Sharing Space with another Therapist

[beautymamma]

Hello all,

Wonder what your thoughts are on my dilema? Going to see a room within a hairdressers later this week - but the room is already rented out by a therapist two days a week and the salon owner wants it rented for the rest of the week. The salon owner thought that once the other therapist started she would increase her days but she hasn't - now obviously with the credit crunch and unstable economic climate she understandablywants to make the most of her premises.

Would I be stabbing the other therapist in the back - coz I do feel that I would be - by renting the room the other 5 days? She is a beauty therapist too and offers pretty much the same treatments I offer. I know that if the situation was reversed and I was renting for 5 days that I would not be happy with competiton coming in for the other two days. Am I being over dramatic or shall I just be ruthless? Your advice would be greatly appreciated!

Also I dont think the other therapist knows what is going on!

 

[siobhan@real]

This happened to me whilst i was self employed. I too was renting a room at a hairdressers 5 days a week. However i wasn't aware that there was another therapist that came and did the odd client every now and again. I kept seeing these bookings and thinking wow they've managed to book me some clients in. Turned out these weren't mine and were infact the other therapists. Which when you look at it is making you lose out on business because i could have booked in clients at that time but with another therapist being there it wasn't possible. Especially when i was paying a set rate and not being allowed to use it. Ridiculous. Neither one of us had a clue about the other. She paid a percent to the owner of what she did and i was paying a set rate. Needless to say she wasn't impressed and nor was i when we both found out. Needless to say neither one of us stayed there for very long.
I think you should ask to have a meeting with the owner and the other therapist so you all know where you stand before starting.
If the other therapist doesn't know it feels a little decietfull as i certainly felt like that and i didnt even know myself.

 

[persianista]

To be fair, if the salon owner expected this therapist to increase her hours and she hasn't, then i would expect the salon owner to look at other possibilities. It's not YOU stabbing the other therapist in the back here. If she isn't very good, or sucessfull or lazy and has reneged on her promise to rent the room full time then the problem lies with her and not you or the salon owner.

 

[leonnib]

i agree. if i was the salon owner i would wait to see what she is doing and give her a chance but if she obviously isnt increasing her days as discussed. i would look for someone to fill the other days after giving her a reasonable amount of time. .

since you are working majority of days you would more likely have more customers during the week anyway...

if she cant increase her days she cant expect the owner to just leave it empty for 5 days of the week.

 

[Jolicatellas]

You say the salon owner 'thought' the other therapist would increase her days. This is only hearsay. Perhaps this therapist has no idea she's meant to be doing more days. You don't know. My point is - don't just go by what the salon owner says b/c she's not telling you both sides of the story.

I would not take up the position unless the salon owner has discussed this with the other therapist, at the very least. The salon owner should be upfront and professional about this - leaving you knowing she has integrity and is worth working for/with.

It may not be you stabbing the other therapist in the back but you'd be going along with someone else who potentially is. Ask yourself how you would feel in her shoes if you worked 2 days and someone else started coming in for the other 5 days and it had never been discussed with you ??

 

[beautymamma]

Thanks for all your replies guys - I will definately make sure all is above board and that the other therapist is kept in the loop as I am not that kind of person. I wouldn't want it done to me! :hug: