My client stole my career!

[redsadie]

Maybe she thought she'd get a negative reaction if she told you what she was intending on doing? Maybe she thought she might upset you if she told you she wanted to do it too? Maybe she didn't know she wanted to do it until she had stolen your secrets? I have a feeling she didn't do it with malicious intent and if she did, then I'm sorry, I misjudged.

Whichever it is, if indeed it is any of these, then if she has qualified, good on her. She obviously has seen you being successful and wants a piece of the pie. Don't let it upset you, take it as a complement and carry on doing what you are doing. There should be enough people where you live to have competition. Be the best and most experienced (as you obviously are) and let her get on with it.

 

[mikem]

Unfortunately it is a 'dog eat dog world' so to speak as much as I hate to say it.

Mrs Clooney has used a good example of what is called a metaphor for life. These are seemingly innocuous little statements that we hold as our 'metaphor for life' and people can have more then one.

The important thing about these simplistic little phrases is that they tend to govern how we live our lives and in doing so the metaphor is reinforced.

It's worth spending a few minutes noticing what your metaphor(s) for life is/are. If they are really positive fabulous ones, keep them, if they are negative ones, think about changing them.

Examples of less useful ones

'Lifes a bitch, then you die'
'life is an uphill struggle'
'it's me against the world'
'it's a dog eat dog world'

Examples of good ones

'Life is great'
'Life is a bed of roses'
'life is what you make of it'
'life is a journey of discovery'

and of course

'life is a minestrone, served up with parmesan cheese' - 10cc

If you believe it's a dog eat dog world, it will be, if you believe life is there to be lived and enjoyed, you will enjoy it. I had a colleague who's metaphor for he and his wife was 'the two musketeers' - 'it's us against the world' he told me and then chatted about how they were at odds with the school, the neighbours and anyone else they could be at war with.

Regarding this thread, isn't it great that this customer was so impressed by what bombalurina does that she was inspired to take up mobile tanning. I would be very proud that my skills and professionalism were such that I could inspire clients to join the industry.

There are always positives to events if you choose to notice them. Competition is great as it gives us all the opportunity to be great at what we do. If you are a fab therapist the customers keep on coming.

Regards

Mike

 

[mikem]

i would confront her and say that you would have had more respect for her if she had been upfront and honest with you in the first place. Make her feel like a gnat! Then tell everyone what she did!!

Sod her! why should you wish her luck and all that bollocks?? She screwed you over..not by doing spray tanning, but in the way she used you and kept it a secret. I would make her feel like she has an enemy...and i would tell everyone she is **** too.

Good to see that the anger management classes are working :hug:

 

[Cranbaby]

i would confront her and say that you would have had more respect for her if she had been upfront and honest with you in the first place. Make her feel like a gnat! Then tell everyone what she did!!

Sod her! why should you wish her luck and all that bollocks?? She screwed you over..not by doing spray tanning, but in the way she used you and kept it a secret. I would make her feel like she has an enemy...and i would tell everyone she is **** too.

OMG! This scares me! This is one of the very reasons I got out of the hair styling business. I understand in almost every line of work you are going to have people mad at you for something and calling you names and spreading a bad word, but I think what sets most of us on the cutting edge of the industry is our professionalism. Even if you have only been at it a few months or for years there is a level of maturity and professionalism to be had in the work place. There are so many beauty service providers in town that have such bad reputations for talking bad about others, having bad attitudes with other service providers and even former clients they think have betrayed them. There are many people who ask me about the other girls in town who do waxing. I could easily sabotage them by talking bad about them and their work, but at the same time I'm sabotaging myself because the client realizes I'm a bad mouther and not have a professional attitude. With your situation, I would either leave it alone and do the best I can to get out and do some marketing for myself and do the best I can with my services. Or you could call her, BUT instead of doing it out of spite or being vendictive, just say "Hey, I heard you started your own biz? That's great! I hope it works out for you." Be as professional as you can and in the end you will reap the benefits! Like someone else said.....she may get a few clients and then realize just how hard it is! Most of all though.....you are responsible for and in control of your actions, your attitudes, and your business and where it goes from here. Be professional and strive for the best! Keep that in your sights and get her out of your mind, because YOU ROCK!

 

[GEEKS_R_WE]

Yeah, I have a friend like that.

I previously put a post on here about it.

She kept picking my brains and asking why are you doing it this way and that? what do you call this and that? etc. Then started using my stuff (did I mention that she also ruined 2 of my brushes)everytime that she comes to visit me which coincidently is the same time that she wants her nails done, not that I get a chance to do her nails though because she then tries to do most of the filing, buffing and polishing herself.

Now don't get me wrong, I was more than happy to help her out by giving her college/ training info and telephone numbers but she just wasn't interested.

She just wanted to fast track so she could work off the books in an NSS.
Fact; she was always trying to calculate how much she could make if she had x amount of customers per day.

It's like thanks for the ride, so see ya!

But you know what? Think of it as a lesson learned. You'll know better next time.

 

[Gelly]

Yeah, I have a friend like that.

I previously put a post on here about it.

She kept picking my brains and asking why are you doing it this way and that? what do you call this and that? etc. Then started using my stuff (did I mention that she also ruined 2 of my brushes).......

I can't believe you let her touch your brushes!..... I have a hard enough time letting another Pro use my brush :lol:


Back on topic - why not look at the situation as a positive..... you inspired her.
Why not call her to say well done - Your using the same solution, so why not do each others tans.... work together for big parties / events.....

 

[Peter Pan]

i havent read all the replies here, but all i would suggest is YOU RISE ABOVE HER, let her go and spray someone, then fall flat on her face (she aint trained) they will soon come back to you (your are trained). she wont know all the ins and outs about this treatment - YOU do - she wont know about contra- indications - YOU do, you can see the pattern flower, dont let it worry you

IF any of your clients go to her (cos shes cheaper) they will soon be back when they getting the streaks etc, cos SHE NOT TRAINED,..............................YOU ARE, believe in yourself and your abilities flower

 

[essentia]

Hi I think most of us who have been doing this a while has experienced this and whilst it is annoying it is best to move on. It also means we have inspired others to do what we do but I agree there are those who look for short cuts when it has taken a lot of hard graft to learn what we have!

However that client of yours will have to rely on herself eventually and sink or swim!! Years of professionalism and proper training will show through and that is why I think you should not let it get to you. You cannot stop someone you know setting up but you can have control over the way you carry out your business and how professional YOU are.

On the flip side a common mistake with new people is that they think what you use/do will also be best for them and it is not always the case. Attending professional shows and the experiences at college widen everyones horizons and teaches the individual what works best for them.

Help those with enquiries about your business to a certain point only - this helps you to stop feeling drained whilst guiding their enthusiasm in the right direction. :hug:

 

[lucydog77]

That's just recently happended to me with spray tanning , lost a big group of women as they where all her mates, she's off to do a three day nail course but good luck to her !!! still get's you miffed though lol:irked:

 

[diddle]

I agree with the majority, she could reccomend you if sh eis busy etc xx

 

[soriminah]

Or the other thing to think about - she might try it, realise it's hard work and pack it in. Then she can recommend you to her clients.

 

[princess fifi]

It is disappointing when you think you know someone and they do something like that.

I recently had a friend like that, she wasn't even a client. It was difficult because as a Friend you should help each other etc.

Don't worry, don't let it effect how you interact with other people.

 

[sam28]

Oooh I feel bad now !! Before I started spray tanning I went to loads of the competition and watched their techniques and sampled their different products and asked about their equipment. Dont feel bad, because being honest looking back, I learnt absolutely nothing from them that I can remember now. All I remember is what I was taught in my training and if she hasnt been trained she will be all over the place and a bag of nerves (I cant imagine having a go at that without training). I would take it as a compliment that she has been to you (she's obviously heard you are good) and just let it go over your head. She may pack it in, she may not but in a months time, you probably wont care anymore, so dont worry about it any longer (place it in WPB ((waste paper bin)) at the back of your brain where it belongs) xxxxxxxxxx

 

[Terese]

Have to agree with most positive quotes on here

Be flattered that she chose spray tanning, be flattered that you had done her spray tans(by the way where is she going to go for her spray tan...to you?)

If she has advertised give her a call, wish her luck....she may mention that she needs tanning and vice versa, you may be able to bounce ideas off each other.

Be positive, after all, competition is healthy when its channeled in the right direction....

If shes not forthcoming with niceness....ignore her....your clients are bound to notice a new spray tan tech..ideal opportunity when they ask to say...something like "yes I believe she was interested in it as I used to spray tan her"

 

[Bombalurina]

Hey Geeks,

Thankyou all for your comments; you're all so lovely! It's so good to know that there are people out there who are willing to help others!

I no longer feel hurt or upset, but I am now more determined to make a go of my business, and more determined to really get my name out there!

I'm not going to call her to wish her luck (or to be nasty!), I'm going to leave it; if she wants a tan, or wants to work with me, then that's great, and I'll welcome it.

So thanks geeks, you've all helped me
If I can return the favour, I will
Lots of love to you all
XXXXXXXXXXx

 

[Fly_Nails]

I think definitely display your training for your clients to see so they know you are providing a profressional service. Is there a license to in your country to spray tan? For example, I know there isn't a license to practice nails in Canada - but that will soon change, and all those little shops all over the place will close down because of it. So I think you definitely have an advantage. Make your clients know via pamphlets, your business cards etc. that you are a TRAINED professional. Always always learn the newest trends in your industry and be the first the implement them.

 

[Annie1984]

Hi there,
Its a shame whats happened to you but hay thats LIFE.
Dont be getting yourself all up set and next time when you speak to your clients maybe lie a little and dont make out that getting into spray tanning is as easy as paying £80.00 for a 4 hour course. When I speak to my clients that ask about how I got into spray tanning I say I learned how to do it through my HND in Beauty aswel as completing a spray tanning Health and safey test.

When I spray my clients I see tham watching my every move and thinking this is easy I can do this and make extra money. They dont understand that I've been doing it for ages and before I started I was all fingers and thumbs.

Dont worry and cheer up life is too short, your all ready better than her as you have your experience she still needs to build up hers.

xx

 

[sj1973]

Hey Geeks,

Thankyou all for your comments; you're all so lovely! It's so good to know that there are people out there who are willing to help others!

I no longer feel hurt or upset, but I am now more determined to make a go of my business, and more determined to really get my name out there!

I'm not going to call her to wish her luck (or to be nasty!), I'm going to leave it; if she wants a tan, or wants to work with me, then that's great, and I'll welcome it.

So thanks geeks, you've all helped me
If I can return the favour, I will
Lots of love to you all
XXXXXXXXXXx

So in some silly way,she has made you more head strong about your business,so she has helped you !! . Good luck with your business ,it will grow stonger and stronger with your determination .

 

[bondgirl78]

hey ladies i didnt mean to offend anyone when i posted my reply to this thread. I am not a nut case and am usually a calm person...its just that when i hear of stories like this one it really gets my blood boiling cause i just hate hate hate deceitful people.

Yes the correct advice is to "rise above it" but you see i have come from a very hard dog eat dog background, and if i had not have been that way i would have failed in life many years ago.

as i said no hard feelings and i am not a crazy woman! lol!

xx

 

[beautyathome]

Ok, dramatic title I know, but that's the way I feel at the moment!!
I have a little dilemma and it's really upset me.

I've found out that a client of mine who has been having spray tanning with me, has now gone and bought her own machine, tent etc, from the same company I use, and is now going mobile herself. What bothers me, is that she's not a therapist, and she's used me to get all the information she needs to go and do it herself. You know the type of person, all friendly, asking questions because she seems to be really interested etc etc...

I'm not to bothered about the fact that she's going into the spray tan market herself, because it's a rapidly growing industry, and that's business at the end of the day...but I'm really upset that she's basically used me for her own gain. I feel completely used and that I'll never trust another client again!! And I don't want to feel like this!!

So Geeks, what can I do? I don't want to confront her, because I'm not like that anyway, and it's her business what she does....but I can't stand the thought of people preferring a non-therapist to me!!! So I need some advice on how I can better present myself, what can I do to "Stick it to her" without actually sticking it to her???!!!!

Also, have any of you had a similar situation?
XX

In march i had the same problem, i was doing her tans and loved the solution i used, she then went out and bought the machine and asked me where she could get the solution :irked:, she still wanted her nails and waxing doing with me but to be honest when she kept on ringing i kept on telling her i was fully booked as she used to say that she wanted to start doing nails as well in her spare time. She has now got the message and no longer got her as a client, i don't need clients like that but thats my personal choice. Good luck with your business and don't worry keep at it. :hug: