Business skills or common sense ?

[persianista]

I doubt very much that you are remotely interested in anything I have to say, and I'm loathe to give you further ammunition for cheap shots. X

 

[shedunlop]

I think this could fall into two categories. The realistic newbie who will ask questions and soak up all the good advice given by us oldies who have been in the business for a long long time and have made a success of it. The others are the unrealistic, who seem to think that anyone who is a business owner or self employed make millions. This is our society I am afraid. My son is 16, I was a single parent for 8 years and I would pick him up from school and he would come back to work with me evenings and weekends. He understands the work ethic and that things do not happen overnight. The vast majority of his friends, however, think they will get their first jobs and will earn £30,000 plus!

I have seen people in their 20's still living at home, not because they couldn't afford what I started in, a bedsit. They don't see why they should leave home unless they have a 4 bed detached to move into, fully furnished with brand new furniture etc. I, personally, my opinion is that parents, out of love, will do too much for their kids and society backs them up with a load of marketing garbage that tells them they can have it all!

I started out mobile, really hard work, and now work from home, am fully booked every day that I choose to work. This sounds wonderful to someone just coming into the business. The reality was training as a new mum at 37, taking to school, travelling in all weathers, collecting from school, no lunch, going back to work with child in tow after school and working 7 days a week at first. I have been in this business for 15 years so I deserve to have a regular clientelle.

I have replied to a few of these posts where they have been going for a couple of months but when you tell them it takes time it is just not what they want to hear. I feel sorry for our children as they are surrounded by unrealistic expectations that can only lead to disappointment.

I could talk about this subject forever! :biggrin:

 

[westy28]

I think this could fall into two categories. The realistic newbie who will ask questions and soak up all the good advice given by us oldies who have been in the business for a long long time and have made a success of it. The others are the unrealistic, who seem to think that anyone who is a business owner or self employed make millions. This is our society I am afraid. My son is 16, I was a single parent for 8 years and I would pick him up from school and he would come back to work with me evenings and weekends. He understands the work ethic and that things do not happen overnight. The vast majority of his friends, however, think they will get their first jobs and will earn £30,000 plus!

I have seen people in their 20's still living at home, not because they couldn't afford what I started in, a bedsit. They don't see why they should leave home unless they have a 4 bed detached to move into, fully furnished with brand new furniture etc. I, personally, my opinion is that parents, out of love, will do too much for their kids and society backs them up with a load of marketing garbage that tells them they can have it all!

I started out mobile, really hard work, and now work from home, am fully booked every day that I choose to work. This sounds wonderful to someone just coming into the business. The reality was training as a new mum at 37, taking to school, travelling in all weathers, collecting from school, no lunch, going back to work with child in tow after school and working 7 days a week at first. I have been in this business for 15 years so I deserve to have a regular clientelle.

I have replied to a few of these posts where they have been going for a couple of months but when you tell them it takes time it is just not what they want to hear. I feel sorry for our children as they are surrounded by unrealistic expectations that can only lead to disappointment.

I could talk about this subject forever! :biggrin:

You made a fantasic point!!! there are two categories!!!

 

[westy28]

I doubt very much that you are remotely interested in anything I have to say, and I'm loathe to give you further ammunition for cheap shots. X

if i wasnt interested i wouldnt have asked you! ok fair enough.

 

[MrsMacTheKnife]

Of course it is shared experience, but only worthwhile if you wish to accept the opinions you ask for. (not you personally, I mean in general)
Did I have an advantage? Nope.
Did I start a business as soon as I qualified? Nope.
Did I do crap jobs at low (pitiful) wage to put myself through college? yup.
Salon experience is not "an advantage" its the way most of us earn't our wages for years on end in order to live. I was a single girl and had to earn a living to pay my mortgage, I didn't work for the fun of it! It took me fifteen years before I could afford my own salon. I really don't call that "an advantage"
Some of us do this for a living , we dont just play at "salons" This was and still is my only career, if you wish to see;
1 working 7 days a week
2 never having kids
3 being responsible for 4 properties
4 not having holidays
5 compromising my friends and social life
as having "an advantage" then really you need to open your eyes.

Hi, I found your comments really interesting, especially the last few lines. You wouldn't do what you do if you didn't get some personal payoff from it (noboby would or, indeed, does) so what do you get from it? Working 7 days a week, never having childen etc doesn't sound really great but it must work for you in some way or you wouldn't do it. I'm definitely not criticising you, I find your threads informative and stimulating, but I'm definitely curious!

I'll level with you, I'm just about to open a salon in two weeks time. I have no beauty experience - I have business acumen and experience, have had a wide and varied career as a PA, in sales, as an airport duty manager and now in chiropody so have dealt with public, budgets, starting a career and a client base from scratch.. My view is that I have saved the capital to start up with (but wish I had saved double, lol), I have very carefully recruited a salon manager, therapist and reception staff and am co-locating my existing thriving foot health clinic with the salon (think top to toe, or feet and face!) and have just the very best location (and the landlord has refurbed to my spec, and paid for the majority of it). So although I don't specifically have beauty experience, I'm going for it. I have to say I couldn't have done it (and wouldn't have contemplated it) without the experience and wisdom of my salon manager... Watch this space, if I fall flat on my proverbial, you can wipe my eyes and tell me you told me so lol....

Keep the honesty and directness coming, I find it refreshing - scary too!

Take care, MrsMac

 

[persianista]

The payoff was three salons. Lots of money and a beautiful house. I set aside ten years of my life to acheive financial success. That's why I plan to sell up and retire! I was never going to have kids anyway.
So does that answer the question?
Good luck with your new venture.

 

[angelina221]

The thing is you have already said that you have no experience in working in a salon. You got qualified and then started working from home in November!! That's like 8 weeks, starting from scratch with no clientele. You did well to have clients in november considering you had no prior experience.
It takes times, sometimes years to build up a client base and to expect clients already is unrealistic.
January is not the best month and with the weather it has been dire for well established businesses never mind someone just starting out.
You need to take on board some of the advice you have been given and not get so defensive.
People come on here to help and advise people. They give up their time to give a little back and they should be applauded.
For anyone who comes on here for advice, they need to listen because these pros know what they are talking about. You can't just take notice of the advise you like and then ignore what you don't like.
Well done to everyone who gives up their time and advice for free. They should all be shown respect.
In answer to the OP, i think it's a bit of both! Lack of business skills and lack of training and people expecting things to drop in their laps!!

 

[MrsMacTheKnife]

That answers my question beautifully. I had my children young, they have flown the nest which now means I can now keep my house beautiful :biggrin:and I've got time to invest in my business. Thanks for your good wishes, they are really appreciated. Now just need a good following wind, a strong nerve and a four leaf clover!

Take care, Mrs Mac

 

[westy28]

Hi, I found your comments really interesting, especially the last few lines. You wouldn't do what you do if you didn't get some personal payoff from it (noboby would or, indeed, does) so what do you get from it? Working 7 days a week, never having childen etc doesn't sound really great but it must work for you in some way or you wouldn't do it. I'm definitely not criticising you, I find your threads informative and stimulating, but I'm definitely curious!

I'll level with you, I'm just about to open a salon in two weeks time. I have no beauty experience - I have business acumen and experience, have had a wide and varied career as a PA, in sales, as an airport duty manager and now in chiropody so have dealt with public, budgets, starting a career and a client base from scratch.. My view is that I have saved the capital to start up with (but wish I had saved double, lol), I have very carefully recruited a salon manager, therapist and reception staff and am co-locating my existing thriving foot health clinic with the salon (think top to toe, or feet and face!) and have just the very best location (and the landlord has refurbed to my spec, and paid for the majority of it). So although I don't specifically have beauty experience, I'm going for it. I have to say I couldn't have done it (and wouldn't have contemplated it) without the experience and wisdom of my salon manager... Watch this space, if I fall flat on my proverbial, you can wipe my eyes and tell me you told me so lol....

Keep the honesty and directness coming, I find it refreshing - scary too!

Take care, MrsMac

Good for you!! It sounds very exciting (and brave) this is an example of the point i am trying to make , (although this is obviously a much bigger project than i have decided to take on) but if you do the ground work and have the business experience why wouldn't you make it? i think theres as good a chance as any!!!! or it is naive to think if you dont have years hard slog as a salon junior on your cv then you might aswell not even give it a go?

 

[persianista]

Read it carefully again. She has bought in the expertise she needs. In the same way I pay for accountancy and staff to do the work that I don't do...... Big difference.

 

[westy28]

Read it carefully again. She has bought in the expertise she needs. In the same way I pay for accountancy and staff to do the work that I don't do...... Big difference.

so what are you saying then? as i said before i am genuinely interested, do you think i am wasting my time attemting to start my business without experience working in the beauty industry before hand? i know people who have started in the same way and now have a thriving business.

 

[MrsMacTheKnife]

I think Persianista is right - but I would, wouldn't I?

My knowledge and experience gaps are being filled in by my bought in expertise in my salon manager. Before I started, I saved a considerable sum (which is scarily, nearly all gone), have my own successful foot health practice which will bring footfall of all ages of between 10-15 clients through our door each day - they can't fail to view seductive imagery, advertising and decor, lots of them treat themselves, they all have friends and relatives and quite importantly, they are pretty loyal to me too.

Furthermore, and crucially, I won't be seeing any profit from the business for a couple of years - my salon manager will though. She is my strength, but therefore my weakness so she is being rewarded handsomely and appropriately incentivised. I'm also a qualified counsellor and teach business skills so am involved in lots of women in business groups - and through my existing client base, have been able to advertise in many different mediums free of charge (will be appearing in a well known women's mag very shortly) - and I will be there, each and every day (probably those 7, lol) coaching good customer service, and ensuring my salon manager is as good as I think she is (not worried about that, you wouldn't believe what she has taught me and she is rigid about procedures!).

So, it's taken a couple of years planning, more than that in saving money, the good fortune if finding exactly the staff I wanted and the very, very good fortune of a dream location landing in my lap. And this is just the start - I'm scaring myself now!

 

[angelina221]

so what are you saying then? as i said before i am genuinely interested, do you think i am wasting my time attemting to start my business without experience working in the beauty industry before hand? i know people who have started in the same way and now have a thriving business.

Nobody is saying it's a waste of time. What they are saying is, you can't expect to have a good business in such a short space of time.
You have just started and it's gonna take a few years to build up a good client base.
You say that you know people who have started in the same way and now have a thriving business, but how long did it take them to get a thriving business? How much of a business background did they have? Did they have realistic expectations? Did they have enough money to see them through the tough months?
It's all very well seeing someone do well but you don't know how they started.
I could say 'oh Pete Waterman couldn't even read and write and look at him now'. Doesn't mean i can do what he has done!

 

[westy28]

I agree also that for your business is is the right course of action however for a home based business a salon manager insn't realistic. So for a home based salon, is it unrealistic to think that because you dont have the beauty experience that you cant run a small business?
your opinions are appreciated.

 

[persianista]

Nobody is saying anything about you personally and when various people have tried to help and advise you it seems that you take everything as a personal attack.
Angelina made some great points about your expectations. Nobody is saying you are destined to fail or shouldn't try.
My area of expertise is salons and I generally don't advise on mobile or home based setups as I don't really know too much about them.
I also agree that we should get back to bombinis original topic.

 

[Violet Star]

I started in the beauty industry in 2007 and i will hold my hands up and say i expected to be inundated with calls in which i was at first and then the novelty died down after 3 months or so. And have now realised it takes years and experience to become a successful business, if ever.

Its not always just my beauty skills i brush up on but also business skills. You need to have good business knowledge in order to succeed and of course good skills in the treatments you provide.
I cant even say now that im successful because im far from it my beauty business has gone down hill due to me neglecting it for certain reasons.
But now ive picked it back up again, and also started a new venture.
x

 

[melons]

Its great reading all these threads.
I think they should teach kids at school about business. Start young. So deffo at the nail courses.
I started my nail business last year straight after my spa manicure training.
The nail business is new to me. I do have a business head and common sense so am giving it my all.
I am not in a rush, although have compared myself to other people who said "I was fully booked after a month" I am now thinking they were telling fibs!!
I have kept my head down, slowly but surely got some regulars.
I have now rented space and am getting known, word of mouth etc.
What I didn't expect is that not many people know CND so I am having to explain to people about the training and excellence of the products.
I am up against 2 NNS salons which people flock to which is soooo annoying.
Although we all know MMA is really bad ,it does last, and they are super quick so when people compare it to my set that (now) goes 2 - 3 weeks and takes 2hours I don't compare.
What do other pros say to people about it? to convince them to switch?
Mel:biggrin:

 

[persianista]

It depends who you are selling to.Someone who wants fake nails for 20 quid in her lunch break and values cheapest as best will never be convinced until they drill through her finger!
People that use home hair dyes from boots are not gonna spend a few hundred on having a fabulous persianista colour job. I have learnt not to try to sell to people who don't want what I sell.
Notice that ice cream is only advertised in summer, Walls don't waste money advertising in winter when people dont want the product.
There are clients out there who value quality and skill. You have to find them, impress them, and make them love you . Thats the key x

 

[weezie]

Without experience you may get clients but you won't keep them! :biggrin: I've seen lots of threads saying "I get clients but no one is returning" to me at this point you have to question why, it is more than likely that they didn't like the treatment as it didn't compare to someone with more experience.

It took me a year of working in a salon after qualifying until I was really good at anything and two more years on top of that until I felt I was really good enough to go it alone. Now 4 years later after leaving the salon this week has been my busiest week since I started I did a 6 day week and worked all day and late every night. I haven't seen a January drop in clients as I have built up enough clients to not be affected.

If I had tried it alone immediately I am certain I would have seen each client that booked me as a one off and would have had no personal recommendations made which is what my business relies on as a mobile therapist.

I have tried many salons and the quality varies so so much it's unbelievable. Some are really struggling as no matter how much they reduce their treatments they still won't last as clients are becoming more picky at where and how they spend their money.

At the end of the day we just need to focus on being the best we can be and marketing our businesses towards loyal clients who are aware of the difference between a good and a bad treatment. I love it when my clients have in the past tried a salon where they have seen a cut price treatment on offer as they have always returned to me to report on how bad it was and makes them realise what value they are getting in the quality of treatment and therefore value for money for that extra cash.

Being successful in the beauty industry is a fine balance of customer care, treatment quality and price. Value for money is important not cost.

 

[lots of lashes]

Do I have a good business head mmm maybe but only time will tell but I have spent the past 12 years running other peoples business with great success.
from what I have learnt from this site I now have an action plan.
I think there are a lot of new and inexperienced people who like my self take short courses and think I could do this and that.
I have learnt so much from other peoples good and bad experiences and think the pros should tell it how it really is. I think we would all learn so much more from it.
I see no point why you should hold back as it is for the posters own good sometimes you have to be cruel to be kind.
I have done a few short courses do not have any beauty experience but plan to set up my own business. At present I manage a tanning salon on a busy main st this is where I plan to rent from. I still plan to work full time for however long it takes me until i have build up enough clients for me to reduce mu hours working in the salon.
I have enough money saved to pay my rent and running costs for the first 6 months.
I have money set a side for advertising
Have recruited 15 willing models to advertise my work and hand out business cards.
And plan to visit all of the many hair salons locally to offer staff discount on lashes and a cash back scheme for recommendations from advertising in there salon.
I do plan to do more training as I only qualified in November and plan to open in March which only gives me 5 months experience and practice
Am I sh*ting my self oh yes you better believe it. But this is my one big chance to break out on my own and I'm going for it.
If at any point ladies do I need a reality check then hell yes ladies please dont hold back be as blunt as you need to be to get the message across and keep my feet on the ground as I know you are only trying to help xx