Business skills or common sense ?

[persianista]

I wish you the very best of luck, however I would be truly gobsmacked if anyone could acheive a full time job out of lash extentions. Maybe it depends where you are, they are not a big seller for us.
I know of one lash ext who rents a room in a salon 1 day a week. She is very fast but very cheap. In a vast area, she only fills one day a week.
So please prove me wrong, and let us know how you get on. x

 

[Violet Star]

My friend does only lash extensions and she is chocker block because she is so good and manages to get a full time job from it!
I also do lash extensions now and could easily live on the business i get out of lash extensions alone!

 

[persianista]

well i'l be blowed! Inevern thought anyone could earn more than a few hundred a week from it. I stand corrected. We do very few, what do you charge for a full set?

 

[lots of lashes]

I wish you the very best of luck, however I would be truly gobsmacked if anyone could acheive a full time job out of lash extentions. Maybe it depends where you are, they are not a big seller for us.
I know of one lash ext who rents a room in a salon 1 day a week. She is very fast but very cheap. In a vast area, she only fills one day a week.
So please prove me wrong, and let us know how you get on. x

Thank you for you comments and I do agree it will be very interesting to see what happens not to mention difficult and take a long period of time.
This is why I intend to keep working and gradually reduce my hours as I build up my clientèle.
I think I am in a good area lots of passing trade. There are 8 beauty salons within a 10 minute walk from me and only 2 of the salons offer this service. Both salons are very expensive and as lashes are becoming more popular I hope to get there and build up a good reputation for myself before the other salons follow suit.
I will keep you posted on my highs and lows xx

 

[-sophisticutz-]

Wow, what an interesting thread!

I do feel that when setting up a business people expect to see a return far to soon. I am 4 years into my salon and still only taking home a small wage. It takes a long time to build a successful business. I to, like Persianista, was in the business 15 years, managed salons and did my groundwork before contemplating my own salon. I moved to a new town and worked in a crappy little salon for 2 years to build a clientèle. You have to work hard at a business. I do 50+ hours a week in the salon and roughly 15+ hours doing admin and laundry. I take 1 week a year off and close the salon Xmas eve- New years eve, 13 days off a year!

It is hard work but worth it to be my own boss. I still have a lot to learn.

It always concerns me new salon owners who don't have any industry training just business training. Purely because I don't think there is the money there once was to make in the industry. The cost of hair services have not risen at the rate of inflation and there are more and more resources for clients to do their own hair, albeit badly. You need to be on the floor, grafting. This is only my opinion.

 

[persianista]

Donna, all of us that have done it the same way agree wholeheartedly with everything you say. The only ones who disagree are those that are setting up new "businesses". Maybe by telling it how it is, they are not liking what we are saying!
There is no "instant", there is no "easy" and is not just a question of getting the advertising right.
It is years of consistant slog, being at the top of your game, and people have got to "love" you and your work.

 

[MrsMacTheKnife]

Well, I suppose I may count as 'grafting' too as my foot health clinic is co-located with the business? Though I really do fancy waxing, must get myself on some training....

Hope everyone is well this morning, I'm off to see the new toilets that were fitted yesterday - and sadly, I'm really excited!

Take care, MrsMac

 

[essentia]

I so agree with what has been written - having your own business is not an easy ride! A book was recommended on here a little while ago - The E Myth and I advise all wannabes to read it. I also think some responsibility should be taken by course providers - it takes more than a day or two to be proficient in any skill. The other thing that really makes me shiver is those who rent rooms in salons etc with no contract (I know I did it when I was young and it was always a disaster) I go cold to think there are those that place their business on such a precarious (sp) footing. If you mean to go for it then go for it in the right way - right place, excellent products, firm training and decent experience but I am amazed at how many do just the opposite and yet they have the benefit these days of salon geek and the wise old birds :lol: on here. Crazy. :hug:

 

[persianista]

Speak for yourself, I'm a hot young bunny!!!!!!!!!! Seriously tho, when I advise people to get the best training, lots of experience, a bookeeping course, a good accountant and a meeting with business link, I get shouted down because I have larger salons, and they feel it's not relevent. How on earth do they think all of us started out?

 

[hippy-chick]

again its down to common sense. I am a course provider, I give realistic advice, if a student asks me if they can make a living out if it I give them advice NOT opinion.

I work damned hard, I answer emails at stupid oclock and it worries me that some people see what I do and think they can just replicate what I do without doing any groundwork.

I took take a regular wage but have been doing this for 16 years.

 

[bombini]

Thanks for all the comments

Its been really interesting reading everyones different experiences, lets hope this thread helps some newbies out :green:

 

[daisyl]

I have read the E-myth. Not sure if it was me who recommended it or not! It has a lot of jargon to it but the message is basically the same - consistency -

my business is mainly high end treatments/medical aesthetics, costing a lot of money. So I use premium products, research based (obviously), and my clients/patients receive the very best customer service when they come to my medispa, whether it be from myself or my therapists - without compromise! They KNOW they will get this, EVERY visit, regardless of treatment. It does not matter which therapist treats them (in the case of beauty treatments), that treatment will always be the same standard - with no room for disappointment. Because of this, we are very successful - it is the reason they choose to come to me and not my competitors. It is the reason why our reputation has risen over the years.

This takes a lot of hard work, keeping your eye on the ball, being not just good at what you do - but the absolute best. You can have all the business accumen in the world - but attention to detail is everything (as well as having a head for business, which I think is learnt along the way), as well as having COMMON SENSE and being prepared to put the effort in for the long haul.

It takes a certain type of individual(s) to make a successful business, some have got it and (not meant to offend in any way) some just ain't! I never allow myself or my staff to become complacent.

 

[persianista]

So what do we say to the "how do I get clients" people? I agree totally with Daisyl that being CONSISTENTLY great at our jobs is essential, and that it takes a long time to build. The difficulty is, how do we reply to newbies who want to be where we are, but right now?

 

[daisyl]

So what do we say to the "how do I get clients" people? I agree totally with Daisyl that being CONSISTENTLY great at our jobs is essential, and that it takes a long time to build. The difficulty is, how do we reply to newbies who want to be where we are, but right now?

Why thank you!

Newbies wanting to be where we are but right now - In short I think the answer is you can't! No such thing as instants. We didn't get to where we are overnight. You have to be prepared to be in it for the long haul - like us! That's what makes it so rewarding.

 

[persianista]

Daisly, I will leave replying to the next "I have no money and no clients but I have just signed a commercial lease cos I want to be a salon owner" thread to you!!!!!
It'l save me keep typing out "to be truthful"

 

[ADiva1]

I think one of the reasons why we get some threads asking desperately for help and how to get clients is because the world we now live in so 'fast paced.' There is a shortcut to everything and every body wants it now. Without even bothering find out for themselves 'how will I get it'?

For some, the beauty and hair industry still looks like a glam job. To own your salon and to get away from a Manager telling you what to do sounds brilliant! However, do people read between the lines about the ups and downs? Its not just about common sense, its committment and will power.

Whenever you see anyone with a successful business they've put, blood, sweat and tears in it - and these days, loans, lol.

Anyway, am off to look for the most powerful hand blender as I dont want to crush my vegetables for soup - the way my Mum did! I want it NOW!

 

[FlawlessBeauty]

Personally i prefer a truthful answer. Ok its blunt and i might feel a bit miffed for 5 minutes but then i think about it and realise that it makes total sense even if its not what i wanted to hear.

In my case, i opened a beauty room 2 years ago expecting minimal clients and money for the first year at least. I was prepared. I worked my backside off and luckily and suprisingly to me, i was quite busy and managed to break even or better immediately.

If i was expecting to work only 9-5 and earn thousands i would have been gutted at the results, but going in with my eyes open, i was ecstatic.

I am getting a little irritated with all the "how do i get clients?" threads, but only because there are so many asking the same question. Use the search engine. But what they will learn is that its not as much about getting the clients as it is keeping them.

I agree with a previous post (can't remember who) that it took me about a year in employment before my work was any good at all. I didn't know that until i had improved, obviously. So i would tell everybody to get this experience in salon or alongside someone already qualified. They teach you so much more than you could ever imagine!

 

[melons]

Brilliant information ,Thanks.
Yes ,I must have faith in myself, my products and services.
Keep up with the training.
Keep up with the advertising and promotions.
:lol: