Was it really easier way back then????

[izzidoll]

Another thread got me thinking, about when I started in this Industry, and how I still think back to those halcyon days.....but am I looking through rose tinted specs, or was it really better and easier back then.

10 years ago......After a years salon experience I set out on my own.

I literally was starting from Scratch, albeit with a Master technician qualification to bolster my confidence.

I rented space in a gym in a busy shopping centre, but had no window space, and in fact was upstairs and through the back of the gym!!
Blink and you would definitely miss me!!
Still I think I only ever put 1 advert in a local paper, and yet within a few weeks, I was easily making my rent. In fact although some weeks a wage was missing in action, I always made my rent!!
Word of mouth advertising helped me build up a good and as it turned out very loyal clientel, as I had to move premises a couple of times, eventually to larger premises and with staff!!
The first client I got in through my door was still with me years later when I moved on into full time Education, and still is a regular of my former 'staff'.

Yes I worked damn hard, but I look back on those early days as 'the best!' with less stress and loadsamoney!
I went for my stock on my day off, turned up on a Tuesday for my first day and usually had my rent made by the end of the day, so the rest of the week was all for me! (OK the taxman had his share too)
I had no great competition, just 1 salon round the corner, and if I was full I sent my clients there, and she did likewise for me.
Discount or NSS salons were unheard of !

Going by some of the threads on here .....I think times have changed. There is more competition and rivalry out there and customer loyalty seems to be only for whatever 'deals' are being offered!

Yet, from what I read on here renting space seems cheaper than I was paying 10 years ago, although the cost of a set of nails doesn't seem to have gone up much.

So have I got it all wrong, is it still good to be out there at the sharp end renting space, with minimum overheads and maximum profit???

 

[mercedes69]

Great thread and I can't wait for more replies.

It's interesting to hear your story from someone new to the industry.

Times have changed I think.

I do think though that there is always the 'Rose Tinted Spectacles' we wear when looking back on time.
Ten years down the line I am sure those of us who are new to the industry will be saying it was better all those years ago :lol: ( meaning today )

oh and ten years ago I paid the same for a set of enhancements as I would pay today!

 

[izzidoll]

I think maybe I have rose tinted glasses, but I still get a twinge of envy when I talk to some of our customers who are setting up their businesses and have that buzz about them.
Yes, now and then it is hard work, but it is still exciting!!

 

[angel fingers]

it would be great if we could go back to when there were fewer techs available and the price was reflecting the rarity of the treatment.

 

[Cathie!]

it would be great if we could go back to when there were fewer techs available and the price was reflecting the rarity of the treatment.

I wasn't in the business then, but yes, wouldn't that be great! :hug:

 

[Annie23]

This is a great thread and it will be a very interesting read.

The thing to add though I think is, ok there maybe more techs available, but the question is are they quality techs? By this I include all techs not just NSS. Are these techs able to do white smile lines, sculptured or custom blend enhancements or is the bog standard pink overlay over the white tip the norm?

anne xx

 

[Cathie!]

This is a great thread and it will be a very interesting read.

The thing to add though I think is, ok there maybe more techs available, but the question is are they quality techs? By this I include all techs not just NSS. Are these techs able to do customized enhancements or is the bog standard pink overlay over the white tip?

anne xx

Unfortunately, I don't think the vast majority of customers are aware of the difference, unless they stumble upon it by chance! :hug:

 

[Annie23]

Unfortunately, I don't think the vast majority of customers are aware of the difference, unless they stumble upon it by chance! :hug:

I totally agree, but it is our job to educate them Hopefully then they will be more inclined to go to quality techs preferably yourself. I think eventually time will tell, most people want quality for their money!

anne xx

 

[Mich77]

it would be great if we could go back to when there were fewer techs available and the price was reflecting the rarity of the treatment.

Yes times have definately changed!
When I started out in the industry 14 years ago, nails were still quite a rare thing where I lived, there were only a few salons that did them......the salon I started off in was one of them!
But, over the last 5 to 10 years I would say - especially in my neck of the woods - that nail salons, and mobile techs, good and bad, have popped up all over the place leading to area saturation.
Which I believe, contributes to the fact that it's so hard to get and retain clients. Especially when there are 5 cheaper than the average NSS I can think of, in a 2 mile radius of where I work!
I know a little competition is healthy of course, but area saturation and low standards are not!
Unfortunately, in my experience and area, the cheaper and Non Standard Salons seem to get and keep their clientele purely because they are cheaper, therefore I think no matter how much you educate the client, in a lot of cases, quantity and price rather than quality seems to win them over.
I truly believe that if we could eliminate all of the NSS from these areas, the good salons left would be the right healthy competition balance!

 

[FlawlessBeauty]

Sounds fair Michelle, lol.

I think the problem is that beauty is one of the fastest growing industries, meaning that there are so many salons. However, only 7% of people that buy skincare actually go to a salon for treatments.

On the other hand, higher standards attract and keep clients. Also, the "crunch" seems to be weeding out the salons with lower standards and client care.

Yeah times are changing. I do almost no minimal bikini waxes now, its brazillians all the way, lol

 

[Violet Star]

I dont know what it was like 10 years ago but i can imagine it was probably better than it is now!x

 

[persianista]

Oh my god was it easier! More clients than we could fit in a salon!!!
Was up at a L'oreal "do" last week, and they think salon visits have fallen 23% in the last 7 years!
We never worried about mobiles nicking our business, if you were good the clients would flock. My biggest problem back then was finding good staff.

 

[angel fingers]

thinking back, although there were fewer places you could get nails done, they were not neccessarily high standard.
products and techniques have come on so much in more recent times that the nails we can now do arent quite so rare but they can be better.
i say this because there is a place nearby that has been going around 20 yrs but they are still using the same techniques and ive seen some less than acceptable work coming out of there.

 

[spn01]

I am going to say my bit and then run to the hills fast:lol: log off and not return for a few days (crap can't not go without my fix of SalonGeek - ok I will hide)

"If you do what you have always done, you will get what you have always got"
simply times change, techniques change, client requirements change, competition changes.

Sure many veteran techs will remember the days when there was not much competition, but then not that many people had their nails done either. (especially here in NZ) Techs did not share their "trade secrets" for fear that they would loose their clients if another tech improved.
Now with lots of techs, there is a greater awareness of nail enhancements and services - brilliant more people are wishing to have their nails done.

Maybe this generation of Nail Techs have got it easier! clients already know about nail enhancements, modern techniques and products make a techs job much easier and quality education (should you choose to use your head and invest in) is readily available. We are able to chit chat with other techs around the world and our ability to learn is so much quicker because of technology.

I started my nail journey over 10 years ago. There was not a lot of competition in my area and honestly not that many people keen to have nail enhancements. After my initial training I was pretty much on my own (I did have a lifeline on the 0800 into CND, which was a god sent). Now techs have email, facebook, you tube, and SALONGEEK:!: training schools available closer to home and held more regularly.

I loved nails 10 years ago and all that it offered and I love nails today and all that today offers. To me it makes no difference- it is only change and our challenge is to meet those changes.

For those techs stuck in the past - pull you head out of the sand, so you can breath, see the light and move forward, - "you snooze, you loose"

Ok got my running shoes on --------- Bye, Bye for now.:lol:

 

[loubylou]

I can remember when there were only 2 nail salons close to my area,
Gigi`s was one of them and the other was about 7 mile down the road,
i have lost count how many they are around here now

 

[izzidoll]

there is a place nearby that has been going around 20 yrs but they are still using the same techniques and ive seen some less than acceptable work coming out of there.

"If you do what you have always done, you will get what you have always got"
simply times change, techniques change, client requirements change, competition changes.


:lol:

Absolutely agree with these sentiments.....keeping up to date with new products and techniques is an absolute must, otherwise you will just stagnate as will your business.

My clients always knew I was upgrading my skills and I am sure that had something to do with their continued loyalty to me and my business.


So although maybe it was easier in terms of competition back then, the ideals should still be the same, invest in yourself and your business, to give the best to your clients.

Maybe the only difference nowadays is that, as Gigi is always telling us, we need to be more 'businesslike' about how we set up and run our businesses. I was very naive when I first started, but I got away with it.....I don't think I would today.

 

[Debbies Gellies]

Although years ago enhanements were not heard of as much as today you have to realise that the ratio of customers to salons has not realy changed.

Few knew of nails and there was fewer salons years ago that did nails.
now we are flooded with nail salons and everyone knows about nails and wants nails.

When I was a senior school girl (god that hurts to think about it lol) I did not know about enhancements and nobody in my school did either, now all the girls want them as we seem to have widened the age group, its not just ladies but students too.

 

[The Geek]

Was up at a L'oreal "do" last week, and they think salon visits have fallen 23% in the last 7 years!

Sort of ironic considering they are a key force in getting people to use home solutions instead of professionals. L'oreal are the Borg

 

[Lellipop]

I think it may have seemed easier but then again less people seemed to know about nails and it was hard to get clients to have them done when I first started.
I can remember the flyer posting walking the streets in the pouring rain, The no shows the " Wont they damage my natural nails" so yes to me it was tough even back 10 years ago.

 

[RedAdmiral]

I posted something similar last week or so, I def am not sure what way the industry is heading. I too love when I started out 8 yrs ago, gutsy, had money in my pocket and was eager to learn everything and please. I love doing nails and yes there is a heavily saturated market - was it easier? maybe maybe not. Back then every penny went on courses or product these days................ I'm exactly the same :green: