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