Success stories... Tell yours...

[Glam Nails]

Hi guys,

We all want to hear your story. How you started your biz, the ups and downs you faced. The struggles and most of all the success you achieved.

All is welcome to write.

XXX

 

[persianista]

Everyones gone shy........

 

[alpina]

Too scared to post my story in case it turns into a disaster story with the new salon

 

[persianista]

Come on Ange, someone gotta go first!! you won't jinx yourself.
I'm not telling mine as I'l just get arsey PM's again!

 

[leonnib]

Come on Ange, someone gotta go first!! you won't jinx yourself.
I'm not telling mine as I'l just get arsey PM's again!

go on persianista !

 

[persianista]

Mines a long story! I worked my way up in West end salons till I was a manager then got headhunted to a salon in a very affluent area. Managed that for 6 years. Then the owner got a new girlfriend who felt I had too much influence, and although she wasn't in the industry persuaded him to boot me out. A very awful and shocking thing for me, as I had always been successful and committed. I took a dreadful job just to keep the money coming in as Allan and I had just bought a house together. The salon owner was a nutter and I only lasted 3 months. I went mobile to look after my clientelle and found a salon for sale. Allan, to his credit agreed to put the house up as security and we bought it. It was owned by 2 sisters who had lost interest, so there was huge scope for improvement. We opened 7 days a week and started slowly doing it up. Then it BOOMED.
We had more clients than we knew what to do with. We packed them into every inch of the salon. Then the two floors above was going to be put up for sale, so I bought them. Once the tenants had gone, we joined them up with the salon below. It gave us another salon, sunbed room, and 4 beauty rooms.
That all did well and we had some money saved up again, so we bought another salon.
and so it went on.
No lucky breaks or Earth shattering revelations, just long hours, hard work and risk.
Whenever people get jealous, I always ask them if they would risk their home. Most wouldn't. We did.

 

[makeupartistzoe]

Mines a long story! I worked my way up in West end salons till I was a manager then got headhunted to a salon in a very affluent area. Managed that for 6 years. Then the owner got a new girlfriend who felt I had too much influence, and although she wasn't in the industry persuaded him to boot me out. A very awful and shocking thing for me, as I had always been successful and committed. I took a dreadful job just to keep the money coming in as Allan and I had just bought a house together. The salon owner was a nutter and I only lasted 3 months. I went mobile to look after my clientelle and found a salon for sale. Allan, to his credit agreed to put the house up as security and we bought it. It was owned by 2 sisters who had lost interest, so there was huge scope for improvement. We opened 7 days a week and started slowly doing it up. Then it BOOMED.
We had more clients than we knew what to do with. We packed them into every inch of the salon. Then the two floors above was going to be put up for sale, so I bought them. Once the tenants had gone, we joined them up with the salon below. It gave us another salon, sunbed room, and 4 beauty rooms.
That all did well and we had some money saved up again, so we bought another salon.
and so it went on.
No lucky breaks or Earth shattering revelations, just long hours, hard work and risk.
Whenever people get jealous, I always ask them if they would risk their home. Most wouldn't. We did.

I've just opened my little salon (well Dec 09) from renting a cupboard room in hairdressers. I'm here as much as I can be and I'm going to give it my everything, my salon is all I think about, it's actually making me a bit loopy...
It's good to know ppl haven't just been in the right place at the right time and have just felt reassured when I read this and quite inspired! Thanks! I imagine like my last cupboard beauty room it'll take 6-9 months to make an impact and feel my diary is looking healthy with bookings.

 

[hippy-chick]

Shy bairns and that! lol!

Well I got into massage as a hobby, originally trained as a chef and baker and always done evening classes.
Enjoyed the massage so enrolled onto aromatherapy the next year. enjoyed that, so enrolled on reflexology. (still no rockets or eureka moments, was just enjoying myself).

so, was working full time teaching mentally ill people to cook, had a couple of clients that I did mobile and the college asked me to do some teaching for them to cover maternity and to introduce Indian head massage to the college.

Found out I was pregnant and decided on maternity to not go back EVER to catering and become a full time mom. I then fitted the odd bit of work in whenever my in-laws would baby sit and taught once a month at the college.

Baby went to playgroup and then started school - I started putting more hours in.

Baby became a young man, I worked harder and longer. Inbetween teaching for various organistions, and freelancing at various organisations, as well as mobile, I took a room on. got my hair done and got offered another room.

Started running my own training courses, and now still work from the 2 venues and teach courses at both of them, but also travel to Cardiff to teach and Leeds.

My husband 18 years ago rolled his eyes when I said I was going to do a massage course, ain't see him do that in a while! lol.

 

[jo1983]

Mines a long story! I worked my way up in West end salons till I was a manager then got headhunted to a salon in a very affluent area. Managed that for 6 years. Then the owner got a new girlfriend who felt I had too much influence, and although she wasn't in the industry persuaded him to boot me out. A very awful and shocking thing for me, as I had always been successful and committed. I took a dreadful job just to keep the money coming in as Allan and I had just bought a house together. The salon owner was a nutter and I only lasted 3 months. I went mobile to look after my clientelle and found a salon for sale. Allan, to his credit agreed to put the house up as security and we bought it. It was owned by 2 sisters who had lost interest, so there was huge scope for improvement. We opened 7 days a week and started slowly doing it up. Then it BOOMED.
We had more clients than we knew what to do with. We packed them into every inch of the salon. Then the two floors above was going to be put up for sale, so I bought them. Once the tenants had gone, we joined them up with the salon below. It gave us another salon, sunbed room, and 4 beauty rooms.
That all did well and we had some money saved up again, so we bought another salon.
and so it went on.
No lucky breaks or Earth shattering revelations, just long hours, hard work and risk.
Whenever people get jealous, I always ask them if they would risk their home. Most wouldn't. We did.

Thank you!!!!

I'm very inspired too by your story! I think it is important to share the success stories as it can get a bit depressing reading everybodies gloomy stories.
I must admit that I have only recently started up my own business after spending so many years working for other people.
And in the last few months I have never felt so inspired and excited about what I am doing.
I work very hard, and spend so many hours on my website, marketing and business planning (my Business Degree has come in very handy!) But guess what? It is already paying off! I am earning the same, if not a little bit more, than I was when I was working full time in a spa. And I know that it will just keep getting better!
I want to expand and get my own premises, and who knows maybe a chain! But I believe that as long as i'm willing to put in the hard work I will see a return!

 

[persianista]

At the moment it is really hard going. If your earning a living now.........just wait till it goes BOOM! It was the most exhilarating, maddest time of my life. We had a ball. Bought a massive house and gorgeous cars........ roll on the good times again!

 

[jotommo]

i started my training 10 years ago and hated my boss ,,, she was awful really not much help at all i and i wanted to give up more and more.. my mum and dad have always been a great support and a constant feed to my confidence, mum made me get off my bum and go to college on my day off and grab anyone i could to get assessed on,
that paid off and as soon as i qualified i was so proud.(6 months early)
after a year my boss was just unbearible, i decided i needed another trade as my boss had worn me down that i was no good at all.
so mum and dad gave me some money (very lucky) and i opened a barber shop, it was gorgeous cost a bomb to decorate as i wanted it high end male grooming... something different to the shabby old salon i trained in,,,
i was sick with worry i'd let mum and dad down so worked my little bum off. long hours, i learned accounts, learned how to manage money!
at this point i was only 19.
i got pregnant at 20 not planned and i did not know what to do, i had some staff but not really anyone i could trust to run the business for me,,
so decided i would sell and bring up my son for a year at home.
the business sold well as it was packed with clients all the time.
after 6 months at home i needed to work again, being at home is just not for me... i really wanted to get back into ladies hair as well.
so i went to college and did my level 3 on a monday, tuesday worked mobile, wednesday worked mobile and thurs friday saturday i worked in a salon part time, as i got busier i had to work mobile when i finished my job too.. very tired all the time with a toddler.
i then chose to do my level 2 beauty and semi permanent eye lash course this then took up two evenings a week,
so i left my job and went fully mobile, i now have a great business 2 years on and i can work round my son and i love it..
i am booked 2 weeks in advance.
maybe not a huge success story compared to some but for me i am so proud of what i have achieved and plan to continue to better myself constantly,
its took years of hard work form day one and i am so glad my parents gave me the oppertunities i've had, and i know i make them proud.
maybe when i have had my kids and they are off at school i'll open another salon.
hope i've not sent you all to sleep haha
the best success story is happiness!!!

 

[persianista]

Jotommo, I think it's a great story. When you're ready for your next salon, we will all hold your hand. x

 

[jotommo]

Jotommo, I think it's a great story. When you're ready for your next salon, we will all hold your hand. x

aw thank you. i will sure as hell be on to you for advice... you've done so well!! xxxxxx

 

[alpina]

Come on Ange, someone gotta go first!! you won't jinx yourself.
I'm not telling mine as I'l just get arsey PM's again!

Lol, I'm more of an up and coming success story. Watch this space...

 

[-sophisticutz-]

It's nice to read peoples stories

I am still a work in progress, but then I think I'll always be.
I started as a Saturday girl at 15. I got kicked out of home at 16 and supported myself on YTS (Oh yes I am that old ), living in a bedsit and walking the 5 miles to work as I couldn't afford a bus!
I qualified and was awful. Possibly the worst hairdresser ever! Of course, full of the normal 19 year old cockiness. I feel pregnant with my son and vowed never to pick up a pair of scissors again.
I then grew up. I did course upon course. I re-did my level 3, booked myself on every colour, cut, perming course I could. I did a C&G in Theatrical art and media make-up, photography, management and marketing, Manicure. I did business courses, IT courses, re-did my GCSE's and basically tooled myself up with all the knowledge I could.
I did my time in the sweaty-Bettys and then worked for an international hair company. I did show work, management, worked as a trainer and they again put me on every course going which I was very grateful for.
I then became seriously ill and couldn't work for a long time. I re-trained and did a little bit of web design and had a small hosting company as I only was well enough to work from home.
We eventually moved up North and I worked as a self-employed stylist for a little salon, none of the glitter of my previous job. The guy I worked for was an ass and on impulse (Persianista will gasp at my then naivety!) one lunchtime walked into Barclays bank and got a £20,000 loan. From that day to 6 weeks later I opened my doors. I started with myself and 2 part-time staff. I now have 4 full-timers.
I have been open now 4 years. I am still very much a fledgling business, not quite robbing Peter to pay Paul, but not rich either! It was a massive risk. My husband, Steve, was a student at the time, we had no income, 2 kids and a crumbling house but we got through it.

 

[jo1983]

At the moment it is really hard going. If your earning a living now.........just wait till it goes BOOM! It was the most exhilarating, maddest time of my life. We had a ball. Bought a massive house and gorgeous cars........ roll on the good times again!

I can't wait!!!!!!!!!!!!!! lol

 

[kimi1101]

I like this thread, what a good idea x

 

[FlawlessBeauty]

My success story is still in its early days, lol, but just give me time.

I have a mini-success. I did a BTEC ND at Kingston college and while there a local salon begged me (literally) to quit my bakery job and come work for them as a receptionist. I did and was able to watch some treatments and get some practice in.

They were taken over and the staff replaced when the owner finally became pregnant after IVF. I left and went to a part time job where they were looking for someone in college to do treatments on the things they had passed. They were pretty horrible in the end but gave me great experience and toughened me up.

After college i changed to a different salon so that i could work full time and i loved it. I wanted to do this for myself. Just as i came to this decision, the hairdressers across the road from my house put a sign up saying they had a beauty room to rent. Hmmm, coincidence or fate? I arranged to meet the owner and after a viewing/ discussion, decided i wanted it. Got a small loan, decorated the room, bought good quality products and designed/printed some price list, keeping some over just in case i bombed.

I didn't. I have been there for 2 1/2 years and still think it was the best decision i've ever made. Each year my clientelle, profits and busyness increase, so i consider this a success.

Of course i always want more, sort of like that song "the climb" lol.

Great thread and so inspiring. I've been a bit wiped out personally recently and this thread has really got my engine revving again!

 

[persianista]

Without the tough times, you don't savour the good times. It will boom again, trust me, I was around in the last recession too.

 

[Glam Nails]

Great stuff everyone! Glad you all have had successes.

I only finished my nail technician course recently. I work full time as a manager for Spec Savers (i know, i know, boring 8-5 job :-(

I basically started this thread to lighten uo things in here, but only realised now that this thread actually gives me hope and encourages me to go with my dreams. (at this moment i have a 2 year old son, and i'm wary of quitting my job)

I want to start a home based salon, so as to build up a clientele, then go on to the big step. But i am totally clueless!!!

Well, it's good to read all the encouraging stories, risks taken and all the hard work. Hope there will be more who will participate in this thread....

XXX