new salon advise needed

[jenny2]

I am renting a room above a tanning studio, so far so good. At the moment i have been open only ten days and have covered my rent and my electric. Some days i have only had one client in and others i have worked all the way through till eight oclock. Obviously i have put some good offers on to entice, but at the same time kind of cut my own face off by doing the offers. But i have such immense compertition that i have had to do it. The question is, how long do you carry on working for rent and electric before you think mmmm. I have thought of if it does not work converting my dining room and trying mobile again to incoperate with it. My neighbour thinks considering i have only been open two weeks that i am doing really well and it could take me years to start taking a wage. For those of you who have rented a room how long did it take to start taking an income
love jenny

 

[kel's25]

hay,

ive been in the area im living in since feb of this year. i worked in a salon to start with, then decided i wanted to work for myself again. so i bit the bullet and done it, 2500 pounds later im up and running.
i worked 5 weeks notice at the salon, and just told client because of that reason if they wanted to follow i would advertise. then it meant if they wanted to follow that was up to them.

ive been open two weeks and have clients finding me everyday, im like you i have days where im really busy (fri, sat). then days im sat twiddling my thumbs.

i thought about doing offers but am in two minds. as some one in the door is better than nothing, but then when you charge full price they wont want to pay. but i like the idea of adding something to a treatment, so you offer say a free back massage with a face. (cos you product cost/ outlay is low, but also you can potentically get them in for regular massage and facials. from 1 appt)

im lucky my rent is 120 pounds a week all in, i made 450 pounds (b4 rent was taken out) and 400 pounds last week (again b4 rent).

so i think that is good!! it will take time for world to spread, and get your appts so your not busy 1wk out of 4 if you get me.

pma positive mental attitude xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

[hippy-chick]

as you've only been doing it for a few weeks I think you need to keep building and ensuring that the clients return.

You are lucky to bring anything home at this stage, and its a rollercoaster ride from here-on. If you haven't got the stomach for it, then perhaps mobile is better for you.

I've rented a room for 21 months for 3 half days a week and it is steady, I get one very quiet week in 6.
I also rent another room for the past 7 months, and last week I took £15 after I paid the rent. Que sara. I had 1 appointment in Thursday night and 5 appointments Saturday but was there tuesday - Saturday.

You have to be prepared to take the rough with the smooth, keep money back for quiet times, and remember annual leave too.

I would make sure you have a few hundered pound in your account at all times and take a minimum wage. If you NEED a certain amount of money coming in every month to pay your home bills etc, perhaps you would be better off seeking employment again so that you can ensure that all bills are met.

Me personally.....I love the cut thrust feeling of it all, I get great highs and some lows, I think being self-employed is a total gamble, so if you ain't prepared to gamble, get out now and save yourself a lot of heartache. But if you decide to stay, then you should be prepared to take little or no money for first couple of year whilst you are establishing yourself.

good luck xxx

 

[THERAPY]

I agree with Hippy Chick. If you have managed to cover your rent and electric in the first few weeks then you're doing well!
I started in December and it's started getting busy within the last few months and all of my clients are returning and so I can pay myself a wage yay!
It does take time and sometimes you feel like throwing the towel in but be strong and confident in what you do and that comes across to clients, never tell them you're quiet!
Good luck xx

 

[jenny2]

My rent is two fifty per month and then my electric, so alot cheaper than yours. In ten days i have took my rent but not a penny more. i have been busy today, but then two clients have canceled. i have nothing booked in for tomo or wed and two in for thursday but nothing as yet for fri or sat.
i do need to take an income. but worried cos the kids break up in a few weeks and will have to cover child care costs

 

[Cait]

The mountain will not go to Mohammed ... Mohammed must go to the mountain.

During the hours you are sitting 'twidling your thumbs' what could you be doing?? ... Emailing , preparing your special offers, organizing leaflet drops promotions, researching product lines, reading about how to increase customer base etc..etc.. I know I know obvious right... but really you have to use this time now , as once you get busier youll find it difficult to organize all of this.. Are your flyers up to scratch, is your bookkeeping digital or paper- is it all totally transparent so that the accountant will not need to charge you more hours work because youve not filed in the way that they want you to.

For the first 6 weeks of my business, if there was an hour I had to spare I locked up took my phone and went walk about with flyers and introduced myself to every single shop (inkl. the banks!!) in the near vicinity. It didnt matter to me if they were friendly , if I felt like an idiot, (and believe me sometimes its so cringeworthy its painful but it aint personal its business) if I couldnt even explain exactly what I meant to in their language however they knew I was there.. thats enough... everyone needs to know I am there. Saturday last it was quiet so I stuck myself outside the door onto the street with flyers in my back pocket and a Mango and Coconut scentsations body cream in my hand and I offered everything with a pulse a free squirt!! They didnt come in, some said no, but in the end... they know where I am.

Im 3 months into my business, I cover the rent and most of the costs now within week one and two - but I still am not taking a wage and I probably wont do until after 6 months, every extra bit of money goes back into the business right now, I need to fill my shelves, buy my marketing materials, stock up on those retailing products slowly... but surely.
After 6 months I have planned to take a commission - 40% Nett - that way the business supports me and also supports itself - it has to otherwise it not a viable business. Taking a comission in 3 months time will help me out but it wont be a full wage.. that will come after 1 year of opening hopefully.

6 months into a business and pulling a full wage is very, very optimistic, but if you have covered your rent and electric in month one count yourself one of the lucky ones and reach to improve the fantastic start you have had - hopefully it can only get better.

ITs tough sometimes, but for me if you love doing what your doing its not really work is it...?

Hoping some of this is encouraging, chin up and good luck

Cait x

 

[jenny2]

thank you so much guys, just feelin really down, one worried about the financial side of things and two the premises i am at are talking about moving around the corner, but nothing is confirmed yet. they have said they want me to go with them, but nothing is finalised so to speak, it all just worries me. The owner said i ought to pat myself on the back that i have done as well as i have done in the short space of time that i have been there. I just worry i soppose

 

[Shine_Studios]

Special offers can be quite tricky!! Because you feel awkward 'ending' the offers and charging full price, however people understand that offers are not permanent, so you could do a new offer each month on different treatments to 'introduce' your existing clients to new things, so there is more options for them if they are on a budget? Covering your rent and electric in the first 2 weeks is amazing! well done you!! I never managed to do that in my first 2 weeks!!

As for the wage....well....i have owned my own salon for 3 years, but before that i rented nail bars and treatment rooms for 3 years and built up my clientle gradually, and have just in the past year started to take a decent wage ( i did plough all my money back into the business though).

Its very hard for the first year or so, but you have the advantage of renting space which saves you a great deal of money and time in achieving your goal!

Just remember, everyone has to start somewhere and you will do great! Juat hang in there! We have all sat there for hours on end just waiting for the phone to ring....and it will happen.....i promise! The most important thing is to make sure people know you are there!

C xxxxx

 

[Bebeautiful]

hi jenny I would stick it out for a while so that you get the feel of things because at some stage your client base will increase. Hang on in there and good luck