I need some help!! Pleeeeease with a cherry on top!!

[KellyT]

Hi all

I am quite new to this site but over the past few weeks I have found alot of your advice and tips sooo useful!! Thank you.

I have a dilema! I may be stressing over nothing I don't know!
I want to set up my own business from home which is all set and ready to go it's just I'm having a bit of a lack of confidence moment!

I have been training with Essential Nails for the past year and done most courses and got decent marks overall. I use the nail trainer all the time so had plenty of practice there but I have only done one set of live hands on a nail biter and they did turn out good but I could see places where I could have done better but the girl said she was chuffed with them!! So now I don't know whether I'm just seeing minor imperfections on my own work which noone else would pick up on or whether they were not great nails. My dilema is I don't feel confident enough to charge people for a set I'm not happy with even though I was thinking of introducing myself on flyers and doing a january half price sale to get the clients in and some practice before charging the going rate!!

Any help and advice would be soooo apreciated!! Thank you for reading!!!

 

[Mrs.Clooney]

First of all, hi Kelly and welcome. To use a nail biter as your first real live set is a daunting place to begin. A challenge even for more experienced geeks let alone someone new to nails.

Is it at all possible to upload pics of your work onto the site for us to view and perhaps help you with. This in itself is daunting so I appologise if I have jumped the gun here.

The other thing I want to say is that prictising on a nail trainer is one thing, but prictising on a live hand is another and I think ultimately, you need that latter.

This is one of the downfalls with training on a trainer hand only as you are not faced with the day to day dilemmas of a real client who:
1. Picks, chews, gnaws....
2. Is heavy handed
3. Cleans house/ washes dishes without wearing gloves
4. Has spoon shaped or permanetly damaged nails etc......

Do you see where I'm coming from? You need to start practising on anyone willing to allow you, family, friends ....... Hope this helps.

 

[EllaX]

theres nothing like practise on real 'live' hands, real people move - the nail trainer doesn't. how about doing some reduced sets for friends and family just till your confidence picks up?? xx

 

[oey]

Hi and welcome. I am sure your are picky with your own work like the rest of us, but I would suggest like those above to get some family and friend under your belt as there is nothing like practicing on the real thing.

 

[fintouch]

The more you do the more feedback you get and the confidence will build up. I work from home and also trained with essential nails. Just remember to take your time to do a nice set of nails , your client would rather you take time and have a nice set of nails than rushing and making mistakes. Don't undercut yourself or clients will be suspicious of why you are so cheap. Have confidence in yourself, you have the certificate now all you need is the practice.Relax and enjoy your work and you'l be fine. Make yourself a price list so people know exactly what you charge and you won't be tempted to not charge full price. Find out what other techs charge in your area and try to keep it around that price. We put the work in and have put the hours in training and should be paid for the skill and knowledge we have.
Good Luck and enjoy. Julie

 

[geeg]

Get in there and Go for it and Do it.

And keep up with your education with another company. There is much to learn that is not covered on EN. This is the same for everyone.

Have the courage of your convictions and get out there and start your business.

 

[jess124]

Hi, Welcome Kelly. I think the above advice re practising on friends and family(if any are willing of course ) Is the best way to go, if you are a little un-confident.

This is what I am doing at the moment. I like you did the EN course (L&P) the last 2 sets I did went well (one also a BAD nailbiter) so I have recently delivered quite a few flyers round my estate advertising myself.

I think there comes a time when you just have to put yourself out there, it's a bit chicken and egg, you need the clients in the first place to improve, but you want to be able to do great nails for the clients too! But you have to start somewhere. I do make the clients that I have had so far aware that I am newly qualified, (mainly because I take 2 hours to do a full set) so they know I am new at the job, but i'm confident that I can do a good job, and so far so good, no complants as yet!!

It's just making the initial step, but once you do you'll feel much better, it's a bit like looking over a high diving board I think, scary, but once you take the plunge and hit the water you feel great and wonder why you worried so much! You sound well qualified in all systems (more so than me!) so I'm sure when you manage to gain a bit more confidence you'll be just fine!

Good Luck, and keep us updated with how things go after Xmas, I too am hoping for a mad rush of clients in the new year (hoping, yes, but probabily not getting lol)

Jess x

 

[Mrs.Clooney]

Hi all

I am quite new to this site but over the past few weeks I have found alot of your advice and tips sooo useful!! Thank you.

I have a dilema! I may be stressing over nothing I don't know!
I want to set up my own business from home which is all set and ready to go it's just I'm having a bit of a lack of confidence moment!

I have been training with Essential Nails for the past year and done most courses and got decent marks overall. I use the nail trainer all the time so had plenty of practice there but I have only done one set of live hands on a nail biter and they did turn out good but I could see places where I could have done better but the girl said she was chuffed with them!! So now I don't know whether I'm just seeing minor imperfections on my own work which noone else would pick up on or whether they were not great nails. My dilema is I don't feel confident enough to charge people for a set I'm not happy with even though I was thinking of introducing myself on flyers and doing a january half price sale to get the clients in and some practice before charging the going rate!!

Any help and advice would be soooo apreciated!! Thank you for reading!!!

I think these posts say it all. Go for it!! We'll be nice but honest, and that is how we learn.:hug:

 

[KellyT]

Thank you all for replying so far!

I feel better already! I do have a picture of before and after for my nail biter so sometime tommorrow I shall post these on for you all to see and give me some input if you like!!!!!!!

As some have suggested I have been doing my next door neighbours bitten nails as a practice and she just pays me for products i've used! Going to see family for xmas and my mum is lending me her nails and she is going to spread the word to her friends and neighbours, so hopefully there is some practice to be had there too!!

Thanxs all again

Any more words of wisdom or advice is always welcome whenever

 

[fifitrix]

Glad to hear your feeling better already hun, go for it and the geeks on here will always keep you informed if you get stuck on anything x:hug:

 

[*sarah*]

Hi kellly,

I'm quite new to just qualified about 6 weeks ago and have also just set up my own mobile nail business, believe me I know exactly how you are feeling! Like everyone else has said practice as much as you can, it does really make a difference I practice on my mates and family. I'm also very picky about my nails and the slightess imperfection I worry like mad! I think the best thing is to try and remember any mistakes you make and learn from them. hope this helps.
:hug:
Lots of luck xx

 

[Mrs.Clooney]

Hi kellly,

I'm quite new to just qualified about 6 weeks ago and have also just set up my own mobile nail business, believe me I know exactly how you are feeling! Like everyone else has said practice as much as you can, it does really make a difference I practice on my mates and family. I'm also very picky about my nails and the slightess imperfection I worry like mad! I think the best thing is to try and remember any mistakes you make and learn from them. hope this helps.
:hug:
Lots of luck xx

As has been said before on this site, practice is good, but only if you are doing the right thing. If you are practicing and making the same mistakes with no one to correct you, then you are just repeating the cycle of errors. This is such a shame and a waste of time. This is why I find post pics on here so brill.