Scared to be successful

[EjBeauty]

Hi all,

I have been in the beauty and spa industry for 9 years, and I am qualified to level 6.

I have always been miserable working for other people. Although, don't get me wrong, I am so grateful and glad that I have worked in previous salons/spas to gain experience and improve my skills. All I have ever wanted was to work for myself, however - I am scared to take the plunge.

I currently rent a house and I do have a lot of outgoings. Therefore, I am scared that I won't earn enough money working for myself. Although, that is all I want to do. I hate my current job and I know I cannot go on working for other people for years and years to come. I know that working self-employed is what I want to do. However, my partner and family are also skeptical, and believe that this is just a 'dream' of mine that I cannot fulfill.

I would absolutely love to have a home salon, but I cannot do that at the moment due to the fact I am renting and do not have the space. Therefore, I was considering doing mobile part-time around my current work commitment and hopefully being able to go full-time within time.

I did used to have a mobile couch but it was so so heavy, and I worry that I wouldn't be able to lug around a couch. Therefore, I was considering offering just nail services at first. Would this work? I worry that it is too niche and that I would miss out on a lot of opportunities by limiting my offerings.

(of course I would also get insurance etc etc).

What are everyone's thoughts? Should I just bite the bullet and go for it? Or would I essentially be wasting the only savings I have buying equipment for it to be a flop?

EDIT: I made this username when I was a spa student at University. I am no longer a student!

 

[Trinity]

No one has a crystal ball and can answer that question for you, only you know how committed you are to what you want to do. Is beauty and easy way of making money? NO! it's hard graft, its feast or famine (you're either rushed off your feet or twiddling your thumbs worrying about paying bills), getting a client base can be soul destroying, your time is not your own anymore, but it sure as hell beats working for someone else!.

I'm not sure you can make enough of a dent in the business just doing nails in the evenings around your current job, it will be super invasive, you'll have little or no free time to spend with family and friends, and believe me even the most supportive of partners gets a little uptight when they never see you for weeks on end and you're exhausted when you do spend time with them.

How about making a solid plan...commit to staying in your current job for 3/4/5/6 months, save as much money as possible so you have a cushion of money for the lean months in the beginning, then go for it fully and wholeheartedly. Use the time between now and then to get a website, instagram, facebook, etc. ready and sorted, get some solid plans in place for opening offers, business name, etc. then away you go on the day.

It will be bumpy, but be smart, when you've earned more than you need for this months bills, don't splurge, put it away for the lean months because there will be times when you wonder if you'll ever have another client again, but smart business women plan for that and have plans in place.

Good luck, let us know what you decide to do

 

[Cassie Tapper]

I am in a similar situation I would love to give up my current job and open my own salon which us a huge commitment. So I decided to go mobile for a year or two just to build a strong client base which has been a little slow but I will keep at it. So i would suggest try going mobile as a tech as you have alot of experience and great skills.