Checking in....

It's been a while since I posted much content! I've been so busy with ups and downs on this path I've chosen for myself!!! I'm not even sure where to start... 

I finally left my day job and I am now officially a full time self employed nail technician and waxer. I'm loving it. Loving the flexibility, loving choosing my hours and how best to run my business. But it's not without it's challenges- I'm always trying to think of ways to advertise! I need a new website built to get more traffic coming as I'm not appearing as high on google as I would like. I need leaflets done. Ive got training to pay for!

High: getting lots of new happy customers

Low: taking along time on a set of Infills and pulling my back muscles waxing.

But I'm buying an efile next month and have had training in exactly how to use it!!!

I also had a change of heart on which brand I'm going to back- I am still love Cnd shellac but as far as art and the technical side of nails I don't feel I can go much further with CND only, I started watching YouTube videos of crystal nails and I've decided to get involved with them. I've done a couple of training courses with them and absolutely loved it. (I do love a training course though) Check out their website www.crystalnails4u.co.uk

Their coloured gels and acrylics are amazing, they are a fairly new company in the uk and still fairly small and therefore lack the elitist and corporate feel of some of the bigger brands and instead present in a much more humble approachable way! Any question you need to ask their educators are there to answer...

Finally.....

I'm going to nail camp!!!! Yes I repeat I'm going to nail camp with crystal nails looool. Unless your a nail tech you won't know what I'm on about but trust me ok this us a good thing?!!  I actually can't believe it! It's 5 days away, in a manor house, learning nothing but nails nails nails!!  New techniques, art, shapes!! My idea of heaven. Happy to say some of my new nail tech friends are coming with me. I really feel it's a step worth taking in my new career. We are going to learn the most challenging designs and extreme shapes like stilettos! I hope to get more confident in nail art as that's one thing I want to work on.

So as you can see far things are good. the clients are coming and I'm the happiest I've been for a long time! I just hope it continues this way!!

Watch this space for more updates.....

Going it alone.....

Ok so today guys.... I actually did it! I handed in my notice!!! I am a bit in shock to be honest that I actually had the confidence to do it! I've put it off for months!!

I must really believe in myself ey?

It needed to happen I'm so dedicated to nails I eat breathe sleep dream nails at the moment and who was it who said never give up on something you think about every day?

I really need to work for myself as well im excited about it all to be honest, I know it won't be easy but in determind to make it work! I have goals for this year and next which include getting grandmaster status, doing more training with the brilliant crystal nails (more about that later) taking on more clients full time, London fashion week next year and maybe competing next year too if my confidence is up there enough!!!

I leave work in 5 weeks, the professional beauty show is in three days so I intend to fully stock myself then ready to take clients ASAP. Still looking for a decent salon space but if I don't find one I will continue to work from my humble abode!!

Anyone ekse been here before? Taken the plunge and gone it alone??? 

It's a Frightening yet exciting thought!

Nail Tech, beautician, wife or husband and super mum (or dad). The challenge of work life balance, how do you cope?

Happy 2014 people!!!

This industry can be extremley child friendly and flexible but it can also be one of the most challenging jobs to fit around your family as well and after taking part in a lovely discussion on this topic on Facebook yesterday in Gemma Lambert's group, "The Nail Team" (great resource for nail techs by the way) it got me thinking, how do we do it?

I am a mother of two, my youngest being only 1 and the oldest being 7 and I struggle with this alot of the time. Changing careers to becoming a nail tech is a hard one, once you train you need to put in hours to get experience, to speed up your application time, learn from others and to gain confidence.

But working in salons and spa's isn't exactly known to be family friendly job..it usually means working for minimum wage or just above, long fairly anti- social hours,  and often requires we work evenings amd weekends. So, when do you get the time to see the children and partner?  Do you have good childcare and support and can you even afford to take the wage cut?

Or do you get a job as a self employed nail tech? Rent a space maybe or work on commision only! What happens if you don't make your rent this week?  Can you realistically afford to wait for your business to grow and have very little or no income in that time when you have kids who gotta eat?

It's the struggle many of us go through, me included. My main desire is to be fully self employed and leave my boring day job altogether but fear is stopping me taking the plunge! Maybe if I didn't have the family to consider I would be doing it already!!

Dividing up the time between your private and work life is always a hard one, but once your established and experienced, this industry does allow for flexibility. Especially if you are self employed or are lucky enough to have a space at home you can work from.You can book clients around your other commitments, spend time with the kids and partner AND do what you love all under one roof! Perfect!

But for those of us who dont have this luxury, I have no magic fix to the dilemma. All I can say is we are not alone. I've come across lots of great mums who are doing this, many of us are the same boat, and we all feel, think and worry about similar things! There are loads of us who are working full time jobs, raising children (sometimes on their own) AND taking nail or beauty clients in what little spare time they have! They are busy, tired but above all they are happy!

If you are one of those nail technician super wives mums or dads struggling with your conscience or wondering how you are going to do this, please know that any struggles you go through now are for your future. Any times you feel guilty that you may be negelcting your children and husband by working so damn hard and any times you have to cut back or go without... it is a very definite means to an end! Think of the time in the not too distant future, when you will be charging top dollar for your work, you will have a reliable and loyal client base who will work around you and your family commitments, follow you everywhere you go and love your work!

That's all from me.....

Do post comments and let me kow what you think or what you would like to see!

xxx

Happy New Year!!!!!!

Quick blog post to say Happy New Year to everybody!!!!!

It's always a good time for reflecting on your forthcoming dreams and aspirations.... I haven't set new years resolutions as such but I have joined the gym if that counts?

Thinking about it now though one thing you could say I resolve to do this year is advance my nail career. I want to do this full time, so far i've been ticking along nicely, fitting clients in around my day job etc etc... but this year I intend to draft that notice letter and ensure it finds itself on my bosses desk.

What are al you nail nail techs, and nail enthusiasts going to do with your career? What do you want to learn? What do you want to develop on?

May 2014 bring you whatever it is that you want it to bring you... but remember its not all down to luck, its mostly down to hard work and the only thing from stopping us make those changes... is ourselves!



xxxxxxx

New website went live today!

Quick blog just to tell you all that finally my website is live!!!!

Wooohooooo!!!!!!

No greater feeling! I've been working on it for weeks- it's been slow, but I must say I'm not that technical! My lovely boyfriend has helped me loads, he us that technical! He's designed my logo and done all my photography so far except the official CND pics!

But seeing it live for everyone to see us a really great feeling!!  I am a firm believer that all great businesses require a web site, now I can give potential clients even more confidence in me! On my way to my first client of the day, a salon in hammersmith and I'm feeling great about my decision to take this career path and firmly believing everything happens for a reason!

Check out my new website at www.adoflondon.com

:-)

Xx

Screwing up a set of nails!

Hey guys.. me again, I'm on a roll tonight! I just wanted to write a post on screwing up! Really to remind everyone that we have all been there, we've all been new,  we all need to practice on willing clients and guinea pigs in order to improve, there's no other way to progress but to make mistakes. For me some of my worst, most upsetting mistakes have been the ones I have learnt best from. Have you ever sent a client off with nails your less than happy with, or felt the feeling of the client clock watching as she's been in the chair for 2 hours already and your still filing product or correcting your cuticle application. Have you ever looked at the finsihed nails in utter fear that  it will lift as you've flooded the cuticle or got that ledge at the cuticle? Trust me we all have been there... hands shaking, faking it, till you make it!

I would like to share with you all what is hands down my worst experience to date was when I had just started out and I did a set of pink and whites on this awful very snooty client, She made me nervous when she called me to book by slagging off the last tech and her work. Anyway I went there, determined to rise to the challenge, things started out well, I did my prep, applied my tips and blended but as time went on she started making me nervous, by asking me why I was doing this and that, then she was huffing and puffing as it had taken me an hour already,Ii tried to speed up..... then I applied the white too thinly and didn't cap it so when i filed i actually filed into the colour on one of the nails! She was furious, she lost it with me and started shouting at me! I offered to correct it but she said she didn't want it corrected! She was an awful woman, to be fair I would of been unhappy with them but I would never of treated anyone like that!

I then packed up my stuff as quickly and possible apologised and thanked her for her time! I said I didn't want any money for the nails and I was close to tears and just wanted to get out of there but then she started insisting I take some money for my work. I didn't feel right taking it, so it then became a "Just take it", "No, really I don't want it", type situation. I could of died, I must of looked terrible! I was sweating, hot, very red in the face with anger, upset and embarrassment. In the end I just left the house- literally ran out of the house!

In hindsight I wish I had handled it differently as the nails were a really good set apart from the one finger which I had missed a tiny section of white. It could of been corrected easily! This experience really knocked my confidence and I felt like I didn't want to do nails anymore as I was so useless! I forced myself to get back out there and do nails even though the thought filled me with dread, I did a few more guinea pigs and did my own nails a few times. I also started looking around for more training to top me up on my UV application as it wasn't covered very well in my course!

There have been many many other moments I've wanted to quit, trust me but something keeps me here! Below is a set of glitter tips I hand sculpted on myself!

They lasted 3 weeks, with no lifting.... so whatever your fears are conquer them,  whatever your mistakes, learn from them. Don't give up, if you want to do this you can so get straight back on the bike again! Nothing good ever came easily!!!!


xxxxx

Choosing your nail product ranges!

We all need to pick a product range for our business, and there are so many suppliers and companies out there, all in competition with each other so how do you know whats best for you? It's probable you will try a few and chop and change. If you train in a college very often they use products such as Millennium nails, Edge nails Star Nails etc. These are good affordable brands, available in Sally's which are great for training and practising!

After you qualify you might want to start exploring this huge nail industry and what it has to offer!
I chose my product ranges using a variety of thought processes and methods.  I broke down what I wanted to offer, a good gel polish brand, acrylics, UV Gel and a soak off gel. That was all I needed from a supplier.  Then carry out research! Listen, read, try out. I would advise you:

1. Order trial kits from a few of the leading companies. Most brands will send you them out and they are extremely cheap or even free and enough to do a few sets of nails to test their longevity durability and overall performance. I got one from NSI and Young Nails and a gel polish one from Opi.

2. Pay attention to a lot of word of mouth, listen to what other, more experienced techs out there were using and why.

3. Visit the trade shows where there are demonstrations, and loads of freebies and giveaways of products.

4. Read industry magazines,  for instance I get Scratch sent to me free of charge quite a lot and its very informative.

4. Use various Social media, Instagram, twitter, Facebook and forums like Salon Geek have a wealth of information!

I finally settled after thinking about what sort of brand you want to be! What is your vision for yourself and your business? I initially went with OPI for my polishes, they are a well known brand with a huge colour range, other techs I knew used them, the public love them AND they were doing free training for their gel polish product GelColor. I went with NSI for my L&P in the end (or acrylics as you may know it). I picked up their trial kit at the show as they are a reputable brand, with beautiful colours for their powders and I also used their balance gels. However I found their gel to be very runny and switched to young nails which I find thicker and easier to work with!

However this year I have decided to convert to CND! That's for another blog post, which in fact I think I will do very soon, but I will explain exactly why it was the best decision I've ever made.

 

Whatever you do,  please make sure you get a reputable supplier, Ebay is not the place for buying acrylics and Gels, Ebay is great for nail art bits and pieces but when it comes to chemicals you need to know their source. I'm sure you would be mortified if you unknowingly bought a counterfeit product which damaged your clients? Again the is for another blog but whoever you decided to go with, remember "You get what you pay for"!


bye xxxxx