Michelle, You are such an inspiration! Buenos noches, Lynnette Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile
-----Original Message----- From: Michelle Cordes <[email protected]> Date: Thu, 18 Feb 2010 20:04:51 To: <[email protected]> Subject: Re: NailTech:: Need to vent Oh my gosh, I think every successful tech can understand where you're coming from! 14 long years ago (ouch!), I went to nail school full time while working as a part time retail manager. I stayed with my 24 hour a week retail management job for the first year I was in the business. I ate, slept, breathed nails for that year. I went out to dinner... business card with the tip for 50% off a full set. Bankers, grocery store checkers, anyone I came in contact with got a business card. I gave a free set to someone who brought a friend in for a full set! Anything to get their butt in my chair. I spent about an hour and a half a week on MY nails so they were always PERFECT and became the fastest business card draw-er in the west when someone complimented me on them! I put flyers in the newspaper boxes at 5 am (right behind a very annoyed newspaper delivery car! LOL!) for a week in a 5 mile radius around the salon I worked in. I stayed at the salon when I didn't have any clients and practiced practiced practiced. When I started to have to turn away clients because of my other job, I turned in my notice and went to full time in nails... and promoted even harder than before! I became an educator for a company (you guys remember when that was? **wink**), opened my own salon and have made it through all these years. When it's gotten really really slow, I have gone out and picked up a bartending job or something... I even took a full time job at the beginning of this recession.... which I quit after a year because I made more in 20 hours at the salon than 40 at the job! I know this because I never could quit doing nails... so that was a year of 60 hour weeks! The bottom line is this.... yes, we may have reached the end of the days where clients fell from the sky, when you could charge whatever you wanted and turn people away every day with minimal marketing... but at the end of the day our business is the best and isn't ever going away! You are in control of your income! Want a raise? Add a few clients. Saving for a vacation? Add a few clients! You have the one thing that can't be taught... passion for the industry. Take whatever job you have to for making ends meet, but just remember, you aren't a grocery checker, bartender, or retail clerk... YOU ARE A NAIL TECH!!! I bet if you let your passion show through to everyone you meet, you will keep your chair full no matter what salon you are in! (You are in an industry of women for women, no offense to the men, and there will be infighting and crap anywhere. Ignore it.) Now go get 'em, kid... Michelle Cordes (realizing I had A LOT to say on the subject... he he) The Nail Spa @ Steel Magnolias Salon "The spa for your hands and feet since 1997" Bremerton, Washington www.myspace.com/thenailspa --- On Wed, 2/10/10, Shannon <[email protected]> wrote: From: Shannon <[email protected]> Subject: NailTech:: Need to vent To: "NailTech" <[email protected]> Date: Wednesday, February 10, 2010, 6:21 AM Allright my nail tech sisters. I just need to vent. I have been a nail tech for almost 2 years (still a newbie) and LOVE doing nails. My first job was in an organic salon doing only natural nails. I was the only nail tech and I tried it for a year. At the end of the year I was not happy because I was working 4 days a week and only making between $150-$200 a week not including tips. And that was a high end salon. I thought maybe because it was all natural nails that it was limiting so I found another salon (this one just opened too in Sept) and started learning gels but am still having a hard time with lifting so we have not added it to the menu but we are doing the soak offs. I am actually making less than the other place around $125-$140 a week not including tips. Now there is infighting between the salon owners. My thought is now, what if I try to find a place that does not charge so much for their services ($42.00-55.00 for pedicures and $23.00 for regular manicures currently) and maybe going with someplace that charges less but is busier would work better. Or is it the economy or is it that nail techs do not make a lot of money unless they are established and do gels/acrylics??? I am just SO frustrated that it works out that I am making $4.35 an hour!!!?????? I love nails but am also considereing going to work at a grocery store where I would make more. sigh. I am just frustrated that I have put so much time and energy promoting and helping to grow someone else's business and it is not there yet. And I know they are doing marketing. It just is not working. Sorry this is so long and thanks for letting me vent. Shannon K -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "NailTech" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/nailtech?hl=en. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "NailTech" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/nailtech?hl=en. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "NailTech" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/nailtech?hl=en.
