Really need your opinions and business advise, want to get it right this time

[jenny2]

Hi guys, no wonder my head is always in a spin:!: Anyhow, i have been presented with an oportunity today that could be to good to miss, i think lady luck may be lookin down on me for once.

At christmas i posted that hubby had paid for me to go to a salon that was run by vietmanese and that my nails were amazin. The salon is central located and has ten clients coming through their doors litterally every hour for there nails done.

Any way i asked him today if he would ever take on an apprentice as i would love to learn their way and produce nails to there standard. He asked me if i was working and i said i have a part time home salon .

He got a leaflet out from the people that were there before him, whome were also vietmanese and asked me what treatments i did on there. I explained them all and much more, and that my waxing list was huge.

He then took me upstairs and asked me if i wanted the room and that their was two rooms available for me to use. He said i could have the rooms rent free and that we would do it as a partener ship were he pays for half of everything, equipment, products etc and i give him 40 percent of what i take.

He said i could work what hours suit myself and my family and that he will teach me when i am not working or on an alercated day off how they do nails and there nail art the lot. I had to try not to get exited as oportunities do not come round like this this often, especially in the current market and not having to worry if i have no clients about paying the rent.

Worst case scenario if i earnt apsolutly nothing as i already have most of the equipment needed other than would need more stock, but this could be done slowly, i would learn how to do some amazin sets of nails which will then lead to me havin to excellent skills which are the bread and butter of the industry. Also as he explained if things work well, i could introduce a new member to help me and we could offer spray tanning and so fourth.

I am trying to keep my feet on the floor at the moment and would appretiate all your business advise and how i can do this properly as this time if i go threw with it i want to succeed and make sure everything is written down contract laid out and works for both parties.

I am going to contact my dad's wife as she is vietmanese and also is in the beauty industry and due to the language barrier she could help iron out any creases. But i would appretiate evey but of advise that u can give me, whether u think it is a good idea and how i can be extremly business minded to make this work.

Guys i no i have asked so many questions on this site and i have also answered to many, i also have had the privellage of having some amazing mentors and some of the best advise in the industry from people that are out there doin it.

I no that u have to work hard, and that u have to put the time in to get out what u have put in and that rome was not built in a day. But i ask u as a mother, a therapist and hopefully a business women that will succeed for your honest help and as much advise as u can provide. I am fed up of things not working out or being taken for a mug. I want to show my family, my friends and my self that although i am impulsive and have made many mistakes, many stupid one's that i can do it.

I have been a full time mum for over thirteen years and brought up two boys with disabilities, i have had to fight the system to get what they need and as a family we have struggled financially, although never gone with out. Every time i have had an amazin idea the system has always got in the way or i have had no help from family to be able to achieve what i need to. My boys are now coming to an age were they are relativly self sufficient and my youngest will be in secondary school next year enabling me to work full time. I sooo want to do something for me, but i want to make it work and be the best i can. I am not the best business minded person, but i wear my heart on my sleeve(which often causes my problems,to honest for my own good). Yes i could go and work at tesco or some were such like, but my love is with this industry and for all those strugglin please do give up!( i no many of u like me who have just set up or have been going a while whome have hit an all time low , are at your witts end. But i ask u, allthough so hard to do when times are hard (christ i no) Hang in their, and lets fight. I honestly beleive this oportunity has come from some one lookin down on me and if it works out and is as good as it has come accross, then i beleive that for u others out there, mums who have been their for their family and so tried to make ends meet, that there is something there for u to,

Sorry for rambling on guys, but i needed to get the whole picture accross. Please guys be honest and give the best possible advise u can, and if u feel his offer is not right and would be better anouther way to benefit bith persons then please explain so i can put these things accross when i go back on monday to see him.

I will make a promise today to myself that untill i have the full picture i will not start packing my room up and move in tomo:lol: which is what i would normally do, i will take in any advise you can give me

Thank u again guys, sorry for the long post

love jenny

 

[Terese]

Awww I have to give you a hug:hug:, I had tears in my eyes from reading the bottom bit of your post.

Buisness head on though.........40% is that to high? Is that a week? Month?Day?

What would your realistically worst case scenario takings be in the week the day the month...then take 40% off

Working what hours you like.....so you should....are you being employed by him or are you working for yourself.

If it was me...
I would get it all in writing first.
Read it through and through and through
Highlight the bits with the doubts
Write down the doubts and read them to yourself.
Draw up a buisness plan
If I really wanted to proceed I would have to put a counteroffer in....which would be........

1.I would rent the room from him and I would pay him a nominal rent amount-it is easier then to prove you have a right to be there if things ever turned awkward. Remember to either pay d/d or reciept it.
2, I would not be paying him 40%
3. I would buy my own equipment
4. I would get a legal contract drawn up.
5.I would ensure I had a break out clause

I share your enthusiasm and your passion but you do have to be very careful with what is being offered. It does sound a very good offer but pick it apart carefully and see what you find underneath.....

It sounds an ideal place for you and a great opportunity but please think outside the box and if in doubt ask....it sounds like the time is right for you to do something for yourself and this could very well be it. Keep us posted and do some research into what YOU want out of this and what would happen if......

I hope its made some sort of sense to you and Im sure other geeks will add other suggestions

 

[Ruth Mills]

Jenny, thanks for your pm, am glad you value my opinion. However, the opportunity you are being offered is very different from what I am used to in my primary line of business (IT), so I do not feel qualified to advise on whether this would be beneficial for you or not.

I'd re-iterate what Teresac said though in terms of getting everything in writing before deciding whether to commit, and make sure everything is drawn up legally by a solicitor. As I'd want to be sure that you were not being taken for a ride, and would not end up in a worse position than you are at the moment.

You've already got a loyal clientele for your waxing, by the sound of it, which you excel at, and which you can already cater for with your home salon.

And I remember you saying about challenging the council over business rates on account of your treatment room not being used exclusively for your waxing etc.

So, what I would do first is see if you could continue in your home salon without paying business rates, and then work out the maths to see whether you would be better off financially by staying as you are or by moving to the treatment room.

No point in expanding your empire if it leaves you worse off!

 

[jenny2]

Thank u so much guys, i hope more people will give me their advise also as want as many opinions as i can get. Ruth you are more than welcome hun, i do value your opinion and also value many others on here as have made some amazin friends and learnt so much from this site, hence my need to get the best possible advise from the best people on this forum.

40 % does sound high, i do need to look into this more and i am going to make note of everything evryone says so i am armed with knowledge.
In my mind say i earnt 200 in a day on a sat for example( I am not talking straight away, cos this is quite a big number)
Then he would take what say £90 pound of this money. Obviously we both would have contributed to product . He would have covered rates also, cost of the room, electric and gas also. So after i have taken my product off and my tax ins etc then the rest will go into proffit. Am i right what i am saying here(please advise)
Plus he has a huge reputation and a huge clientel base, plus it is centrally located, so not sure what sort of rent you would pay on a room like this,well i say room, it is the use of two upstairs rooms. only familiar with my last salon which was in a village above a tanning shop. which was 200 plus electric etc.
So he would be taking what maybe 50 out of that proffit.
He will also be teaching me how to produce nails to there standard, which will cost me nothing only time, which i feel will help me in my long term carear. Please step in guys, because i need this to be in black and white and crawl befor i jump in.

In my mind at the moment, i no he will be taking a large amount of what i take, but he is also providing me with allot. Plus as a new business not having say 150 a week for rent due to lacation etc, and with the uncertanties of the market at the moment, i feel as though i have nothing to loose only gain, in the sence of clientel, experience and so on. Plus build my business up with out the huge over heads, as well as if i was to work for say tesco or some were such like, which is what i was thinking of doing till business picks up more, i would earn say 7 pound an hour ( see this is why i need your guys help as need everything pointing out to me)

I will continue to have my ladies come to my home as well as go to the shop(if i go to the shop this is) as i have gained some layal clients that would not come to a salon as preffer the personnel touch i offer here, and as will be working part time to begin with, will still be able to do my ladies at home. These ladies i would not want to loose as has took me so long to get them.

Again, guys thank u so much for taking the time i really do appretiate it.:hug:

 

[Ruth Mills]

Jenny, given that you have family commitments and don't want to be working all hours, the bottom line is going to be the net amount you can earn per hour.

So, if with your current situation, you earn say £150 for 5 hours work, but in the new job, you have to work 7.5 hours to get £150, then that would mean you'd only be getting the equivalent of £100 for the 5 hours (so you'd be going down from £30 per hour to £20 per hour net).

That's just picking figures from the top of my head - but, if that was the case, why work all that extra time when you won't get any extra money for it?

 

[rock chic]

Jen i just wanna give you a big hug hun!!:hug: your a fighter and deserve to get somewhere in your life. I do belive good things do happen to those who need it so maybe its your time. I would do what the girls say and get it all in writing and get it all sorted with a solictor. That way its done right and he will be looking after you to. But it does sounnd great hun i'm very pleased it has come your way.:hug:

 

[1999judy]

I really hate to say this but I would say no. If something sounds too good to be true then it usually is.
If waxing is such a good earner they would have taken it on themselves already.
Do you actually know what nail products you will be using?
I REALLY do understand your predicament but at this "credit crunch" time too many people are being taken for a ride.
PLEASE don't be one of them hun..think long and hard about it:hug:

 

[Ruth Mills]

I really hate to say this but I would say no. If something sounds too good to be true then it usually is.
If waxing is such a good earner they would have taken it on themselves already.
Do you actually know what nail products you will be using?
I REALLY do understand your predicament but at this "credit crunch" time too many people are being taken for a ride.
PLEASE don't be one of them hun..think long and hard about it:hug:

Judy, good point about the nail products too - the last thing Jenny would want is to end up working for an NSS using MMA and dodgy techniques!

 

[collin]

mmmmmmm Jenny...make sure the hatches are fully bolted down(agreements in writing etc) ,that your husband is fully behind you,that you dont give up your existing business into his,that there is a safe exit route for you if all goes wrong,that you take the money,you try and negotiate a better deal for yourself.....and then.....well ....YOU GO FOR IT:hug:

Life's to friggin to short and (provided you've covered all aspects) if you don't do it you will be forever wondering"should I have?" "what if I had just been brave and gone and done it?"

Just make sure you factor in the worst case scenario when making these sorts of decisions.

 

[Kim Lawless]

I think you should go for it.....what have you got to lose? Get your dad's wife to go in with you and knock him down to 30% and he'll probably agree on 35%. That isn't bad at all when he's providing all the products and I'm sure he'll get you loads of waxing clients. xxx

 

[jenny2]

Guys can i just say i love all of you :Love::Love:, and i am sending big kisses your way.

After speaking with my dad earlier, he actually sai to me that often when things sound to good to be true they often are, but he said some times these things that come to us that are to good to be true are often the ones we miss out on that could have changed our whole lives around.

He said like many of u have to negotiate the amount that he will take. He said most of the time my mouth (being a chatter box and all) gets me into trouble, but this time one question of will u train me, has opened up a huge door that may be to good to miss. He also said that i am in a fortunate position that i have a family member whome is vietmanese, in the industry and also quite business minded who could really make this one heck of a business venture and be able to speak with the owner to make sure my back is well and truly covered and any other person would not have such a person at hand to translate, and that it is a strange old world, especielly when i had almost given up and an oportunity has arissen that requires little procrastination as all concerns of what if have almost been removed.

In the sence of, we are in a credit crunch and could be for a few years to come and renting a building whilst the economy is in such a dangerouse place is almost like walking into a death trap. But having rent and overheads paid, it means the harder i work the more we will earn, the less clients that come, the less chance of loosing everything as no outlay has been made, but also i will have learnt some skills that many would pay allot for and take years to learn and i will get this first hand that i will be able to take with me were ever life leeds.

He also said, do this right ,seek advise(and were better a place to start than salon geek) get it all in writing. Make sure if needed u can get out un scathed. Also that i should continue with my home salon as have worked so hard for the ladies i have and that if all did go up, i would have more than likely made new clients as i did in tan2go in a four week period of being there(and boy were they con merchants, and have done it to fellow geeks on here:irked: bad man).

He said that because i am a home salon, i have no passing trade making it harder to get new clients, were as there their clients are ready for the taking and as some have mentioned on past threads, people like to get everything done under one roof, so me waxing away upstairs and ladies coming for nails seems to fit.

In regards to what products do they use for their nails i still do not no. But will get huang my step mum to find out. I do not beleive they are using products containing mma as my nails are not what the description of the product is like. I can file them fine and when i soaked them off, they took no more time than usuall and there was no smell. But i will air on the side of caution here.

I do not think he is trying to take advantage at all. I have met him twice and when i met him the first time i asked how he came to work in the nail industry. He responded by saying, he had no job prospects in his country and little income and he made the decission to leave and come to england and stop with a vietmanese family in london. He could not speak english, order food or had no job or money. The family he was with helped him go to colleg were he studied nails, qualified and then went and trained with a vietmanese salon, were he worked for six months. He said we spent all out time doin prep, were not aloud to do anything else and then when we go good, we moved on to tip application, then finally the art of applying the one bead overlay. He worked and then set up on his owm. The man is younger than me, must be 25 28 at a push.

My out look

Pros

1 Centrally located salon masses of clientel

2 Two rooms for available for me to use, rent free ( he said he already pays for them so will make no difference to him me paying rent, and if i do well we both do well, if i do not he nor i have lost anything as has not been used since the previouse owners)

3 No gas or electric bills, phone bills, business rates, he will pay as normal

4 Receptionist to make appointments etc who is also english
5 . Can work hours to suit mine and my families needs, whilst continuing my home salon

6 In house clientel base

7 shared costs on products

8 He has no knowledge of beauty treatments other than nails, so will be no interference ( hence why he has not done it)

9 Free nail training and nail art application

10 Because only work a few select days and evenings in my home salon, allows me to earn an extra income (even if not all mine) doing a job i enjoy rather than stacking shelves which will not give the benefits that this will in advancin my carear

11 Nothing to outlay, not using time that do my usuall clients, so would not be earning, so will not loose only gain, even if only a fiver

11 I get out of the house:lol: i live in it, eat drink sleep in it and work in it Ahhh

negative

1 Will need to travel for an hour a day using fuel

2 Is there a catch

3. Could get a job with a regular income rather than what ifs

4 he will be taking nearly half of what i earn ( but then the voice in my head says yes but so would tesco or where ever you work:green

5. It could end in tears

Guys help me with these cos i am strugglin please add :hug:

 

[rock chic]

jen write all down the questions you want to ask him. i think i agree. did you cosmic order this hun!! lol( did you see the post on chit chat about this) if so it has worked and believe me i do believe being postive helps and having all the good peeps on here to give you a few postive words helps you get on every day when you think you could give up. Is say if you can negoiate like kim said i think it would be way better hun than working in tesco you would be doing something you love. perphaps this man sees he can help you prob like people helped him. I do beleive there is good people in the world. But to be sure get your relative that speaks vietnamense to talk to him and see if you can get it all in writing.
Hope this helps as i know i have rambled abit but i'm excited for you nice to see something good happening someone. Fingers crossed for you. be sure and let us know:hug::hug:

 

[jenny2]

rock chic, thank u sooo much hun,:Love::Love:big kisses coming your way. I think u might be right, this might just have been meant to be, deff right about negotiating, i am sure huang will do me proud, she is gorgeouse to which always helps when round young men:lol:.

Can i just say thank u so much for all your replies, i will let u no how things go and inform u of what gets said. Keep your fingers crossed guys for me cos is really want this to be right xxxx

 

[Annebet]

Good Luck Jenny 2 hope it all works out for, sounds brilliant no need to give advise I think you know what you want to do, I say go for it girl and have fun. :hug:

 

[sian1979]

The bottom part of our original post brought a tear to my eye, you dont know how right you are!!!
In the salons round where i am 60/40% split is the norm with 60 going to whoever supplies the products. I think you have been offered a good deal here, but still worth negociating for a better one, as e is willing to take on 1/2 of your costs as well.
You are doing all the right things and look like you are researching well to make sure you make the right decision....all things considered i would go for it!!!!!
You will still have your home business so you will have thast in place to fall back on if anything does go wrong, but cant honestly see what!!!
I would be interested to know what products were used....i did read your previous thread when you had your nails done and became intreiged. With this site and what you have learned so far with your nails, you never know you may be able to educate them in some way!
good luck hun, you sound like you deserve it!!!
xx

 

[tog]

Hello Jenny

you sound like a lovely ethusiastic person with a lot of drive, I am sure whatever you do you will make it in life - if not in this venture, at some stage in the future.

A small suggestion - I wonder if the guy would accept a lower percentage (as some people have already suggested) BUT with you buying your own products? I am taking on a nail lady at my salon and she will pay me 25% and supply everything she needs, products and all. My reflexologist at the salon pays me the same % and we are both happy with it. I don't know anything much about nail products so I'd rather someone just goes and buys what they need and it's not my responsibility, I have enough to sort out at my salon. Also you don't have to outlay loads, just buy what you need as you go along.
And yes, definitely keep your home clients, maybe have set days for home and set days for the salon.

DO sort out a basic contract, especially notice period and probationary period at the salon if he requires it, so he can't just chuck you out at a whim.

He sounds like a nice guy who hasn't had it easy . . . but remember, as he has had to struggle for what he's got, he is not going to let anyone walk all over him now he has got where he is (if you see what I mean).

But I agree with Collin. Life's too bloomin' short. Better to regret what you've done than what you wish you had done but never had the guts to try!

Good luck sweetie!

Cathy x

 

[crystaltash]

Hi Jen,
I have read your previous posts over the last few months and kept thinking, please, someone give that girl a break. You are so passionate about your job and the industry, i was just wishing so hard for you.

Well girl, now I think your break is here. The big man upstairs has come through.

As all the other geeks have said, do your legal stuff, get it all in writing, check out the nail products, etc. etc.
After all that's done, just go for it!! Collin is so right when he says life is too short.
I was talking to the lady who owns the flower shop down the road from my salon. She has just moved into bigger premises and she says the rent is killing her, but she doesn't care. She doesn't worry about money and in her own words 'If everything goes **** up, you just cut your losses and move on to something else.'
I know this may not be everyone's way to think, but it made me realise that there is more to life than worryng about money etc. It doesn't stop me worrying, but it does make me appreciate the stable things in my life, like my family and my boyfriend.
And yes, we are in a recession (vomit), but it won't be forever.

Just go for it hun. I think this is your time.
Keep us posted on what's goin on.
:hug::hug:
xxxxx

 

[jenny2]

I sit here with tears running down my face. You have all left some lovely heart felt messages and i want to thank u all from the bottom of my heart:hug:

I am going to see him again on tue to put some things accross to him and hope fully get things a little more set in stone. I have spoke to my dads wife hong and she is going to travel down to speak to him with me, which will be a great help as she not only knows the industry but understands the cultural side of things, as apparently vietmaneese tend to only see one side of a coin were as we see two, if that makes sence.

I have bee puzzling around with some figures in my head, not specifics but to give me an idea at what i would be lookin at and his gains.

If any one has any knowledge of roughly what rental cost people charge for a room centrally located with a good clientel base then i would appretiate this.

any way guys speak very soon will let you no the outcome
xxxxxx

 

[divalou]

Personally i think you should find out EXACTLY what products they are using, there's no point training in nail if you're using bad products. Also, a lot of these salon use electric drills to do their nails - this is BAD! it WRECKS nails completely and you most definitely WONT be learning from the best, in fact these people probably don't even have actually qualifications as in NVQ's or Creative/NSI etc training. You need to really find out the quality of their products etc before you start as you dont want a reputation as a bad nail technician, and god knows there's too many of those out there.

As regards to the % of your takings, we provide all the products & equipment and then we take 50% off the takings. We also take all the bookings and advertise so this is more than fair.

 

[jenny2]

Hi divalou (sorry if spelt wrong)

I am almost 100 percent sure they do not use products containing mma. Now if they use what you call a not so good product, then in my eyes as long as it will not damage any one's health then i am fine, because i have had my nails done their twice now and they are fantastic.

Yes they do use drills or little sanders what ever u would call them. But as a qualified therapist myself from watching them work they are very care full of the nail plate and only remove shine not nail. Infact if i am honest i have had my nails done at variouse places and they have really gone to town on my nail plate with a normal hand file causing more damage. I love horses and have ridden in what some natural horsemanship people consider harsh. But there is a term used which runs into our industry, it is not the tools used that cause the damage, no matter how soft the equipment or harsh, it is the hands that hold them. ( i am not trying to excuse the use of drills, but i do beleive that in the right hands little if any damage is caused and more often than not people using a simple nail file do and have caused more damage)

Yes i would learn to use their machine, and their one ball application technique and nail art. If i felt at any point i would cause damage i would not do it. My heart and head would not allow me, some times this is one of my biggest problems if i am honest. If i see long term effects then i simply would not use the method, and would reverte back to my cnd training which i have done and use this method. But i will have learnt a skill in application of acrylic in the one bead method allowing for a beautiful sculpted nail, which no one will be able to take away from me.

Their nails are very popular and they are in and dated with clients and have by no means got a bad rep. He would not have the customers he has if this was the case. people love him, his staff and the nails.

In regards to the percentages, last night whilst working some figures out. I thought i must get your guys opinions. So business head on. Roughly he has between 6 - 10 clients coming through his doors every hour, some time more, when i was there the other day, there was three people waiting and six sat at desks, to the client possibilities for my waxing is huge.

If say for example for the easiest of calculations on a sunday, we said he pays rent averging at what woud be 25-30 a day. plus half of all products.

So say i earnt 30 per hour i worked. He would take 15 and me 15. Now product wise i am not sure about this, but thought if i baced each treatment i do as 10 % back in the business to buy more product, then this would work out at £1.50 each. Taking my money to !3.50 per hour. He however is not only covering half product used, but also has the rent, electric, gas, and rates . So if the room was 25 a day. I would average out at £2.00 per client. So he will then be left with £11.50. Now i have the use of a second room. I was thinking that if we kitted this room out, i could get a second person it to do holistic treatments, ie faciels, reiki that sort of thing. For her to work on a self emplyed basis, with all products room etc thrown in and for me and owner to take 25% each, or 20 30 as he has the rent, i do not. So i would earn from this as well. What do u guys think
xx