The big question......future salon owners ??

[Tiger Jay]

For those of you who are not aware, I'm a mobile tech and have been in business for 4 years now with a total of 6 years experience in the industry, (with previous salon experience). I have no wish to open a salon of my own, I'm pretty happy doing what I do. But that's just me.

To me 6 years doesn't really seem that long in the industry , what with education and experience being a long term, on going process.

I'm getting to a point in my career, now, where I'm just starting to become confident in what I do, knowing that I can deal with almost any situation. However, I still can't help but think there is so much more I can learn. Which I'm sure I will.

Which kind of brings me to the big question.

How long did it take, for YOU personally, to become confident enough to:
a) Run your own business

b) Open your own salon

It really must take an incredible amount of guts to open a salon, especially when being fairly new to the industry.

So tell me, what's your story?

What makes you confident enough to open your own salon, and how do you know when the time is right?

I want lots of feedback , Please!

 

[Tricky]

wouldn't open my own salon in the way you mean too much of a head ache

i have only started being really confident in my work over the last six months. Its not just about learning and perfecting your nail skills you have real human beings to deal with lol with that comes a whole host of queations and problems. I feel that most of the time i have to be a mind reader the only way i have been able to do this is to read peoples body language from the moment they walk through the door and alway expect the unexpected with clients.

The business of being a nail tech is a very fickle one and cannot aways be garanteed as the sevices we provide are treats and are not essential (like getting your hair cut every couple of months is)

everythng in the industry moves on so fast and keeping up can be very expensive

 

[Nicki-Marie]

I am almost 23 and i went into self employment when I was 20. I began my training in 2001 I have NVQ Beauty 2 & 3 (which includes my nail enhancement training)

Id not always had a view that i wanted my own salon. I worked for the warners company (adult only holidays) in a beautiful place, where there was a salon. It was a beautiful environment to work in, we were worked to the bone and our boss passed all her clients onto us while she did nothing :| We were told to cut down on treatment times so more clients could be fitted in. Lets just say the place was run awfully and the professional attitude was just not there. I felt I wanted better than this!
So Then after that I moved to work in a brand new very expensive salon, which sadly went bankrupt after spending a crazy amount of money on their salon, and clearly not planning or budgeting correctly.
So my beauty career was not off to a good start. I was full of enthusiasm ready to give my job all i had. After searching for new jobs in my area, even trying to work behind a beauty counter, it dawned on me, to set up my own salon. Obviously the thought was scary and not an easy option to take. The initial start up cost firstly was an issue!

So anyway moving on a few months I teamed up with the princes trust, who after several meetings, business planning, and lengthly discussions, gave me loan to start up. I was over the moon!
So firstly i was renting a room above a make up shop, which was fantastic and gained me a great deal of clients. Sadly after 6 months of setting up the woman who i was subletting from decided to tell me she was ending her lease. HOW FUSTRATING!!
anyway i looked into taking the building on myself, but it wasnt structurally safe and if the roof was to cave in the lease terms would be that i would have to pay for it ... no thankyou. So I left there feeling very deflated after all the excitement and found another place, which in the end was taking too long to get the lease signed ... 4 months exactly, im not quite sure what they were up to, so pulled out of that.

Then finally!! I saw a place advertised just down the road from where i was in the first place, it was ideal, one big beauty room, large reception, toilet and a small back room, I contacted the letting agency signed the lease the one week and was in there the next all in time for christmas.
That was a year and a half ago. everything is going great. I lost a lot of clients inbetween the time of closing the salon and looking for a new one. But I was determined to keep going. And have just signed my lease for another 2 years. Ive started from the bottom and im slowly working my way up to how I imagined everything being. Ive still got a way to go but i must say it was all worth it. I havent yet got any employees, it just me, i do it all. Including the reception (which is getting a bit tricky now.) My confidence has had several knocks, but if its something you really want to do, you keep your spirits up and plough through it. Im really driven by my job, and find it so fulfilling that I can make a difference for my clients.

phew sorry that was a long post!

Nicki x x

 

[Tiger Jay]

Yeh, I mean, one of the reasons that I've not thought about opening my own salon is the fact that, like you say, it's not just being totally confident in your work as a nail tech. It's about how you deal with the general public, business skills, money management, stock control, dealing and managing staff..........and the list goes on.

Although I'm confident as a nail tech, I question whether I would be able to cope with the other skills, listed above, all at once. Surely running a successful salon is not an easy task, or something to be taken lightly?

Yet there are many out there who have the get up and go to do it.
Why?
What drives people?
How do you know you are ready to take this big step?

 

[Tiger Jay]

phew sorry that was a long post!

Nicki x x

God no! Please don't appologise, this is exactly the sort of feed back I'm looking for!

Good for you, sounds like you are very determined, and have much dedication towards your business.

You deserve success!

 

[Tricky]

Yeh, I mean, one of the reasons that I've not thought about opening my own salon is the fact that, like you say, it's not just being totally confident in your work as a nail tech. It's about how you deal with the general public, business skills, money management, stock control, dealing and managing staff..........and the list goes on.

Although I'm confident as a nail tech, I question whether I would be able to cope with the other skills, listed above, all at once. Surely running a successful salon is not an easy task, or something to be taken lightly?

Yet there are many out there who have the get up and go to do it.
Why?
What drives people?
How do you know you are ready to take this big step?

if you can't do everything yourself then don't, get someone else to do it we can't all be good at everyting concentrate on the things that you are best at and leave the rest for others

 

[oey]

I started to re-train into beauty in 2001 and decided that I wanted to do it full time pretty soon after that. I took a while before I could get onto the full time training course so I finally got fully trained in Beauty level 2 in 2006.

When I was training it was obvious that very few salons were willing to employ "older emloyees" so I knew that I would probably have to go on my own.

I wasnt worried about running my own business as I had been running a business with my husband for some time. what did worry me was my lack of experience so I ended up doing voluntary work experience in a salon for nothing for a while!

I had an opportunity come up where I could rent space from a hairdressing salon - I knew the owner anyhow so told her my concerns about not being experienced enough, but she felt that I had the professionalism and confidence to do it anyhow. So I did!

I have been in there since November and it has been hard work but one of the best moved I have ever made!

 

[Tiger Jay]

what did worry me was my lack of experience so I ended up doing voluntary work experience in a salon for nothing for a while!

I had an opportunity come up where I could rent space from a hairdressing salon - I knew the owner anyhow so told her my concerns about not being experienced enough, but she felt that I had the professionalism and confidence to do it anyhow. So I did!

Valid point! Any one else do this?

 

[Nicki-Marie]

I love the challenge of running my business, it keeps my mind active thats for sure!

 

[joe90]

Having worked in an office since I was 19 (now 47) I almost fell into the world of nails and beauty in 2003 at the ripe old age of almost 43 and trained in sugaring. I found I loved it so much that I went college and did my level 2 in both beauty and nails.

I cannot believe it took me so long to find a job that I loved. I did some voluntary work at a local salon for a few months to gain some salon experience but when the opportunity came up for me to rent a room above a hairdressers I jumped at the chance. I did that part time for 12 months to gauge what sort of client base I could build up. I then took the plunge and went full time in April of this year and I absolutely love being my own boss.

However, even though I have continued to learn by attending courses I still think I need some further salon experience. I think I could learn so much more by having someone else to bounce off and learn from and I am considering applying for a part time salon job and doing that for a couple of years. The big question I am asking myself though is could I work for someone else now?

 

[Monikinha]

I had this essay in my mind of what I was going to say...but it would be never ending.
So in short:

To make your dreams come true (despite the obstacles and problems). And wake up in the morning happy knowing that you are doing what you love (loving what you do, making people feel fabulous). To prove to yourself (and no one else) that you can do it!

And there is so much more...

My question to you is how can you not want to have your own salon? What could possibly be better?!

 

[Tricky]

I had this essay in my mind of what I was going to say...but it would be never ending.
So in short:

To make your dreams come true (despite the obstacles and problems). And wake up in the morning happy knowing that you are doing what you love (loving what you do, making people feel fabulous). To prove to yourself (and no one else) that you can do it!

And there is so much more...

My question to you is how can you not want to have your own salon? What could possibly be better?!

health and happyness, i hate stress and try to avoid everything that will give me it and a salon i feel would

 

[talented talons]

I am mobile myself and have no desire to have a salon at this present time. Reason being, i love the fact that i can work when i want to, for how long i want to, where i want to, with no restrictions.

I am a mum of a gorgeous 6 year old, so don't want to have the time tie to having to work hard when you initially start up any business. I like the fact that i rarely work weekends, so i have quality time with my family and work it around my husbands shifts and my daughter's schooling. I need the flexibility you may not have with owning a salon. I get a steady influx of new clients calling me through advertising or my website, as well as word of mouth, which is the best form of advertising. It has taken me three and a half years to get to this point of a good client base and feeling great about what i do.

In the future, things may change, so i'm not saying i never want my own salon, but i am working towards my goal of not only running my own mobile nails business, but to teach others all about nails and how to do them. It has taken me three years to feel reasonably confidend with how i feel about what i do. I do feel i can cope with most situations, with most people and with whatever nails my clients arrive with, i know i can make them feel really good before they leave. (or i leave them)

You just need to be passionate about what you do, keep up with training and refresh your training regularly and generally care about what you do. Strive to be the best, then keep trying to be even better.

 

[Monikinha]

I agree about health and happiness. I hate stress.
Strange, I find working for others very stressful lol. Each to his own.

 

[Tiger Jay]

I am mobile myself and have no desire to have a salon at this present time. Reason being, i love the fact that i can work when i want to, for how long i want to, where i want to, with no restrictions.

I am a mum of a gorgeous 6 year old, so don't want to have the time tie to having to work hard when you initially start up any business. I like the fact that i rarely work weekends, so i have quality time with my family and work it around my husbands shifts and my daughter's schooling. I need the flexibility you may not have with owning a salon. I get a steady influx of new clients calling me through advertising or my website, as well as word of mouth, which is the best form of advertising. It has taken me three and a half years to get to this point of a good client base and feeling great about what i do.

In the future, things may change, so i'm not saying i never want my own salon, ....quote]

Very similar position to what I'm in, I would like to, one day, branch out in to something bigger, I just don't know what yet. Yes in the nail industry, but may be something more exiting.

At the moment, life style of having a young family and a hubby on shifts, makes it pretty difficult.

 

[Scratchers]

I have a little girl of 3 and a VERY supporting boyfriend, and i think that is key to not worrying too much, having friends and family around you to support you and pick you up when your having a hard time, i have been so lucky!!

I've had my own business for nearly 2 years and it hasn't been easy.........

What drives me?????

My family= wanting them to have nice things, i want my daughter to have good education and to have as many hobbies as she wants etc.

My love for what i do= i love the nail industry and i look forward to going to work every day that is so important you spend most of your life there you have to enjoy it!!

Passion= I don't just want to go and do my job and home i want to be good at what i do, i want to be one of the best!! That may sound like i am a horrible person but really i'm not. Its not that i want to see my name in lights or anything stupid but its great if i win competitions or pass a course or start to teach as it is getting recognition for my work and that looks good for the clients to see.

Don't get me wrong there have been times where i have felt that everything was going wrong or against me but i never wanted to give up not for one second and i wouldn't change anything i have done as it is all a learning curve!!