Help me decide what to do.....

[Jaffacake]

Ok, at the moment I work in an office part time 9am - 1.30pm Mon - Fri only...I do nails evenings and Saturdays from home but only have a few regular clients. I have been thinking about getting into nails more but I am scared about not making enough money, I dont get a huge amount from my day job but It always gets spent!

I have today found out that the salon at the end of my road (100 yds away!) has a nail technician who is leaving this Friday! I havent actually spoken to the owner personally yet but I know that she only did a few days a week and paid £30 rent! I assume she provided her own products but not certain...

At the moment I know what I will be earning every month and its safe. Do I try to ease myself in a couple of days a week or give up the existing day job and try to make a real go of it in the salon? I dont dislike my job and they are good letting me go early when the kids are in the holiday club so that I dont have to pay extra etc etc..

My question is do you think I could make a living out of it if I only worked say 9-3 mon - fri plus Sat afternoon (when hubbys home) and maybe a couple of hours when they stay open late till 9 two days a week. could do a bit longer in the school hols cos the kids club is open till 5 then...or if business was booming I could put them in an after school club till 7.....(wicked mother! lol)

My speeds are not too great, still take a good couple of hours to do a full set, I cant afford to be late out if I have to get down the school etc so I would probably allow myself 2 and a half hours to begin with.....but this is a way of getting some clients hopefully and getting my speeds down....

I dont know what to do?? anyone got any points for me to consider?

 

[Urban Geek]

Sherrie,

Why not get your CV and a small portfolio together and approach the salon. When they see your nail art, they won't let you go! Explain to them your situation and perhaps you will be able to start off working round your office job until you establish a regular clientelle and build confidence to be set free from the dreaded office and take off in the world of nails full time.

I wouldn't worry about your speeds too much as you'll soon speed up once under pressure regularly. Oh, and once you have had your 1-2-1 with Gigi, your times are sure to come down.

Approach the salon, be honest but be confident in your skills - you'll be a star! The worst scenario is that they say no and that certainly isn't the end of the world. Go for it girl!

 

[Kim Lawless]

This is a tough one because you're torn between your desires and practicalities.

Would it be possible to keep you current job and do Friday, Saturday and maybe an evening in the salon to see how you get on? I know it's a bummer having to be practical but have you thought about who'll look after the kids if you work in the salon during the school holidays? People will still want their nails done, even more so in the summer.

How about you sit down and write a list of pros and cons? Hope you make the decision that makes you happiest. xxxxx

 

[Jaffacake]

Well, I have to work in the school holidays now anyway, they go to a kids club, I would just extend that so that they went until 5 instead of getting collected at 1 so thats not a problem, if anything its easier for me during holidays, its the picking up from school at 3.15 thats the problem.

I have been thinking of maybe doing a couple of evenings say 6-9 and saturday 12 - 5, I could tell my job that I dont want to do Fridays anymore and see what they say? then it would be wed, thurs eve, Fri and Sat.....I suppose that way if it doesnt work out then I havent burned my bridges, and if it does then I can increase a bit more...

Why cant anything be easy?? lol

 

[Urban Geek]

It's the deciding that is the hardest thing Sherrie x

 

[Kim Lawless]

I have been thinking of maybe doing a couple of evenings say 6-9 and saturday 12 - 5, I could tell my job that I dont want to do Fridays anymore and see what they say? then it would be wed, thurs eve, Fri and Sat.....I suppose that way if it doesnt work out then I havent burned my bridges, and if it does then I can increase a bit more...

I think that's an excellent idea. You'll have the best of both worlds then. Go for it...............you might live to regret it if you don't. Good luck.

 

[scattyfox]

Think you have found a workable solution there Sherrie. Do what Chris said and take some of your work up there, find out why she is leaving and what days she was doing .

Try to work both for a while so you can build up a clientele, then maybe re- assess the situation in the New year, i think if you can get in on a Friday and Saturday you should be OK and on a late evening these are going to be there busy times, maybe the other tech couldn't do many hours or didn't sit in there even if it was quiet.

the other good thing about that place is you are on hand if there is any emergency at home cos you only live 2 seconds away.


Go on girl take the plunge i don't think you will regret it and chat to Geeg about it on Monday.

Remember what i said the other night , sometimes we have to take a chance or otherwise we will kick ourselves at a later date for not trying.

good luck hun am right behind you all the way.
x

 

[Jaffacake]

Go on girl take the plunge i don't think you will regret it and chat to Geeg about it on Monday.
x

I know I'm going to come away from Geeg chomping at the bit!! pmsl. I will go and speak to the salon owner to go through things with a fine toothed comb tomorrow and see if it seems workable, gotta pluck up the courage to speak to my boss too.... they are already a couple of staff down at the moment, but then they haven't exactly rushed to rectify that situation either, and the last person left before xmas!!

Thanks for all the input ~ i know at the end of the day its my deicision..... what else should i be taking into consideration apart from the rent? ideally I would like to keep my own identity and be basically self employed just renting the space. I havent got the foggiest idea about keeping books etc? is it just a case of writing down everything that comes in and everything that goes out and keeping all receipts?? sorry for all the questions :o

 

[scattyfox]

Do a search on accounts on here Sherrie and rules and regulations both searches should bring up some good threads that gave loads of tax and accounts information as i asked a while ago about it.

They will also give you the right geeks to ask questions for things like that as well, do believe the tax office runs free courses as well, check with your local area.
x

 

[Cathie!]

Basically yes....that's what I do and I don't use an accountant...it's dead easy when you're just a one man band....I use a self-employed tax tracker book as I managed to loose one year's accounts on my laptop when it broke and I hadn't backed it up so i do it all on paper now,although I do submit my self assessment via the internet....it maybe a little less simplistic if you are both employed and self-employed though!!!

£30 per week rent is a fantastic deal, even if you're working part time.

Live the dream Cherie......

 

[Jaffacake]

Ok, I went in the salon tonight as it was open till 9... spoke to the lady and she said the other technician is leaving because she works aswell and has a horse and cant commit to it enough... only does a couple of evenings and one saturday in four!

Told her I work aswell and my dilema etc, she said If I want to try it out for a couple of weeks fitting it in around my day job she is happy for me to do that and wont charge me any rent, if im happy and get on ok we can work something out in a couple of weeks but the girl that is leaving pays her £30 a week however many days she does!! Its up to me to take the money, keep books if i want, etc .

she said think about it and let her know. she wanted me to do a basic CV for her so I did a letter to go with it outlining some basic questions that I have thought of after like do i work under salon name or can I keep my own? can I retail products and keep profits? can I display certificates? can I set prices? dropped it back to her and will await a response......

I am quite excited about it now.... lol x

 

[Sassy Hassy]

Wow, well done you for taking the initiative. Sounds like you've landed on your feet there, best of luck!

 

[scattyfox]

Good girl huni am really excited for you now xxxx

got an accountacy book here as well if you need it any time.

 

[ltongue]

Sounds really exciting! good luck.

 

[Jaffacake]

well.... i'm still waiting for her to get back to me....lol

hubby keeps telling me to go over there again before someone else jumps in first! I feel that i've left the ball in her court with my list of questions, i signed off with 'look forward to hearing from you' .... what do you think?

I am not sure if sharing a table is going to work, it is much smaller than the one I use at home too...I cant imagine they would have room for another table, and might think im coming in and trying to take over the place! I didnt take any notice when I was in there if there was any hand washing facilities either?

 

[scattyfox]

there must be hand washing facilities for teh hairdressers love so dont worry, why not pop why and justask if she managed to have alook at things
x