chameleonhair
Member
So, I understand that there are usually 2-3 levels of business available in this industry.
1- Part time work - Doing services after your main job/as a hobby
2- Mobile - the above are usually mobile too but looking at the threads on here people usually make the plunge to full time mobile after the fist step
3- Salon - The biggie, loans, rent, stock all the expensive stuff and the scariest one of all.
The first of my questions is, how do you know when to go to the next step?
I feel really ready at the moment to go from step one to step two, but I'm hesitant for the obvious reason of money. So far I've used the money made by my extensions for buying new equipment/materials and admittedly on nice things for myself (my current day job pays peanuts so this is the only money I have for new things).
One thing I am doing is seeing a local Business Enterprise Advisor, someone who works for the local council and can help me perhaps get some sort of grants or loans and generally give me some sound business advice, apparantly even though I am 25, I still qualify for the local youth business help. I have a vague business plan, I know my margins and have done market research so I know there is definite need for someone like me in my area.
I also have a career history of working in sales, marketing and administration so I'm hoping I can get them on my side by showing I know how to run the business side mostly.
As an example of what I'm doing now, I have been quite busy of the past few months whilst I will have a slow week with no enquiries, I will go to a week like this week and be heartened again (maintenance today, consultation tomorrow, removal friday, two 4 hour installs on sunday) I get emails from my online advertising of guntree and freeindex, I have an average of 600 hits on my website a month, I'm the first actual result for Hair Extensions in my home town and am the second result in the big city close by, yet web advertising is the only advertising I have done so far.
Also bear in mind that I have a lot of ideas that I have yet to have time to implement, I have done zero local advertising, I printed 1000 leaflets and have only given them to existing clients to pass on.
I find I'm working lots of hours (my day job is 45 hrs and extensions take a while to do) trying to fit everything in feel I'm too busy dealing with the clients I have and my day job to finish my new website and do the designing of my new flyers and organise the marketing and advertisements and do all the things that will make this into a full time job!
I feel like I'm in such limbo at the moment... The sensible part of my brain is telling me that what if I don't have enough customers? Have I just got this stupid idea in my head because I'm unhappy with my main job? what if I fail? this is something whilst my heart says I just need to trust it is going to go well. I know I have always wanted to work for myself.
What happens when the holiday season ends? In this industry is it a good idea to start at a specific time of year so that you have that profit (or at least break-even money) from that time to tide you over for the winter?
I have a million more questions but I will put the search to good use instead of whittling on at you any more...
1- Part time work - Doing services after your main job/as a hobby
2- Mobile - the above are usually mobile too but looking at the threads on here people usually make the plunge to full time mobile after the fist step
3- Salon - The biggie, loans, rent, stock all the expensive stuff and the scariest one of all.
The first of my questions is, how do you know when to go to the next step?
I feel really ready at the moment to go from step one to step two, but I'm hesitant for the obvious reason of money. So far I've used the money made by my extensions for buying new equipment/materials and admittedly on nice things for myself (my current day job pays peanuts so this is the only money I have for new things).
One thing I am doing is seeing a local Business Enterprise Advisor, someone who works for the local council and can help me perhaps get some sort of grants or loans and generally give me some sound business advice, apparantly even though I am 25, I still qualify for the local youth business help. I have a vague business plan, I know my margins and have done market research so I know there is definite need for someone like me in my area.
I also have a career history of working in sales, marketing and administration so I'm hoping I can get them on my side by showing I know how to run the business side mostly.
As an example of what I'm doing now, I have been quite busy of the past few months whilst I will have a slow week with no enquiries, I will go to a week like this week and be heartened again (maintenance today, consultation tomorrow, removal friday, two 4 hour installs on sunday) I get emails from my online advertising of guntree and freeindex, I have an average of 600 hits on my website a month, I'm the first actual result for Hair Extensions in my home town and am the second result in the big city close by, yet web advertising is the only advertising I have done so far.
Also bear in mind that I have a lot of ideas that I have yet to have time to implement, I have done zero local advertising, I printed 1000 leaflets and have only given them to existing clients to pass on.
I find I'm working lots of hours (my day job is 45 hrs and extensions take a while to do) trying to fit everything in feel I'm too busy dealing with the clients I have and my day job to finish my new website and do the designing of my new flyers and organise the marketing and advertisements and do all the things that will make this into a full time job!
I feel like I'm in such limbo at the moment... The sensible part of my brain is telling me that what if I don't have enough customers? Have I just got this stupid idea in my head because I'm unhappy with my main job? what if I fail? this is something whilst my heart says I just need to trust it is going to go well. I know I have always wanted to work for myself.
What happens when the holiday season ends? In this industry is it a good idea to start at a specific time of year so that you have that profit (or at least break-even money) from that time to tide you over for the winter?
I have a million more questions but I will put the search to good use instead of whittling on at you any more...
