget them, and to stop feeling guilty about it.:hug:

If there isn't the business for them, you don't like doing them, and they are stressing you out then it's probably not worth it.

You obviously enjoy all other aspects of your business and you are successful with it too by the sounds of it so if it's what you want then be kind to yourself.:hug:

 

[VHunter]

Nail enhancements are hard.
And as already said, it's a ongoing learning process. Always something new. It IS very daunting.

I think the questions you have to ask yourself is (current troubles aside) "do I really want to learn" and "do I like them".. If the answer is yes, then don't give up.
It is ONLY by actually doing them, that you will get better. There is no other way around it. There is no shortcut.

Offer them at student prices so that you won't feel the pressure to be perfect and that clients won't expect them to be perfect. That way, you'll get practice. Put a listing in the paper or a flyer out that indicates you need 'guinea pigs' and that the prices are reduced for the reason of your minimal experience.
Ask clients if they know of anyone on a tight budget who would like nails at a reduced price, who wouldn't mind if you practiced on them. If necessary, charge only for the product and not your time. The only way to learn is to 'do'.
Wear them yourself. I firmly believe that if you can do nails on yourself, you can do them on anyone. It's much harder to do them on oneself than on anybody else.

"FAKE" confidence. Yes, you read that right. I learned a trick a very long time ago that if I pretend to be confident and keep telling myself "I CAN do it", then eventually, you WILL be confident and WILL be ABLE to do it.
Don't think negative, don't panic. All a waste of energy and serves no purpose other than to make you stress out, and causes you to do worse than you could if you have a positive outlook. IT DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE.


Take another course. Find a mentor to work with occasionally. Get a hand-trainer thingy-ma-bobber and practice like mad.

HOWEVER
If you really have no interest in them, and if you think that when you do master them that you won't like doing them....
You don't need our permission to let that side of your business go.
No sense in doing what you don't like.

Chin up:hug:

 

[CurlyQs]

really need the opinions of my fellow techs. I have been in my home based salon 2 years this September. I am doing quite well and very pleased with all the aspects of running my own place, however enhancements aren't going over very well at all. aj

Hi aj,
Sorry you are feeling so discouraged. I am not knowledgeable in the systems you use, but I do want to say that most ppl have these feelings at some point(s). I only offer overlays as I do not feel competent with tips or sculpts (and this has worked out fine for me). But, I take every opportunity I can to do a sculpt on a friend or family member to get better and it really builds my confidence. One time I did tips on a friend and it was a disaster. Even though it was free and she was allowing me to practice on her, I felt very discrouraged. It sounds like you need to build your confidence more and then you will feel ready for these challenges. You say that you enjoy your business, so hang in there. Every time I do even one more day of training, or get some advice from the amazing experienced geeks here, I feel so much more able to provide a better service. In the end only you know when and if it is time to give up. I would hate to see you stop without pursuing all alternatives (ie. further training, alternative products etc.) so you have no regrets. Best of luck.
:hug:
alex

 

[blossom]

I have to say I was hooked on nail enhancements from the word go and although I went through a period where I felt quite despondent, I am a stubborn b...er and was determined to see it through.

Such a lot of clients told me about bad experiences with having their nails done, with them breaking, coming off, etc, yet obviously it is perfectly possible to produce fab sets and I was determined to become a nail tech that people recommended. I just kept my mind on what I wanted to become, did additional training, practiced (nail trainer - fab thing), and read what I could (books mainly,and nail mags, I didn't have internet till quite recently), and it finally all came together and bit by bit I managed to knock all the little problem on the head.

It's not easy to do nails. Personally I love it but if I didn't love it so much I would definitely have jacked it in during my low point.

So the question you must ask yourself is, even if you were turning out excellent nails, would you be enjoying what you're doing? Would you be getting a buzz out of it? Would you be getting up in the morning and thinking "here we go again"? If the passion is not there, hun, quite honestly I'd drop it and concentrate on what you do love. :hug:

 

[florence2004]

I have been feeling like this for a while myself and really wanted to give up on enhancements and just do manis and peds as I much prefer them. But I have discovered that I only prefer them because I am better at them. So I took a month of from nails completely to have a little mop and stop beating myself up and now I am back in the driving seat. I have lowered the price I was charging for "model" set of enhancements and am feeling much better about that and had my first real client in on Sat.
I have now made a promise to myself that I will do something nail related everyday - even if it is just practicing smile lines on tips - yesterday I gave my husband a pedicure!

Take some time out if you need to - that was the best advice I was given, carry on with your other treatments and come back to enhancements when you feel better about them.

 

[aj1]

Wow, thanks for all the responses, you guys are great.
No matter how much I love doing nails how can I when there is not a need for them. In my small town there are 3 asian run salons who are really busy and cheap. There are a few other salons in town that are more upscale and charce accordingly, they are busy. There is no one who gives a care to help me out. I have tried believe me to get someone close enough to mentor me and there is no one who will. I don't need another course as I feel I am beyond the basics. I need a one on one and have inquired about that and the lady said she couldn't help since I do not use her gel line.

To offer student prices or put an ad saying I need people for building my skills would be nothing more than an embarassment to me in my town. No one does or will do that here and maybe I am wrong but I cannot do that. I would rather give it up than show I am not good enough. I am confident when people sit in my chair, believe me I do FAKE it, it's just that in my heart I know there isn't that call.

I didn't work for anyone straight out of school to build a clientelle. I did work at a spa (no enhancements)but they mainly catered to out of town guests and they did a have a few locals but in their town they stick with their town for services.

Thanks you all you have made me feel better, family and friends just don't seem to understand what's all involved in it.

My husband says to be positive and I am trying to be, but to be honest people know about me they still choose to go elsewhere. I have a girl I used to work with that comes for the occasional pedi, and waxing and then goes to the asians for her nails, what more can I say.



Thanks again, will have to really think this through,

aj

 

[VHunter]

To offer student prices or put an ad saying I need people for building my skills would be nothing more than an embarassment to me in my town. No one does or will do that here and maybe I am wrong but I cannot do that. I would rather give it up than show I am not good enough.
aj

What I used to say in the beginning, as opposed to saying "I need to practice" was this:
1-) I'm testing a new product line to see which is best, and I need someone who will point out every problem that they are dissatisfied with so I can truly see how the product is. I need to know ASAP if there's any lift etc... I will repair any problems that occur within the first 7days FREE of charge
2-) I'm trying out a new technique and would like to practice it a couple of times before I charge full price for it.
3-) I have some samples that I'd like to try out, if you'd like to have your nails done for free. You just need to promise to come see me if there are any problems whatsoever so I know exactly how the product performs.

This helped me to get the practice that I needed. PARTICULARLY since the first few guinea pigs were nail biters and they are the absolute hardest to do AND maintain as they are VERY rough on their hands and break nails a lot.

Offer as b-day/anniversar gifts to friends/family/existing customers, a set of enhancements free or 1/2 price as incentive to get them into your chair.

I hope these ideas help you out.
it's OK to say you are learning. You would be SURPRISED at how many people are very understanding of that and patient. How are you supposed to become 'good' if you don't get practice.

And note: a few of my "guinea pigs" were former NSS/discount shop clients, who are now paying full price for services are my most LOYAL and HAPPIEST clients and refer people to me like crazy.

best of luck hun, whichever you decide.
Just don't do yourself a disservice giving up on something you like OR continually doing something you don't like.
Decide which it is, and do what makes you happiest.

giant :hug:

 

[aj1]

Thanks to all who've responded to me, it means so much!

I did my niece's nails today and they turned out really nice, I will see if I can get a pic and then another nieces nails tonight, but they all peeled off, yep all peeled off.

When I was doing a gel polish on her Mom she was massaging my daughter and had lotion on her hands.I prepped very well but that lotion seeped under the forms I guess. What a stupid mistake poor girl went home with no nails. I have never noticed lifting right soon after until now.

I always use sanitizer at my station but never have them wash at the sink first, well I guess they will be now since I don't know if they've applied lotion prior to sitting in my chair.

They were the third set of nails I did since this post and already felt soooooo much better. That doesn't mean that I will get any clients out of this but it tells me I am not that bad.

Thanks again

aj

 

[Sassy Hassy]

Great advice so far, only thing I would say is advertise for Models not Guinea Pigs, it sounds nicer IMO!!!

So is it that you don't have confidence in your work? Or more that you dont have confidence in getting new clients? As you say ALL the other salons in your area - from high end to low end - are busy, so the clients ARE out there. Do you advertise? When you work in a home salon you have to advertise way more than the high street salons as you have no visible presence. Building a client base takes time and you often find that just when you think you have a good number of clients for some reason they suddenly start to give up on them. So you have to keep advertising all the time. This may give you a few ideas http://www.salongeek.com/business/28153-sassy-guide-advertising-your-business.html

Also why does that Pedi client choose to have her nails done at a NSS? Ask her! Why does she choose to come to you for pedi's instead of with them? Ask her! Find your USP as mentioned in the article above and ram it home to people in your adverts. Is it because you are a private, comfortable home salon with easy parking? Or maybe you specialise in a certain area that others don't?

I know you say you are a positive person, but read back through your posts and all I am picking up is CAN'T and GIVE UP. It seems like you have given up in your head already. If you don't enjoy doing enhancements then there is no use flogging a dead horse, but if you really want to achieve them then you can and WILL. It's not an easy thing to learn, and if you aren't doing them regularly then it will take longer to get there.

Only you can decide hun on your future and do what will make you happy :hug: Good luck

 

[VHunter]

Great advice so far, only thing I would say is advertise for Models not Guinea Pigs, it sounds nicer IMO!!!

LOL:lol:
OBVIOUSLY, I didn't use the term "guineapig" when I was looking for "models":lol:

Yup AJ, check out Sassy's article. Great stuff!

And it's TRUE.
It's very hard when working from home. We can't take walk-in's, we're not visible. We have to keep reminding people that we exist. Another thing that helps is reward clients for referrals. You could try that as well.

Best of luck