What should I do????

[deeirishgal]

Kinda a long story but I need some advice on a situation at the salon I work at...I am a Nail Tech and rent a booth...a couple of months ago the owner hired another nail tech and didnt even ask me how I felt about it...not that she needs my permission but she didnt even give me a heads up...even worse I end up knowing the girl...have known her most of my life...but she is bad news...she has always wanted to work with me...everytime she goes to a new salon she tries to get me to follow her there...over the last 10 years I have managed to avoid it til now...Im trying to run a successful business.. dont even want my name associated with working in the same salon with her...as im sure you all know in this business word of mouth is huge...but the worst part is my book is even close to being full...not enough customers for me let alone two nail techs...i mean I do ok...paying my bills...it is an everyday struggle for me to get new clients into the salon...I was told that I would still have first choice at new clients but I feel like im being stabbed in the back...shes constantly tries poaching clients from the waiting room and thats just not my style...she seems way too interested in everything that im doing...she even started asking my clients to see their nails when they are leaving...there is so much more to the story but like I said she is just bad news...gets fired from everywhere she works...

Anyway I decided to start doing some research on line for new products to expand my income potential and set myself apart from her...I decided to start with Forever Natural Polytech since it was a small investment to try it out...now she is up my butt about why im using the UV lamp for and what new product im using...(im giving her vague answers but she wont leave me alone about it)...wants me to show her what it is...how it works...Does it make me a bad person if I politely tell her no...I did hours and hours of reasearch on new products...(how they work...watching videos...emailing companies...troubleshooting...checking out reviews) I feel like why should I make it easy and just pass it on to her when the reason why I did it was to set myself apart from her?? Am I being petty?

 

[jillykeely]

tough one I would talk to the owner an tell her your concerns. you need to put your foot down with this new tech by either telling her or the owner that she should not be asking to see your clients nails all the time this could be making them uncomfortable. she needs to stop sticking her nose in your work. you are a co worker not her teacher or willing mentor. and as for the poaching clients call her on it and the owner too. i would be steaming mad.
I would also ask the owner why she hired a new tech. good luck

 

[deeirishgal]

I know!...I AM livid!!!...funny thing is is that I have been doing nails for 5 years longer than she is...shes so ridiculous...shes been doing nails for like 10 years and still takes and hour and a half to do a fill...like 2 hrs for a pedicure...her entire day is usually booked with like 6 clients...she looks at my clients nails because she wants to see if im better than her or to make sure im not doing something new or different...I tell you shes crazy...she is always coming over an interupting me when im with clients...The reason the new owner hired her is simple...$$$$...she always does this...she does it with hair stylists too...hires another one before the one she already has has a decent clientele...then they all eventually leave because there is not enough clients to go around...she only cares about what puts money in her pocket in the moment instead of trying to make people happy long term....thanks alot for the input.

 

[MissConfused]

i think you are better off looking elsewhere from what you have said. if it wasn't this girl coming to work there from what you've said about the owner it would be somebody else. if there isn't alot of clients to go around and you all have your bills to pay and a life to lead outside of work then surely there is always going to be problems and other therapists trying to get to clients first? at the end of the day though you are doing what you are doing because you want to make money, your boss is only doing the same - why should they go to the effort in making employees happy when they can just as easy it seems from your post find somebody else to replace them and still get the same income? x

 

[geeg]

Why be so concerned? If you believe in yourself and your ability and give the girl enough rope, she will hang herself without you needing to worry.

You are not really colleagues but separate both renters and basically in competition with one another.

Your salon owner wants the rent money which is why she/he has rented the booth. Her agenda is quite different to yours. She was wrong not to consult you at all but that shows where her motives lie.

Business wise keep yourself to yourself but at the end of the day if you are both using high end or middle of the road products, it is the quality of the work that will show who is the best operator and not necessarily the products you use.

 

[spoilt]

geeg is so right . u make youself stand out from the crowd because u soun passionate about what you do, politley tell her to find a product that will set her apart from you and share the clients on the new treatments , if one wants minx and other wants your new product . i like to change what i have done , so that could be a good get out clause xx remember . you cant change the past but u can sure as hell write your future

 

[BlushBeauty1]

This happened to me too (I am a beauty therapist and owner brought in another therapist when I rented a room in hairdressers) I ended up leaving and starting up my own salon as there wasnt enough clients to go round. In the end alot of my clients followed me to my new salon and love it here! Maybe you should look for somewhere else nearby that clients could easily get to and start afresh, worked for me xxx

 

[deeirishgal]

Why be so concerned? If you believe in yourself and your ability and give the girl enough rope, she will hang herself without you needing to worry.

You are not really colleagues but separate both renters and basically in competition with one another.

Your salon owner wants the rent money which is why she/he has rented the booth. Her agenda is quite different to yours. She was wrong not to consult you at all but that shows where her motives lie.

Business wise keep yourself to yourself but at the end of the day if you are both using high end or middle of the road products, it is the quality of the work that will show who is the best operator and not necessarily the products you use.

I totally agree...I am not so much concerned as annoyed by her...I like to come into the salon do my job and leave...before she got there we all kinda had that mentality but now that shes there she tries to stir things up...she is totally crazy...I could tell you stories that would make you say WTF...I understand the owners motiviation is money however some reference checks before you hire someone should be in order...someone with her reputation is not good for any of our businesses...shes simply toxic to any place she works at...also as far as setting myself apart from her just means I was trying new products that were unlike acrylic as to attract some more natural nail customers...thats all she knows is acrylic, acrylic and more acrylic...so instead of trying to compete with her for new acrylic clients I could offer something new that she doesnt do...and I figured natural nail clients would be the way to go...I wish she would just stay on her side of salon and leave me alone...anyway thanx for the input and listening to my rant...I really needed to get this off my chest.

P.S. sorry about the post about Shellac...I actually meant to post it to someone else who stated that Shellac was a gel polish and comes off as easily as polish...Im actually not an advocate for either I was just stating facts as I read them to be...sorry

 

[geeg]

Listen sweetheart,

I emphasise with you. It is not an easy situation you are in. But really, my advise is to keep your head down and do the good work that you do; let it speak for itself. People will see this person for what she is, if not sooner than later. You are doing the smart thing to attract a different sort of client.

Forget the Shellac comment. But please do not close your eyes. lol

It only takes time for everyone to see things as they are.

xx Good luck and I'm sure things will go the way you want them to .. patience. As the grandmaster geek of this site always says, "take the high road" keep your dignity and do the best you can .. and as I always say, "the cream always rises to the top". Be the cream and let her be the whey!! xx G

 

[honeycure]

I'm kind of going through the same thing right now.

The owner agreed to let one of the manicurists learn how to do gels. That's fine, but she keeps butting in on what I'm doing and how I'm doing things. I'm about to switch to renting instead because I want to use my own products, but I know she's gonna bother me about that too.

I would tell her to buzz off. Let her know that you're running your own business, and that you've spent your time researching on your own. If she wants to learn about new products, she should do the same and educate herself. It's part of being a professional

 

[deeirishgal]

I'm kind of going through the same thing right now.

The owner agreed to let one of the manicurists learn how to do gels. That's fine, but she keeps butting in on what I'm doing and how I'm doing things. I'm about to switch to renting instead because I want to use my own products, but I know she's gonna bother me about that too.

I would tell her to buzz off. Let her know that you're running your own business, and that you've spent your time researching on your own. If she wants to learn about new products, she should do the same and educate herself. It's part of being a professional

Thanks so much...im sorry that you are going through this as well...its very frustrating...Ya know I always try to keep myself udated on new technologies in our industry as much as I can...trying new and different products to make sure my clients service and experience with me the best I can possibly make it...but before I purchase something and market it to clients I do much research...she doesnt do that...shes been saying to me that she wants to try a gel top coat...(like its some new product...lol)...so she finally buys one and she doesnt even have a uv lamp...doesnt think she needs one...I tried to tell her but she wont listen...anyway I hope your situation works itself out. Thanks again for you input.